What to Expect in Your First Online Improv Class (For Beginners & Non-Actors)

So you’ve taken that first big step and signed up for an improv class.Congratulations! Now what?

If you’re trying online improv for the first time it’s completely normal to feel a mix of excitement and nerves. The good news? Everyone else feels the same way—and they’ve all been exactly where you are.

Logging In

First, you sign into Zoom.

You’ll pop into a room filled with friendly faces—people excited, and maybe just a little nervous (just like you). Everyone knows that starting online improv classes can feel scary the first time… because they’ve all been there.

I’ll greet everyone, we’ll chat for a bit, and then we get started.

Why We Start with Warm-Ups

We begin with warm-ups—and there’s a reason for that.

Improv is like working out a part of your brain you probably don’t use that often. Just like your body needs a warm-up before exercise, your brain needs to get ready to think quickly, stay present, and let go of judgment.

By the time we get to scenes, we want your brain moving fast—trusting your instincts instead of overthinking.

So for the first 20 minutes, we focus on that.

The Warm-Up Games

We play simple, fast, fun games like:

• Word Association – Say the first word that comes to mind after someone else says a word

• Categories – Name three things in a category as quickly as you can (for example: vegetables… go!)

• Character Games (like “Yearbook”) – You’re in a high school club, I’m taking your picture for the yearbook, and I ask you questions

And just to be clear—when I say “character,” I don’t mean you have to do anything big or over-the-top.

A character is simply you with a different point of view and a name.

If you want to do an accent or something wacky, great. But it’s absolutely not necessary—and most people don’t.

Then We Do Scenes (Which Are Also Games)

After the warm-ups, we move into scenes.

And here’s the secret: almost every scene we do is a game.

One example is the classic Yes, And game, which teaches one of the most important concepts in improv.

In that game, every sentence (after the first line) has to start with “Yes, and…”

So if I start with:“Thank you so much, Larry, for bringing me to Disneyland on my birthday. I’m so excited.”

You (as Larry) might say:“Yes, and I can’t wait to go on Space Mountain. I’ve been waiting my whole life to ride a roller coaster in the dark.”

It doesn’t matter what you say—as long as you agree and add something.

That’s what “Yes, and” is all about.

We also play games like:

• Last Word, First Word – Start your sentence with the last word your partner said

• Questions Game – The entire scene is done using only questions

They’re all designed to keep things simple, fun, and interactive.

The Best Part: The Benefits (Without the Pressure)

Here’s the best part.

By playing these games, you get all the benefits of improv.

• Builds confidence

• Helps you stop judging yourself

• Teaches you to trust your instincts

• Improves spontaneity and quick thinking

• Helps with shyness and social anxiety

And most of all… you have fun.

A Real Example of Games We Play

Here’s a sample of games from a recent class so you can get a feel for what it’s actually like:

• Word Ball

• Headlines

• Martha

• Motion Justify

• Problem Solve

• It’s Tuesday

• Unfortunately

• 3 Lines

• Last Word, First Word

• Questions

• Slide Show

• Locations

So… What Happens Next?

Now that you know what to expect, the only thing left is to try it.

If you’ve been curious about online improv classes for beginners and non-actors, this is a safe, supportive place to start.

No pressure. No experience needed.Just a chance to get out of your head and try something new.

👉 Come join a class and see it for yourself.