We don't always spend our days, evenings, or hours together in a circle. Yet forming a circle is far more than a group technique for singing or playing games. The circle is a symbol of encounter, a search for unity.
When people join a circle, they come to participate. They are not spectators but members of the group. And in a circle, there are no first places or last, no premium seats and second-rate ones. In a circle, no matter how different the participants may be, everyone is equal—all the same distance from the center.
In the symbolic circle shown here, fire burns at the center. We may not gather around an actual fire very often, perhaps almost never. But we always gather around something: a shared idea, a common theme, someone or something greater than ourselves.
When a circle forms, it always forms around a center.
The Leader
In the circle, one person stands. This doesn't make them a chief, a performer, or someone who refuses to sit and thus stands apart. This is the leader—the person who will bring the group to life, who will make everyone feel as one through games, songs, dances, and sometimes through silence.
To bring a group to life, the leader must be alive themselves—animated by a joy of living and able to pass this essential quality to others. It shows through concrete skills. The leader must:
- have a strong voice
- be clear and simple
- demonstrate by example what the group will do
- have good taste
- react quickly
- be a good organizer
And the leader must know the techniques well: how to sing if singing is needed, and know the words to the songs.
Most importantly, the leader must be deeply attentive to every person in the group. The role is to spark participation, to make it possible for everyone to take part. This is not a performance. It is a call to participation. Which means activities must be within everyone's reach. Of course, at different moments only one person or a few will be in the middle of the circle. But everyone gets a turn. The leader must know when to step back while others perform. Then reappear to link one activity to the next.
This demands good preparation. You cannot improvise. Improvisation may happen at moments, yes—but only within the framework of a clear, well-prepared plan. Well-prepared means:
- having enough activities for the time you have
- knowing how long each activity should last (don't let a game drag on until people lose interest) and planning the flow (follow an active game with a calmer song, then move to something more energetic)
- having learned the song words, knowing the sequence of roles, having assigned responsibilities
- having all materials ready and at hand (objects, costumes, instruments). Nothing kills atmosphere and attention like hunting for supplies in the middle of an activity
- planning—and watching—when to end.
The Technique
A few more notes on the circle itself—this basic technique that builds attention, creates atmosphere, and embodies and realizes participation.
- The circle can be oval for certain games or performances, but it should not be jagged, so everyone can see everyone else.
- If you have more than 30 or 40 people, use two rows with alternating positions, so no one blocks anyone's view of the center.
- Participants should be seated—all seated. Anyone who refuses to sit refuses to participate. If sitting on the floor is planned, have some chairs or stools available for those who cannot sit on the floor due to age or disability. Otherwise they would have to stand, unable to focus and outside the group.
- Once performers finish their turn in the center of the circle, they must immediately return to their place. Otherwise unity and participation suffer.
Finally, the circle technique can be used:
- to begin a more active or scattered activity, or to explain a movement game
- to end an activity, a meeting, or a day—to bring people together, to say goodbye before leaving, to pray together
If people remain standing in these moments, holding hands will help the group come together and feel unity, joy, and final harmony.
- Nicole Schulthes, 1988