Artist Toolbox: Group Juggle

Favourite name game- ‘Group Juggle’

My favourite name game is good at getting the name-learning started but could certainly be followed up by another one. It’s also good for building focus and attention in a group. You need about six balls, differently sized for extra difficulty if you want, which can be juggled by a group up to about twenty people max.

Get in a circle. You as the leader start with the amount of balls you will use depending on group size and level. Four is usually easily achievable, five is a little harder, six can be tough. Start by saying the name of someone across the circle (if you don’t know their name now is the time to ask) and at the same time looking in their eyes, so you know they are ready to receive the pass. Then you throw a ball to them. They then say a name, connect eyes and pass it on. Once the ball has been passed to everyone once it should come back to you as the last pass. This is now the order for the juggle, so everyone needs to remember who they received from and who they are passing to.

So you can start the juggle now, maintaining the system of name--eyes--pass, and try getting two balls around the circle at the same time for a couple of rounds. Then continue making it harder by adding more balls, until you manage to achieve something World Class in group juggling!