Trust
Partner and group exercises designed to build and demonstrate trust through vulnerability, reliability, and mutual support.
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Related Exercises
Team Confidence
Group exercises that build collective confidence through shared success and mutual encouragement.
Positive Chair Exercise
Positive Chair Exercise is a supportive exercise in which each player sits in a designated chair while the rest of the group shares genuine compliments or positive observations about that person. The exercise builds ensemble trust, counters the vulnerability of performance, and establishes a culture of mutual support within the group.
Free Falling
Free Falling is a trust exercise in which one player falls backward and is caught by a partner or by the group. The falling player surrenders physical control entirely, trusting that the group will support them. The exercise develops trust, physical vulnerability, and the experience of genuine dependence on others -- a state that most professional and social contexts actively discourage.
Circle Sitting
Circle Sitting is a trust exercise in which players stand in a tight circle, turn to face the same direction, and simultaneously sit on the knees of the person behind them. When successful, the entire group supports each other in a freestanding circle of seated bodies. The exercise demonstrates the power of collective trust and cooperation.
Blind Lead
Blind Lead is a classic trust exercise in which one player closes their eyes while a partner guides them through the space using touch or voice. The exercise builds trust, communication, and sensitivity to a partner's needs. It is foundational to many physical and ensemble-building curricula.
I Like You Because/I Love You Because
I Like You Because/I Love You Because is a connection exercise in which players take turns expressing genuine appreciation for specific qualities in their partners. The exercise builds trust, vulnerability, and ensemble warmth. It works best when participants move beyond surface compliments to specific, observed qualities.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Trust. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/trust
The Improv Archive. "Trust." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/trust.
The Improv Archive. "Trust." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/trust. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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