Falling

(about 20 minutes for full progression, can be done over a series of days/sessions)

Attribution: I learned this at the Improv Show in Kingston from my co-coach and business partner Richard Allen. I’ve since used it with groups of students aged 13-14 and 15-18 with huge success.

Good for: trust, awareness, team building, group mind

Need: set up a circle or rectangle with a visual barrier (pillows, tape, something that one could easily cross if necessary).

Follow the progression:

Monologues: in a clump, have all players face the instructor and, on cue, recite a monologue (all should be different). Have players stop speaking on the instructor’s cue. Then have players stop speaking when one of them stops.

Walk and Stop: Have all group members spread out in the marked area, they should each have room to spin, arms wide, without bumping each other. In silence, players all walk-around walk-around; when one player stops, all stop, with no aural or visual cue but the stopping. Practice this until the group stops instantaneously. Try to start walking as a group as well.

Talk and Stop: Add in the monologues, independent of the walking. When someone stops talking, all stop talking, when someone stops walking, all stop. Groups usually do both at the same time at first; challenge them to keep the two tasks separate and independent.

Falling – Verbal Countdown: Move the barrier in so that your space is just big enough for all to walk around comfortably. Demonstrate a safe fall (faller: stiff as a board, hands crossed over chest, lean back keeping feet together, leaning back on heels; catchers: knees bent, back straight, arms out to cushion the faller, slowly ease faller down to at least 45 degrees and then back up to standing) and rehearse with the group with yourself or a willing volunteer. Watch for safety.

Walk-around, walk-around, watch for fallers. The stop/start and talk/stop can be added in over the next few progressions at your discretion. Safety first.

Rule: Fallers MUST fall into the middle of the space, not toward the outside of the boundary. Start with a rule of only one faller at a time, then increase as safely allows. Fallers must give a cue before falling, in this round the cue is a hand straight up and countdown on fingers saying “Falling. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1” then fall.

Falling – Countdown: Remove the verbal cue. Fallers raise hand, countdown from five on fingers before falling. Try moving to a countdown from three, rather than five once the group is comfortable. Try expanding the space in which the group members can walk-around.

Falling – Verbal: Say “Falling” wait a beat, then fall.

Falling – Physical: Raise a hand, beat, fall.

Falling – no cue, beat: Stop, beat, fall.

Falling – no cue: Stop, fall.

Notes:

Maintain group focus throughout. If it’s broken irreparably, pack up and revisit the activity later and play something to get the giggles out. (May I suggest Yee Haw?)

Filed under: Games, Warmups Tagged: | drama, trust game, Warmups