Improv with a purpose: The heart behind the humor

How Resonance Improv Alliance builds community through laughter

by Kaydence Smith, Staff Writer

Resonance hosted a performance at the Reston Community Center on April 11. Photo by Kaydence Smith.

The Resonance Improv Alliance is a local organization founded by passionate improvisers who believe that improvisational comedy can do more than make people laugh. It can also heal, inspire, and bring people together.

The founders began their journey in Lake Anne, taking improv classes in the basement of Washington Plaza Baptist Church. From those humble beginnings, Resonance was created to unite diverse improv communities and share the transformative power of improv comedy. Already, the group has begun teaching at organizations such as The Lamb Center, Insight Memory Care, and local schools.

Instructors at Herndon and South Lakes high schools describe Resonance as “incredibly professional, engaging, and positive,” noting that the team helps students “feel very comfortable to make choices and put themselves out there.”

Photo by Kaydence Smith.

Steve Gurney, founder of the Positive Aging Community and a pioneer of improv for Parkinson’s in the DMV area, has partnered with Resonance to bring workshops to Insight Memory Care. “We’re able to enable them to exercise their voice and do improv exercises that require movement,” he says. “It’s just fun. There is nothing that is not acceptable in improv... The goal is to uplift everybody.”

Lindsey Vajpeyi, Director of Early-Stage Programs at Insight Memory Care, said that improv has been a powerful tool for their patients to “let down their guard, let loose, and feel welcomed as you are,” a value Resonance holds dear.

Resonance Executive Director Nina Unger and Board Member Wes Gurney say their mission is to “empower individuals to build community through the principles of improv.” Along with their fellow members and with support from their sponsor, CORE Foundation, they continue working to spread the joy and impact of improv across Northern Virginia.

On April 11, Resonance hosted its first public performance at the Reston Community Center, featuring improv groups from across the region. Performers included No Men Twirling, a musical improv group, as well as Home Improv Mints, Human Magnet, and the Friendly Neighborhood Fools. The show was a resounding success, with a lively, engaged audience and nonstop laughter throughout the evening.

For updates on future performances, follow Resonance Improv Alliance on Instagram @resonanceimprov.