Move the feeling

1. Introduction (5 min): Explain the purpose of the activity (movement and dance expression, body awareness and non-verbal communication).
2. Breaking the ice (15 min): It’s really important to get participants into their bodies and connect with movement before starting the next activity. Use 1-2 introduction activities (name game, energizer, grounding) from the additional chapter at the end of the Toolbox, based on your needs. For example, ask the participants to move around the room with different prompts, like: walk as if you must catch the bus, walk as if you won the lottery, walk as if you were on the moon/the floor is on fire/made of ice.
3. Connecting and warming up (25 min): Participants stand in a circle and hold hands (be sure to check if everyone is comfortable with this). The facilitator sends a signal (a hand squeeze) that travels around the circle. The facilitator changes directions and, at one point, sends the signal in both directions simultaneously.
   Then, the facilitator leads a body scan and a couple of warming up exercises. Participants are invited to focus on their breathing and the sensations in their bodies, scanning each body part from head to toe and relaxing it. Here they should be invited to become more aware of the contact with the floor, of the room and of other participants. The warming up can be really basic and gentle, making circles with the main joints (neck, shoulders, pelvis, knees and ankles). Then, the participants are invited to continue to move freely as they like, in their place and then around the room, while the facilitator intensifies the music.
4. Movement and emotions (30 min): This session continues from the previous one in a flow. With music prepared in advance* by the facilitators, the group is guided to form pairs in the following way.

*Choose songs and compositions that are relatively neutral but capable of evoking various moods and emotions—such as classical, ethnic, instrumental, or atmospheric music.

Participants walk around the room while music plays in the background. They are guided to become aware of their bodies, muscles, and bodily sensations. They are encouraged to observe how their body wants to move and follow that instinct. After some time, they are invited to make contact with others in the group and sense the energy in the space. At one point, they stop and find the person nearest to them, forming pairs. In these pairs, guided by the facilitator’s voice, they are asked to move to express different feelings, for instance: happy, nervous, irritated, excited, shocked, scared, surprised, angry, in love, feeling friendship (each should last at least 3 minutes). They try to align their movements with their teammates, feeling who is the one leading and who is following in which moment, inter-changing these roles constantly. Then, each pair finds another pair and forms a group of four, continuing with the same task and with different emotions (sadness, excitement, happyness…). In the end, all groups merge into one large group in a circle  and dance to express more emotions (e.g. gratitude, calmness). After the large group dance, participants are invited to refocus again on themselves, noticing how their bodies want to move. They are guided to transition out of the emotions they expressed through dance and focus on their breathing. As a way of de-roling and re-centering, they are invited to shake off the feelings they’ve just experienced through movement.

5. Reflection and evaluation (15 min): After the exercise, participants sit in a large circle and briefly reflect on how they feel and how the exercise was for them. The group discusses emotions and their function.

Reflection Questions:

• What was this experience like for you?
• How did you feel while dancing alone, in pairs, and in a large group?
• Was it easy or hard for you to complete the tasks? Was it easier to express some emotions?
• Did you learn something new about yourself and others during the activities?

For evaluation, observe participant engagement and mood, the way they react to the assignment and how they collaborate in groups. Collect feedback verbally, via a quick survey or through associative cards.