Welcome!

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Bonjour et bienvenue!

As a French immersion teacher and improviser, I’ve made a goal to share the ways in which the joy of improv comedy has transformed my teaching practice. We have all had to adapt over the past few years. If you are looking for strategies to engage your students and build community, you’ve come to the right place!

The goal of madamealfano.com is to provide educators with improv games to share with their students to accomplish a wide variety of classroom goals (e.g. listening games, team-building games, applying target vocabulary, building confidence, etc.). There will always be descriptions in English, as well, in case you’re not a second language instructor, and simply wish to motivate your students or team with the excitement, community and FUN of improv!

Aside from teaching at the elementary level, I volunteer as the Educational Lead at Staircase Improv in Hamilton, overseeing weekly classes, and delivering workshops for community organizations in the city. I am truly passionate about the benefits that come from saying “yes, and” more often in life! If you would like to connect, please send me an email at info@madamealfano.com.

À la prochaine,

Madame Alfano
@madamealfano on Twitter

Exercise: Problem/ Object

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Played initially in a circle. Circle games are an opportunity to practice sharing focus, taking turns and active listening. Once students know the structure, they can play in partners in order to maximize the time spent speaking in the target language.

To play: Two players enter the circle. One student mentions a made-up problem that they have, and an object that they have which is unrelated to the problem, for example:

Player 1: « J’ai mal à la tête, et j’ai un crayon. »

Player 2 (repeats the process): « J’ai perdu mon chien, et j’ai un chandail. »

One at a time, each student will find a way to solve the other’s problem using their object.

For example:
« Je vais utiliser mon chandail pour emballer ta tête pour que tu n’entendes pas des bruits. »

« Je vais dessiner des affiches pour avertir les autres que tu cherches ton chien. »

This game requires creative, on-the-spot thinking, and allows students to use their imaginations to respond to the “problems” of their peers.

Workshop Alert: Yes, let’s Dance! Jan. 10, 2018

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I’m excited to be teaching a workshop called “Yes, let’s DANCE!” at Staircase Improv this upcoming Wednesday, January 10th. I’ve been dancing since 2012 and love to use movement to develop memorable characters on stage!

Yes, let's dance final facebook event photo

Bring your improv characters to life using movement and dance! This workshop will have you on your feet, dancing, moving, and finding new ways to communicate on stage… using body language! Players will explore different postures and movements that will lend themselves to original characters and inspire creativity in scenes.

Bring an open mind, wear comfortable clothes (socks or running shoes recommended), and prepare to GET DOWN! Facilitated by Adriana Alfano. Improv experience helpful, but not required.

$10 ● 7 – 9 p.m. January 10, 2018
Staircase Improv
25 Dundurn St. N. in Hamilton

See you on the dance floor!

 

What are you doing in my garden?

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Similar to ‘What Time Is it, Mr. Wolf?’ except that the ‘gardener’ turns around and asks « Qu’est-ce que tu fais dans mon jardin? » / “What are you doing in my garden?”
Players answer the question and the gardener responds and decides if they can advance the next time s/he turns his back, or if they have to go back to the starting line. This process repeats until someone touches the back of the gardener and becomes the gardener.

Trifecta

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Players stand in a circle. Three players in at a time, maximum. Players enter one at a time.

Player 1 enters the circle/mimes/says: «Je suis un arbre » / “I am a tree.”
Player 2 adds: «Je suis un oiseau»  / “I am a bird.”
Player 3 adds: « Je suis un ver de terre qui a peur d’être mangé! » / “I’m an earthworm who’s afraid of being eaten!”
Player 1: « Je vais garder… » (Chooses Player 2 or Player 3) / “I’m going to keep…”
The player who was chosen to stay repeats what they were in the first sequence, and a new sequence is created.