Part of a series about the Applied Improvisation Network’s world conference, Portland, Nov 11-16, 2009:
Chris Sams Connects
Chris Sams’ “Missed Connections?” workshop stresses the importance of connecting with scene partners and groups in meaningful ways. Chris guides the group through a series of exercises designed to get beyond the bullshit and the expectations, remove the masks we typically wear, and see what’s beyond the façade of the physical world. The ‘Eye Contact’ exercise, which I do with Kay Scorah, is literally and figuratively, an eye-opener, very moving and evocative. “It felt like family,” I told her.
Every connection I make at the AIN conference is meaningful because improvisers know how to make them that way. Networking by improvisers is extraordinarily productive, a fact that will become more important to business the deeper we get into the Networked World, and organizations begin to model themselves around social media and other network-friendly structures. Here’s a cross-section of connections:
In the past two years, Yael and I have both worked with our friend Lynne in D.C., and no sooner do we figure this out than, as if on cue, Lynne texts me from D.C. with a status update on a proposal.
Theresa, who’s at OU writing her doctoral thesis on Keith Johnstone, breaks the ice for a newcomer to the group (me).
Alain and Jeremy save my ass with a timely dongle and projector set-up for my presentation.
Max and I are definitely going to pow-wow in L.A. Patrick passes along the name of a superb improviser friend of his who’s based in L.A. with Comedy Sportz. Improvisers unite!
After my workshop, Munir and I talk about value creation. The time is short. Too short! Next session is starting! We have more to discuss!
I sit next to Sue at lunch and even though we only make small talk I am plenty happy to meet one of the true greats of the game.
Paul and I huddle briefly over business strategies. Paul is one of those people who’s just ‘on.’ The quality of performance he brings to even a sidebar discussion like ours is brilliant. It defines one of the value propositions of improvisation: Work at the top of your intelligence.
Armando Diaz and Me
THE Armando and I do an exercise together and get pretty good at it. The Armando. It’s like playing catch with The Babe, or something.
Kevin and I compare notes about live event production. I know people in this field. Maybe I can help him. We’ll see.
After lunch, Janet tells me some of what I missed in her session about your brain as an improvisational organ. Took place at the same time as the GameChangers session. Brain says must look into her work asap.
Bard tells me about the convening of the real and the virtual in a space he’s designing for an office building in Oslo. He calls it The Tank; I feel certain this kind of environment is where work and learning spaces are headed, and I tell him about conversations I’m already having around this subject with friends who design retail and theme park experiences. When I get back to L.A., there’s a link waiting in my inbox, it’s in Norwegian, which I don’t speak, but I get their intentions and dig them deeply.
I must say, Trilby Jeeves has the greatest name. Ever.
I take a picture with three other Tall People of Improvisation. I look like I’m wearing jodhpurs. 
Tags: Brain, Chis Sims, Connections, Crawford Consulting, Kevin Joyce, Maxine Shapiro, Munir Rashid, Networking, Patrick Short, Paul Z. Jackson, Trilby Jeeves, Yael Schy