5 Great Date Ideas for under $20

You don’t have drop big money to have a fun date night. Whether it’s a date night out with the husband, boyfriend or your bestie… it’s important to have those fun nights out together. Here’s 5 ideas for a great date night that won’t break the bank.

5. Go to a local college athletic event.With so many colleges in the area, there’s so much opportunity to watch a game. Who knows? You might be cheering the next big athletes. At the very least you’ll be cheering on your home team and that feels great. Sierra College’s Basketball Season is in full-swing!

4. Check out a local microbrewery. There are some great local brews in Placer County offering drink and tasting specials weekly. Some of our favorites are The Roseville Brewing Company and Loomis Basin Brewing. Great beer and friendly faces make for a great time!

3. Go Bowling or Play Laser Tag.We all have gone bowling or played laser tag, but we sometimes forget that as adults we can still have playful fun like we did when we were younger. Laser Craze and Strikes Bowling are great places to let out your inner kiddo. A friendly game is fun, just careful not to get too competitive.

2. Take a Drop-In Dance Class. Get moving and learn something new. Dancing is fun, and while you’re trying to master the steps you’ll both be smiling. Fontaine Dance Studio offers drop-in classes for Foxtrot, West Coast Swing and even 2 Step.

1. Watch a Comedy Show. There’s nothing better than laughing. Research shows that laughing can release stress and connect us to each other. Sounds like the perfect date night! There’s an all-new Blacktop Comedy Show every Friday and Saturday night at 8pm.

Check out what other folks are saying about the Blacktop Comedy Shows

“Great show tonight guys. Great date night with the wife. Thanks!” –Steve P.

“Thank you guys soooooo much for all the fun and being a part of our bachelorette night last night!” – Jennifer M.

“I've been to several Blacktop Comedy improv shows and have NEVER been disappointed!! EVER!!!! These guys and gals are awesome!!!” – Rohn W.

Improv Principles For Happy Holidays

With Thanksgiving behind us, we’re full swing into the holidays now. Racing through December and onto the New Year. Like most people, you’re probably busy racing around town, scouring the internet, party planning or packing for visiting family. It’s easy to get lost in the hustle. BE IN THE MOMENT Enjoy where you are now. We often remind students in workshops that when they’re “in the moment”, they will not worry (since that is about the future) and they will not judge themselves or others (since you can only judge based on the past). The Holidays is a wonderful time to practice being present in the now. There is so much in every moment that you miss if you don’t make time to notice it. The smells, lights and sounds this time of year are worth noticing.

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU Onstage the goal is make your partner look good. You stop worrying about yourself. The interesting thing is that if they look good, you look good, the audience is amazed and everyone wins. Focusing on someone else is the fastest way to let go of yourself and fall into that “Holiday Spirit”.

THERE IS NO PLAN In life, like on the improv stage, there is no plan. Try as you might even the best laid plans can quickly go awry. Flights being delayed, unexpected weather, unexpected guests can happen to even the most thoughtful person. Knowing that you can’t control it all helps to relax and enjoy the ride regardless of the detours.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! ---- Betsaida LeBron is the Theater Manager at Blacktop Comedy and a current member of the Long-Form Improv Show: True Story, where a weekly guest tells stories from their past as inspiration for improvised scenes. She also teaches the Intro to Improvisation workshops and loves the life-lessons that students get from “playing fun make-em-ups”.

Top 5 Reasons to take an Improv Class

5.   To think more creatively.In life there is rarely one clear and easy solution, the same is true of improv. Being able to think on your feet, approach tasks from different perspectives and think ‘outside of the box’ will open up your mind and allow more creative flow.

4.   To be more confident. Improv teaches you how to be comfortable even when you how no idea what might happen next. One of the biggest aspects of improv is learning to trust your gut. You will learn to trust recognize and trust your gut reactions. They are good reactions!

3.    To be the best teammate in any situation. Improv is based on collaboration. One person dancing on a hill is mildly entertaining, by 2 or 3 or more… now that’s a movement (check out this TEDtalk). Improv shows you how to support each other to create something bigger than one person could do alone.

2.    To relieve and better deal with stress. Simply put, improv is therapeutic. You are asked to put aside your filters and be honest. You explore and discover characters and worlds that are not your own, but you can learn about yourself in the process.

1.    Because it’s Fun!You’ll laugh. A lot. You are given permission to let go of “perfection”. You get to make mistakes, get messy and have fun! Often our cheeks hurt from the fun. And that’s how it’s meant to work.

Blacktop Comedy offers improv courses for Adults, Teens, and Kids.

With a new course starting each month right now is a great time to sign up for a class.

Email: info@blacktopcomedy or call 916-749-3100

Visit out schedule here for detail