Deathball, cooperative violence
Deathball is probably the most photogenic and the most violent collaboration game in the world.
Deathball has been played all over Europe and has even have reached other continents (I know about Vietnam and USA) by now. It’s just a awesome cooperation and concentration exercise and it’s something more. You’re welcome to find out. Here’s a taste of it in sped up slow motion.
Stats.
The game works best in two teams of 4–6 players (5 is best). Competitions work best in up to 30 participants. You’ll also need 1–2 referees and perhaps some judges and preferably a photographer or moviemaker. Duration 20' to 60' minutes. Invented by me somewhere early nineties as Theatre Sports practice. It’s now also a core exercise at Knowmads Business School.
The Game
In Deathball two teams try to bring an invisible ball across the line at the other side of a small field. Like in Rugby, they can only throw the ball backward or carry it with them forward. The players are allowed to use every violent act they think of to their opponents during the game. For every or no reason at all. :) But here’s the catch: the game is played in slow motion! Keep the illusion of slow motion alive! Together!
The Rules
No one is allowed to touch another. No one may break the spell of the slow motion! And since it is a cooperation game: both sides have to accept all actions of the other side and make it look real! It’s a collaboration game remember; even when you seem to be mortal enemies! So if you are hit, you need to play suffering for it. Get smacked in the face and then quietly passing on the ball, before you play hurt, is ‘bad play’. And don’t ‘attack’ somebody from behind. How could they participate in the action of an opponent they can’t see coming? And don’t don’t look to avoid players being able to hit you. It’s ugly and coward. Also all players share the responsibility to keep clear where the ball is at all times. Because amidst all ‘brutal violence’ and urges to ‘win’, it’s still collaboration. Even when all your human urges to beat up the other team to win are alive and well.
The Referee
A very strict referee will whistle for all breaking of the rules, or breaking the spell of slow motion. You whistle. Everyone freezes. You tell who is out, and, when needed, why. This includes everything from speeding up to win, not accepting being hit in the face, suddenly having two balls in the game or just losing balance and thus breaking the spell of the slow motion. As referee you have to be harshly strict! Even hitting someone who is already bend far backwards, so that player will lose balance can be seen as wrongful cooperation and reason to be send off the field. You whistle again and the game continues with one player less. Players can re-enter the game after points have been scored. At times you’ll have to decide where the ball is now, or throw a new one in. When you’re strict the learning curve will be really steep. You may even be a bit capricious. It helps at times to send a few players of for minor mistakes. Why? Because when everyone hates you, the teams will work better together. And when you do it with some humor, nobody will take all of it too serious. Because it’s not about winning!
Note, that often the first round people are send of very quickly. Then often in the 2nd or 3rd round suddenly there’s this intense silence out of concentration among all players. That’t the moment they get it and work together on a higher level with everyone in the field. That silence is awesome!
Points
A normal match takes place on a field of about 5 by 4 up to 10 by 7 (for more advanced players, or body performers). A match will take up to three rounds. 1 point is scored when the whole other team is blown of the field by the referee. 3 points are scored when the ‘ball’ is brought across the line at the opposite side. After each score a new round begins. Best of three decides who moves on towards a finale if there’s a competition. You may audiences, where there is one, also let vote on most fun to watch, most cooperative and or most smooth, dancelike mover. Also heroic fails can be noted. Or preparedness to go down.
The philosophy behind the game
While all instincts call your team to beat the other side, this game is about rising above that instinct and to create the most beautiful drama possible for all spectators. Deathball is about collaboration with opponents for the most beautiful (in this case dramatic) whole. Thus helping people to understand there’s something more essential than ‘winning at the cost of..’ The paradox is therefore that in order to win: you have to overcome the inner competitive ape. And this is for some people, mostly men (sorry guys) very hard. It trains team aspects such as having fun together while working hard, having fun, being adaptive and willing to be supportive. Desirable qualities in any team or troupe.
When people play very committed together a very high level of concentration arises. Referees can point this out, when everyone, audience inclusive, lives in a very intense silence for a while. Death and destruction in very high concentrated collaboration. This happens most often after a very steep learning curve due to strict and quick justice against the rules of the game. All violence is fine ;) The best players, with the most accepting attitude and balance stay together in the game. And with each match, the concentration rises, until they get tired. Because the focus needed for this is way higher than you’d expect. :)
Starting Up
It often helps to have some slow motion boxing in duo’s before. Here you can help people adjust speeds, daring to lose, and train to keep balance. I’ve seen professional street actors fall over in slow motion. For amateurs even lift their leg for a high kick may be dangerous to their balance. Therefore some exploration of body presence, capability and cooperation with someone you fight is a good basic training. Give feedback on what you see and what can be improved upon.
Pie Fight
A nice training variation for smaller groups is the imaginary pie fight of four or five people in slow motion. Especially for spectators it will become very clear if all actions are understandable action and reaction. When players act without clearly checking if others see what’s coming, or don’t accept a pie in the face, the audience will lose attention or get confused. It only works when players go fully immersed and stay very attentive to the whole. Unless of course they need to slowly remove a huge amount of pie from their face and build up anger for revenge. Then same as in Deathball your moment from playing inner anguish to outward action, is the moment to get oversight and seek eye contact to make your next move towards, with another player.
Happy Fighting!
In principle is Deathball totally Open Source. Feel free to use it as you like. I’m available for workshops and love to travel and bring this and other games/training to your conference, intensive, or festival.
Deathball has a bigger relative in the form of Switchball, and is in itself an excellent preparation for the mindset needed in that game.
