Monday, October 7, 2013
How to Play the Game called "Zoom"
This is a great bonding game that is exciting to play, while at the same time doesn't require much (read as: any) deep sharing or social risk. I post it here, because the only part that remains resident in my brain is usually "Dinosaur Scramble!"
The
game is called 'Zoom.' The idea of the game is that there is a ball/wad/field/amoeba of energy that gets passed around a group of players who are standing in a circle, facing inward. This game is good for groups between 8 and 20, but could be played with less, or more.
The different options for passing the energy are as follows:
Zoom:
action directed to a person next to you, following the direction as
initially started by energy holder; the person 'zooms' both hands in
this direction
Zorch:
Blocks a zoom and changes its direction; the person turns slightly to
face the person who just passed the energy to them with a zoom,
crosses hands over their chest and says 'zorch'. The person who just
zoomed the zorcher must now zoom in the other direction
Whoosh:
A person who has received the energy passes it to a person across the
circle; cannot be to a person directly next to the 'whoosher'; The
person raises both hand back behind their head, then points both at
the intended target while saying 'whoosh'. The receiver acknowledges
the energy transfer by in a completely refreshed tone, 'Aaaaahhh,'
and bringing hands up to the face, and wiggling hands and body while
moving hands down to side. The person can then zoom or whoosh again.
Dinosaur
Factor:
The person with the energy looks pointedly at a person across the
circle and yells 'dinosaur factor.' Both people pretend to be
dinosaurs, moving towards the center of the circle as if facing off
in battle, then retreat, switching places in the circle. The person
who was challenged now has the energy.
Scramble:
The person with the energy yells, 'scramble' and everyone runs around
yelling, and finds a new place in the circle. When everyone returns
to the circle, the energy is claimed when someone yells, "That
was a scramble, bitches!" Dinosaur
Scramble:
Same as above, except instead of yelling, each person becomes a
dinosaur. Energy is claimed by yelling "That was a dinosaur
scramble, bitches!"
Splat:
The energy is thrown into the center of the room with the word
'splat.' The energy is claimed by the first person to mime a pick up
motion and yell “Grab.”
Much thanks to my friend Taylor, who shared this sometime after learning it from the theater department at Pitt.
pax hominibus,
agape to all,
joel
