Energy games are theater and improv warm-ups built around "passing" a burst of energy around a circle to sharpen focus, listening and ensemble timing. The most famous is usually called Whoosh (or "Whoosh Bang"): you send the energy to your left or right, and bounce it back to change direction.
The setup
- Everyone stands in a circle, facing in.
- One player starts holding the "energy" — an imaginary ball of it in both hands.
Passing it: "Whoosh"
- To pass, turn to the neighbour on your left or right, sweep both arms toward them and say "Whoosh!". The energy travels that way around the circle.
- Whoever receives it immediately whooshes it onward the same direction, keeping it moving fast.
- It lives on eye contact, commitment and not breaking the rhythm.
Changing direction: "Bang"
- Instead of passing it on, throw both hands up toward the incoming energy and say "Bang!" — this bounces the whoosh back the way it came, flipping the round.
- Now it travels the other way until someone bounces it again.