Monday, August 4, 2008

Walking Spectrum Exercise

Walking Spectrum Exercise (inspired by Guillermo Gomez-Pena, performance artist)

Facilitator identifies an imaginary spectrum line and set two extremes. Facilitator calls out the conditions/questions/statements and participants must quickly “take a stand” on the spectrum, walking from one end to the other while “locating” themselves on an identity spectrum. Ask participants to take a look around, and notice how often they themselves are moving/changing/shifting on the line. Here are some “extremes” or “domains” to get started, but actual content will vary depending on curricular goals, big ideas, and inquiry questions established by the class/teacher/school/district/world!

This or That:
· Doubter or Believer
· Dreamer or Based in Reality
· Naked or Dressed
· Work or Play
· Saver or Spender
· Traveler or Homesteader
· Defending Borders or Blurring Borders
· Change or Stability
· Past or Future
· Lover or Fighter
· Giver or Taker

JENNY HOLZER’S TENSIONS:
· Courage/Fear
· Repel/Attract
· Good/Evil
· Truth/Lies
· Victim/Perpetrator
· Pain/Pleasure
· Fact/Fiction
· Hidden/Revealed
· Knowledge/Ignorance
· Moral/Immoral
· Power/Powerlessness
· Public/Private
· Survival/Death
· Universal/Particular
· Violence/Peace
· Vulnerable/Impenetrable

Always or Never:
· Speak your mind
· Tell the truth
· Pay attention to the election
· Save $ for the future
· Feel comfortable being confronted
· Feel comfortable confronting others
· Believe what your parents taught you
· Love what you’re wearing
· Feel comfortable in your body
· Feel balanced in your current love relationship
· Try something new
· Confess when you’re upset
· Feel good about where you live
· Sexually satisfied
· Willing to speak to strangers
· Want to live forever
· Believe in god/higher power/spirit
· Like feeling sexy
· Feel sexy
· Seek political knowledge
· Reveal personal feelings in public spaces
· Believe police are your friends
· Believe that killing is wrong

Other domains: Love/Hate, Yes/No, Absolutely/No Way!, For/Against, Informed/Clueless Suggestions: Be flexible, let participants change direction/flow of questions, make them up as you go along! Let this lead to writing/discussion on identity-in-flux. You could also set a border instead of working on a full spectrum. Middle space can be understood as both/neither/neutral. Try strange, audacious, metaphorical extremes i.e. using objects, animals, or places as the domain sets: are you a bird or a hospital?

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