Development Track is here, and with it comes REP CITY.

Today we're announcing Development Track – the new standard progression from our Starter Track classes, and the perfect, productive training ground before Performance Track classes.

TL;DR

• Development Track is now the natural progression beyond Starter 2.

• It features a brand-new class called REP CITY, which focuses on four core pillars of Improv Performance on a rotational basis: Stage Craft, Bold Moves, Listening & Support, and Presence.

• Performance Track eligibility is now by invitation only.

We’ve heard a lot of feedback over the years about how the learning and expectations curve steeply when moving from Starter classes into Performance classes. This was always by design, but the reality of skill variance and preparedness among those progressing from Starter 2 was often so wide that Performance 1 became difficult to cater to everyone. Too often, folks who weren’t quite ready for the challenge would lose their joy as the difficulty level rose.

We strongly believe that learning improv to the point where you feel comfortable in any scene, at any time, has a large time frame variance – for some it takes many years, for others, less. This is due in part to how and when they arrive at improv and what their performance history is (ranging from zero experience to professional performers). It makes sense that someone who has been on stage hundreds of times before trying improv can grasp the concepts more quickly, because they are not simultaneously trying to clear the myriad other hurdles that performance presents.

So, acknowledging that the ramp-up from Starter 2 to Performance 1 sometimes disheartened folks who weren’t quite ready – but whose potential is no less than any of their peers – we wanted to create a space where the Starter Track philosophies, tools and tenets can be developed and honed. Concepts and skills that the Starter Track touches on, but can’t spend weeks exploring, can now be fully developed in repeatable courses with fantastic teachers.

Plus, Development Track has no formal pass/repeat process – meaning you can enjoy the work, take risks, and find your sense of play without worrying whether or not you’ll pass the class. Once you’re in, you can take any class in the Development Track, at any time.

What classes are offered in Development Track?

The big one is REP CITY – a rotational set of 8-week terms that focus on a wide range of scene work tools and skills. Each term centres on a core pillar of improv performance:

• REP CITY: Stage Craft

• REP CITY: Bold Moves

• REP CITY: Listening & Support

• REP CITY: Presence

These themes will be the primary focus of the term, and – due to the nature of improv training – you’ll also be honing many other tools and skills relevant to your specific needs.

Plus, each REP CITY comes with a student showcase!

In addition to REP CITY, the Development Track unlocks the Sunday Spotlight Series and Development Drop-ins. These will be ad hoc classes, focused on a wide range of topics, and sometimes feature guest instructors from out of town.

What does this mean for students completing their Starter 2 class?

Development Track will be the natural and expected progression for the overwhelming majority of students who pass Starter 2.

How do I get into Performance Track?

Performance Track eligibility is now via invitation only. Some students may receive an invite directly from Starter 2, while most will receive one from within the Development Track.

These invitations – or lack thereof – are always made with the student’s experience at the heart of the decision. We want all students to experience a fun and productive learning environment where they feel they are genuinely improving and enjoying the journey.

Starter 2 and REP CITY teachers are prompted at the end of each term to send invites if warranted – so students should not request an invitation.

What if I’m not actually interested in performing, but I do want to keep getting better for the other benefits that improv provides?

No worries at all – if you are invited to Performance Track, you can take it or leave it!

We are confident that, given the incredibly vast skill sets of our teaching staff, coupled with the varied 8-week terms and drop-ins, there will be more than enough in the Development Track to satisfy your needs and help you grow.

If you’re an existing student, you can read more about how our entire training program works – here.

We’re super excited about what this means for our Improv Training Program. Development Track feels like a big missing piece of the puzzle, and we expect it will make all classes more exciting for everyone – and that the quality of learning will improve across the board.