Classes - BATSU! Live

BATSU! Does Classes!

Looking to sharpen your comedy skills, build confidence, and have a blast on stage? BATSU! offers high-energy improv classes at iO Theatre and The Annoyance Theatre in Chicago!

Learn from Experienced Performers – Our instructors are professional comedians and BATSU! cast members with years of experience in improv, sketch, and live comedy.
Engaging, Fast-Paced Curriculum – We blend traditional improv techniques with BATSU!’s unique brand of comedy, inspired by Japanese batsu-style game shows.
Perfect for All Levels – Whether you’re a beginner looking to explore improv or a seasoned performer wanting to refine your craft, we’ve got a class for you.
Perform on Stage – Students get opportunities to showcase their skills at renowned Chicago theaters like iO and The Annoyance.
Advanced Improv & Performance – Take your skills to the next level with scene work, storytelling, and live audience interaction.

| What Is The BATSU! Dojo?

Step into the dojo and unleash your inner comedy warrior, harnessing the power of laughter as your ultimate technique.

In these high-energy sessions you’ll learn the way of BATSUDO: a form of comedy that strikes with timing, deflects with quick thinking, and pushes you to take risks without fear. Working in partnership with Chicago’s extraordinary Japanese Culture Center, BATSU!’s battle hardened instructors will lead you through engaging drills and side-splitting games.

And for the first time ever, these challenging and fun 6-week sessions include one improv-integrated aikido class held in the beautiful dojo at the Japanese Culture Center.

The BATSU! Dojo training ground will unlock your creativity and command your confidence – just bring your determination, your sense of humor, and your willingness to embrace the ‘Hai.”

Join the dojo and unleash the power of laughter – BATSU! style

Our Partnership With The Japanese Culture Center.

“We are excited about the opportunity to explore the connections between improv and martial arts with Face Off Unlimited and the Batsu dojo as a way to connect with other people’s energy and find the harmony of living in the present during stressful moments (like being on stage) and amidst our ever changing lives.” – Tatuso Toyoda, President and Chief Instructor of the Aikido Association of America.

More about the Japanese Culture Center:

The Japanese Culture Center and Aikido Association of America were founded by world renowned Aikido and Zen Master, Fumio Toyoda. Toyoda Sensei was accepted as a resident student by the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, and later dispatched to the United States in 1974 to help spread the art. Toyoda Shihan was known for his unique perspective of incorporating a holistic approach to teaching Aikido (mind, body, and spirit) and developed a specific teaching methodology for his instructors. In fact, he was the first Aikido instructor to develop a specific curriculum for instructor’s certification. His background in Aikido and Zen fostered a dynamic and powerful form of Aikido that emphasized harmonizing with, rather than opposing, perceived obstacles to create mutually beneficial outcomes.

Where Is The BATSU! Dojo?

The BATSU! Dojo is hosted graciously at iO Theatre in Chicago.

Address:
1501 N Kingsbury St, Chicago, IL 60642

| Meet Your Instructors

Eric Robinson – Co-founder and CFO of Face Off Unlimited, Eric is a proud member of BATSU!’s conception team. As producer (BATSU! NYC, Chicago, London, Edinburgh Fringe, L.A.), FNFO, Nads, Goon River, A Whole ‘Nother Level, New York City Improv Face Off, the 11th Hour), actor/entertainer (Chicago Med, Subverse Web Series, NCL America), and professional improvisor of 20+ years, Eric is thrilled to have an opportunity to share FOU’s unique approach to improvisation with the world.

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What to Expect.

Mastering the art of game-based improvisation isn’t just about being funny, it’s about precision, adaptability, and commanding the mechanics of play at a professional level. Face Off Unlimited has spent years refining this craft, proving that game play isn’t just an aspect of improv, it’s a discipline all its own.

This advanced course dismantles the outdated idea that structured game improvisation is only for beginners. Instead, students will develop the technical precision, spontaneity, and deep comedic instincts that make top-tier performers in this discipline unstoppable forces on stage.

Through hands-on exercises and guided scene work, students will:

Master the precision, nuance, and depth of game-based performance
Improvise with structure without sacrificing authenticity or creativity
Develop an audience-aware mindset to maximize engagement and surprise
Refine performance choices through a professional lens
Understand the business of game-based improvisation—and how to make it a career
Whether you want to elevate your performance skills or position yourself for professional opportunities in high-level game play, this course will challenge and expand how you think about, and execute, improvised games.