Amanda Bonar is an improv and sketch comedian based in Los Angeles. You can find her performing in the Sober Show and Do the Dumb shows at UCB, as well as other shows at the Clubhouse in LA. 

Amanda shares her improv journey and how she fell in love with improv around age 10 when her parents took her to a family-friendly improv show.  She performed on her high school and college improv teams, and she has been doing some form of improv for almost 20 years now! (That's amazing!)

In this episode, Amanda and Dayna get vulnerable and discuss the ups and downs of trying to improve as a performer.  Amanda gives some great tips and advice on reframing our mindsets and managing expectations as beginners and even experienced performers. Amanda also shares about her sobriety and how The Sober Show at UCB got started last year. 

We also discuss nerves and how nerves affect us before shows and during shows. Nerves are normal and may never go away, but there are ways to manage your nerves so that once you hit the stage, you start your performance confidently.

You'll definitely want to listen to hear all the crazy and wacky things that Amanda's team Dick Cannon has done on stage for the Do the Dumb Shows, thus making some fun and very interesting discoveries! :)
 
You can find out more about Amanda here: 

• https://ucbcomedy.com/people/amanda-bonar/
• IG - @amandabonar - https://www.instagram.com/amandabonar/
• IG - @the_sober_show - https://www.instagram.com/the_sober_show/
• IG - @dickcannonimprov - https://www.instagram.com/dickcannonimprov/

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Paula Dirkes is an improvisational theater fan, actor, and facilitator based in metro Detroit, Michigan. She has spent over 20 years in the improv theater community as a performer and improv games leader. She is the owner and Chief Play Officer of Vintage Improvisation Detroit, which brings her love of improv games and older adults together through her unique brand of in-person life enrichment programming in senior living facilities and senior centers in metro Detroit since 2019.

In 2021, she created Senior Improv Games, which is designed specifically for improvisation actors, improv game leaders, improvisers, and activity leaders who want to earn an income and bring joy to the older adult population.

In this episode, Paula discusses the joys and challenges of providing improv experiences to seniors in different senior settings. (Paula does not call them workshops, she calls them experiences). Paula has found ways to navigate around these challenges, and she wants to help other improvisers not feel as intimidated to work with this population.

Improv is not just for the young. It's for all ages and abilities! Paula's mission is to make improv accessible and available to older adult populations wherever they gather, and it's so inspiring to hear her stories of how she is making that happen.


You can find out more about Paula here: 

• Website - seniorimprovgames.com
• Website - vintageimprovisationdetroit.com
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulacdirkes/
• I reference an old This American Life tv episode (yes, tv episode) at the end. Here is that episode if you want to check it out --  https://www.thisamericanlife.org/s1e5/growth-spurt-2
• Since recording this episode, Paula has also started a private Facebook Group page called "Improvisers for Older Adults. You can ask to join the group here - https://www.facebook.com/groups/improvisers4olderadults

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

I promise the episode title will make more sense once you listen to the episode. :)

It's amazing all that can happen in a year! My bestie Susan Bartley joins the podcast again for a part 2 episode to give some updates about all that happened in her business in 2023.

In the first episode, which was released in April 2023, Susan shared all about her pole journey and why and how she got into pole fitness in the first place. In this part 2 episode, Susan tells us about her new pole studio called Studieaux Heaux! Yes, that's right — Susan now has a brick and mortar pole fitness and aerial sports studio in Columbia, SC! It was always her goal to own a studio, but she thought it would take a few more years to reach that point.  However, the opportunity presented itself in 2023, and Susan knew she had to take it!

We talk all about the new studieaux and also about Be Activated, which is a technique that can help reset the nervous system and correct dysfunctional breathing and movement patterns to decrease injury risk and chronic pain.  Susan has been using the Be Activated principles for over 5 years to prevent injuries and stay grounded. She has recently developed a workshop around incorporating the Be Activated principles into Pole practice. The workshop is called Activate Your Pole. She has also added Be Activated techniques into the warm-up routines at Studieaux Heaux.

This episode has lots of giggling and a little bit of everything else — including Susan calling Dayna out for being a perfectionist (which she's right...for now at least).

You can find out more about Susan here:

• Website - https://www.studieauxxxheauxxx.com/
• Linktree - https://linktr.ee/studieauxxxheauxxx
• Studieaux Heaux IG - https://www.instagram.com/studieaux.heaux/
• Heaux Apparel IG - https://www.instagram.com/heaux_apparel/
• Activate Your Pole IG - https://www.instagram.com/activateyourpole/
• Follow on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@heauxxxapparel9169
• Activate Your Pole Workshops - https://heauxxxapparel.com/pages/activate-your-pole
• Warm-Up and Cool-Down Routines at Studieaux Heaux 

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Chris Bogue is based in Chicago, and he coaches people to get on camera and create mercifully short video content for business. He is also a long-time improviser, sketch comedy writer, improv trainer and host of the podcast Chris Sells His Soul.

In this episode, Chris shares about his improv and sketch comedy journey and how it led him to creating short (mercifully short) video content on all social media platforms, with a special focus on LinkedIn.  Yes, Chris even uses humor and comedy in his LinkedIn videos, which is a nice break from the serious and pretentious type of business posts you might be accustomed to seeing on LinkedIn. 

Dayna asks Chris to put his video coaching hat on and answer ALL her questions about video creation and coming up with content. Dayna admits that she struggles with making videos, and Chris provides some super helpful pro tips and tricks to make the video process easier. (Look out, world! That means that Dayna will be using these tips to create more Pod Mom videos...stay tuned!)

If you have wanted to improve your video presence, revamp your video content, or get over your fear of making videos, this episode is for you! You will feel motivated and inspired to create some new video content that can help you develop your brand and ultimately lead to more sales and clients! 

You can find out more about Chris Bogue here: 

• Website: https://christopherbogue.com/
• Podcast: Chris Sells His Soul on Spotify
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-bogue/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chrisbogue

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Jay Maddock, PhD, is based in College Station, Texas, where he is a Regents Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the School of Public Health at Texas A&M University. He is also the Director of the Center for Health & Nature and serves on the Brazos County Board of Health.

In this episode, Jay shares all about his public speaking experience — from teaching college students to presenting at large conferences in front of public health and non-public health audiences. Jay loves storytelling and uses stories to help his classes, lectures, and presentations be more memorable. He also looks at speaking and teaching as a performance that he can make engaging and interactive.

Jay also shares fascinating research about nature and how beneficial nature is to our lives. Both "nearby nature" and "big nature" can have a profound effect on our mood, attention, and well-being, if we choose to get outside more and experience all that nature has to offer.
 
Dr.  Maddock is a true delight to talk to and listen to. He is so passionate and excited about all that he does! He is a lifelong learner and embraces the improvisational approach to life (aka improv life) as he says that his "entire life is a yes, and."

P.S. This episode title was generated by AI, which is something we discuss at the end of this episode.

You can find out more about Dr. Maddock here:

• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-maddock-70a5914/
• Center for Health and Nature - https://centerforhealthandnature.org/
• Google Scholar Profile - https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=87v4Nk4AAAAJ
• Garvin and Leonard Fiction Book - https://www.amazon.com/Garvin-Leonard-heartwarming-unlikely-friendship-ebook/dp/B093J3VNPF/
• Art & Science of Health Promotion Conference - https://www.ifebp.org/education---events/educational-program-schedule/art-and-science-of-health-promotion-conference/

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

What would you do if you received a notebook from your local Buy Nothing Group that you thought was empty, but then later you noticed that it had a list of goals written in it? Would you tear out the pages and start with a fresh, clean notebook? Or would you take the list of goals on as your own?

If you said you would tear out the pages and start fresh, you aren't alone. I would totally do the same thing, and I assume many others would too. However, special guest Jana Hirsch decided to take the goals on as her own last year in 2023, and she came on the podcast to talk about it! 

Jana Hirsch, Ph.D., is an an Associate Research Professor in the Urban Health Collaborative and Department of Epidemiology at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health. Their research aims to understand the way neighborhoods shape health behaviors and disparities. Jana is also an improviser and urbanophile based out of San Francisco, CA (and yes, they explain what an urbanophile is in the episode).

We talk all about public health, public speaking, running, improv, and the story of this mysterious notebook. You may think Jana is crazy for taking on someone else's goals, but the lessons she learns and takeaways she forms are so powerful! You don't want to miss this episode - it is such a wild and fun story!  

You can find out more about Jana here:

• Email: [email protected]
•  Let Jana know what you thought of the episode and that she should write a book about this!
• Endgames Improv (where Jana performs with her team) - https://endgamesimprov.com/

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Ramona J. Smith is a dynamic international speaker who holds the prestigious title of the 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking. She is based out of Houston, Texas, and she is on a mission to inspire, connect and transform lives globally using the power of words (and she's really great at it too)!

In this episode, Ramona shares her journey to winning the World Champion title, and she also talks about what life was like pre- and post title. She also reveals that there was an unexpected, improvised moment during her World Champion Contest speech titled "Still Standing."

Ramona coaches Toastmasters speakers who are competing in the speech contests, and she also helps speakers outside the Toastmasters world become more authentic and genuine on stage. She graciously puts her coaching hat on for most of this episode and gives very helpful tips and suggestions for improving your presentations and speeches. 

While the World Champion of Public Speaking Contest happens once a year with one person winning the title, you can be a World Champion Speaker on every stage that you step on. They key is to practice, practice, and practice some more, and also continue to grow and try new things, even when you're nervous and scared. 

You can find out more about Ramona here: 

• Website - https://www.ramonajsmith.com/
• Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@ramonajsmith1
• I Dream of Speaking Podcast - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwycxI1Fw2w 
• LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ramona-j-smith-61390743/
• IG - @ramonajsmith1 - https://www.instagram.com/ramonajsmith1/
• Twitter - @LadybugSpeaker - https://twitter.com/LadybugSpeaker
• Tiktok - @ramonajsmith1 - https://www.tiktok.com/@ramonajsmith1
• Ramona's 2018 World Champion of Public Speaking Winning Speech - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tev43VNRIc

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Our first international guest, Neil Curran, joins the podcast all the way from Dublin, Ireland! Neil is a professional improviser and communications and teams expert who has performed in shows and festivals all over the world. His signature show - Neil+1 - brings an audience member up to the stage to perform the improv show with him! (Would you be up for that as an audience member??)

When he's not on stage as an improviser, Neil facilitates interactive corporate trainings about authentic speaking and presenting, conscious communicating and influencing, storytelling in business, creativity and innovation, and much more! 

This is a podcast of platitudes, as Neil points out throughout the episode. Both improv and public speaking trainings are riddled with platitudes, like make your scene partner look good, don't try to be funny, and be more authentic on stage, but what do all these overly used statements mean?  

In this episode, Neil dives deeper beyond the surface level of these platitudes and explains what they mean in more context for performers and speakers. He also shares how he helps presenters become more confident at speaking as their authentic selves and not relying so heavily on the presentation slides. 

Neil's passion for improv and teaching/facilitating is infectious! You can tell that he loves what he does, and he loves sharing the joy of improv with others...even the unsuspecting audience members who come to watch his shows only to then become the +1 part of the show. 

You can find out more about Neil here:

1. Website - https://www.lowerthetone.com/
2. IG - @improvneil - https://www.instagram.com/improvneil/
3. Twitter - @improvneil - https://twitter.com/ImprovNeil
4. Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/neilplus1/
5. LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/curranneil/
6. Improv Fest Ireland - https://improvfestireland.com/
7. Camp Improv Utopia - https://improvutopia.org/

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

The previous episode with Ashley Ward talks all about her journey into the musical improv world and why she loves teaching musical improv classes. This solo episode highlights my experience over the past year with musical improv, why I took musical improv in the first place, and how it's helped me with my public speaking skills and stage presence. 

In this episode, I share with you three takeaways (and maybe a bonus takeaway) from a year of musical improv experience that can also apply to your public speaking skills. We are always "on stage," whether at work or in our personal lives. Being able to deliver our messages and points well, even when put on the spot, is a gamechanger! 

I say this a few times in the episode, but you of course don't have to take musical improv classes to be a good speaker. Try out these takeaways when delivering your next speech or presentation and see how they help you. Give some breathing and vocal warm-ups a try to see how they strengthen your voice. Keep going, growing, and glowing in your public speaking journey so that you become the best speaker that you've always wanted to be! 

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/

Ashley Ward is an improviser, actor, writer, snack lover, and singer who has performed everywhere from the Kennedy Center to The Sydney Opera House. She can be seen on Dropout TV’s Play It By Ear and in Hello Jack! The Kindness Show on Apple+ as Delivery Delores. She is also a Jeopardy champion (and yes, we talk about that in the interview!).

In this episode, Ashley shares her improv journey of how she got started in improv and then shortly after musical improv. Even though Ashley had a musical theatre background, she was still very nervous starting out in musical improv.  Once she got into it though, she enjoyed the world of musical improv where she could play any character and sing any kind of song that came up.

Ashley now teaches a ton of musical improv classes and enjoys seeing people learn the structure and form and discover that they can do hard things. Improv in general requires a lot of focus and attention to be present in the scene, and musical improv requires double or triple that focus. There are a lot of plates spinning in a musical improv scene, but it can still all come together to create magical and fun scenes, songs, and shows. 

You may be elated or disappointed by this, but there is actually no improvly singing in this episode. However, there's a whole lot of talking about it, which is super fun as well. Musical improv can help level up your improv skills, stage presence, and public speaking. Also, musical improv is just an overall good time because there's music involved!

Fair warning - give this episode a listen, and you may find yourself signing up for the next musical improv class in your area!

You can learn more about Ashley Ward here: 

• IG - @ashleyjeanward
• Twitter - @ashleyjward 
• TikTok - @ashleyjward 
• Baby Wants Candy (Los Angeles) - https://www.babywantscandy.com/ - performs every 2nd Friday at UCB Franklin
• Magic To Do - performs every 1st Friday at UCB Franklin
• Westside Comedy Story - performs the 1st Wednesday of every month at Westside Comedy Theater

Loved the episode? Now you can send a text message with your thoughts and comments! Your message might just get a shoutout in another episode!

-------------------------------------------------

Want to learn more about Improvly Speaking? Here are all the ways to get in touch:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/improvlyspeaking/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daynagowan/
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/
• Join the Mailing List - https://www.improvlyspeaking.com/mailing-list
• Pod Mom Gear: https://improvlyspeaking.threadless.com/