4. Go with your Gut: Theater and Improvisation activities to develop creativity, communication skills.
Age Range or Target Group| This workshop is appropriate for all age groups, it is recommended however that participants of the workshop are at similar developmental stages. In regard to target group, as the projects depicts, both EU citizens/natives and immigrants/refuges/asylum seekers can participate in the workshop. The workshop is open to people from any socio-economic background.
Number of participants| 10-15 participants. If the workshop is happening with more than 15 participants, more time should be given for each activity and maybe the help of another facilitator will be needed.
Duration| 1h-1h30m
General Aim- Objectives| The general aim of the workshop is to encourage participants to use language and body as an expression tool and to highlight the importance of devoting time and attention to others. This is done through exercises that use free word association techniques, mirroring and movement improvisation. During the exercises, focus will be placed not only within one’s self but also towards the others. For example, in the “Dance Off” activity or in the “Make a sense out of it” activity, participants are asked, through games, to pay attention to what another person is doing and to understand it, keeping a non-judgemental and open attitude. Moreover, activities such as “Yes and” create a positive atmosphere of acceptance and create a build-up story that is based on the premise that people should be open to ideas and use them in order to create something. Overall the exercises encourage and empower participants, allowing them to develop their confidence in a safe environment.
Key Words & Phrases| theatre; improvisation; story-telling; performance; cooperation; creativity
Instructions (Step by Step Process)|
A. Greeting and Introduction to the workshop (5-10 minutes)
B. Warm-up (10-15 minutes)
B1. “A”s and “B”s Game: Participants start walking around the room at a relaxed pace. They are kindly asked to let go of any stressful thought and to focus on what they are doing now. They are prompted to walk towards all directions and space across the room. Engaging with the other participants. Not to be afraid to look at them and acknowledge their existence in the space. Participants are then asked by the facilitator to choose silently -in their mind- two people that are in the room walking with them. One will be A and the other B (they do so while continuing walking). When everyone has made their choices, they are then asked to get as closer as possible to their chosen A and as far as possible from their chosen B. They can move as fast as they wish but they should not touch or grab other people. After a couple of minutes, they can now reverse the process and start moving as closest as possible towards the B and as far as possible towards the A.
B2. Guess the change: Participants are now paired up into couples. They are asked to calm down and to simply look into their partners eyes for a couple of seconds. Then they are asked to repeat the same thing but this time they should be informed that their goal is to memorise their partner’s appearance. So, each partner looks into their partner trying to memorise their looks, in 30 seconds. When time is up, both are asked to turn their backs at each other and try to make 3 changes in their appearance (i.e. one sleeve up, one shoe off etc.) in 20 seconds. They then return facing their partners and they have 5 seconds each to guess the changes their partners made.
B3. Dance off: This activity is done in pairs as well. The facilitator uses a lively music for this activity. In this exercise there is a leader and a follower. When the music goes on, the leader starts moving, doing a repetitive movement. The follower observes and starts copying the leader’s movement, however the followers do so but with as much exaggeration as possible in the movement. Give them a few seconds and then they change roles. Repeat the exercise a couple of times.
B4. Mazinga energiser: For this energiser, participants come in a circle. The facilitator starts pronouncing loud the syllable “maaaa”. They continue saying the syllable loud, and then the person next to them starts saying the syllable as well. Gradually all people start shouting the syllable “ma”. When all have started saying the word. They then pronounce all together the word Mazinga as loud as they can. During the “ma” part, participants extend their arms to their front, while during the “mazinga” part, they can jump or take their arms to the air, or whatever they feel like. Please refer to the Resources section for further information on the warm up activities.
C. Main activities (30-45 minutes)
C1. Free Word Association game: In this game, the participants are in pairs. All pairs are given the same word by the facilitator, or a volunteer. They start with this word, and Partner A says whatever word comes in their mind when they hear the first word. Then Partner B says whatever word comes in their mind when listening to their Partner’s word. They go in turns for 1 minute. When the exercise is done, they can be asked in what word did the pairs ended up in. They can repeat the game also in larger groups.
C2. “Make sense out of it” activity: In this activity, participants are split into groups of 4-5 people. 1 person makes a step forward and start doing a repetitive movement. The movement can be anything. The next person in the group has to make a sense out of this activity, make a step towards the other person and say something and move in a certain way that will give a meaning to what the other person is doing. When they are done, the first person makes a step back, the second person finds another movement and the game is repeated with the other members of the group. Repeat a couple of times. Each group can then also perform in front of the other groups.
C3. “Yes and” story: In this activity, participants are split into groups of 4-5 people. They can form new groups now. One member of the group makes a true statement about their lives. This is the only necessarily true statement of the story. The next person of the group then, has to add something to this story by saying “yes and -add another statement”. The statements that follow the first statement can be as imaginary as possible. They go on in turns for 1 minute. Each group performs their story in front of the others. When all groups have performed, they then repeat their performance but now they are asked not simply to pronounce the statements but instead to talk clear and loud, slow and animated and to use movement accompanying their words. Finally, they are now asked to perform once again, this time making a short theatre out of it. Group members can become protagonists, objects, change roles, narrate etc.
*They do not need time to practise this. They act spontaneously*
Please refer to the Resources section for further information on the main part activities.
D. Closure/Calm down (20-30 minutes)
D1. Participants are given a piece of paper and a pen/pencil and they are asked to start writing down whatever comes in their head [free word association texts]. They can be given 5 minutes for that and when the time is up they can be kindly asked to finish their sentences and stop writing. If anyone wishes to, they can share with the group what they wrote.
D2. Debriefing – Suggested questions for initiating the debriefing section of the workshop: How did you feel during the workshop? Was there anything that made you feel discomfort or comfort? What was the most enjoyable moment for you? How was the experience of trying to understand what the other person was doing? Do you think we pay enough attention to other people in our daily lives before we jump into conclusions? Thinking about what came in your mind during the free word association task did you notice anything particular about the way you think/ the way different people think? Can you relate any of your feelings and thoughts stemming from the workshop with your daily life?
Desirable Outcomes and Competences| Through this workshop, participants can work on their language and presentational skills. Some of the exercises are based on words association which help people to work on a second-language. Moreover, they will be presenting their work to the other participants at some points, familiarising themselves with the idea of exposure to an audience. It will be also asked from them to act and react at a fast pace, using their body and language in authentic and unplanned ways. Using these activities in a safe environment where people are respectful and encouraging, people can develop initiative and confidence. Furthermore, participants will be using others’ responses in order to react on them. They will practise being attentive to what is happening around them and work on their empathy and perspective-taking skills but also imagination and openness to cooperation.
Photos and Videos deriving from the workshop’s applied process
The videos are uploaded as unlisted in youtube website and their goal is only to provide educational material for this output. Please use the videos only for your own personal understanding of the workshops.
Materials| The facilitator could arrange for some upbeat music to be playing during the workshop. They will need paper and pen for the closure activities.
Resources|
- For warm-up/energizing activities:
International HIV/AIDS Alliance (2002). 100 ways to energise groups: Games to use in workshops, meetings and the community.
BESTorganisation (2011, March 18). Mazinga. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGY7L_0G9Jg
- Main Part Activities:
TEDx Talks (2014, March 16). Improvisation exercises (part 1): Vicky Saye Henderson at TEDxColumbiaSC. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkDv3sXWrFU
TEDx Talks (2014, March 16). Improvisation exercises (part 2): Vicky Saye Henderson at TEDxColumbiaSC. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMxS27bvM0s
TEDx Talks (2014, March 16). Improvisation exercises (part 3): Vicky Saye Henderson at TEDxColumbiaSC. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qo1SLuZJAY&t=2s
Media and Techniques| The workshop was based on improvisation and performing arts workshops, online videos, articles and books about theatre improvisation and story-telling.
Tips for the educator| Please refer to the general tips of the educator for the ST workshops.
Questions for Evaluation|
- How did you find the exercises of the workshop?
- Are there any suggestions/comments/questions you would like to make?
- Are the activities well explained?
- Is there any activity you liked particularly? If yes, which one and why?