My own acting career started in highschool as a failure in regular theatre, since I could not remember my lines verbatum. Actors, waiting for my cues, never got them as I rephrased almost every line.
The director kicked me out and 4 others for the same reason.

We then managed to get approval to do our own show in which we improvised every line, yet keeping to the whole story as written by the author. We learned to project our voice and use body language.
We were quite successful and often got laughs, because we sometimes came up with outrageous lines or situations not intended by the author.

In my professional life, I have had to make many presentations.
As a member of Toastmasters, I learned to make presentations without having to read my text, even though memorizing it was out of the question. I also learned the importance of blank pauses and gestures (not just the finger).

My first classes I took with Second City in Toronto. Seeing some shows there got me really interested.
Then I took classes 101, 201, 202 and some specials with ITC and have had a variety of instructors: Cameron Algie, Matt Folliott, Sean Magee, Kevin Patrick Robbins, Kevin Whalen, Zach Ward.
I took part in stage shows at the Comedy Bar in the Summer of 2010, while being coached by Robert Hills.

Now, as a student Improv Actor I feel finally at home.