Wiggelo

Name and Purpose

• Wiggelo is a name-learning dance circle game where each player invents a move and the whole group copies it.
• Builds confidence, community, and a little bit of joyful silliness.

a.k.a.

• Wiggle Circle, Name Dance

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 8-16 | 8-30 players | 10-15 minutes | Standing or seated circle, indoor or outdoor

Materials

• No materials required

Quick-Run Card

1. Everyone learns the Wiggelo chant together (3 rounds to get comfortable).
2. One player steps forward or is named by the group.
3. Group sings: “Hey [Name]!” Player responds: “Hey what?”
4. Group repeats: “Hey [Name]!” Player responds: “Hey what?”
5. Group sings: “Show us how you Wiggelo!” Player leads a move. Everyone copies. Repeat with a new name.

Setup and Boundaries

• Signal: two claps = pause; three claps = all done
• Ensure enough space for each player to move their arms freely
• The game works standing or seated; adapt based on group needs

The Wiggelo Sequence

1. Everyone sings the chant together: “Wigg-elo-o wig-wig-elo-o” (repeat 3 times to get comfortable with the rhythm).
2. One player is called by name. The full sequence goes:
   • Group: “Hey [Name]!”
   • Player: “Hey what?”
   • Group: “Hey [Name]!”
   • Player: “Hey what?”
   • Group: “Say show us how you Wiggelo, say show us how you Wiggelo!”
   • Player: “My hands are high, my feet are low, and this is how I Wiggelo!” (They do any dance move or gesture they want.)
   • Everyone copies the move enthusiastically.
3. The chant starts again. The player who just went names (or points to) the next person.
4. Continue until everyone who wants a turn has had one.

How to Play

1. Teach the full chant and response sequence to the group using one demonstration round with the leader going first.
2. The leader names the first player.
3. Follow the Wiggelo Sequence above.
4. After their move, that player names the next person. Players can also volunteer by raising their hand.
5. No one is ever skipped without choice. Players who prefer not to lead can raise their hand for “Pass” and the group sings: “That’s okay, we’ll come back another way!” The game moves on and that player can raise their hand to volunteer later.
6. Continue until every willing player has led the group in a Wiggelo.

I-OPt Options

• Start
  • A (Active): Volunteer to go first or second
  • S (Support): Help teach the chant to players who are not sure of the words
  • Q (Quiet): Join the chant and clapping without leading a move yet
  • O (Observer): Watch the first two rounds, then join the chant when ready
• Mid
  • A (Active): Lead the group in a big, creative move when named
  • S (Support): Mirror each player’s move with extra enthusiasm
  • Q (Quiet): Do a smaller, lower-energy version of each mirrored move
  • O (Observer): Step back for one round, return for the next name call
• Late
  • A (Active): Try combining two moves in one Wiggelo
  • S (Support): Encourage players who seem nervous about their turn
  • Q (Quiet): Enjoy the rhythm of the chant and the energy without leading
  • O (Observer): Track how many different kinds of moves the group created
• End
  • A (Active): Suggest a final group Wiggelo where everyone does all the moves at once
  • S (Support): Lead a group cheer for everyone who shared a move
  • Q (Quiet): Share one word about the game
  • O (Observer): Name their favourite move they saw today

Inclusion Adaptations

• Players who prefer not to lead a physical move can do a hand gesture or a facial expression as their Wiggelo move
• Players who are seated can do upper-body-only moves; the whole group mirrors the adapted version

Stewardship Moment

• No materials to clean up
• Reflection: “We just learned everyone’s name and invented a move together. That is something you can only do with this exact group of people.”

Consent

• Pre-brief: “When it is your turn, you get to invent any move you want. For those not comfortable leading a move in front of the group, a hand gesture or a thumbs up as your Wiggelo is another option.”
• The “Pass” option is built into the game sequence so no player is put on the spot
• Mid-game check: After half the group has gone, do a quick thumbs up/sideways/down
• Opt-out/re-entry: Any player can raise their hand for “Pass” at any point and re-enter by volunteering later

Risks and Mitigation

• Players laughing at a move in a unkind way: set a positive tone in the pre-brief (“Every Wiggelo is a good Wiggelo”) and staff lead by copying each move enthusiastically
• Chant words getting muddled: practice the chant together twice before naming the first player

Warm-Up Suggestions

• “Echo Clap”: leader claps a rhythm, group echoes it; three rounds to settle in
• “My Name Is”: go around the circle and each player says their name with one small gesture the group copies

Debrief Questions

• What? “What move do you remember most from today? Whose was it?”
• So What? “What does it feel like to have a whole group copy something you created?”
• Now What? “What is one small thing you could do today to make someone else feel seen?”

Cleanup and Reset

• No materials to collect
• Quick visual check of the space before moving on