The group divides into pairs.
One person in each pair puts their hand up.
This person will go first (or second) it doesn't matter as long as you've selected one person in the pair.
That person is going to tell their entire life story to the other person in exactly a minute.
From the moment they were born to the moment they walked through the door into class ... in just 60 seconds.
The other person has one job. To listen.
After the minute has passed - the second player must repeat the story BACK to the story teller using the first person tense - "I was born..."
Now reverse roles.
Instead of their life story, the improviser can talk about something they are passionate about. This is called One minute inspiration.
This exercise is about active listening. Not listening the way we do it in every day life - with one ear on the conversation and our brain whirling. No. Proper focus, concentrating on the other person. Taking it all in.
Take in tone of voice, facial expressions, turn of phrase...
Listen with no expectation of interrupting of replying.
If your arm was a sentence spoken aloud then the elbow would be the point that most people would stop listening and start thinking about what they wanted to say next. Don't be that person. Don't stop at the elbow.
Also, we sometimes don't listen to ourselves, we can muddle things up and repeat the information. Listening can help with this too.
"For a person to truly listen, they must do so with the possibility of their minds being changed."