Warm-ups
Sound Ball
An imaginary ball is thrown with a sound attached; the catcher repeats the sound exactly, then throws with a new one.
Also known as: Noise Toss
How to run it
- Throw an imaginary ball to someone while making any non-word sound.
- The catcher repeats that sound precisely as they catch it.
- They then throw to someone else with a completely new sound.
- Keep it fast. Hesitation is the only failure.
What it teaches
Committing to an uncalculated choice instantly, and reproducing a partner's offer accurately rather than approximately.
Coaching notes
Excellent for groups that are being careful or clever. Speed it up until nobody has time to choose a good sound.
Where it usually goes wrong. Players make the same sound repeatedly, or approximate the sound they received instead of matching it.
Related reading: yes, and.
See it played
We do not link individual videos we have not watched end to end, so this is a search rather than a recommendation: Sound Ball on YouTube. Quality varies enormously — prefer recordings from working theatres over tutorial channels.