Clowndance Syllabus
Game: Grandmother's Whatsits
We start this like conventional Grandmother’s footsteps: a children's playground game played in the UK.
One person is Granny, who stands at one end of the space with her back to the rest of us. The rest of us start at the opposite end of the studio. We have to creep up behind Granny and try to tap her on the shoulder. Granny can turn around at any moment and when she does we have to freeze. If Granny sees you moving she sends you back to the start, at the opposite end of the studio. The first person to tap Granny on the shoulder becomes the new Granny, and we repeat the game.
Then…
instead of freezing when Granny turns around we will instead be chickens, or musical theatre performers, or zombies, or anything else that we choose together. While you are being a chicken/musical theatre performer/zombie you cannot travel forward but you can move. If Granny sees you travelling forwards or if she isn't convinced by your performance she can send you back to the start.
If everybody is playing very sensibly I might remind you that you are definitely not allowed to cheat…
Online version: Grandmother’s Groovers
Music is playing. Granny turns away from the camera and everybody dances to the music. When Granny turns round everyone must freeze- if Granny sees you moving you are out. The last person to be caught out becomes the next Granny, with a new track to groove to.
Reflection
What did you see?
What did you hear?
What did you feel?
What did you enjoy?
One person is Granny, who stands at one end of the space with her back to the rest of us. The rest of us start at the opposite end of the studio. We have to creep up behind Granny and try to tap her on the shoulder. Granny can turn around at any moment and when she does we have to freeze. If Granny sees you moving she sends you back to the start, at the opposite end of the studio. The first person to tap Granny on the shoulder becomes the new Granny, and we repeat the game.
Then…
instead of freezing when Granny turns around we will instead be chickens, or musical theatre performers, or zombies, or anything else that we choose together. While you are being a chicken/musical theatre performer/zombie you cannot travel forward but you can move. If Granny sees you travelling forwards or if she isn't convinced by your performance she can send you back to the start.
If everybody is playing very sensibly I might remind you that you are definitely not allowed to cheat…
Online version: Grandmother’s Groovers
Music is playing. Granny turns away from the camera and everybody dances to the music. When Granny turns round everyone must freeze- if Granny sees you moving you are out. The last person to be caught out becomes the next Granny, with a new track to groove to.
Reflection
What did you see?
What did you hear?
What did you feel?
What did you enjoy?