Associations-Rhythmic

By | February 6, 2019

Synonyms

Snap Clap, Association Circle

Introduction

This warm-up will help us get into the moment, and help us feel easier about being silly.

Description

Free Association is a very common warm up in improv comedy. A free association is when a player associates meaning to something without judgement, censorship or thought. It is quite hard to do. For example a player may be exposed to the word “dog” they may free associate “cat.”

There are as many configurations for this warm up as there are free associations. The most common is to organize in a circle and have one player free associate on the previous player’s free association. It should sound like a series of disconnected words. “mouse”, “trap”, “crab”, “grumpy”, “goofy”, “mouse.”

In Snap Clap Association there is a rhythm that is followed by the entire circle. However the free association is passed around from player to player. The goal is to keep the rhythm and make the associations continuous. Once the rhythm is established the circle may have to drop the right finger snap so players can hear.

  1. Slap both thighs
  2. Clap hands together
  3. Snap left fingers
  4. Snap right fingers
  5. As right finger is passed the player passes an association to the next player.

There is no correct answer in free association. Some players will repeat associations, or have long pauses. This is a good opportunity to explore why this is happening. It is a teaching moment where the leader can discuss.

  • There is no need to try and be funny.
  • You are in a non-judgmental space.
  • Allow the first thing in your mind to come out.

This warm up helps with listening and commitment. Many players have editors in their head. Learn Improv calls it the headitor. The headitor keeps a player from using the first thought that an offer evokes. Free association should help a player break free form their headitor.

  • Physical offers – have the player freely associate a physical offer
  • Rhyming offers – have the players associate in rhyme
  • Last Letter – have the player associate with a word that starts with the last letter of the cue word
  • Closed Eye – have players close their eyes to enhance listening

Variations

  • Firing line – one player is hit with many words to free associate
  • Pass the Chi – players complete the second half of a word
  • Cross Circle – next player to free associate is randomly chosen
  • Milling – Players mill about the room free associating freely
  • Disassociation – Say the opposite of the cue word
  • Rhymes – Freely associate but using rhymes
  • Last Letter – Associate a new word using the last letter of cue word
  • Gibberish – Use gibberish to help free from headitor

Credits