Not only does the strolling make you more familiar with your audience, it also allows you to find the people that reacted the best to your routines and would make ideal volunteers in your stand-up show.

Woodfield

I understand all the pros with strolling - it's just not something I personally enjoy doing. I'm very good at what I do onstage and can tell within the first few minutes of talking to the audience (before I've performed any routines) who is going to be good on stage with me.

Part of my anti-strolling sentiment is I never see any other type of act do it. I also don't leave my house ready to put on a show at a moments notice either. No peek wallets or center tear papers ready to be whipped into action. It's just me and my personal preferences.

For me, rapport with an audience is easy to create. I'm more at ease on stage than I am close-up. I have zero stage fright.

Anyway - no right or wrong way - just personal preferences and different performance styles.

'The Alchemical Tools' by Paul Brook has a wealth of information about connecting with your audience.