1. GENERAL HEADING: Warm-up Exercises

2. TITLE OF EXERCISE: "Zip-Zap-Pow"

3. GOALS: To build concentration and alertness; to generate specific physical and vocal responses to other players.

4 NUMBER OF STUDENTS: groups of 8 or larger

5. EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES: None

6. CLASS TIME NEEDED: 5 - 10 minutes

7. STEP-BY-STEP DESCRIPTION:

All players sit in a circle. Each player presses his/her hands together with fingers pointing up in a prayer position.

Player 1 begins by saying "ZIP" and pointing his/her hands towards Player 2. Player 2 may either:

-say "ZIP" and continue the impulse in the same direction by pointing towards Player 3,

-or say "ZAP" and reverse the direction of the impulse by pointing back towards Player 1,

-or say "POW" and shoot the impulse to any other player by extending his/her arms and pointing across the circle at that person, for example Player 8.

Player 8 may then start a new impulse traveling either clockwise or counterclockwise with a "ZIP" or may shoot the impulse to another point in the circle with a "POW."

A player is out when he/she mis-speaks (for example, saying "ZAP" without changing the direction of the impulse), or pauses for more than 3 seconds before speaking; when he/she is out, the player should leave the circle.

The game ends when only two players are left.

8. POINTS FOR OBSERVATION/DISCUSSION: Picking up verbal cues and physical impulses from other players; tension and relaxation; specificity of addressing action and intention toward another player.

9. REFERENCE: Phillip Joseph, from ACTER (A Center for Theatre, Education and Research at UNC-Chapel Hill)

10. ADDITIONAL READING: N.A.

11. VARIATIONS: N.A.