by Elizabeth Morlani

Improv Roulette really began out of my love of putting on ridiculous music and dancing to it. It was a physical and mental exercise I found myself returning to over and over again. Dancing reactively and honestly, without the pressure to perform a polished piece, allowed me the freedom to experiment creatively. Practicing with intention and goals is a necessity, but on occasion, it is valuable to just dance and see what comes out. My movement, while probably not as technically proficient, is more creative, more emotional, and more about experiencing and reacting.

And I wanted to share that with friends. So in the fall of 2012 I hosted the first Improv Roulette…and only six people came. But the six of us created magic that night. A belly dancer and a poi spinner shadowed each other and Berber walked across the dance studio. One dear friend brought a pogo stick as a prop and another used it as her slow dance partner. By the end of the evening I had tears streaming down my face and my sides ached from all of the laughter. From the moment it ended, I wanted to do it again.

Every three months I have been renting out a beautiful yoga studio in Pawtucket, RI and inviting people to join in on the experience. Participants begin by placing their names in a “hat”. When a person’s name is pulled, they get up and perform to the next song that comes up. Songs are on shuffle and we never know what we are going to get. There are fast songs and slow songs, folk songs and rock songs, ballads and baladis, love songs and heartache anthems. Participants are encouraged to bring props if they wish.
People from all performance genres have attended. Seasoned performers and new students have worked together to create spontaneous works of art. At past Improv Roulettes, we have been treated to a touching duet of Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” by a singer/guitarist and a puppeteer. Sweeping flags have moved in opposition to swirling fan veils set to the music of Metallica. While most of the people that attend are belly dancers, since those are the people that I am most in contact with, this event is not just limited to belly dancers. Hoopers, poi artists, singers, and dancers of all types have created magic in the moment at an Improv Roulette. Every Improv Roulette has played out differently, but they all foster the concepts of collaboration, community, and creative spontaneity.

And I want to share it with you. For 2014 I have been taking the event on the road – first New England and then beyond. I want to dance to Justin Timberlake and watch my troupe mates move to MC Hammer. I want to see a group of ATS dancers who have never performed together before bring a masterpiece of movement to life to the tune of Duran Duran. I want to create a collaboration with someone I’ve never even met. I want to watch someone’s interaction with a prop that they’ve never used before. What can you do with a hula hoop if you don’t know the things you’re “supposed” to do with a hula hoop? Let’s swap our dance stories and create brand new stories together on the spot. Let’s mix up my strengths and your strengths and make something so much greater than the sum of our parts. I want us all to laugh until we cry and be grateful for our bodies’ ability to listen and feel and speak the music – even if it’s Lady Gaga.
Upcoming Improv Roulette dates:

October 19th – Tempest’s Waking Persephone in Seattle, WA

November 8th – If Seattle is too far for you, please join us at Aurel’s Ancient Art Studios in Berkley, MA

Would you like to host in 2015? If you are interested in hosting an Improv Roulette or creating an Improv Roulette chapter, please contact Elizabeth at improvroulette@gmail.com