Danish Clapping

This item is not in the library — it is a part of: Improvisational Theatre and Music Games.

Stand in pairs in front of each other. You will move in rhythm with your partner.

Start with slapping your laps together and on the next beat individually choose a direction to point with both hands (top, left, or right).

As long as players show different directions on the beat (one player up, one left; or when both show "their" right which results in hands pointed opposite ways, etc.) the game continues in a steady slap-point-slap-point loop.

But in the case that both players showed the same direction, next time after slapping your laps, don't point but clap each other's hands on that beat ("high 10").

If it's easy to you, speed up.


There are a few variants for this, e.g.

  • make everyone keep a steady rhythm together,
  • don't split into pairs, but interact with your neighbours in the circle — with "high 10" if you both point to each other (common rhythm needed),
  • have a different base sound instead of lap slapping,
  • have more options of direction — add pointing down,
  • harder but interesting option is to have a "high 10" right after pointing in the same direction (skip the slap).


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