The Art of Walking

All participants find their own spot in the room.

Each person has two choices:

• move freely and find their own paths in the room
• choose to follow another participant

Encourage participants to switch roles throughout the exercise, so that everyone tries both walking alone and following others. Also, give them the challenge: every time you decide to follow someone, you must choose a new person to follow.

• The exercise is well-suited as a warm-up for dance.

• Preferably use a medium-sized room. If you are in a large gymnasium, it might be wise to define a clear area, so that the boundaries for where one can move are clear.

For some, it can also be a challenge to 'just' walk – some will spontaneously start running. Encourage participants to walk, preferably in time with the music, unless you, as the leader, want running to be part of the exercise.

Variation

Extend the exercise by adding arm or body movements that participants repeat while walking. If someone chooses to follow another person, they should then:

• copy both the walking pattern and the movements of the person they are following

Remind participants to vary their movements occasionally, so they don't do the exact same thing all the time.