Exercises I have worked with
(work in progress) Some WOW experiences, constructive disruptive and appreciative exercises I invented or was inspired into by others and which became so much part of my repertoire, I forgot where and who I got them from.
The Song Circle ‘30
Together we make music with sounds. Based on the rules of impro music, this will only work if we balance two things.
Listening and Expression. If you are shy and don’t add or listen too much, you don’t help the whole. If you express too much, then the whole will be not music but self centric chaos.
In order to find the right alignment to what is happening and needed within, you need to able to hear what is going on, to hear what is needed for the whole and then you need to express it.
If the result is boring, shouting ‘boring’ in a repeated way can even become part of the music.
Impulsive Answers
My own invention, building on new insights in wisdom through Impulse and Intuition. Our body system is more present and knows more than our brain is aware. We can use this.
Every participant thinks of a simple personal life question. Then everyone walks around and whenever they meet someone they stop and face each other. The first to raise a finger is the one to ask his or her asks his of her question. The other acknowledges this with a head shake also implying to be ready to receive the question. The asker asks. Then the receiver immediate, without thinking reacts with a sound and a movement. “Shall I leave my job to go for my dream?” may result in a withdrawn shriek or hooray and a hug. That should be telling. If in doubt repeat the question with others and see if you get a very similar reaction.
Give the participants some 5 to 12 minutes (follow your gut feeling, not this suggestion) to experience both sides several times. Call out loud, “Last Questions.” when you think it time. Then check, back in the bigger circle, who all had a valid answer. If done without much preparation and a good mood a positive response should be, on average, a bit over 50% (I get anything around 60–70%). When I worked longer and deeper beforehand, this slowly can rise to over 90%. Meaning when we tune in, our body knows.
Classic Painting Pose
Ask a group to create one big drama picture like Classic Dramatic Pictures. People can ‘act’ together in reaction to others, or something they see. Like if two people pose as if clashing, others can make poses as if to intervene, be shocked, or stimulating even more clash. Lovers can be pulled away from each other, or forced closer. Anything (see picture above) is feasible. The only thing to remember is, that if you can’t see the photographer, he/she can’t see you. Switch a few times position, for a bit variation. Have people improvise quickly, especially when there is little time (the one above took less than 2 minutes to ‘stage’) and create their own collaborations, or even react to collaborations near or across the picture. Just check how many stories there are! That’s why I think for all group pictures: use the classic painting pose!
Flash Mob experience. ‘30
Have an idea and execute it. People are put into teams of as diverse as possible people. Each person in the team gets an assignment that together create an action to be fulfilled outside. The result will be a sort of Flash Mop performance.
If people do not read their assignment, or doubt, or not listen to each other contribution (which may take place on different levels) they will fail the assignment. Think a cluster of assignments like: make everyone smile including passerby’s. Take everyone outside for a small performance. Facilitate cohesion in the group. Come up with a crazy way to walk and learn it to all the others. Guard the time. Etc.
Sell an Egg ‘30
Everyone is put into very different pairs. Each pair gets a egg or some strange object. Then they have 20 minutes to sell it on the street for as much money as possible. Afterward we check money and use strategies. What made the difference? They reward each other’s contribution in the effort, or at the least talk about it. A more modern variation is the ‘world famous’ paperclip challenge.
Clustering ’30 or longer
How are you different from the others. We make up live clusters of everyone present that make this visible. All men on one side and the women on the other. What sound does each group make? We split them into pragmatic, communicative, cognitive and visionary people. What value do they bring, make it visible in a movement. Now the other groups make a satire on that movement from their own group. We split them up into different work motivations: money, career, creativity, challenges, etc. Now each group has to tell what they learn from the other groups.
Appreciative Interventions
The Haka dare ‘30
Diversity not only needs acceptance of the other. It also needs the guts to be different. If you don’t dare to be different, we only get more of the same.
To practice daring to be different we practice Guts, through the Maori Haka, a war dance made famous by the All Black’s New Zealands national Rugby Team.
First we practise inside. Then we go out and do it on the street. If you go for it, you get adreline going and feel very powerful. If you shy away you’ll die of embarrassment. Better go for it.
Then back inside there is the option to do Haka battles, one on one. (‘20)
A variant on this theme is the modern dance performance act on the street. After a short intro of 10'minutes, we go out and dance on the street. Not only together, but also solo’s are expected, in which you dance your difference. It must be specific (make a choice, don’t shy away), noticeble (it clearly not a strange drunk person waking by) and very you (loving, fun, intelligent, servicable, or whatever expresses you)
Value Boost ‘90
What do you stand for? What’s your motto? Everyone designs their own heraldic shield and motto. Then they give each other (under our coaching) an assignment that challenges and at the same time fits their motto. Call it a mini heroic quest. Do you prove your motto true. The risk of failure is there, and at the same therefore success is most rewarding. The trick is to get such assignments that are positive, and offer each ‘hero’ a change to excel and shine in their special gift. Our tension is, how to get all mini quest within the time frame.
This might come after the Haka or dance, because now it gets personal/individual.
Here are some exercises or approaches I awarded a whole blogpost to:
Human Herd Meditation, staying awake together, staying awake in the crowd.
Swarm Exercises, exercises to awake the collective movement to make things happen. It’s about being collaborative in and for the whole.
Switchball, an inventive sport that is NOT tribal ritual warfare, as in winning at the cost of. It’s a game all players seek to make it better for the whole, and still keep running. For ages 9–99 and men and woman together.
The Walnut Exercise, a masterpiece of an exercise, works only for (very) experienced trainers. Unlock the inner wisdom of participants.
Tree of Questions, finding out where the energy for learning is heading.
The Florissimo Method, learn to play the piano in 15 minutes, or to improvise with ease and fun for the rest of your life.
