'A ridiculously challenging warm-up guaranteed to raise a smile'
Age: 8 to adult
Players: Whole class
Time: 5-10 minutes
Skills: Icebreaker, Warm-Up
A ridiculously challenging warm-up guaranteed to raise a smile.
Before playing the game, you must practice the technique on your own: Stand with your heels together and your toes facing outwards in a ‘V’ shape. Place your hands in front of you with the palms facing the floor. Bring the heels of your hands together and the tips of your fingers away from each other so that you make another V shape. Now jump up in the air and reverse the shape made by your hands and feet.
When you land back on the floor, your big toes should be touching, with the heels apart, and the index fingertips should be connected to each other, with the wrists apart. Try jumping a few times, reversing the shape each time.
That was the easy part. Now comes the real challenge. Start again with the V-shape made by your feet (heels together, toes apart), but make the opposite shape with your hands (index fingertips together, wrists apart). Try jumping in the air and reversing both shapes before you land. This seems nigh impossible – but comes with practice. You will find that your brain keeps trying to get your hands and feet to make corresponding shapes. When (if) you get reasonably good at it, teach the whole manoeuvre to a group. They will be very impressed and find the whole thing a hilarious challenge. Great for encouraging a serious group to relax with each other.
Director's tips
· Make sure you can do this before you teach it.
· Having a crazy giggle in your throat might help.
David Farmer runs the website dramaresource.com – a site that offers a wide range of ideas, games, and courses for drama practitioners. He has written several books on drama teaching, and this activity is from 101 Drama Games and Activities.