“Yes, and…”
Jan 5th, 2008 by Jill
One of the building blocks of improvisational comedy is the “Yes, and…” rule. When improvising a scene, you accept and build on what your partner does. The quickest way to kill a scene is to block or deny a suggestion. “Yes, and” is about more than not blocking, though. It’s about co-creating or collaborating on the fly.
When joining a stepfamily, try yes-anding. Try accepting the alien suggestions, traditions, stories, ideas, and perspectives that people offer. Try to avoid blocking them whenever you can. Instead, add your perspective. Add your traditions. Build on ideas. Add suggestions that would make things more comfortable for you. Allow, join and add. Invite, allow, and add.
More about “Yes, and…” and improv:
