How do you stay grounded/take space in an improv group with a really dominant personality?
I’m in an indie improv group with 7+ people, and I’ve been struggling with the group dynamic lately.
There’s one person in the group who has very big, loud, performative energy. In group conversations pre shows, a lot of the attention tends to anchor around her stories, dating life, or whatever she’s focused on. In scenes, there can also be interruptions or a lack of give-and-take. I often leave feeling like I wasn’t really listened to or seen, which is frustrating because I haven’t felt this way in other improv spaces.
To be fair, other people in the group don’t seem as bothered by it. They seem able to take space when they need it, encourage her, and keep playing. So I’m trying to figure out how much of this is a group dynamic issue vs. something I need to work on in myself.
I’m not super quiet. I can be vocal too ..but I think I sometimes don’t project my ideas with enough confidence or clarity, especially when someone else’s energy is very dominant.
Part of me wants to quit and find a group with more emotional intelligence, balance, and give-and-take. Another part of me wonders if this is actually a good opportunity to practice taking up space, trusting my impulses, and being more visibly myself even when the room is loud.
For improvisers who have been in groups like this: how do you handle it? How do you know when to leave a group versus when to use the discomfort as growth? And how do you take space without feeling like you have to become loud or pushy yourself?