Viola Spolin Meets Augusto Boal

 Create self awareness about physicality  Open discussion about the power dynamic in the tutor/tutee relationship  Reinforce concept that the tutoring utilizes a similar skill set as improvisation  Listening  Self awareness  Ability to respond truthfully in the moment  Ability to react to new information in a flash

 Divide into two groups: Red and Blue.  Pretend your at a dinner party.  Red group members: Avoid eye contact with anyone you talk to.

 Red Group: You can now make eye contact  Blue Group: Make big, exaggerated gestures as you speak.

 Red Group: You can only speak very softly.  Blue Group: You are normal.

 Get into pairs  Scenario: One of you is a parent. The other is a principal at a school. Your having a conference about the parent’s child. Agree on the roles you will play.  One of you should be from an upper middle class background while the other should be from a lower class background.  Role play

 Now switch class roles. Keep in mind that you will retain your role as parent or principal. Your socioeconomic class is just changing.

 What did you learn about the relationship between physicality and authority?  What strategies can you use to create a more neutral or balanced relationship?  Do you see the relationship between tutoring and improvisation? How? How not?