Meet your teacher: Leica Baker
We are super excited to announce the teacher for our upcoming beginner’s class is Leica Baker!
Leica Baker originally trained with ImproMafia in Brisbane and joined our teacher cohort a few years ago. Leica is a generous teacher who brings her passion and knowledge of improvisation to her students.
We thought it would be lovely to find out more about her so decided to ask her a few questions about improvisation and life!
How did you discover improvisation?
I first met improvisation in Year Nine drama class! We went to see local heats of the Theatresports Schools Challenge – and I have very vivid memories of the story of Goldilocks reconstructed as an Emotional Rollercoaster scene! I was absolutely thrilled to find ImproMafia in Brisbane when I moved up here as an adult.
What do you love about improvisation?
There is so much to love. I recently got to perform in our Micetro series at Backbone Youth Arts and met some new people I had yet to play with. I love making connections with people on stage, and creating something from nothing like you’ve known each other for years!
What is your favourite experience teaching improvisation?
My favourite thing is definitely watching someone flip their “I’m just not creative” mindset. There really is an aha! moment when we relax and things start happening instinctively. From there it’s like a snowball, and all of these people who were just looking to increase their speaking confidence, or looking for something to do on a Saturday now we’re out of lockdown, suddenly LOVE and CRAVE a creative outlet in their life.
Why do you think people should learn improvisation?
If the only thing constant in our world is change, then having the confidence and an ability to adapt to whatever is in front of us is undeniably useful. Everybody should learn improvisation! Plus, it’s super fun. When was the last time you truly had fun?
What is your proudest impro moment?
One night the audience were asked to tell us what had most annoyed them that day – one person cried “Traffic!” but our accompanying keyboardist improvised a very bouncy tune, so by the end of the song, all of the players were up dancing and the audience joined us in singing about how we “love traffic in the morning, traffic in the evening, traffic all daaaay”. People who were there that night still sing the tune back to me now years later!
Who is your impro hero or role model?
My impro heroes are our multi-talented musicians! Not only are they delightful in improvised scenes on stage, but can also make melodies like magic, with an innate ability to play and support a scene or heighten the mood, as well as lending vocals to improvised rock-operas, and even wrapping shows with an on-the-spot recap song! Three cheers for ImproMafiosos Rob, Kris and Glenn, and impro-musicians everywhere!
When you aren't improvising, how do you like to spend your time?
I think I am almost always making things up as I go, improvisation is everywhere! And I'm always singing (sorry neighbours!). I also love doing sunny river walks while on the phone to my family.
Favourite Quote:
"We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” - Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.
Start your improv journey today with Leica.
Our next Beginner Class: Learn to Improvise workshop starts Saturday 19th March at Kelvin Grove, in Brisbane. For more information click the button below: