Have You Been to Hip Drop Hell?

Special guest: Alia Thabit

Today’s article is a special guest post by my friend Alia Thabit. She’s as big a fan of improv as I am, but comes at it from a totally different angle. Her approach has helped me a lot, so I think you’re going to love this!

– Nadira

Have You Been to Hip Drop Hell?

(And three ways to get out)

Sometimes we get trapped, caught in a loop, repeating the same moves over and over, unable to change.

And we stay there.

And nothing comes.

And the panic starts.

Our bright smile freezes. The recriminations begin. Oh fuck. I suck. I’m boring.

This is hip-drop hell.

There is nothing wrong with doing the same move over and over—and over. Famous dancers do it all the time.

The problem is the anxiety and panic that we feel, the worry that we are boring, the shame and guilt at not being more “interesting.”

But we can get out.

The first rule of improvisation is Don’t Think.
This is so vital that it’s emblazoned on a sign at the Upright Citizen’s Brigade comedy improv school, the first thing you see when you walk in the door.

UCB trains students to simply react, to do the first thing.
It’s not a thought; it’s a physical impulse. But when we get stuck, when we are thinking too much, caught in our heads, sweating and freaking out, there is no space to feel what that impulse might be.

How do we slow down and find our way out?

1. Breathe in time with the music.

This is the most important thing.
Focus on the exhale (the inhale will happen anyway). Exhale on the one. Exhale to the beat. With each step. With the accents.

This will ground you in the music, bring you back into the rhythm, back to a safe space. And breathing kills thinking dead. Always. It’s ridiculously soothing.

Try it first with music that has a regular beat, so your breath is regular– OUT in, OUT in, OUT in. Debke music works well:

As you get good at this, you can slow down—breathe out for a measure and in for measure.

Or breathe your movements—exhale down, inhale up; exhale contraction, inhale expansion. But for now, just focus on the beat.

2. Use slow movement.

Really slow.
Even with fast music (keep breathing to the beat, but move s-l-o-w-l-y). Float over the music.

Let the arc of the movement evolve—don’t plan anything about it.

This brings you back into your body and gives you tons and tons of space, so rather than being trapped, you have limitless wide avenues to explore and enjoy.

3. Trust your body.

Bust a move.
Now you are breathing and relaxed, it is easier to step into the new space.

Don’t plan it.

Just do it. Anything.

You don’t have to know what it is. Doesn’t matter what it is. Doesn’t matter if it’s “good.” Take the risk. Something will come. Trust your body.

You will get used to it. 🙂

So, there we have it.

To recap, when you get stuck, slow down, trust your body, and breathe in time to the music.

Try it. It works!

Click to Tweet:

“Stuck in hip drop hell? @AliaThabit has improv techniques to help!”