Zip-Zap-Zoppin' Around
Facilitating the improv warm-up exercise Zip-Zap-Zop
Zip-Zap-Zop. The beginning warm-up exercise every improv performer will be introduced to. And for good reason! This game teaches fundamental skills, such as attention, eye contact, listening, engagement, and focus. & the fun part? The rules are simple. This game may be best played with 5 or more folks, though you can try your best to do it with less! Your participants will get the hang of it fairly quickly. This game can work with all ages.
I tend to introduce this exercise by mentioning that we’re going to be playing a game where we’re going to be sending lightning towards each other, in and around the circle.
INSTRUCTIONS:
Form a circle with players standing or sitting.
Player A starts by slide-clapping and saying "Zip!" towards anyone in the circle, pretending to send lightning.
Player B follows by slide-clapping and saying "Zap!" to another player.
Player C follows with slide-clapping and saying "Zop!" to someone else.
Continue the pattern: "Zip, Zap, Zop" around the circle, passing the lightning.
If someone makes a mistake, stop the lightning, and restart again from "Zip!"
To help put players at ease, I write Zip Zap Zop on the board, underlining the vowels. & before the players start, I mention that “we’re all going to goof”, and we repeat that several times as a group.
After a few rounds and a few goofs, I pause the game by “catching” the lightning as it comes my direction, and take a moment to reflect with the group, asking the question, What helps us succeed as a group in this exercise? If certain answers aren’t stated, I bring them up myself.
The answers that I’m looking for are:
Eye contact (Making sure the other player understands that you are passing the lightning their way)
Paying attention (Leave worrying at the door)
Listening
Speaking loud enough so your group-mates can hear
I then encourage all members of the group to support each other by putting these skills into play. We start again, and at some point, I ask the group to go faster, and see how far and fast we can keep it going.
Once you feel like you’d like to change things up, there are different “rules” that we can add into the mix.
ALTERNATIVE RULES:
Adding Names: Ask players for 3 first names, such as, “Barry, Trish, Ross”. Now, the order is, “Zip, Zap, Zop, Barry, Trish, Ross,” and repeats. I’ve gone up to 6 additional names before.
Remove Words: Try removing all words, and have players only clap towards each other.
Remove Words & Clapping: Remove both words and clapping, and have players only look towards each other to send the lightning. Reflect on how this went.
Walk Zappin': (For those who are able to, & if you have enough space) Have players start walking, weaving in & out of each other. Mention to not just walk in a circle. Have them play Zip, Zap, Zop, while everyone is moving around.
Inflection: Have each player imitate the inflection of how the last player sounded when they sent their Zip, Zap, or Zop., and add a “little more”.
Emotion: Lay out some basic emotions, such as Happy, Sad, Confused, Angry, Fearful, Disgusted, Anxious, and Loved. Instruct players that, when they are sending their lightning, to do so with an emotion. Their emotion does not need to be tied to the person who they are receiving the lightning from. If they feel most comfortable, they can use the same emotion every time, though challenge players to vary up the emotion each time.
Elimination: For larger groups, when someone goofs, they are out of the game. Once it goes down to 3 & 2 players, it may be harder to eliminate the players, and you may need to add Names, or crown several victors.
Messing up is okay, and encouraged. This is the space to do so! If you are facilitating groups, this game is an active way to get players involved, engaged, and warmed up. Thanks for reading!
