Voice

The Echo

Doing the Exercise

The students and you are standing in a circle. Everybody makes sure to stand centered and firmly on the ground. Every student thinks about what she would call to somebody approaching her in an offensive way. This may be, for example, one of the following comments: "Go away, beat it, push off, scram, piss off...". In this exercise it is allowed to use rude expressions within certain limits; the students should not use expressions which make themselves feel uneasy or which provoke the approaching person unnessarily.

You begin with exclaiming your comment. The whole group repeats it loudly together. Then it is the turn of one of the students beside you; the rest of the group repeats her comment also, thus giving an "echo". The students call one after another, until everybody has called and got the "echo" of the group.

Point of the exercise

By repeating the exclamation the group confirms the strong reaction of the calling person. This is very encouraging.

When everybody has called best have a second course - so the students who have been somewhat cautious in the first round have now the chance to get really loud.Up to the Fifth Floor