Rescue EdVentures

EMT Students Bond Over Yoga Ball Dance

Building a strong team is crucial in any profession, especially in emergency medical services where teamwork can mean the difference between life and death. As an EMT instructor, I often look for creative ways to foster camaraderie among my students, especially my DEA-Dual Enrollment Academy Students (high-schoolers who are attending college courses). Recently, I stumbled upon a unique icebreaker activity that not only broke the ice but also broke a few laughs – the Yoga Ball Dance Challenge.

As I was scrolling through Facebook, I found this video and knew we HAD to try it!

https://www.facebook.com/reel/572681205059057

It actually took me sometime to find the “perfect” yoga ball. Most are too large, and I needed it to fit through someone’s legs! So my poor husband was subject to receiving many different yoga balls from Amazon and had to practice with me until we found a good size. We finally figured out that is needed to be a small, 18-inch ball (and I ended up blowing them up even a little less). Here are the balls I purchased.

So, on the very first day of class, I walked into the classroom with six yoga balls (since I had 21 students and planned to divide them into two groups), and my EMT students exchanged curious glances. They had never worked with each other before, and I could sense the initial nervous energy in the room. It was the perfect opportunity to introduce an unconventional icebreaker activity.

I explained the challenge: Each pair of students (which was decided by them picking from a playing card deck) would stand with a yoga ball wedged between them. Their task was to perform the above dance routine without letting the ball fall to the ground. They had to rely on coordination, communication, and teamwork to keep the ball in place while grooving to the music.

As the students paired up and the video started playing, the room transformed into a dance floor of hilarity. Initially, there were fumbles, giggles, and many dropped balls – both literal and figurative. But with each passing minute, the laughter was contagious, and the students started to find their rhythm. I had the video play on a loop so they could keep watching and practicing!

The Yoga Ball Dance Challenge was more than just a fun icebreaker; it was a lesson in teamwork. To succeed in keeping the ball between them, students had to communicate effectively, anticipate each other’s movements, and adapt on the fly. It was a crash course in the importance of clear communication and mutual support, skills that are invaluable in the field of emergency medical services.

In just 10-15 minutes, the Yoga Ball Dance Challenge transformed a group of strangers into a team of EMT students. It broke the ice, built trust, and left us all with fond memories. As an EMT instructor, I learned that sometimes the most unconventional activities can be the most effective in fostering teamwork and camaraderie.

So, the next time you find yourself in a group of strangers, don’t be afraid to break out the yoga balls and dance your way to stronger connections. After all, life-saving teamwork begins with a little laughter and a lot of trust.