Who

Groups of 6 to 40 people, teens and adults

Where

Any type of space

DURATION

15 – 30 minutes, depending on the group

MATERIALS

A few large markers or chalk and writing surfaces (walls, sheets of paper, windows, floors, etc.), all scattered around the space

EXERCISE DESCRIPTION

The group gathers in a small circle. The facilitator proposes a word, term, or concept. One after another, each person is invited to say the first thing that comes to mind, taking care not to repeat a word that has already been spoken earlier by someone else in the circle. The idea behind this exercise is that these free associations around a single word are “shifted” each time someone new speaks. For example, ask what the word “wall” brings to mind, while specifying that the associated terms should be smells, sounds, textures, etc. The first person writes their word wherever they want in the space, on one of the papers laid out, using chalk or marker. Each following person does the same, choosing a new paper and space. To keep the exercise lively, vary the patterns of turn-taking (i.e. by switching directions after one round, or so that every second person speaks, then every third person, etc.).

The rhythm of the exercise becomes more exciting as the participants find their tempo, their words bouncing off one other. Make sure the exercise lasts long enough for the collective imagination around an object to “run out” (at least 6 full rounds). The duration of the exercise also encourages freedom regarding one’s “place” in the circle, and an exploration of the space in which the exercise takes place.

The exercise allows the group to collectively imagine an expanded vocabulary of words associated with a chosen object, and to actively explore the space through the prism of those collective imaginations.