ABC Bodies
OVERVIEW
ABC Bodies is a high impact improv exercise played in pairs that works well early in an improv workshop (first 45 minutes). A very silly game, ABC Bodies askes each duo to create letters with their bodies without planning or direct communication. Expect lots of laughter!
Often featured in workshops on topics like:
Agility
Collaboration
Communication
Embracing Mistakes
Team Building
REQUIREMENTS
Number of Participants:
Minimum: 2 participants / Maximum: 16 participants
(Technically you can do this exercise with as many people you feel you and the workshop venue can handle.)
Time Required:
Minimum: 15 minutes / Maximum: 20 minutes
Materials Needed:
Nothing except an appropriately large space for all participating to spread out and play in.
EXERCISE INSTRUCTIONS
Ask participants to pick a partner for the game. If there is an odd number have one
group of three.
Explain how the participant pairs are to create letters using only their bodies. No
talking or planning after hearing what letter is next. One participant cannot create the
whole letter with just their one body. A good letter progression, from easy to difficult might be A, M, B, Cursive Q & the @ symbol. You can also use numbers or any
symbol or logo. Possibly a company logo when using this exercise in a corporate workshop.
Repeat the exercise by calling out a new letter or symbol.
Conduct the activity 5-6 times with corrections in between until group is reasonably good at it. Point out pairs who have done well or have unique takes on the letter they are constructing. It can be good to highlight and celebrate creations that in no way represent the intended letter.
INSTRUCTOR DISCUSSION POINTS / LEARNING TAKEAWAYS
TEAM BUILDING
Discuss how it is critical for teammates to feel supported. Saying yes to someone's idea is an extremely powerful force when creating or building a team. It is so strong that it is worth embracing even weaker ideas and building on the idea. You want your team fully engaged, making suggestions, and contributions.
When you say yes to an idea you are saying yes to the person who had that idea. That will result in your teammates feeling empowered to contribute moving forward. Conversely, teammates who hear no will learn they are punished or rejected when making a cointribution. They will learn not to participate.
For this reason, your reaction to any one contribution matters more to the next ten contributions you want from teammate than it does for the contribution in question.
COLLABORATION
Ask the group the following questions: What is the wrong way to build a letter with
your body? What is the right way? Once a decision has been made it gets easier to see what else needs to be done, even if that decision seems counterproductive at first.
From that perspective every initial contribution is useful. Even if it ultimately leads to a plan that doesn't work out, you have nonetheless failed forward by testing out a solution and discovering it isn't the correct one.
AGILITY
Watch your partner's contribution, don't preplan what you want to do. Adopt the improv ethic of TREAT YOUR TEAMMATES LIKE POETS AND GENIUSES when playing this game. It will make embracing other people's contributions easier and will put you in the correct headspace for supporting and successfully building on you partner's ideas.
