Word Ball is the first step in adding language into impulse work by way of free association. Similar in structure to Zoom, this game asks players to vocalize their first impulse without hesitation.

Rules:

Students get in to circles of 5-10 standing facing the center. One player starts by saying a word to another player within the circle. The player that receives the word will immediately call out their first impulse without hesitation to another player. Continue the circuit.

Objective:

To connect players to their impulses and to free players from the perceived necessity to be creative.

Comments:

So much focus is made on the end result in improvisation, achieving the fantastic scene, that we forget that the process by which we free original thoughts begins by freeing all thoughts. Spontaneity does not equal originality, and free association games allow players to be spontaneous without trying to be original.

Adaptations:

Word Ball 2: A player receiving the energy from across the circle must pass the energy to either the player on their left or right, and that player may then send the energy across the circle.

Maverick Word Ball: Players roam/run about the room passing words at random. Word Ball Story Players tell a story one word at a time using the Word Ball passing technique.