Understanding the Impact of Expertise in Joint and Solo-Improvisation

Abstract

Joint-improvisation is not only an open-ended creative action that two or more people perform together in the context of an artistic performance (e.g., theatre, music or dance). Joint-improvisation also takes place in daily life activities when humans take part in collective performance such as toddlers at play or adults engaged in a conversation. In the context of this article, joint-improvisation has been looked at from a social motor coordination perspective. In the literature, the nature of the social motor coordination characteristics of joint-improvisation for either the creative aspect or daily life features of this motor performance remains unclear. Additionally, both solo-improvisation and joint-improvisation need to be studied conjointly to establish the influence of the social element of improvisation in the emergence of multi-agent motor coordination. In order to better understand those two types of improvisation, we compared three level of expertise – novice, intermediate and professional in dance improvisation to identify movement characteristics for each of the groups. Pairs of the same level were asked to improvise together. Each individual was also asked to perform an improvisation on his/her own. We found that each of the three groups present specific movement organization with movement complexity increasing with the level of expertise. Experts performed shorter movement duration in conjunction with an increase range of movement. The direct comparison of individual and paired Conditions highlighted that the joint-improvisation reduced the complexity of the movement organization and those for all three levels while maintaining the differences between the groups. This direct comparison amongst those three distinct groups provides an original insight onto the nature of movement patterns in joint-improvisation situation. Overall, it reveals the role of both individual and collective properties in the emergence of social coordination.

Towards an Embodied Signature of Improvisation Skills

“…There are good reasons to believe that improvisational skills, similarly to emotions or intentions, color movements. For example, it has been empirically demonstrated that movement qualities of expert improvisers differ from those of novices (Noy et al, 2011; Issartel et al, 2017). Using the mirror game (Noy et al, 2011), a simple yet effective paradigm for studying two people improvising hand movements with different social roles (leader/follower/no designated leader), Noy et al (2011) found that experts create more complex (i.e., creative) and synchronized motion than novices when there is no designated leader.…”

“…Using the mirror game (Noy et al, 2011), a simple yet effective paradigm for studying two people improvising hand movements with different social roles (leader/follower/no designated leader), Noy et al (2011) found that experts create more complex (i.e., creative) and synchronized motion than novices when there is no designated leader. In another behavioral study, Issartel et al (2017) compared motion characteristics in the mirror game of three groups with distinct levels of expertise in improvisation dance (novice, intermediate, expert). Results revealed that each group had a very specific movement organization and that motor creativity increased with expertise.…”

“…Taken together, these results suggest (i) the existence of a motor signature of improvisation expertise and (ii) improvisation skills can be enhanced through practice—as the old adage goes, “practice makes perfect.” Thus, similar to athletes who rigorously follow an intensive training to perfect their technical, tactical and physical skills for performance purposes, improvisers must spend a large number of hours of practice devoted to skill-building. It is important to note however, that, except the work of Issartel et al (2017), who conjointly studied both solo-improvisation and joint-improvisation to establish the influence of the social interaction, other studies related to the mirror game have addressed mainly joint coordination. Solo and joint improvisation differ in that joint improvisation incorporates (in addition to solo skills) dyadic coordination.…”

“…This difference may have major consequences on improvised behaviors. For instance, Issartel et al (2017) reported that movement richness in joint improvisation, where participants were explicitly asked to be coordinated, was significantly reduced compared to the solo condition irrespective of the level of expertise (novice, intermediate, expert). This finding suggests that both the (social) environment and the goal of the task (collaborative task) interact and play a crucial role in shaping improvisation behaviors.…”

Partner Pen Play in Parallel (PPPiP): A New PPPiParadigm for Relationship Improvement

“…Improvisation studies across many disciplines (dance, art, and conversation) have identified the psychosocial mechanisms of joint creative processes which make up a continual feedback loop: One attends to the actions of their partner, then modulates their own actions and updates their anticipation of partner actions. Interestingly, empirical work finds that the more that dancers anticipate their partners' movements, the more they kept their own movement signature (Issartel et al 2017), and that arbitrary selection of a leader in improvisational tasks degrades partnership performance (Noy et al 2011). In long-term partnerships, through egalitarian improvisation, each partner can act more like themselves and transcend the narrative of compromised identity in relationships.…”