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Secondary drama warm-ups for ensembles
Secondary teacher drama resource developed by The Arts Unit
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Introduction
Introduction
In the NSW Stage 4, 5 and 6 Drama curriculum, group warm-ups are fundamental to all drama sessions when working with ensembles.
Explore some new and engaging ways to start any drama session, preparing students vocally and physically to move into performance with focus and energy. The activities can be adapted and differentiated for students of all skills and abilities.
This resource contains videos of drama teacher Belinda Simon during a professional learning session with teachers explaining and demonstrating various drama warm-up activities for use with all drama ensembles and classes.
State drama ensemble rehearsal 2019
Why warm up?
Why warm up?
A drama warm-up should successfully establish the rhythm and tone of the drama class, while laying the foundation skills needed for the lesson. Failing to warm up can lead to low commitment, energy and focus during the lesson. A good warm-up is selective, it is sequenced to engage the performance skills needed to explore the lesson content.
The following warm-ups have been selected as they work well with students of all ages and abilities. These warm-ups allow you to assess the existing skill set of the cohort and plan accordingly.
Warm-ups should be linked to the relevant Elements of Drama required for the class. Each of the following activities has been linked to some of the most relevant Elements of Drama to help you sequence lesson content.
Elements of drama
Elements of drama
The following video briefly explores the Elements of drama.
Elements of drama
Duration: 04:53The following posters can be printed and displayed in your drama space using the links below.
elements-of-drama-large-poster.pdfIndividual elements of drama A4 posters (PDF 2.19MB)
Establishing a rapport and team builders
Establishing a rapport and team builders
Physical alphabet/countdown groups
Physical alphabet/countdown groups
Focus area - creating connections
Elements of drama - movement, symbol, space
This warm-up is great when you have large numbers. You can divide the group into 2 or 3 smaller groups. The groups must create a number or each letter of the alphabet using every team member. Each number or letter must be judged and approved by the teacher before they can make the next letter. First group to finish the countdown or alphabet wins.
Physical alphabet/countdown groups
Duration: 01:24Pair blah
Pair blah
Focus area - getting to know you
Elements of drama - focus and language
In pairs students select A or B.
Person A is instructed to talk nonstop about themselves for two minutes as B listens (teacher to time).
The class come together in a circle and each person B must share this information by talking nonstop to the whole class for one minute. The aim is to fill the time without a pause.
Extension: The pair is given an additional minute to use the information from each other to improvise one of the following: a cooking class, a dreamtime story, or dating profiles. The class perform their scenes for each other.
Caterpillar
Caterpillar
Focus area - creating connections
Elements of drama - tension, focus, mood, atmosphere and space
Students stand in a circle.
Ask them to turn clockwise and face the back of the person in front them and observe that person. Students then place their hands on the shoulders of the student in front of them.
They must all then close their eyes (possibly blindfolds for juniors).
Teacher then moves students by spinning and placing them in various locations around the room, away from their original starting point.
The aim is use hands only to link back up like a caterpillar and recreate the original circle.
Energiser
Energiser
Love, marriage and retirement
Love, marriage and retirement
Elements of drama - tension, focus, movement, rhythm
Students get into pairs and create three still poses representing love, marriage and retirement.
Students will then move around the room to music and when the music stops the teacher calls one of the three options and students must find their partner and recreate the frozen image.
Last pair to create the image is eliminated.
Lovers Leap
Lovers Leap
Extension: Love, marriage and retirement.
Elements of drama - tension, focus, movement, rhythm
Lover’s leap: One student jumps into the arms of their partner into a cradle sit lift.
Water fountain: One student is kneeling (one leg bent, other leg folded on floor) the other student stands on the knee of the person kneeling also holding on to the shoulder of the person kneeling. They then hold their opposite arm up in the air in a curved position like a fountain.
Bunk bed: One student lies on the floor, the other student directly on top. Student on floor has arms raised holding on to the ankles of the student on top. The student on top holds arms directly downwards holding on top ankles of student below. (Image should be like two people holding a plank position but facing opposite ways).
Dog in a dog kennel: One student is on all fours the other student has to slide their body underneath the gap of the student on all fours.
Chicken on a hen house: One student is on all fours and the other person has to sit on their back and do chicken arms.
Lovers leap
Duration: 01:52Please note: Instructions should be given to students around safe lifting techniques prior to commencing this warm-up exercise.
Super 16
Super 16
Elements of drama - sound, rhythm, focus and atmosphere
Students stand in a circle.
They place their right hand into the circle and count to 16 in unison, shaking their hand on each count. They then place their left hand and repeat, followed by their right foot, then left foot.
On the second round students count to 8 on each limb.
The third round they count to 4, the fourth round they count to 2 and on the final round they count 1, finishing with a huge cheer.
This is a quick energiser that is perfect just before students perform. It can even be performed in a whisper if students are literally backstage and need a final energy boost.
Focus
Focus
2 ahead
2 ahead
Elements of drama - focus, movement and tension
Class stand in a circle.
Ask students to turn slightly facing clockwise. Students must then observe the student who is two bodies in front of them.
Teacher instructs students to stand in neutral, observing the person two ahead.
The aim of the activity is to not move, but naturally once time passes small scratches or leans start to emerge. Play with intensifying the movement until it reaches 100% more exaggerated.
Extension: Students can do this in smaller lines of 4-5 students standing side by side, teacher decides pattern of who they are observing, but this time they may only use their peripherals. You can extend this activity further by pairing students up and they must move in unison on the spot, using again only peripheral vision. This is a great starting point for the group devised process.
Chain mime
Chain mime
Elements of drama - focus, rhythm and movement
This activity mirrors a visual Chinese whispers. This can be played in one large group line or alternatively students can be divided into smaller even lines (this tends to be more time efficient, particularly effective in keeping a group quiet). There must be no talking!
Students line up facing the back wall and take a seat (like captain ball). The last person of each line stands, turns around faces the teacher (who stands behind the lines) and watches the visual message.
Teachers must be very precise when creating their visual message and should remember exactly how they delivered it, as it must be compared exactly to the end of the line.
Once the first member of the line receive the message, they tap their team mate on the shoulder, stand and the message is performed.
Variation to the message is generally guaranteed as the message is passed through the line and detail of the visuals are neglected. The aim is for the person at the end of the line to deliver the same visual message as the teacher.
Peripheral mirror
Peripheral mirror
Elements of drama - focus, movement, rhythm
A small group of 6 students line up, facing the same way and are paired up, A, B and C.
Each are to mirror subtle movements made by their other pair while only using their peripheral vision.
Music can be played while the students are completing the activity.
It is important students maintain accuracy in movement and timing.
Vocal
Vocal
Shay Shay Coolay
Shay Shay Coolay
Elements of drama - movement, sound and language
This call and response warm-up originated in Africa, though it can vary widely.
Ensemble stand in a circle.
Teacher calls each line and creates a physical action.
Each line and action is then repeated by the ensemble. The song is usually repeated four or five times.
On each repeat variation should be given to tone, rhythm and it should generally crescendo.
Shay Shay Coolay (Shay Shay Coolay)
Shay Cofisa (Shay Cofisa)
Cofisa Longa (Cofisa Longa)
A longa dai longa (A longa dai longa)
A longa dai longa (A longa dai longa)
Singing in rounds: Rose red
Singing in rounds: Rose red
Elements of drama - rhythm, mood and atmosphere
Start singing all together.
Then break into rounds by dividing group up into pairs.
To extend the students get them to move around the room while also singing in rounds.
Rose, Rose, Rose, red
Will I ever see thee wed?
I will marry at thy will, sire
At thy will
Inanay
Inanay
Elements of drama - language, rhythm, mood and atmosphere
This is a stunning indigenous song which is fantastic to warm up ensembles to.
Inanay gupu wanna
Inanay gupu wanna
Ay ay ay oola
Oola oola oola ay
Yippee yay yipee yay
Goo wana goo wana
Goo wana goo wana
Goo wah - Choo! x 2
Inanay
Duration: 00:58Inanay is a beautiful Australian Indigenous song. It is believed to be in Yorta Yorta language. It is thought to originate from Torres Strait Islanders.
It cannot be translated word for word, however, it is thought to be a song about a goanna (gupuana). The 'choo' is shooing the goanna away.
Movement
Movement
Oranges and prunes
Oranges and prunes
A simple and effective way to warm-up our facials.
Teacher to lead, repeat the words 'oranges and prunes'.
On 'oranges' extend face as wide as possible, almost like a yawn.
With 'prunes' scrunch your face as tight as possible, as if you are disgusted.
Repeat.
8 count follow the leader
8 count follow the leader
A simple and effective way to warm-up our bodies and start working as a group.
In a large circle move around to music which each person creating a different movement that everyone copies for 8 counts each.
Diamonds
Diamonds
Elements of drama - rhythm, mood and atmosphere, movement, space, time and place
In a group of 4, create a diamond.
The head of the diamond is the leader and the remaining ensemble mirror the leader.
The head changes by the leader moving direction.
You can ask the entire class to join the diamond and this then becomes like a school of fish.
Ask the students to move in the diamond by walking and turning to have a new leader as they turn.
Clumps
Clumps
Elements of drama - rhythm, mood and atmosphere, movement, space, time and place
Split into two groups.
Ask the students to move in the clump, like a school of fish, by lightly shuffling their feet, exploring the space and learning to work as one.
When the group is confident introduce each side of the room as a season: autumn, winter, spring and summer. As the group turn towards each side of the room their movement must mirror that season.
Extension: Change the season to the elements: earth, fire, water, and air.
Columbian hypnosis
Columbian hypnosis
Elements of drama - role, focus, tension, movement, space, symbol, audience engagement
Place students in pairs and split the class in half. Half standing in the performance space and the other half sitting as an audience.
Students select A and B and stand facing each other at an arm’s length.
A extends their arm up, with their right palm facing student B’s face. Student A must now lead student B round the performance space with their palm. Student B must follow and ensure that the same distance is maintained. Student A should play with levels, speed and direction.
Students swap and B now leads A.
Audience debrief and then become the performers.
Extension: When students are in sync with their partner ask the leader to play with swapping hands and then using other body parts. This activity can also be performed with individuals leading themselves with their own palm.
Mirroring
Mirroring
Elements of drama - role, focus, movement, rhythm, space and structure
This is performed in pairs (can also advance to small groups).
A becomes the leader and B mirrors the movement of A.
It is important to maintain accuracy in movement and timing. Eye contact is maintained as well as concentration.
Extension: With the same partner students can develop their movement into a call and response fashion. A leads the first 8 or 16 counts and B then complements the movement. This movement structure is continued and moments of unison are encouraged.
Third-party content attributions
Third-party content attributions
Advanced drama warm ups workshop, presented by Belinda Simon 10 April 2019.
Drama 7-10 Syllabus, © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2003, copied under s113P, accessed 24 May 2021.
Drama Stage 6 Syllabus, © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2009, copied under s113P, accessed 24 May 2021.
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