See and hear each other: The Museum of Sounds

In short   

It is a short exercise on listening to each other; listening to each other’s meaningful sounds and creating together a multi-voiced choir.

Set-Up  

Half an hour; if you want the subgroups to present their museum of sound to each other you will need more time. 

Participants

Group; couples of two participants and subgroups of 4 participants. 

Process:  

1. To see the other 

• Walk around. Take all the space. Look at the space. Look at each other. 
• Can you find a partner you do not know very well? Take time to look carefully at each other. What is a pleasant distance between you both to do so?  
• Then, one partner turns back, so he/she cannot see the other.  
• The other partner changes something small but visible in his/her appearance  
• Turning back, the partner looks carefully, and notices it. 

2. To hear each other 

• Take another walk together. Find another couple you do not know very well. Walk further as a group of 4. 
• Find a place with enough space for all of you and where you can make sounds without disturbing others too much. Use tape and collaborate on marking your ‘museum or concert space’. 
• On your own, imagine this: we will build a museum of sounds. Which sound, meaningful to you, – where you come from or what you have experienced – should be kept in the museum? Try to make this sound, by voice or material, words, or tones. It must be repeatable. 
• Step into your museum space and let the others in your small group hear your sounds. Provide a short explanation in one sentence. 
• When you have heard all four sounds, start to improvise. Step into the museum space, create a duet and create an improvisation that includes all of you. Who starts? You may repeat, be silent, wait, or make variations. Use your body to amplify your sound 
• Invite another group to come to your museum of sounds and let them listen to your sounds/improvisation. 

Evaluation: 

Possible questions for a short evaluation in a small group or collectively:  

• Have you seen the other? How did it feel to be seen? 
• Could you listen to the sounds of the other? Did you close your eyes to listen deeply?  
• Did you make a connection between the sounds and what the person says about the sound in your imagination? 
• How did you build up your improvisation? Did you create something new together? 
• How did you experience the museum of sounds — by presenting and by listening? 

 Connection to PIMDI: 

• Elaboration of differences or different perspectives.  
• The imagination of concepts of values through embodiment.