Clapping Circle

The term clapping circle is used for various warm-up games or rhythm exercises in which the players stand in a circle and a signal, usually a clap, is sent through the circle in a fixed pattern or at random. There are many different variants and it's easy to invent new ones.

Classic Clapping Circle

All players stand in a circle. One starts and sends a clap signal to any other player. Important: always make eye contact and clearly point at the receiver with the clapping hands. That matters so the signal arrives cleanly, especially once the speed picks up later. The receiver passes the clap signal on to the next player, and so on. The aim of the exercise is for the group to find a "flow": that means everyone is highly attentive and at the same time loose and relaxed. Passing the signal happens automatically, without thinking. You know the flow has been reached when the clapping has a steady rhythm.

Tip: it helps to stand with loose hips (like a cowboy) or to bounce slightly on the spot (like a martial-arts fighter, ready to react at any moment). Tip 2: don't forget to smile and use your facial expression!

Common mistakes: many exercises decay over time into rituals and the actual point of the exercise and the goals connected to it get lost. With this exercise the following mistakes are often made:

Passing without looking: The receiver of the clap impulse is not looked at; the clap just happens "blindly". But it shouldn't become an automatism; the attention to the fellow players should be re-established afresh again and again. Only when the (eye) contact has been established is the clap impulse passed on. Just as I build up the contact with my fellow player in a scene in order to then interact with them, in this exercise too I first build up the contact and only then let an action follow.

Increasing the speed too quickly: Often the clapping in the circle is pushed forward at higher speed even though the group has not yet found a common rhythm. Just as players in a successful scene have a common rhythm, they should also have one in the clapping circle. Only when this common rhythm has been found can you start playing with the speed. Patience is required, since some games perhaps need longer than others to feel the group's rhythm and pick it up. As long as the entire group has not picked up the rhythm, the speed is not increased either.

Variants

• The clap signal is not given to a free-choice player but instead travels around the circle; everyone passes it on to their neighbour. This is usable as an entry-level variant. The danger here, though, is that players "switch off" after they have had their turn and don't stay focused the whole time (because they can be next at any moment).

  • Same, but on a double clap the direction is reversed.
  • Same, but players can also duck under a clap; the signal then passes on to the next person who didn't duck.

• The recipient of the clap has to clap at the same time. After that they turn to a free-choice fellow player and clap towards them. That player also has to clap at the same time. If the simultaneous clap doesn't work, it's repeated. The important thing is to find a steady rhythm.

• In addition to the clapping you can send words (listed in increasing difficulty):

  • the word "Zip!" (pronounced sip).
  • any sound word, e.g. "Puff!", "Zapp!", "Pling!", "Tschak!", "Fong!", "Piep!", "Klung!", "Boing!"…
  • Zip Zap Zop, these three words are spoken cyclically (with humming S: Sib Säb Sob Sib Säb Sob Sib Säb Sob…)
  • Zip Zoom Boing: there is one word for "left-hand neighbour", one for "right-hand neighbour" and one for "across the circle".

• Snap circle: instead of a clap you only pass on a snap of the fingers.

• Association Circle: instead of a clap you pass on words; the first person sends a word, every following player associates on the word of the previous one. It makes sense to replace the clap here with a clear pointing gesture. Example: "tree", "house", "door", "window", "open", "stand", "still", "be", "have", "nothing"… here too, important: find a beat and get into the flow. Don't think; in association there is no wrong word!

• One-Word Story: like the association circle, but the words result in a story. Here you have to slow the tempo down. The aim is a slow but as even as possible beat. A common clap or movement rhythm helps, where for example always (out of 4 beats) the next word is said on the "1".

• Schnittmuster