What is Energy?

Energy is a drama-class warm-up built to loosen a group up fast: everyone stands in a circle, and one by one, each player copies the sound and motion of the person before them, then makes it louder and bigger. It's built for 3 to 15 players, in person, with nothing required but the room and a willingness to make noise.

It works because nobody performs alone. Each round is one shared build, and by the time it circles back to the first player, the whole group made it happen together — not any single loud person. Copying someone else's exact sound and motion also forces real attention, which is a rarer thing in warm-ups than it should be.

Skip it in shared or quiet spaces — a circle that gets louder with every pass doesn't stay contained to one corner of a room. It also asks people to be loud and watched up close by their peers, so hold off if your group isn't ready for that yet.

The rules

Everyone stands in a circle, close enough to see and hear each other clearly.
The first player makes a sound and a motion — something small and easy to copy.
The next player copies that sound and motion, then cranks the energy up further.
Play continues around the circle, each player adding more volume and more motion.
Once everyone's had a turn, the starting player repeats the sound and motion once more, at the highest intensity yet.
Another player starts a fresh round with a new sound and gesture.

Before you start

Group size: 3–15 players. Big enough for the circle to feel alive, small enough that everyone gets seen. Stand shoulder-width apart so the exaggerated gestures don't collide.
Clear a spacious, hazard-free area. Everyone needs room to move without bumping into people or furniture, plus enough light for the whole circle to see each other clearly.
Dress for movement. Comfortable clothing helps, and shoes come off if noise or grip is an issue — the exaggerated motions should feel safe, not restricted.
Brief the room before the first sound. Walk through the rules and how each round builds, then name who's going first. The game runs smoother when nobody's guessing what's next.
Name the ceiling upfront. Tell the group roughly how loud and big the last pass should get, and say plainly that safety, trust, and listening matter more than volume.

How to run it

Form the circle 1–2 min
Get everyone standing shoulder-width apart where they can see and hear the whole group. Explain the game in one breath: each player copies the sound and motion before them, but bigger and louder.
Start the first sound 30 sec
Go first yourself, or hand it to a volunteer. Make one sound and one motion — small and easy to copy, like a raised hand and a drawn-out "umm."
Pass it around, amplified 2–3 min
The next player copies the sound and motion, then makes it louder and bigger. Every player after them does the same, so the energy climbs each time it moves around the circle.
Close the loop 30 sec
When it reaches the starting player again, they repeat the sound and motion once more at the highest intensity of the round.
Hand off and go again 8–10 min
A different player starts a fresh round with a brand-new sound and gesture, and the circle builds it up all over again.

← it always ends louder than it started.

Facilitator tips

Offer a menu of sounds and motionsNot everyone wants to be the loudest person in the room. A short list of suggested sounds and gestures gives quieter players an easy way in.

Say explicitly that any sound goesAs long as it's safe and respectful, any sound or motion is fair game. Naming that upfront does more for comfort than any rule.

Watch for gestures that don't translateSome sounds and motions carry different meanings across cultures. Know your room before you demonstrate one yourself.

Swap standing for whatever worksA chair or another prop lets players with mobility limits join the circle fully — the sound-and-motion mechanic doesn't require standing.

Praise the attempt, not just the volumeSpecific, positive feedback keeps the room supportive instead of competitive — especially for players still finding their nerve.

Why it works

Confidence, built by exaggerationEvery round asks for a louder voice and a bigger gesture than the one before it. Practicing "too much" on purpose makes ordinary volume easier to reach afterward.

Mimicry forces real attentionYou can't amplify what you didn't actually watch and hear. Copying the exact sound and motion before you turns standing in a circle into active observation.

One performance, built by everyoneNobody owns the bit alone — each player's turn only works because of what the last player handed them. The finished round is a group creation, not a series of solos.

New material every roundThere's no script or prompt list — each starting player invents a fresh sound and motion on the spot, so the game never repeats itself.

HELLO, MY NAME ISJon

"I love how fast this one gets loud. Watching a room let go of self-consciousness, one exaggerated motion at a time, is the whole reason it's still in my warm-up rotation."

Jon Zajac · Founder & Chief Icebreaker

Reflection questions

6 questions for the debrief, ready whenever you want to go past the game.

How did you feel participating in the Energy Game?Comfort and engagement vary a lot with a game this loud — the answer tells you how the room actually experienced it.
What was your favorite part of the game? Why?Points you toward what to lean into next time you run it with this group.
Did you find it challenging to amplify the energy of the actions? If so, why?Surfaces who might need a gentler on-ramp or a little more practice building up to full volume.
How did it feel to be both loud and quiet during the game?Gets at self-expression and how comfortable people are taking a visible risk in front of the group.
What did you observe about your own behavior and that of others while playing?Turns the game into a short lesson in self-awareness and reading a room.
How might the Energy Game apply in real-life situations or other contexts?Encourages the group to name the transferable skill instead of just remembering today's laugh.