What You Got

How to Play

“The teams will engage in a dance battle, but if they fall off rhythm or off topic they will have to rotate.”

The teams form dance posses facing each other on opposite sides of the field, with one player at the front of each posse. The referee gets an audience suggestion of a relationship between people, assigns one side of that relationship to each team, and chooses who goes first. For example, one team might be teachers and the other students.

The starting team's front player says a short line about their side of the relationship and performs a movement to accompany it. The whole team, including the leader, repeats that same line and movement two more times, making three repetitions in total. The team then challenges the other posse with “What You Got?”

The second team's front player responds with a line and movement from their own side of the relationship. Their team repeats it twice more and says “What You Got?” Play alternates between the teams in this pattern, maintaining a steady rhythm.

When a player falls off rhythm or goes off topic, the referee calls for that team to rotate so a new player takes the front position. The referee gets a new suggestion, assigns the sides, and restarts the battle. Continue through further exchanges and rotations until the referee ends the game, ideally on a strong exchange or final laugh.

Variation

The referee may ask for any kind of suggestion instead of limiting suggestions to relationships. Topics can include objects, activities, or opposing concepts. Establish what each team represents before restarting.

The rules above follow the supplied Improv Circus format. Challenging Improv's rhythm guide also describes opposing teams repeating a phrase and dance move three times, including a version using things or concepts. Merlin Works describes the game as a team dance battle.

Examples

The suggestion is teachers and students. Each line comes with a simple movement, repeated with the whole posse twice before the challenge.

TEACHER LEADER: “Turn your homework in!” (Holds out a hand for papers.)

TEACHER POSSE, TWICE: “Turn your homework in!” (Repeats the movement.)

TEACHER POSSE: “What You Got?”

STUDENT LEADER: “My dog ate it!” (Mimes a dog chewing.)

STUDENT POSSE, TWICE: “My dog ate it!” (Repeats the movement.)

STUDENT POSSE: “What You Got?”

If the students lose the rhythm, the referee rotates their team and gets a new relationship, such as doctors and patients, before restarting.

Player Tips

• Use short, clear phrases that fit the rhythm and give teammates time to catch the movement.
• Choose a movement the whole posse can copy immediately. Commit to it together rather than adding different choreography.
• Listen to the opposing team's line and respond from your assigned side of the relationship.
• Keep the rhythm going while waiting for your team's turn, and repeat your leader's exact phrase and movement.

Host Tips

• Demonstrate one leader repetition, two full-team repetitions, and the “What You Got?” handoff before beginning.
• Clearly assign both sides of the relationship and announce the starting team.
• Use a steady beat at a pace that lets the teams speak and move together.
• Call rotations promptly for rhythm or topic failures, get a fresh suggestion, and restart with clear sides.
• Keep the game moving through several leaders and finish on an energetic exchange.