Haley Mulder-Staff Writer

Lucas Simonson burst through the doors of the New World Theatre on his electric blue scooter at exactly 10:12 p.m. A tad late.

The Improve Club was already gathered in a tight circle, hands in. They were taking part in the human knot.

“My body is not supposed to flex like this,” sophomore Tyler York said.

“Work together!” “Owwww!!” “Lower, lower!” “What is going on?!”

Constant chatter amidst organized chaos.

Freshman Eric Rowe led the group in trying to untangle the mess of hands.

“My arm is around your arm!” “I feel like I shouldn’t be in this spot right now.” “This is just like swing dancing!”

Constant laughter and an occasional scream, but always improvised.

Along with the games of the “human knot”, they play the pyramid, slideshow, pass the sound and motion, and many other theatrical games. The games help the club participants relieve stress and express themselves.

Dordt’s Improv Club meets every Monday night from 9-10pm in the New World Theatre located in the classroom buildings.

The club will be performing several times this school year. They performed at the BJ Haan for parents weekend on Oct. 19 and will also be performing for Dordt’s High School One Act Festival coming up Oct. 31st.

“Improv is a way to extend your theatrical abilities,” Junior club leader Jessica McCarty said. “It’s free thinking on the spot.” McCarty is a technical theatre major and has been involved with the club since she was a freshman, and been a leader for two and a half years.

“You don’t have to think about anything, you just let it happen,” McCarty said. “That’s what improv is all about!”

Along with McCarty, junior Jon Hageman and sophomore Lauren Bird are also leaders of the club. The club has grown in attendance since the previous years.

“There’s not a lot of rules in improv, but the most important one is to never say no,” McCarty said. “You always have to take what the other actor gives you, and go with it, no matter what.”

“There’s so much to love about improv,” Hageman said. “The people you work with, the relationships you build, the amount of thought and creativity that goes into the process, the exhilaration of performing, and I think more than anything, the love of and the creation aspect of the process.”

Hageman describes improv as liberating and entertaining; and something that anyone can do.

“Although it may be scary at first, it’s something that everyone should try out,” he said. “It showcases and encourages creative impulses you might not even realize you had.”

Improv club is open to anyone of any major to forget about the stress for an hour every Monday night and just improvise.

“You come into it with no preconceived notions,” Hageman said. “You just have to think of things on the spot, which is when the best moments happen.”

Constant laughter, an occasional scream, but always improvised.

If you would like more information on Dordt’s Improv Club, contact Jessica McCarty or Jon Hageman by email: jsscmccr@dordt.edu or jnhgmn@dordt.edu.