Tag Archives: warm up

Feb 27

Name Thumper warmup exercise

NAME THUMPER – Going around the circle, each person (teacher included) associates their name with an action or adjective – “Punching Patrick,” or “Pouting Patrick.”  Go around once more so everyone knows everyone else’s name and action.  Then play progresses with an individual doing their name/action and then another person’s name/action; that person then does their name/action and then another person’s name/action; etc.  You can introduce them to the starting chant – Everyone pats their thighs. You say, “I’m going to say, What’s the name of the game?”, and you’ll say, “Thumper.” Do it. You say, “I’m going to ask, Why do we do it?”, and you’ll say, “To get warmed up.”  Do it. You say, “I’m going to ask, how do we do it?”, and you’ll say, “Fast!” Do it.

Feb 26

21 warm-up

21 – The group (without teacher) huddles in a tight circle and together counts to 21 with players contributing one number at a time. If two people speak at once, the group must start over.
Lessons:
• Breathe; Don’t rush to speak; Share focus.
• We are walking backward, making each subsequent step based on the trajectory laid down behind us
• Don’t rush to 21, just build each move on top of the one before it
• Don’t emphasize failure; there are no “mistakes” on stage, only what happens
• The audience only knows you’ve “messed up” if you tell them you have

Feb 26

Big Booty concentration exercise

BIG BOOTY – One person is “Big Booty” everyone else is a number in order from the left of BB all the way around. You start with a chant “Big Booty, Big Booty, Big Booty, UH HUH” Then the passing is “Big Booty/Number 1” “Number 1/Number 5” “Number 5/Big Booty” etc. When someone messes up, they go to the end (highest number) and everyone’s number changes accordingly (number 1 gets out and becomes number 8, number 2 is now number 1, etc.) If someone gets BB out, they become BB and lead the game.

Feb 26

Circle Of Sequences concentration exercise

CIRCLE OF SEQUENCES – A player points at another and says any word. That player points at another player and says another word inspired by the first. This continues until every player says a word and points to another player, with the final player to contribute pointing back to the first player to contribute. This is Sequence One; repeat it continuously until the group is comfortable with it. Establish a Sequence Two the same way, and then a Sequence Three. When players are comfortable with each Sequence individually, tell them that they now will be keeping them all going at once. Start with Sequence One and then tap the player starting Sequence Two on the shoulder, then tap the player starting Sequence Three on the shoulder.
Lessons:
• Focus outward – can’t be in your head freaking out; have to be ready and waiting for your turn
• Be sure you’re heard – enunciate, make eye contact, and pointing helps
• Each individual is 100% responsible for the success of the group – if a sequence is dropped, even if you didn’t drop it, pick it up
Variations:
• Names – Make Sequence One “Your Name” and Sequence Three “Their Name” to add to potential confusion so as to force increased concentration

Feb 24

Magic Clay mime warm-up

MAGIC CLAY – Around a circle, a player builds a mimed object “out of clay” and then hands the object to another player who interacts with it as and then molds the “clay” into a brand new object. And repeat.
Variations:
• Weaponized Reactions – form a weapon out of the magic clay, attack another player with it. That player should react to the attack and die if called for.
• Weaponized Retractions – form a weapon out of the magic clay, attack another player with it but, before you attack, decide not to and put your weapon away. The key is to feel your desire to attack and then to feel the change of heart.

Feb 17

Warm-Up Exercises

Here’s a collection of the Warm-Up Exercises on this site:

General/Fun:

Group Mind:

Character & Emotion:

Environment/Mime:

Concentration:

Patterns: