Improvisation in dance is usually referring to spontaneous or semi-structured movements. Rather than learning choreography as a specific sequence of known steps to match key points in the music, the moves are completely random or prompted by a simple word or phrase.
With improvisation in dance, the goal is not so much to be interesting but to be interested. It is more about presence than performance. The number of steps a dancer knows has no relation to their ability to create movement and dance on the spot when it comes down to improvisation skills. Dancers can learn new steps, but improvisation is an experience in presence.
In theory, improvisation is simple. Make up the movement as you go along. In practice, however, many dancers find it hard to make things up on the spot and stay present at the same time.
A great way to incorporate more presence into your dance practice is to play improvisation prompt games. If you are playing with a group of dancers, you can take the responsibility to call out a movement dynamic, color, or phrase, and dancers use that to inspire their movement.
If you are working alone, you can still provide yourself with a sense of spontaneity, but it might take more planning. For example, you can create a list of prompts to pull from, or even write out prompts on slips of paper and pull them out of a hat.
One benefit of using prompts in improvisation is that it removes the mental work of recollection and creates more space for presence.
If you like the sound of that idea, check out some of the movement play resources in the People Play Dance Theatre shop.
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