No.146
Jenka: A Walking Adaptation
Japanese name: ジェンカ（歩く体験）
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Diagram key
- A
- First 8 beats
- B
- Step left
- C
- Return
- D
- Step right
- E
- Next 8 beats
- F
- Right foot forward
- G
- Close feet
- H
- Left foot back
- I
- Left foot forward
Materials
- A marker showing the direction of travel
- Chairs if needed
How to play
- In a separate area with no fire or candle stands, make short lines facing the same direction, with about 5 m clear ahead. Leave at least an arm's length in every direction. Do not hold anyone's shoulders or waist.
- The facilitator counts slowly from 1 to 8. Put your left foot out diagonally to the side and front, then return it, twice. Repeat with the right foot. Use one beat out and one beat back, making eight beats.
- Count another 1–8: step forward with the right foot and bring the feet together; step back with the left foot and bring them together; then take three small steps forward starting with the right foot and bring the feet together. Walk, without jumping.
- Join the two eight-beat sections. Repeat the 16 beats twice, then stop. At the facilitator's signal, walk back to the starting position and restore the spacing.
- After these two sets, invite a new counter and finish with one more 16-beat set. Seated participants extend their toes left and right and use their hands to show forward and backward movement, ending on the same beat.
Ways to adapt
Preschool children may just extend their toes to either side. Younger primary school children: practise the two sections separately. Older primary school children and adults: join the 16 beats. Everyone can also take part seated.