{"id":524,"date":"2022-07-25T17:27:25","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T16:27:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/?page_id=524"},"modified":"2024-06-25T15:36:42","modified_gmt":"2024-06-25T14:36:42","slug":"proposed-workshop-activities-draft-1","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/?page_id=524","title":{"rendered":"Proposed Workshop Activities – Draft 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I. PRESENTATION & INTRODUCTION: CLOWN, THE ART OF FAILING <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1. Introduction<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The facilitator starts with an introduction to clowning. They introduce their perspective and philosophy of clowning and how this can be useful for you in so many ways. They then go on to discuss the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcclown-state\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, i.e. the way of being a clown and how that sense of Playfulness, Vulnerability, Risk-taking and Openness can all be harnessed to enhance your innovation and creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

II. WARM UP GAMES<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

2. Mindfulness For Playfulness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In this first exercise, participants are led through a short meditation to awaken the senses. Attention will be brought to each sense individually, in turn, starting with touch, and then progressively adding hearing, smell, taste and finally sight.
Once all senses are awake, awareness is taken into free space and the openness of the body is explored in relation to the environment, relating to the world and surrounding objects, as if seeing them for the first time. particularly in relation to each other, discovering them as if for the first time, appreciating new characteristics as we have never seen them before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives<\/em><\/strong>
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 openness through physical awareness
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 relaxation
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 overcoming fear and shyness and building trust in the experience<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Clap, Jump, Run, Reach<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having started slowly with a relaxation exercise, participants are energised with a game activity. Participants have to follow the orders of the facilitator, walking, stopping, clapping, jumping and reaching up or down as commanded. Once the rules are understood, they start to change. Now every time participants are told to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153walk\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, they have to stop, and every time they are told to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153stop\u00e2\u20ac\u009d they have to walk. As the participants respond to these challenges, new changes are introduced: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153jump\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clap\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clap\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153jump\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153up\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153down\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153down\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153up\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. At the height of the challenge, the facilitator proposes that anyone who makes a mistake will be eliminated from the game. Each person that is eliminated receives a round of applause, is gently teased and is invited to sit down and watch the rest of the game.
This game raises the tension and excitement in a playful way so that participants openly and publicly fail in front of their peers. Later, attention will be brought to their natural reactions towards failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 develop tolerance to frustration
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 experience the collapse of the rational
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 expose participants to failure in a playful and gentle manner
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenging excessive self-confidence<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Dance Like\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In this game, participants are challenged to dance as they would in their living rooms, to dance like no one is watching them. One participant is chosen as leader and everyone else imitates their dance. There is a rapid music change, a new leader is chosen, and the imitations continue. This carries on until everyone has had a chance to lead. The activity is revitalising and energising. It relaxes participants and has them feel a little less self-conscious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 loosen up the body
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 connect with fun, pleasure and playfulness
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge uniformity by allowing individual movement to have space and grow.
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 build leadership from fun<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Clown Presentations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As a transition exercise, participants gather in a circle and get ready to accept their clown selves. Everyone gathers together and presents themselves very simply by saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My name is\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.and I am very stupid\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. If appropriate, the facilitator can perturb this a little by asking the participants to present themselves in different languages, ideally languages which they do not actually speak. By now participants are worn in and this process acknowledges how far they have come along the path of accepting their clown identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Challenge norms of language, imitation and parody
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Challenge overestimation of power
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Acceptance of clownhood<\/p>\n\n\n\n

III. PERFORMANCE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

6. Imitation Game<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Participants get in pairs. One of them walks into the space, the other follows and tries to imitate their walk. One does a short presentation and the other imitates them. Then the person who was imitated plays themselves by imitating their partner who was mirroring them.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge preconceived ideas of oneself
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 see yourself through the eyes of others
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge overestimation of power \/ ego<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Asking For A Favour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Participants form a circle. Two participants walk to the center. One of them asks the other for a favour. The other has to say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and oblige. The person needs to find a way to say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d even if what is asked seems impossible. This explores what saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d enables and to what it might lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 creative thinking
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 overcoming the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This cannot be\u00e2\u20ac\u009d type of response
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 encourage innovation and team energy
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge the comfort zone<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7a. Alternative: Yes And\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Participant gather in pairs. One participant asks the other \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What shall we do together on our holidays?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The other person responds \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u201d-\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and the first person replies with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes! And\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d accepting the proposal and adding to it, trying to build on the idea previously proposed by their partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 creative thinking
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 overcoming the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This cannot be\u00e2\u20ac\u009d type of response
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 encourage innovation and team energy
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge the comfort zone<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. Crescendo Of Emotions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Participants form a line a line of say 5 clowns, all look to the audience with no emotion. The first person starts with a soft smile, then looks at the person sitting next to them, who takes on the smile and takes it further, making it bigger. Through an effect of contagion and extension, the smile turns into extreme laughter along the line. Thus, the contagion of laughter grows. The same process can be carried out with sadness or anger<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 emotional connection between the participants
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 growing ideas and feelings beyond realistic standards
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge the idea of normality and acceptability
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 connecting and listening to each other and allowing oneself be taken by an emotion
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 be flexible with others<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Multiple Uses Of An Object<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every participant chooses and object form their surroundings. They are then told they have 2 minutes to use the object in as many ways as possible. Thinking and talking is forbidden. The facilitator creates a sense of urgency as time runs out. Each participant does this in turn as others watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 work under pressure
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 build a tolerance to frustration
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 develop divergent and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153out of the box\u00e2\u20ac\u009d thinking
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 problem solve \u00e2\u20ac\u201c what to do when you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know what to do<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Show A Talent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Every participant chooses to show to the rest of the group their most incredible and unique talent, something only they can do. Most people get confronted with having no apparent talent and end up having to invent unusual proposals<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives<\/em><\/strong>:
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge uniformity
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 celebrate quirkiness and uniqueness of every individual<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10a. Alternative: Compliment Game – You are an excellent\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Participants gather in pairs. One partner says to the other \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They tell me you are an excellent singer \/ poet \/ dancer\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d the other replies \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and will then have to then act out the compliment, showing how great a singer \/ poet \/ dancer they are. If the first person is bored or their attention drops, they will pay another compliment as a way of indicating their boredom, their partner will then have to do something else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objective:
<\/em><\/strong>\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge uniformity
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 celebrate quirkiness and uniqueness of every individual
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 flexibility in response to feedback<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IV. FINALE<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

11. The Do Nothing Game<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the final act of the workshop, participants are invited to take turns to wear a red nose in front of others for the first time. Each participant walks onto the stage in silence, sits in a chair and tries to do absolutely nothing. The only rule is that they need to say YES to any question or request coming from the facilitator and act upon that response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Objectives<\/em><\/strong>:
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 relinquish control
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 discover \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcself\u00e2\u20ac\u2122
\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 realise potential<\/p>\n\n\n\n

V. Plenary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

12. Facilitator- led discussion & feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Discussion about the clowning workshop. Covering topics about what worked, what was difficult and the level of difficulty. What was learned about the primary topics of Playfulness, Vulnerability, Risk-taking and Openness. Discussion about what emerged from discomfort and difficulty, what was unexpected and importantly, what was fun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I. PRESENTATION & INTRODUCTION: CLOWN, THE ART OF FAILING 1. Introduction The facilitator starts with an introduction to clowning. They introduce their perspective and philosophy of clowning and how this can be useful for you in so many ways. They then go on to discuss the \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcclown-state\u00e2\u20ac\u2122, i.e. the way of being a clown and how that sense of Playfulness, Vulnerability, Risk-taking and Openness can all be harnessed to enhance your innovation and creativity. II. WARM UP GAMES 2. Mindfulness For Playfulness In this first exercise, participants are led through a short meditation to awaken the senses. Attention will be brought to each sense individually, in turn, starting with touch, and then progressively adding hearing, smell, taste and finally sight.Once all senses are awake, awareness is taken into free space and the openness of the body is explored in relation to the environment, relating to the world and surrounding objects, as if seeing them for the first time. particularly in relation to each other, discovering them as if for the first time, appreciating new characteristics as we have never seen them before. Objectives\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 openness through physical awareness\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 relaxation\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 overcoming fear and shyness and building trust in the experience 3. Clap, Jump, Run, Reach Having started slowly with a relaxation exercise, participants are energised with a game activity. Participants have to follow the orders of the facilitator, walking, stopping, clapping, jumping and reaching up or down as commanded. Once the rules are understood, they start to change. Now every time participants are told to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153walk\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, they have to stop, and every time they are told to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153stop\u00e2\u20ac\u009d they have to walk. As the participants respond to these challenges, new changes are introduced: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153jump\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clap\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153clap\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153jump\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153up\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153down\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153down\u00e2\u20ac\u009d will mean \u00e2\u20ac\u0153up\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. At the height of the challenge, the facilitator proposes that anyone who makes a mistake will be eliminated from the game. Each person that is eliminated receives a round of applause, is gently teased and is invited to sit down and watch the rest of the game.This game raises the tension and excitement in a playful way so that participants openly and publicly fail in front of their peers. Later, attention will be brought to their natural reactions towards failure. Objectives:\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 develop tolerance to frustration\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 experience the collapse of the rational\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 expose participants to failure in a playful and gentle manner\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenging excessive self-confidence 4. Dance Like\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 In this game, participants are challenged to dance as they would in their living rooms, to dance like no one is watching them. One participant is chosen as leader and everyone else imitates their dance. There is a rapid music change, a new leader is chosen, and the imitations continue. This carries on until everyone has had a chance to lead. The activity is revitalising and energising. It relaxes participants and has them feel a little less self-conscious. Objectives:\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 loosen up the body\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 connect with fun, pleasure and playfulness\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge uniformity by allowing individual movement to have space and grow.\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 build leadership from fun 5. Clown Presentations As a transition exercise, participants gather in a circle and get ready to accept their clown selves. Everyone gathers together and presents themselves very simply by saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My name is\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6.and I am very stupid\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. If appropriate, the facilitator can perturb this a little by asking the participants to present themselves in different languages, ideally languages which they do not actually speak. By now participants are worn in and this process acknowledges how far they have come along the path of accepting their clown identity. Objectives:\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Challenge norms of language, imitation and parody\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Challenge overestimation of power\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 Acceptance of clownhood III. PERFORMANCE 6. Imitation Game Participants get in pairs. One of them walks into the space, the other follows and tries to imitate their walk. One does a short presentation and the other imitates them. Then the person who was imitated plays themselves by imitating their partner who was mirroring them. Objectives:\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge preconceived ideas of oneself\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 see yourself through the eyes of others\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge overestimation of power \/ ego 7. Asking For A Favour Participants form a circle. Two participants walk to the center. One of them asks the other for a favour. The other has to say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and oblige. The person needs to find a way to say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d even if what is asked seems impossible. This explores what saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes\u00e2\u20ac\u009d enables and to what it might lead. Objectives:\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 creative thinking\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 overcoming the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This cannot be\u00e2\u20ac\u009d type of response\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 encourage innovation and team energy\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge the comfort zone 7a. Alternative: Yes And\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 Participant gather in pairs. One participant asks the other \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What shall we do together on our holidays?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The other person responds \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u201d-\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and the first person replies with \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Yes! And\u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d accepting the proposal and adding to it, trying to build on the idea previously proposed by their partner. Objectives:\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 creative thinking\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 overcoming the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This cannot be\u00e2\u20ac\u009d type of response\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 encourage innovation and team energy\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge the comfort zone 8. Crescendo Of Emotions Participants form a line a line of say 5 clowns, all look to the audience with no emotion. The first person starts with a soft smile, then looks at the person sitting next to them, who takes on the smile and takes it further, making it bigger. Through an effect of contagion and extension, the smile turns into extreme laughter along the line. Thus, the contagion of laughter grows. The same process can be carried out with sadness or anger Objectives:\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 emotional connection between the participants\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 growing ideas and feelings beyond realistic standards\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 challenge the idea of normality and acceptability\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 connecting and listening to each other and allowing oneself be taken by an emotion\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 be flexible with others 9. Multiple Uses Of An Object Every participant chooses and object form their surroundings. They are then told they have 2 minutes to use the object in as many ways as possible. Thinking and talking is forbidden. The facilitator creates a sense… Continue reading Proposed Workshop Activities – Draft 1<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":212,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-524","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=524"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":526,"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/524\/revisions\/526"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/collab.northumbria.ac.uk\/modernjesters\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}