The ability to think on your feet is crucial, of course.

But add to that a willingness to make a complete fool of yourself, and you might just spin comedy gold.

That鈥檚 exactly the mix it takes to succeed in the fast-paced world of improv theatre. Just ask the eight R.E. Mountain Secondary students in Gura Sidhu鈥檚 improvisation class, who will represent their school later this month in Ottawa at the Canadian Improv Games.

Along with Vancouver鈥檚 Lord Byng Secondary, the Mountain improv team will fly the flag for British Columbia, as high school students from across Canada gather to compete for a national title.

This is the first time in the 91原创 high school鈥檚 history that its improv team has advanced past provincial competition 鈥� punching their ticket to Ontario with a second place finish during a competition held last month at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island.

Not that their predecessors hadn鈥檛 come close in the past 鈥� they had.

Very close. A few times.

The school鈥檚 third-place finish in 2003 was a particularly bitter pill to swallow for Sidhu.

That group was exceptional, and deserved to win, he said. At the same time, the teacher acknowledged that judging art is a subjective practise.

And this year鈥檚 top-2 finish was something of a redemption for that loss, he said.

Once the results were in, Sidhu called all the members of the 鈥�03 team to tell them the news.

鈥淚 told them, a little part of you is going to Ottawa with us.鈥�

Twenty teams, including Mountain, will face off in the nation鈥檚 capital from April 14 to 19, with the 91原创 students competing on the first night against schools from Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Alberta.

The competition includes five categories: style (such as film noir or science fiction), a life scene, theme, story and character.

Each team must perform four of the five events 鈥� life and theme are mandatory. In the event of a tie breaker they would be required to do the one they dropped.

There are five keys to success in improv, explained Sidhu: Say yes as much as possible; use suggestions; try not to ask questions; don鈥檛 tell 鈥� show; and make offers.

Finding the right combination of performers to play off each other is another crucial element.

Mountain鈥檚 eight-member team is made up of four girls and four boys, all in either Grade 11 or Grade 12. Only one of them was a part of last year鈥檚 team; the rest are all brand new to improv.

Among them is a wide range of personalities 鈥� from organizers to clowns. But the mix has worked.

鈥淭here has been a good blend of players,鈥� said Sidhu. 鈥淓veryone has a role 鈥� some are more prominent than others.鈥�

Common sense, intelligence, 91原创enal listening skills are among the qualities that make a good improv player, he added.

Another critical attribute is a willingness to take risks 鈥� 鈥渋f I fall on my face, so what?鈥� 鈥� said Sidhu.

鈥淚 need one of you to jump out of that plane,鈥� he tells his students, 鈥渁nd, hopefully, the parachute opens.鈥�

Among the theatrical skydivers who will play for Mountain this year in Ottawa is Sam Maj.

For the Grade 12 student who鈥檚 been involved in drama since Grade 6 鈥� the opportunity to spend more time on stage a large part of improv鈥檚 appeal.

Last school year he wasn鈥檛 on the team, but he knew a few people who were. They were 鈥渃ool, fun and outgoing,鈥� he said.

鈥淭hey seemed to be up for anything and I wanted to be like that.鈥�

Still, getting to nationals for the first time in the school鈥檚 history is a big deal and it鈥檚 a fact that isn鈥檛 lost on Maj 鈥� even though it took a while for the news to sink in.

It wasn鈥檛 until he was sitting in McDonald鈥檚, eating ice cream that the magnitude of their success suddenly hit him.

This isn鈥檛 the first time Maj, 17, has made it to the national level of a competition. He鈥檚 also done it in sport.

While waterskiing might not have much in common with improv, it has taught him how to deal with pressure.

And the pressure is intense, he said.

鈥淲ith improv, you have to be perfect. Everything you say counts.鈥�

At the same time, said Maj, experience has also taught him to just relax and enjoy the moment.

For Emma Horn, also in Grade 12, going to a national competition is brand new territory. But the 17-year-old, who took her first drama class as 鈥渢he shyest鈥� Grade 8 student, is looking forward to the camaraderie that comes with team competition.

鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to have all my best friends to go with to something like this.鈥�

Things weren鈥檛 quite so harmonious at the beginning, Horn notes.

鈥淚t was a rough start to the year.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a big mix of personalities,鈥� she said.

That led to a few disagreements and arguments before the team members sat down and hashed it out.

鈥淢ost people on the team are on the side of relaxed and goofy. Others are more serious and keep us working.

鈥淭he dynamics are opposites, but it works.鈥�

Once they knew they were on their way to Ottawa, the team went online to check out their competition

鈥淎 few of us are kind of nervous about (the Newfoundlanders),鈥� said Horn. 鈥淓veryone says they鈥檙e so funny.鈥�