ON STAGE THAN AT HOME
The 24 Performance Exercises
Exercise every other week, and using different Exercises on the alternate weeks. The variation of formats will help you develop many skills, and will keep the sessions interesting.
The 24 Performance Exercises
Performance Exercise #1. Basic Performance: Whole group.
Each person sings two or three songs. After they finish each song, the audience gives honest feedback. For example: "I loved the way you sounded but I wished you would have moved around more." The singer then incorporates the suggestions into their next song, and again receives feedback. After the first singer sings two or three songs, the next singer does the same thing and receives feedback.
Performance Exercise #2. Movement: Whole group.
You bring in a song, and perform the song without singing. Your goal is to express emotions and communicate the meaning of the song using only your body. This exercise is powerful because it forces you to move.
Then perform the same song while singing. You'll be amazed at how your movement improves. This exercise is scary, but produces amazing results.
Performance Exercise #3. Brainstorming: Groups of 2-4.
• Part 1: You talk about your goals and the group asks "What's the problem?" You talk about what's holding you back from achieving your goals. If you get stuck, the group again asks "What's the problem?"
Time: 5 minutes per person.
• Part 2: The group gives solutions for the problem or problems.
Time: 5 minutes per person.
After you're finished with the exercise, the next person takes his or her turn.
Performance Exercise #4. Skills Assessment: Groups of 2-4.
• Part 1: You talk about what you need to improve upon as a singer.
• Part 2: The group asks you what you are going to do to improve yourself as a singer.
• Part 3: You tell the group what you are going to do to improve as a singer. You write down your homework assignments, and at the next team meeting, you report to the group what you have accomplished.
Time: 5 minutes per person.
Performance Exercise #5. Goal Commitment : Whole group.
• The group forms a circle and each person talks about their goals as a singer. There is no feedback.
Time: 2 minutes per person.
Performance Exercise #6. Monologues: Groups of 2-4.
• Part 1: You stand up in front of the group and answer the following questions, spending 5 minutes on each question. There is no feedback from the group.
1. Why am I afraid to perform?
2. Why am I afraid to show what I really feel on stage?
3. Why don't I commit totally to my singing career?
4. Why am I afraid to be intimate with the audience?
Time: 20 minutes per person.
• Part 2: The whole group comes together and each person discusses their own experience.
Time: 30 minutes.
Performance Exercise #7. I'm Really Bad and I'll Prove It to You:
Groups of 3-4.
• Part 1: You talk for 5 minutes explaining why you are so bad as a person, a singer, etc. There is no response from your team members. Be honest. Go wild! Don't hold back. You'll be surprised at the outcome of this exercise.
Time: 5 minutes per person.
• Part 2: The whole group comes together and discusses their own experience.
Time: 20 minutes.
• Part 3. Everybody in the group has something good said about
them by everyone else in the group.
Time: 20 minutes.
Performance Exercise #8. Staring Partners: Pairs.
• Part 1: Sit in chairs facing each other, knees almost touching, and look into each other's eyes without talking or breaking eye contact.
Time: 10 minutes.
• Part 2: The whole group comes together and talks about their experience.
• Part 3: Repeat parts 1 and 2.
Performance Exercise #9. Praise Behind Your Back: Whole group.
• Part 1: You sit in a chair with you back to the audience. The group says good things about you while you write them down.
Time: 5 minutes per person.
• Part 2: The whole group meets and discusses their experience.
Time: 20 minutes.
Performance Exercise #10. Songwriting and Performance Teams:
Groups of 2-4.
• Each team of 2-4 people make up a song, rehearse it, and perform it for the entire group.
Time for writing and rehearsing: 15 minutes.
Time for performing: 3-5 minutes.
Performance Exercise #11. Skit Teams: Groups of 2-4.
• Each team of 2-4 people make up a skit, rehearse it, and perform it for the entire group.
Time for writing and rehearsing: 15 minutes.
Time for performing: 3-5 minutes.
Performance Exercise #12. Nobody's Watching: Whole group.
• You perform half of a song with the audience's backs turned. In the middle of the song, the audience turns and faces you. After
performing, you talk about your experience with the rest of the team.
Time: 10 minutes per person.
Performance Exercise #13. Guest Night: Whole group.
• The entire group invites family & friends to come and be part of the audience. At the end of the show, the guests give feedback.
Performance Exercise #14. Mini-Sets: Whole group.
• One week, half of the group performs a Mini-Set (5-8 songs sung by each person, uninterrupted); the next week the other half does the same.
Feedback is given at the end of each singer's Mini-Set.
Performance Exercise #15. Written Feedback: Whole group.
• Each person performs three songs. The audience writes out
feedback and gives it to them to read at home. There is no verbal feedback.
This goes pretty fast, so you may have time for other exercises.
Performance Exercise #16. Speech Night: Whole group.
• Each person gives a five minute entertaining & honest speech before singing one song. After that, the audience gives feedback.
Time: 15 minutes per person.
Performance Exercise #17. Random Topics: Whole group.
• Each person talks for 1-2 minutes on a question randomly asked by an appointed leader. The questions should be unusual and unexpected, so participants will begin to develop their improvisational skills. Questions could be anything from "Why do you think geese fly in formation?" to
"Do you think the president is doing a good job?"
Performance Exercise #18. Video Night: Whole group.
• Everyone performs one song which is videotaped, then the entire group watches the videos. You'll learn a lot by seeing yourself on TV.
Performance Exercise #19. Songwriting Night: Whole group.
• Everyone brings in two songs or song ideas that they wrote.
Words, words and melody, or completed songs are fine. They present the songs to the audience, and then receive feedback.
Time: 15 minutes per person.
Performance Exercise #20. Song-a-Thon Night: Whole group.
• Students bring all of their Karaoke tapes. Each singer sings one song, and is followed by the next singer. There is no feedback. When it comes back to the first singer's turn, he sings a second song, and is followed again by the next singer. This goes on for the full three hours. Depending on the size of the group, each singer will sing up to 12 songs during the night.
Performance Exercise #21. Duet Night: Pairs.
• Students pair up outside of class and rehearse duets to be performed in class the following week.
Performance Exercise #22. Collaboration Night: Pairs.
• Students pair up outside of class and write a song to be performed in class the following week.
Performance Exercise #23. Lyric Expression: Whole group.
• Each person recites the lyrics to a song. If it sounds like they are reading a grocery list instead of really feeling the lyrics, they do it four more times, with feeling. Then they sing the same song, really getting emotional with each line of the song.
Performance Exercise #24. Karaoke Night: Whole group.
• The entire group goes to an open mic or karaoke bar and everyone sings. You'll get a chance to field test what you've learned, and see what
else needs to be worked on.
Choosing Formats
Be flexible when choosing Performance Exercises for a given night.
You may want to use the Basic Performance Exercises for the first couple of months, just to get your team comfortable. Do use all the formats, because they're all helpful in different ways.
Giving Feedback
When giving feedback to a team member, always keep these guidelines in mind:
1. Start with a positive comment about the performance. When a singer finishes a song and is awaiting feedback, they are usually very vulnerable. By starting with a positive comment, they can relax first and then hear your suggestions for improvement.
2. Tell them honestly how you reacted to their performance.
This is harder than it seems. If you were bored during part of a performance, it's not easy to tell the singer you were bored. I usually word it like "I found myself drifting off during the second verse. What was going on with you at that time?" It's easier for someone to hear "I found myself drifting off" than "You were boring."
Always begin your feedback with "I" statements. It's better to say "I felt" rather than "You were," or "You did."
It's easy to think that not telling them you were bored is a kind and supportive thing to do. But it's not. If you're feeling bored, they need to know. Think how unkind it would be for them to think you enjoyed the performance, while you were ready to fall asleep. So be kind, honest and gentle, and you and your team mates will grow.
My experience with The 24 Performance Exercises
I've done most all of these exercises, and they are incredible. They changed me as a person and as a singer. They brought out skills I didn't know I had. Give them a try. You'll be amazed with the results.
Going to Karaoke bars and open mics on your own
After working with your Performance Team for a few months, you'll be ready to begin regular performances in front of live audiences. After several months of performing in clubs, you'll be a solid performer, able to get on any stage and give a great performance. A good place to begin performing publicly is Karaoke bars and open mics. I know that Karaoke bars have an amateurish reputation, but they're a fantastic place for you to hone your performance skills in a low pressure environment.
Most large cities have Karaoke bars and nightclubs which feature
"open mic nights." Either of these places will give you the opportunity to practice your performance skills. My students who take advantage of these performance venues really benefit. I suggest you do it as often as possible.
You'll become a better singer and performer.
Singing the national anthem at ball games
Another great way to try out your performance skills is to sing the national anthem at ball games. Believe it or not, this is one of the easiest singing jobs to get, because there are so many ball games on any given night, and they often are in great need of qualified singers.
All you have to do is go into any recording studio and record
yourself singing the anthem. This should take about an hour at most. Once you have your demo, make a bunch of copies and send them to ball clubs in your area. Start with the minor league and college teams, then when you get some experience go for the majors. My students who have done this rave about how easy it was to get hired, and how much fun they had singing in front of such a large crowd.
You'll be gaining valuable performing experience, and when you start looking for jobs as a singer, this will add to your credibility. When you tell people you've sung the national anthem at ball games, they'll assume you're a real singer.