Move in Space with Ross Flores: Improv Movement Workshop in Newport, Rhode Island

On any rainy or bright day in Newport, Rhode Island, the Ross Flores Improv Workshop offers a compact, practical dive into movement for stage-makers. Held in the town's lively live-performance circuit, the two-hour session focuses on moving in space, improving spatial awareness, and finding a centered physical presence without requiring dance training. This is where acting technique meets simple, athletic practice: exercises emphasize balance, weight shifts, eye lines, and clean, intentional stage percentages that help characters read clearly from the house. Ross Flores (he/him) brings three decades of performance experience to the floor. Trained in dance and steeped in improv and stand-up, his credits include time at iO and The Second City, performances at the Broadway Comedy Club, Laugh Factory (Chicago), and festivals from the Del Close Marathon to the Twin Cities Improv Festival. That range makes his coaching both playful and exacting—he translates movement vocabulary into immediately usable tools for scene work, sketch, and solo shows. Expect warmups that feel more like practical drills than choreography: center-finding, angle work, partner mirroring, and spatial games that reduce stage collisions and boost ensemble listening. You’ll leave with tighter blocking instincts, clearer entrances and exits, and a set of low-tech drills to practice alone or with a group. No prior dance experience is required; comfortable clothing and an openness to physical play are the only prerequisites. Participants typically practice three repeatable drills—radius walks to expand reach, level shifts to vary energy, and anchor-release exercises to find neutral balance. Flores emphasizes listening as movement: small shifts in posture alter scene relationships. By the end you should have a short warmup routine, clearer blocking choices, and rehearsal habits that translate to any stage. The format encourages feedback loops and immediate, measurable improvement. The workshop sits within Newport’s compact arts neighborhood, a short walk from the harbor and the city’s colonial-era streets. That maritime backdrop makes the evening after class feel particularly welcoming—grab coffee or head toward a waterfront walk to test new physical choices in a different rhythm of movement. The local scene values cross-disciplinary work, and Flores’ blend of dance history and improv sensibility makes this workshop an uncommon bridge between theatrical craft and embodied technique. Who benefits? Emerging improvisers wanting fewer “oops” moments onstage, actors who need spatial confidence, and solo performers seeking physical stamina and variety. The format is friendly for beginners yet yields concrete improvements for experienced performers. Practical note: the session runs two hours; bring shoes you can move in and a readiness to experiment. For travelers, Newport offers charming places to stay and a compact cultural circuit; this class is an efficient, high-value way to sharpen stage presence while visiting Rhode Island’s coastal town.