Background and aims: Jaka uses this activity as a part of his introduction to improvisation, and the transferable skills it can give us for life. The aim is to get participants to start listening and responding to each other and the world around them. It is the first step in the workshop, the focus of which is to develop the interpersonal communication skills and active participation of young people.
Step 1: The group sits in a circle in silence. A timer is set for 2 minutes. The instruction is just to listen to the sounds coming from the environment. Once the two minutes are up, participants are invited to share what they heard – which sounds, and how did they fit together? Did any follow on from each other as if in a musical composition? This step may be repeated once or twice, depending on the responsiveness of the group.
Step 2: The timer is set for another 2 minutes. This time, everyone is allowed to clap once – whenever feels right, however loud or soft they want, but only once. Once the two minutes are up, participants are invited to reflect on and share their experience – when did they clap? Did they hear patterns or connections in the claps (and ambient sounds)? This step may be repeated, depending on the responsiveness of the group.
