about me

Hi, I am Monika.

I am an improviser.

In the company of other actors and improvisers I create performances that do not have a script, but are spontaneous, in the moment.

I love theater improvisation because it allows me to  create live events with people who share a love for theater. I perform regularly on stage and teach improvisation to improvisers.

I also run workshops on applied improvisation, which has been seen to be useful both for PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT and BUSINESS APPLICATIONS.

I am a native of Warsaw, a Chinese Water Buffalo. Educated as an artist and make-up artist and I have also  completed archeological studies at the University of Warsaw.

For almost 30 years I worked as a computer graphic designer in an international advertising agencies. I love my hometown of Warsaw and its history. I also enjoy  traveling, painting, photography , bikes and motorcycles. When I need to chill out I take meditative walks through the city and the forest.

I love people and enjoy working with them.

Do you want to know more about me?

My experience

over 13 years

I have been improvising over 13 years.

almmost 400 shows

I played in Poland and abroad over 400 performances in Polish and English.

I have participated in more than 2500 hours of WORKSHOPS

with over a hundred of the best improvisers from around the world.

from teens to boomers

I conducted workshops for teenagers, students, adults and seniors.

for everyone

I run workshops for improvisers, actors, people who need a creative outlet or to help them develop skills that help in their business activities.

for business

I conducted seminars and workshops for employees of Accenture, Santander Bank, CocaCola, McDonald, Softwaremill, Benefia.

in two languages

I run workshops and perform in Polish and English.

video podcast

I host the Video Podcast The Art of Yes. My guests are improvisers and artists from around the world.

life & online

I perform and run live and online workshops.

The art of yes

Since 2017, I have been running a Facebook page about improvisation, which is followed by over 1300 people.

13 years ago I fell into the arms of theatrical improvisation. I was previously engaged in many activities. My main occupation for years was computer graphics and design.

I have been nurtured by art and artistic activities since I was a child. At first, I was inspired and taught by my mother, who was a very talented artist.

It is to her that I owe my so-called “artistic soul” and the need to create as well as my passion for sport (she was also a speed skater). My mom was the life of the party, so I also love being around people, working and meeting them. And from there it was a very short jump into improvisation.

Theatrical improvisation is an adventure that is born out of the need to playfully engage in the unknown. Thanks to improvisation I gained the confidence to share my art in live performance. After almost 400 live improvised performances in Poland and abroad I learned to overcome stage fright and challenged myself to explore the unknown.

Improvisation has also led me to a place where I can guide others with my experience – including improvisers who want to develop their skills or business people who want to master the so-called soft skills.

During my over 13-year adventure with improvisation, I had over 2,500 hours of workshops with more then a hundred of the best improvisers from around the world. I have read every book available to me on improvisation, acting and screenwriting. I have listened to podcasts and I am still exploring my craft, guided by the motto that one learns throughout their lifetime.

After the outbreak of the pandemic, I started creating a video podcast about improvisation, which – apart from the great pleasure of talking to another person – became a source of additional knowledge of my craft.

I also co-created the Centralna Spółdzielnia Komediowa in Warsaw, which for several years hosted many impro groups on its stage.

I have been a founding member of the Bez Klepki Improv Group in Warsaw and recently created an improvised duo WePolak with a legend of American improvisation, Jeff Michalski (co-creator of The Second City etc. in Chicago).

I also had the pleasure of conducting workshops for improvisers in Poland and abroad (USA, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden).

I also run workshops for corporations and business people. There is no greater reward for me than when after a short time of creative work, a smile starts to appear with expressions of satisfaction on the faces of workshop participants.

Feel the magic, spread your wings and feel the joy of learning theater improvisation and applied improvisation!

I invite you to join  these workshops and be a part of this joy – contact me!

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What others say about me

References

As a teacher of theatrical and applied improvisation in business, I create workshops based on my extensive experience and knowledge from over 2,500 hours of workshops spent with practicing improvisers, actors, clowns, choreographers and musicians from around the world.

I engage in a synthesis of theatrical improvisational styles derived from Viola Spolin, Keith Johnston, Sanford Meisner, and Anne Bogart, which are included in the curriculum of leading schools of improvisation such as The Second City, The Loose Moose Theatre, The Annoyance Theatre, The Huge Theater, Hideout Theatre, iO, Theater 99, UCB and others.

True Improv scholar

Monika Ozdarska is a true improv scholar; diving in and researching the best that the art form has to offer… Jill Bernard, HUGE Teatr Minneapolis USA

Wealth of Improv Knowledge

Monika is a wealth of improv knowledge and understands the benefits both on and off stage. She brings a warmth to everything she does and values the importance of the human connection. Three cheers for Monika! Jay Sukow, Today Improv Los Angeles, CA, USA

Passion For Improvisation

Monika has an unmistakable passion for improvisation which has led her to all corners of the world, seeking and interpreting knowledge of communication and interaction. Monika’s workshops combine many philosophies of improv, providing a rich context for the work that we explore together. Noah Levin, Director of the Barcelona Improv Festival

She is a joy to watch and play with

Monika is a wonderful improviser. She knows in her bones how to create a great scene, listens on a deep level, and supports her partner. She’s a joy to watch and play with. I’d partner up with her any day of the week. I only wish there were more like her! – David Razowsky, former Artistic Director of The Second City Hollywood, USA

Huge Motivation for Self-development

Monika stole my heart with a huge motivation for self-development in improvisation, she is an unsurpassed role model for me! I am also grateful to her for comments after our improvised performances, with which I come home and after reflection, they turn out to be very accurate and prompt us to work on the skills.
Kasia, Teatr Improwizacji Afront (PL)

She Makes Learning Effortless

Monika is a brilliant and intuitive teacher. She makes learning effortless and has a fantastic knack for summarising lessons into immediately useable tools. – Lee James Alabaster Apsay (GB)

references

What Others Say about Monika

She Gets It

Monika Ozdarska is Warsaw Improvisation. She gets it. She knows improvisation as a personal journey and practice. She morphs her experience with teachers, players and audience, to discover who she is as an artist. Not just in improvisation but in other practices as well and because of that she can transfer and communicate these discoveries to and with others.

She gets it.
As a player
As a teacher
As a director
As a scene partner
As an interviewer of other artists
She asks the right questions
Because she gets it!

Jeff Michalski, Improviser, director, actor, writer, The Second City etc. co-founder, USA

She is a joy to watch and play with

Monika is a wonderful improviser. She knows in her bones how to create a great scene, listens on a deep level, and supports her partner. She’s a joy to watch and play with. I’d partner up with her any day of the week. I only wish there were more like her!

David Razowsky, former Artistic Director of The second City Hollywood, USA

True Improv scholar

Monika Ozdarska is a true improv scholar; diving in and researching the best that the art form has to offer with the goal of curating and sharing from her own creative, loving perspective.

Jill Bernard, HUGE Theater, Minneapolis, USA

Wealth of Improv Knowledge

Monika is a wealth of  improv knowledge and understands the benefits both on and off stage. She brings a warmth to everything she does and values the importance of the human connection. Three cheers for Monika!

Jay Sukow, Today Improv, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Devoted And Fastidious

I have known Monika for several years now. A few things have become extremely clear. Monika is a community builder. She is curious, caring, dedicated and brings together people and events with great understanding and acumen. She always does this with a very human touch. In the improvisation community, on an international level she curates experience and knowledge and shares that wherever she goes. She does this with great humility, utmost interest and generosity. This manifests itself in her work with The Art of Yes where she has collected dozens of notable experts globally and prepared extensive interviews with them. She also happens to be someone who over the years has built up an incredible skill base. Beyond being a detailed and experienced trainer and improviser she also happens to be a gifted graphic designer and artist. Also she has an archaeologist past with stories of research and dig sites from exciting places. Monika is all evidence of someone who is devoted and fastidious. She brings with her a great deal of experience and dedication and must be considered an absolute asset whenever she is involved in a project.

Andrew Hefler, trainer of improvisation for the theatre, founder and artistic Director of Grund Theatre in Budapest, Hungary. Chief Trainer at Grund Essentials and associate professor at CEU eMBA program.

Brave, Crazy, Big-hearted

Monika is a brave, crazy, big-hearted improviser and she lives life 100%.

John Cremer, Improviser, founder of The Maydays, UK

Passion For Improvisation

Monika has an unmistakable passion for improvisation which has led her to all corners of the world, seeking and interpreting knowledge of communication and interaction. Monika’s workshops combine many philosophies of improv, providing a rich context for the work that we explore together.

Noah Levin, Director of the Barcelona Improv Festival’s

Hungry To Learn, Don’t Fear to Fail

What I value with Monika is that she is hungry to learn, don’t fear to fail, and push herself to see what else is there.

Victoria Bang, Improviser, Sweden

Huge Motivation for Self-development

Monika stole my heart with a huge motivation for self-development in improvisation, she is an unsurpassed role model for me! I am also grateful to her for comments after our improvised performances, with which I come home and after reflection, they turn out to be very accurate and prompt us to work on the skills.

Kasia Gruszewska, Teatr Improwizacji Afront, Poland

Brilliant Improv Teacher

It is always nice to watch Monika on stage. But there is more. She also is a brilliant improv teacher. She knows and uses what I call “the golden rule of teaching improv”: if you can make people have a good time and they laugh a lot, then their minds will be really open to learn something. Monika’s workshops are always filled with laugher and the participants go home being a better improviser. Always!

Rikus Spithorst, Improviser and improv trainer, Amsterdam, Holland

She Makes Learning Effortless

Monika is a brilliant and intuitive teacher. She makes learning effortless and has a fantastic knack for summarising lessons into immediately useable tools.

Lee James Alabaster Apsay, London, UK

Enthusiasm And Curiosity

Monika is a great teacher of improv because she is a great student of improv. She carries enthusiasm and curiosity into everything she does. Monika has a wide ranging knowledge of improv styles and formats and knows how to apply that knowledge to help you achieve your improv goals!

Charlie Comly, Richmond, Virginia, USA

My students LOVED working with Monika

Monika joined my high school students for five fun-filled and educational improv workshops. She was well-prepared, knowledgeable and expertly guided my students through the process of creating an original improv performance building on their developing theatre skills. My students LOVED working with and learning from Monika! I highly recommend Monika to come do the same for your organisation.

David Stein, Upper School Theatre Teacher at the American School of Warsaw in Poland

Unflappable & Supportive

I am continually amazed by Monika’s deep well of improv knowledge. When she speaks I just want to listen and soak up everything she says. As a performer she is unflappable, always supportive, and makes the audience smile.

Mark Suroviec, USA