Chic-A-Boom

Form a large circle, including yourself.
Demonstrate a series of moves, asking your group to copy you, pointing your index fingers alternately up and down, and to the left and right.
Teach them the following chorus, making the appropriate moves with each line:
“….AAAAND, UP CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.
AND DOWN CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.
TO THE LEFT, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.
TO THE RIGHT, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.”
Then, moving into the middle of the circle, sing the following tune as you look directly at one person:
“HEY THERE [enter name,] YOU’RE A REAL COOL CAT.
YOU’VE GOTTA LOT OF THIS, AND YOU’VE GOTTA LOT OF THAT.
SO COME ON IN AND GET DOWN……”
At this point, invite this volunteer into the centre of the circle with you.
Resume singing the chorus, inviting the whole group to sing it with you.
After the chorus is sung, everyone in the middle of the circle invites a new person from the circle to join them.
This chorus and verse routine continues until everyone ends up in the centre of the circle, for one final rendition of the chorus.

Stand with your group as part of a circle, and teach them these groovy moves.

By way of demonstration, point your index fingers up into the sky alternating thrusts of each hand to a beat, ie left-hand up, then right-hand up, etc.

Next, perform something similar, but point down with alternate thrusts towards the ground. Invite your group to follow your moves.

Then, point your fingers to the left in and out, in and out, as you take little rocking steps to the left. And finally, point your fingers to the right, in and out, in and out as you’re taking jaunty little rocking steps to the right.

Okay, as you can tell, it’s in all in the delivery, but you’ve got the moves, here’s the tune…

“HEY THERE [enter name,] YOU’RE A REAL COOL CAT.
YOU’VE GOTTA LOT OF THIS, AND YOU’VE GOTTA LOT OF THAT.
SO COME ON IN AND GET DOWN……

….AAAAND, UP CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.
AND DOWN CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.
TO THE LEFT, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.
TO THE RIGHT, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM, CHIC-A-BOOM.”

Now it’s time to put it all together.

It starts with one person in the centre (you perhaps?) who will sing the first part of the little ditty, with attitude just dripping off you. Sing as you look directly at someone, use their name as indicated, and when you get to the “COME ON IN AND GET DOWN…” part, side up to this person, take them in your arm and lead them into the central limelight of the circle.

Then, you, your new cool cat, and everyone still standing in the circle thinking “When am I going to be dragged in?” will launch into a medley of “chicabooms” replete with groovy moves and spunk.

The up, down, left and right pointing of hands accompanies the chic-a-booms beat-box style.

Once you have sung the verse through, every person in the centre (it doubles with every verse) will turn to another standing in the circle and start all over again.

Two begets four, four begets eight, and within four or five verses, you’ve got everyone in the circle having a great time. And might I say, looking very cooool.

The more the merrier with this one. Chic-a-boom can work with a small group, but it’s over almost as soon as it starts. Save it for your really large groups.

Given the obvious singing and dancing elements of the routine, this is generally not an effective ice-breaker. So, consider your sequence with this one before launching into it, ie your group must be mentally and emotionally prepared to take this activity on.

Initially, all of the new people escorted into the centre of the circle will fear that they don’t know the lyrics to the tune, so don’t expect them to join you loudly in the chorus, just yet. Be sure to take the lead in the circle – perhaps singing a little louder than most – until you get a critical mass.

I often use this exercise to conclude my session or program. It leaves people on a high and allows the group to feel a sense of whole-group accomplishment.

Alternate Moves & Lyrics: Ordinarily, Chic-a-boom would be considered way too cool to be varied, but I guess you could be permitted to alter some of the lyrics or dance moves!

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Hilarious energiser ideal for crowded auditoriums.

Our programs are often criticised for being too much fun, and lacking in culture. Well, I’m here today to flatly reject such accusations. I want to share with you a wonderful little all-singing and all-dancing routine that has been passed on down through the generations…

You’ve heard the saying, it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s all about how you look. And these days, it’s all about looking cool. You know, that laid back, care-free approach, the swagger, the sun-glasses and trendy clothes [demonstrate this look as you speak]. Well, have I got an activity for you…

Coupled with one or more reflection strategies, here are some sample questions you could use to process your group’s experience after playing this fun energiser game:

Was this exercise fun? Why or why not?
How did you first feel when someone invited you into the centre of the circle?
How did you feel at the end, when everyone was dancing in the middle? Did it make a difference that you were no longer on your own?
Where else in your life does ‘strength in numbers’ make a difference to you?

Passive ‘Team-Building’ Session

What You Need: 8+ people, 60 mins
Props: set of 9 rubber spots, pens & paper

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Chic-A-Boom – wonderful circle game to finish your program on a high

The inspiration for Chic-A-Boom, and many more large-group energisers, was sourced from the following publication:

No Props No Problem by Mark Collard. 150+ interactive group games including ice-breakers, energisers, trust exercises & team-building activities

NO PROPS NO PROBLEM - $49.00 AUD

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Bill & The Button Factory

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People to People

Cat On Yer Head

Useful Framing Ideas

Reflection Tips & Strategies

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Passive ‘Team-Building’ Session

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