Soft shoe shuffle is is an effective and energizing method for group discussions. It is a group conversation in motion. We recommend it for discussing controversial topics, opinion forming, decision making and to bring a fresh wind into encrusted conversation habits.
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Soft shoe shuffle is a practice of Deep Democracy. Deep Democracy is a methodology developed to foster a deeper level of dialogue, inviting a variety of opinions in a safe environment.
We have seen stuck group decisions with a few filibusters dominating the discussion turn into a lively process with a quick resolution everyone could go with - just by shifting from a plenum discussion to a soft shoe shuffle process.
Soft Shoe Shuffle is adapted from the process-oriented work of psychologist Arnold Mindell and has been developed further by Myrna Lewis
The participants should be able to move in the room. If you have physically handicapped, e.g. people who cannot manoeuvre their wheelchairs by themselves, they will need assistance to change their position in the room.
Can be done on the spot, no preparation needed.
Ask the group to stand up and spread out in the room.
Then explain: We will use the space in the room to make visible the different perspectives of our topic.
Whoever wants to can make a statement. Say it loud and clear so everyone can hear it well. Make it short, not more than one sentence. The rest of the group listens to the statement and moves in relation to the speaker according to how much they agree with the statement. For example, if you agree, stand right next to the person, if you disagree, stand across from the person on the other side
of the room.
Read out loud your common question or unfinished sentence. Have one of the people in the group offer an observation/statement about the issue that is being discussed.
Have those that feel the same way move close to the speaker; those that feel differently move away (distance depends on
how strongly they feel). Have the group pause and look at where everyone has ended up.
Invite new statements. They can either refine a previous statement or create a unique one. Make the group adjust their place in the room according to the new statement. Give them the official allowance to change their minds again and again and encourage them to keep moving with each new perspective according to what feels right to them.
Get a feel for the process. Sometimes it is just fine to hear the statements and see the group move accordingly. Especially in decision processes this might be enough and the group automatically finds a statement everyone can agree on and a decision is found. In soft shoe shuffles that are more about exploring a topic or sharing insights and opinions you could support the group with a few facilitation interventions. Here are some suggestions:
-Invite further exploration. For example, look at the people who are farthest away. Ask them if they would share why they are standing
where they are. If others find the perspective compelling, they can readjust their location based on this new information. Then, someone else may offer a clarifying statement that deepens the understanding and people may move closer (or further away) from
that person. In this way, the shuffle starts to flow and the perspectives get clearer.
-Inviting quiet people: Don't ask a quiet person directly, but something like "Does any one of those who have been quiet so far want to share?" Look for eye contact with some of the people who haven't said anything so far.
There are 3 good moments for an end:
1. A consensus solution has been found and everyone gathers around one statement everyone agrees with.
2. The energy starts to lag.
3. You feel the important voices have been heard and the topic has been explored well.
In cases of 2 or 3, you can end with a statement that is good for closing. Make sure not to stop in the midst of a very controversial moment.
Depending on the topic you chose, you can:
-write down the found solution/agreed position, read it aloud and celebrate it.
-if it was more of an exploration topic you can let the participants journal their experience.
-you can have someone record all the statements that have been made during the process as a list or a graphic recording in shape of a position map of the topic.
"How closely movement and thinking are linked is often underestimated,this must be the reason why most discussions take place in a seated position. Soft shoe shuffle brings movement into group discussions and thus supports flexible points of view and agile minds."
