Falling

Synonyms

Group gravity, trust game

Introduction

This is a trust game that requires careful listening skills and quick reactions. It is potentially dangerous so everyone must pay close attention. Let’s start milling about the room.

Description

Once everyone is milling quietly one of the players chooses to fall. The player will announce their plan to fall, by calling out “falling” clearly. Once they do that, and it is obvious that they are going to fall they close their eyes and start falling towards the centre of the room. It is safest if they make themselves rigid and fall backwards towards the centre of the room. I cannot stress enough how important it is to fall inwards. Everyone else in the warm-up rushes to the person’s aid and lowers them slowly to the ground. Everyone must help the person be lowered to the ground. Even if one is across the room and the falling player can be safely lowered by those that already there one still must rush over and help. Once the player is lowered safely to the ground she gets back up and the whole thing starts again. Enormous people should refrain from falling in this exercise, people with bad backs should only help with a light touch. Everyone should be able to participate in one fashion or another. Remember, safety first!Once everyone is milling quietly one of the players chooses to fall. The player will announce their plan to fall, by calling out “falling” clearly. Once they do that, and it is obvious that they are going to fall they close their eyes and start falling towards the centre of the room. It is safest if they make themselves rigid and fall backwards towards the centre of the room. I cannot stress enough how important it is to fall inwards. Everyone else in the warm-up rushes to the person’s aid and lowers them slowly to the ground. Everyone must help the person be lowered to the ground. Even if one is across the room and the falling player can be safely lowered by those that already there one still must rush over and help. Once the player is lowered safely to the ground she gets back up and the whole thing starts again. Enormous people should refrain from falling in this exercise, people with bad backs should only help with a light touch. Everyone should be able to participate in one fashion or another. Remember, safety first!

Gimmicks

Watch how the frequency of falling increases with the familiarity of the group amongst themselves.

Variations

There are more risky versions for those who get jaded with the one above. The next increase in risk removes the calling out “falling” as a warning. One player makes eye contact and touches another player, and that is their indication that they are going to fall. That player immediately spots the falling player, and when the others notice they come to her aid. The last level is where the player spontaneously starts to fall and trusts that others will defy gravity for her. In all of these variations the falling player falls towards the center of the room, falls backwards, and remains rigid like a board. There is another variation that I do not recommend. All the players mill close together with their eyes closed. They always in constant light touch. The falling player trusts that she will brush against others and the group will move to catch her. This is just plain dangerous.

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