Touch

Who

6 to 20 people, teens and adults; work takes place in trios

Where

Any type of space

DURATION

Approximately 40 minutes, depending on the group

MATERIALS

Depending on discipline: crash mats, safety lines, apparatus, spotters

EXERCISE DESCRIPTION

• After expressing their consent, Person A proposes different ways of being touched, held, wrapped, supported (etc.) by the others. Their teammates verbally propose ways to safely experiment with these different forms of touch. Person A then lies down.

• The teammates offer various types of touch to Person A, in alignment with the previously discussed ways of touching. They can engage with different ways of touching, i.e. using body structure, skin, muscle, reassuring touch, etc. Person A (still lying down) describes the different modes of touch. These different touches can be listed on small pieces of paper to get an overview of the possibilities.

The exercise can then be transposed to the context of spotting a person working on a difficult trick. Person A, who will be spotted, can describe the trick for which they are experiencing difficulties (past falls, fear, need for smaller steps). So as to create safety, Person A explains their needs as precisely as possible, and positions their spotters, crash mats, safety lines, etc. As Person A works on the trick, each attempt allows the team to refine the spotting technique. The trick itself is not discussed; the focus is on learning to spot safely and consensually.

This exercise was designed as a proactive protocol to strengthen and refine the vocabulary used when there is physical contact during spotting.