The Art of Laughter

"Laughter has the power to not only open mouths, but open minds" - Dario Fo What is it that makes us laugh? How can we understand and put to use elements of humor? The ability to make people laugh allows us to be equals and find things in common with each other. In short, comedy brings people together. Learn how to use laughter in a cheerful environment as an effective tool in both communicating ideas and understanding them. In this workshop students will get to grips with the spirit of comedy through exploring examples of humor in both movies and television to understand more what kinds of comedy exist and how it is used. We will look at laughter in different situations and simple, fun exercises that we can do to help make people around us laugh. This workshop will also cover comparisons between comedy styles in Japan and the west, how comedy establishes techniques for icebreakers in meetings and conversations and earning laughter and connecting more with an audience in public speaking, and other comedy related topics. This workshop is of great use to people who want to develop presentation or public speaking skills, both in formal and informal situations, those who wish to understand more the elements and situations in which comedy is used in the west, or if you want to simply improve your health! We will explore the DNA of Comedy, the foundations of which can be applied to all sorts of disciplines.

No required textbook

Ron Scott

Ron Scott has been teaching English in and around Tokyo since arriving in Japan in July 2005. From Canada, Ron obtained both an honours Bachelor's degree in Drama and Psychology from McMaster University and a Master's in Drama Therapy from Concordia University.
An avid traveler, Ron travelled around the world on a cruise ship, running a recreational facility for children. Ron has also been acting and making people laugh since an early age, and is very active in the Tokyo English theatre community.
Due to his interest in acting, and particularly in comedy, Ron is very interested in and specializes in teaching both natural English and how we can use comedy and humor to communicate, connect, and create deeper relationships with others. Laughter brings us together, so let's laugh, learn, and grow together using the Art of Comedy.