The whole class stands in a circle passing a single spark of energy — clap towards a person and say zip, they pass it on with zap, the next with zop, and around it goes, faster and faster. Zip Zap Zop trains two things a performer cannot fake: focus, and picking up a cue the instant it arrives. A scene dies in the half-second a performer spends deciding whether it is their turn — this game burns that half-second away.
How to run it
- Stand in a circle where everyone can see everyone.
- One person starts: eye contact with someone across the circle, a clear clap-point towards them, and the word zip.
- The receiver immediately passes to someone else with zap, the next with zop, then back to zip — the three words cycle forever.
- The pass must have all three parts at once: eyes, hands, voice. A pass with eyes pointing one way and hands another is a broken pass.
- Hesitate, say the wrong word, or receive a pass you did not notice — restart the count, or step out for one round if you are playing elimination.
One variation
Silent round: eyes and gesture only, no words. Suddenly everyone discovers how much they were relying on sound, and the quality of eye contact across the circle doubles. This is focus training with the safety net removed.
Send it like you mean it
Most dropped passes are the sender’s fault. A mumbled zip aimed vaguely between two people is not a cue — it is a coin flip. Commit: lock eyes with one person, point at that person, speak to that person. Clear sending is a kindness, on stage and off.
Curriculum connection
C3.2
identify and apply the skills and attitudes needed to perform various tasks and responsibilities in producing drama works (e.g., demonstrate respect for others and use focused listening, negotiating, consensus-building, and collaborative skills in group work)
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