Activities

RAPID MIMES/10 SECOND OBJECTS

Number of participants

Up to 20 participants

Objectives

● To foster imagination and creative thinking
● To foster body expression.
● To enhance collaborative work and creation.
● To recognise and value other peoples’ ideas and interpretations

Where does the activity take place within the process (beginning, middle, end)

Middle

Duration

20 minutes

Material needed

Preparation

Prepare the room/space so that it is as spacious as it can be, without obstacles.

Step by step description

1. Ask participants to form groups of seven or eight.

2. Tell participants that they are going to work as a group to represent different shapes and objects. They will use their bodies to create different formations that represent the object. The challenge is that they have 10 seconds to create the object and they must work in silence. They can communicate with each other, but without speaking.

3. Call out a shape or object and give groups 10 seconds to create it. Some suggestions:
– Letter C, S, H, M
-Number 8, 10, 5
-Triangle, Square, Rectangle
-Barchart, Venn Diagram
-Bunch of flowers, Sunglasses, Clock
-Table & Chairs, Ladder, Toaster
-Elephant, Giraffe
-Horse-drawn Carriage
-Volcano, Statue of Liberty
-Invite groups to suggest an object

4. Ask groups to freeze each shape or object.

5. Invite participants to hold their freeze and look around the room to see how other groups have chosen to represent the object.

Closing up

Ask participants questions:

● What did you notice about how your group worked to create the objects?
● Do you think your group worked better as the activity progressed?
● Why do you think that might be?
● Did you notice anything else that changed as the exercise went on?
● What did you notice about different groups’ representations of the objects?

Resources

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Comments / hints for facilitators

The key to this exercise is getting groups to work together to create the objects as quickly as possible. As the name of the activity suggests, the objects should be formed quickly and silently. Give participants a few seconds to get started on each object, and then create a sense of urgency by counting down from 10 to 1 to speed things along. Do this for each object to keep the momentum going. Remind participants that they should create each object without talking. When viewing the objects, remind groups to hold their position while looking at other group formations around the room. This activity encourages participants to use their imagination to engage in collaborative and creative expression. Viewing other groups’ representations is a visual reminder of the different interpretations and perspectives that can emerge from a creative process. It is important to emphasise that these are all valid interpretations and there is no single ‘right’ way.
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