Theater performer and director Tiana Christoforidis recently brought a fun but challenging improvisation workshop to middle school students in the district’s EXCEL program for the academically gifted, as part of EXCEL’s ongoing “Inventing Self” guest series.

Christoforidis has performed Off Broadway and at New York City nightclubs, as well as with the New Jersey Shakespeare Festival, the New York Renaissance Faire, Lyric Theatre of New York and On Stage America, and regionally in California, Florida and Africa. She studied at Fordham University, the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute and with acclaimed choreographers. In 1994, she created the Y ARTS and the Act Out Theatre School Program at the Great South Bay YMCA, providing acting instruction and production for students, and currently serves as the YMCA Boulton Center as cultural arts director, directing acting, voice, dance and music for performing arts camps and cultural events.“

Ms. Christoforidis’ workshop was fun, engaging and presented students with a unique platform to step outside of their comfort zone with improv games,” said said EXCEL coordinator Julia Johnson. “These exercises require divergent thinking and teamwork, and build students’ self-esteem, imagination and confidence. We are never too old to learn through play!”