Introduction to Ensemble
Warm Up
* Wolf and Sheep 5 Mins
Aims: Ensemble work, energy, quick thinking, characterisation, making mistakes, working together towards the same goal
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- The class join hands to create a circle, with one person on the inside of the circle (Sheep) and one on the outside (Wolf).
- The aim of the game is to prevent Wolf from touching Sheep.
- If Wolf touches Sheep, then they win.
- You can add multiple wolves to make it harder.
- Encourage them to make the animal noises.
- If they find this difficult, then you can give Wolf permission to try and enter the circle under the joined hands of the class. This way, the group will have to group together in outer parts of the circle where Wolf is to stop them getting in, but will spread out at the opposite side so that Sheep can keep away from Wolf.
- If they all group together closely, then Wolf will simply be able to reach over and touch Sheep
Scale Up: Wolf’s aim is to still touch Sheep, but this time, Sheep can escape from the circle by the group raising their joined hands. Wolf can now also come into the circle under joined hands if they can find a space! If Sheep escapes the circle and Wolf enters, then the group need to prevent Wolf from leaving. Sheep is cheeky and teases Wolf by coming closer.
* Grandmother’s Footsteps 10 Mins
Aims: Ensemble work, physicalising an idea, characterisation, focusing, energy, problem solving
Word Bank: Characters
- Someone takes on the role of ‘Grandma’ and faces the wall.
- Everyone else stands against the opposite wall.
- The aim is to touch Grandma on the shoulder to win.
- However, if Grandma moves around and sees you moving towards her, then you have to go back to the beginning.
Scale Up 1: You can put participants into teams. Same rules apply, but this time, if anyone in your team is caught moving, then you all have to go back.
Scale Up 2: Choose a participant that the group must keep hidden from Grandma. If Grandma sees any bit of their body, then everyone must go back.
Scale Up 3: You can give participants tasks they must do before touching Grandma’s shoulder. For example: touch the floor, jump, put on some props, sit on a chair etc.
Scale Up 4: Ask participants to move as a character. You can ask some people to step out and watch. They will become the judges. At any point, the facilitator can say, “Stop and turn”. The participants turn to the judges in character and are judged on the best characterisation.
Scale Up 5: This is the most challenging. Some keys are put behind Grandma on the floor. The aim is for the group to retrieve the keys and get them back to the start. Before they have the keys, they play normally i.e.
they can be sent back to the start for moving. Once the group have the keys, Grandma won’t send people back to the start for moving, but she can have a guess as to who has the keys. She must not see them with the keys at any point. If she sees the keys, even if they aren’t moving, the group must put them back. If she doesn’t see anyone moving, then she can’t guess and must turn back around. Everyone must have a turn at holding the keys before you can win. This is to prevent one person from grabbing them and running with them.
Troubleshooting:
Some Grandmas will be stricter than others or try to turn faster. Grandma is not allowed to leave her spot and if she turns too fast must count to at least three before turning. Her whole body must face the back before she can turn again, no half turns. For Scale Up 5, choose a sensible member of the group to be Grandma for the first round, or play Grandma yourself. If Grandma choses the correct person with the keys they must be honest and put the keys back. If they’re not then we restart from the beginning. If they are honest they put the keys back but everyone can stay standing where they last were and don’t need to go back to the start.