Story-Driven Acrosport Routine

Each group gets a card with a short plot (a shipwreck, building a city, a storm) and creates an acrosport routine where the stunts and transitions tell that story. It builds expression, creativity, and safe stunt technique.

How to play

1. Form 5 groups of 5 and hand out one plot card per group. Each story has three parts: beginning, conflict, and ending.
2. In 5 minutes, each group decides which stunt represents each part (for example, a ship, a wave that knocks it over, and an island) and what gestures or traveling moves link them.
3. Build and rehearse the stunts on mats for 10 minutes, with a spotter for each one and every stunt held for at least 3 seconds.
4. Add music plus expressive face and arm gestures. The routine must last 60 to 90 seconds (5 minutes of rehearsal).
5. Each group performs without revealing its plot; the class tries to guess it and explains which stunt gave it away (2 minutes per group).
6. Close for 2 minutes by discussing which expressive tools worked best to make the story clear.

Rules

• Use only stunts practiced in earlier lessons.
• Every stunt has a spotter and is mounted and dismounted on the count.
• Expression never justifies risk: no dramatic falls from a stunt.
• Every group member takes part on stage.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the student can be the body narrator, a seated base, or a central character without bearing weight.
• Shyness: the student takes part in group stunts in the background and picks a role with little facial expression.
• Lower strength: assign the role of flyer in low stunts or spotter with an expressive gesture.

Learning goals

• Create an acrosport routine with a narrative purpose.
• Use gestures, traveling moves, and stunts as expressive tools.
• Keep stunts safe throughout a performance.

Equipment for a class of 25

• mats: 10
• music
• speakers: 1
• cards: 5

Teacher tip

Write plots with images that translate easily into stunts: bridges, ships, towers. Check each group's routine before it performs to rule out unsafe stunts.

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