Kitty in the Corner
Kitty in the Corner is a movement and spatial awareness exercise derived from the playground game in which participants simultaneously attempt to cross the space and claim open positions while a central player tries to occupy a vacated spot. The exercise trains physical decisiveness, reading group movement, and the ability to act quickly on an emerging opportunity before it closes.
Structure
Setup
Participants stand at marked or designated positions around the perimeter or at fixed points in the space. One participant stands in the center with no assigned spot.
Progression
The central player makes eye contact with one or more participants on the perimeter, initiating a signal to exchange positions. Participants who receive or observe the signal begin moving to a new spot. The central player simultaneously moves to claim an open spot.
As positions are vacated and claimed, multiple exchanges may cascade. Any player caught without a position becomes the new central player.
Conclusion
The exercise runs for a set time or number of rounds until all participants have experienced the central role. The facilitator may increase difficulty by requiring silent exchanges or by reducing the number of available spots.
How to Teach It
Objectives
Kitty in the Corner targets spatial decisiveness, the reading of group motion, and the ability to act on an available opportunity without hesitation. In improv terms, it trains the moment of commitment -- reading what is available in the scene and moving into it before the moment closes.
How to Explain It
"There are only so many spots. When someone moves, a spot opens up -- but only for a moment. Read the room, see what's available, and move into it. Hesitate and someone else takes it."
Scaffolding
Begin with slow, deliberate exchanges to allow participants to understand the spatial dynamics before increasing speed. Introduce the pressure of the central role gradually by reducing the number of available positions or requiring eye contact confirmation before movement.
Common Pitfalls
Participants often freeze in the moment of opportunity, watching an available spot rather than moving into it. This hesitation is the exercise's primary diagnostic moment. Coach participants to commit to the move the instant they identify the opening, trusting their read of the room rather than waiting for certainty.
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How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Kitty in the Corner. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/kitty-in-the-corner
The Improv Archive. "Kitty in the Corner." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/kitty-in-the-corner.
The Improv Archive. "Kitty in the Corner." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/kitty-in-the-corner. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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