Teens learn soft skills in improv classes at Dad’s Garage

Being funny has bonus: Social skills help in jobs, life.

An October Forbes article revealed some surprising news: When it comes to hiring, technical abilities are great, but soft skills are in higher demand. Employers identify those skills as being able to “work well on a team, lead a project, communicate clearly and think critically.”

Those are the skills Amanda Lee Williams teaches teens in improv comedy workshops at Dad’s Garage in Old Fourth Ward. An improviser and licensed counselor who has been working with kids since 2000, Williams uses cognitive behavioral techniques to get teens collaborating, communicating and thinking — with a bit of humor thrown in.

And the timing couldn’t be better.

“Especially coming back from quarantine, having social skills is huge,” she said. “As a counselor, I’ve noticed a huge rise in anxiety. I have a teenage stepdaughter, and I’ve seen how hard it’s been for her to bounce back. But doing improv and building the skills that improv does best have helped so much.”

Williams cites researched evidence that mastering improv techniques also develops confidence. “And that translates into things like interview skills and prob- lem-solving abilities in the real world,” she said.

Dad’s teen classes for ages 13 to 18 are built around three key concepts, said Williams. The first is the “yes, and …” response to a partner’s statement that requires focus and positivity. The second forces participants to think through the who, what and where of a scene. Williams lists the third element as the most critical.

“Listening is one of improv’s top skills,” she said. “The kids have to listen and stay in the moment.

If you’re so afraid of getting it right — and there’s a lot of anxiety about getting things right — you miss the nonverbal clues as well.”

The classes create a safe space where teens can let go of that pressure, Williams said.

“That’s something teens need right now,” she said. “I’m hoping to create that safe space where they don’t have to be afraid of failure. Improv is all about putting yourself out there and living in the moment. Here, they can be themselves.”

And that sometimes leads to hilarity.

“Dad’s Garage is a narrative improv theater, so our focus is on telling a good story,” said Williams. “When we work together to tell a true story, comedy will naturally come from it.”

Friends frequently told North Springs student Geneva Oviatt that she was funny, so last summer she signed on for an improv summer session.

“I thought improv would be cool, so I tried it for one week and learned a lot,” said the 14-year-old. “We learned skills to communicate and keep on track rather than randomly spurting things from our heads. That really does help when you get in a conversation: You can add onto what the other person is saying, and that means you’re listening more, too.”

The next session of teen improv classes begins Feb. 4. Additional classes for younger students and adults are offered throughout the year. For information, visit dadsgarage.com.

COURTESY Improv classes aren’t just about being funny; they also teach teens soft skills that employers want.