Mirror Exercise

by Melissa Dinwiddie.

8 - 15 Low

In pairs in front of the class to demonstrate, then everyone.

Goal

Listening & awareness, trust, warm-up, communication

Have participants form pairs
Have pairs face each other and pick an A and a B
Assign Bs to be the leaders and As to be the followers. Explain that any movement the leader makes, the follower will copy, as if they are a mirror image.
After a few minutes of Bs leading, instruct the pairs to switch leaders.
After a few minutes of As leading, instruct the pairs to pass the lead back and forth at their own discretion until they themselves are unsure who is leading and who is following.

Ask participants to play silently
Coach participants to take care of their partners—if the follower can't keep up, it is the leader's responsibility to slow down.
Remind the followers that they are responding as if they are a mirror reflection. Coach them individually, if need be.

What does this have to do with [presentation/science communication/leadership]?

Were you more comfortable leading or following?

What are the characteristics of a good leader?

What are the characteristics of a good follower?

Adapted from Viola Spolin. Published in Training to Imagine, by Kat Koppitt.

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