Sculptures
Goal
get comfortable with being in new physical positions
allow others to shape your experience
Instructions
Works best with an even number of players. Split the group in 2. One half forms a circle in the middle of the room, facing outwards. The other half positions themselves, each player in front of one of the players in the middle circle.
The middle players are clay, or stone, and the outsiders are sculptors. Let each sculptor do something to his lump of clay, then make the sculptors rotate clockwise. Everyone now stands in front of someone else`s block of stone or lump of clay. Have them work some more on the sculpture and rotate again. Repeat till every player is in front of his original piece of stone again.
Then ask the sculptors to introduce their work, and give it a name.
Variations
Each statue or sculpture has a built-in voice chip that can utter exactly one sentence. Let the sculptors switch on the voice chip at the end of their explanation.
Sculpt 2 people in relationship with each other
Notes
Excellent exercise to try with a new group to assess tendencies. Players that keep placing the sculptures in positions that are impossible to maintain or physically painful can easily be spotted with this exercise.
Other thing to watch for is to what extent players undo the work the previous artists made. The idea is to build art together, not to destroy previously done work in order to push your own ideas. Make this clear by asking the sculptors, when they're in front of their original work again, to what extent the works still looks anything like what they started with.
Coaching
Give prompts for sculpture topics.
Background
Author
I help teams connect, collaborate, and perform at their best in both virtual and in-person environments. As an executive and leadership coach, I design highly engaging experiences where people can think together, navigate challenges, and strengthen the way they work. With a background in leadership coaching, facilitation, and applied improvisation, I create interactive retreats, conferences, and networking events that energize participants and create lasting impact. My work creates the conditions for psychological safety, honest communication, and deep collaboration, allowing teams to build trust, navigate challenges, and achieve meaningful results together. I am deeply committed to mission-driven organizations. As a board member of the International Applied Improvisation Network, I partner with nonprofit and social justice leaders to help their teams thrive in fast-changing environments.
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