Practicing Disruption

The art of getting unstuck when feeling frozen

Read the In The Works article by Ana Maria Cadena 

“Using the arts in such a direct way is so genius”

Velvet Wells smiles and stands outside the Arts Court on Oct. 23, 2024. They conducted the “Practicing Disruption” workshop at the Grove on Oct. 19 and Nov. 9 which uses improv to disrupt racism in people's day-to-day lives. [Photo by Ana Maria Cadena/ The Charlatan]
Photo of Velvet Wells by Ana Maria Cadena/ The Charlatan

We will practice bystander intervention strategies by using improvisational techniques, to help move beyond freeze or fawn reactions

This isn’t a sit and watch space! Everyone will have opportunities to try it out and find a method that works for them!

This workshop is open to everyone, and specifically designed for people who prefer something more interactive than a classroom style workshop

Book this workshop for your group

Feb 2025: Delivered to 2SLGBTQ+ Voices: Pathways to Interdependence in Ottawa

2024: Pilot program at The Grove, produced by Hingman Leung with funding from Awesome Ottawa and the City of Ottawa

Listen to a pilot Workshop Testimonial from Dawn Xanklin (mp3)

About Your Facilitator

Velvet is an agent of empowerment, creating curriculums and delivering workshops that give people space to develop their competence, consciousness, self-efficacy, and to create positive connections

Velvet Wells (they/them, Ottawa) is a queer, Black, lyrical comedian, and creator-producer of All Request Radio. They are an award-winning performer-playwright for “(Re)Tired Magical Man” (Emerging IBPOC Artist laureate 2023, Ottawa Arts Council); Emerging Artist of the Year 2022, JRG Society for the Arts). They are an accessibility and anti-Black racism advocate, consultant, and facilitator. They are the Strategic Partnership Lead for The Black Pledge Collective, regional representative for International TheatreSports Institute, and mentor with Youth Infringement Festival (directing, playwright) and Toronto Fringe Festival (producing).

Velvet Wells facilitates performance and applied improvisational sessions across North America, including work for SC Johnson, Black and Funny Improv Festival, and Wagner-Green Center for Access & Inclusion. Consistently lauded for their disability accessibility measures, they engage the theatre world offstage through the lens of social justice and community care

While workshops are open to any adult interested in the topic, the concepts and approaches may be outside the scope of their training and performing experience. Feel free to contact Velvet for further clarifications as needed

Community Accountability
We'll create Consent Informed Spaces for each other in these workshops