Improvisation lives in that sweet spot between calm and alert. We aim to stay connected to others while leaping into the unknown.
Polyvagal theory is a framework developed by Stephen Porges, who controversially described the role of the vagus nerve in the autonomic nervous system’s response to social cues and perceived threat.
Improv in this account is the nervous system’s version of ‘Yes, And‘. Our body says yes to the moment’s energy, while staying anchored in safety and social engagement. In Polyvagal terms, that means having one foot in ventral vagal regulation – our state of social safety and presence – and the other in sympathetic mobilisation, the system that fuels energy, focus and movement.
When both are active, we remain responsive and attuned. Too much sympathetic energy and we tighten or rush; too much ventral stillness and we lose momentum. The improviser’s craft is to balance the two – regulated enough to listen, energised enough to act.
In a scene or workshop, this balance shows up in subtle ways:
- Breathing that stays steady even as ideas spark
- Laughter that releases tension but keeps connection
- Quick choices that arise from curiosity, not fear
Porges proposes that the vagus nerve has two branches that work with the sympathetic nervous system to create three distinct states: social engagement (ventral vagal), fight-or-flight (sympathetic), and immobilization (dorsal vagal). The theory explains that our bodies constantly perform “neuroception” to evaluate safety and that the myelinated ventral vagal pathway is an advanced mammalian adaptation for social bonding and regulation.
Improvisation, then, becomes more than play – it’s nervous system training for everyday life.
We practise being mobilised without panic, grounded without passivity, connected while in motion. In other words, we learn how to have one foot in calm, and one in action – ready for whatever emerges next.
