6th Workshop

 Playing in the Same Rhythm

Title of the activity: Playing in the Same Rhythm

Date and place: 15.06.2024 - Dance studio - We Dance, Riga, Latvia

Duration: 40-60 minutes

Aim of the activity: to foster group cohesion, emotional expression, and interpersonal connection through rhythm and music-making. To help participants overcome initial shyness, build trust, and create a sense of community through progressive musical engagement. Learning goals include: building trust and collaboration, encouraging self-expression through rhythm, enhancing non-verbal communication and developing spontaneity and creativity

Participants' info: 10 youth people aged 15-28.

Description of the activity:

The session started with youth leaders explaining the idea and purpose of musical improvisation. They emphasized that the focus should be on expression and collaboration rather than performance. The group together chose the theme and emotion to play and the name of improvisation. The leader initiated and the group played together the pre-selected theme on their musical instrument according to their feelings. At first, each participant played individually. Then at some point by the invitation of the leader the other members of the group stepped in one by one, inviting each other, and at some point the whole group managed to play together. There were emotions chosen, joy and boringness.

After the improvisation participants shared their experience. Youth leaders initiated the reflection sharing their fears that the participants would refuse to cooperate and activity could fail. The participants said they didn't have any high expectations and hoped at least to have fun. Their success was a huge surprise.