When they are finished with this game, they move to the floor and start exploring the blue mat. After an initial exploration, they start to squeeze each other by folding the mat.
After this, the blue mat becomes a battlefield. The ones that are on it, defend it from the others that try to conquer it. And vice versa: the others try to push the ones on the blue mat off it.
I give the four boys the following exercise: 'You start on the floor, with the four of you, lying on the ground. Find a position where some of your body parts touch another body. Now if you have established this position, try to move together without losing connection.'
In the following exercise, I use the spotlights in the theatre that make a square on the floor. The challenge is to remain in the square. The others can push you out. You win when you are the last one in the square. This exercise slowly transforms into other challenges/games that the boys invent on the spot. One boy for example, comes with a broom. He says: 'If I touch you with the broom, you are done.' However, the other boys find the broom too dirty. They dismiss the game and join in another spontaneous playfight. These events are not photographed, instead, I used video. See the compilation below.
Photo diary of the R&T Play of four boys: 17 December 2017 Amsterdam
This is a photo diary of the R&T Play of four boys, that took place 17 December 2017 at the Conservatorium of Amsterdam. It shows what kind of framework I provided.
It is important to mention that almost all the physical play that occurred, was initiated by the boys themselves. There were however moments ('the dead moments) where I offered them some kind of framework. The whole session takes about 3 hours.
On a sunday morning, we (Luuk, Maas, Michel, Teun and me) together bike to the Conservatorium. On our way, we stop and buy something to drink and eat. We park our bikes in the cellar. The Conservatorium is deserted, except for the receptionist and the security guard. When we enter the theatre room, the boys are a bit disappointed. The theatre seems empty and the boys complain that there are no materials to play with. However, on a closer look, there are materials (hidden behind the curtains).
I ask the boys to put off their shoes and jackets. They begin with exploring the space. The long black curtains and the pile of isolation mats are apparently the most intriguing, so the first thing they do is a hide-and-seek game. They put out the theatre light: only the seeker may use the light function on his mobile. Unfortunately, it is really dark, so I am not able to record this game. After that, they climb on top of the pile of isolation mats and start to play with the foam that lies on top of it. They collect the foam and throw them toward each other.
After the throwing of the foam, they climb again on top of the pile of isolation mats and (in turn) jump off. They repeat the action a couple of times.
Finally, I ask the boys to jump one by one on the blue mat. We do this a couple of times. When this exercise is done, we collect our stuff and bike back to our place.
