Ball Passing is grounded in the basic act of passing a ball from one person to the next. Teams of participants, organized in groups divisible by three, stand in rows on bleachers and pass brightly-colored 4” nerf balls, creating complex visual and temporal patterns. The action of passing a ball is extremely simple, yet the organization of the work—the rhythmic patterns and physical configurations—is exceedingly complex.

Because of the speed and complexity involved, “mistakes” are inevitable. Dropped balls are part of the game. Ball Passing is a constant struggle between entropy and organization—a conundrum that can only be solved by all participants working as one integrated unit.

Ball Passing can be learned by people of all ages and cultural backgrounds, and by those with diverse or limited performance experience. The game can be modified to meet the specific needs and skill sets of virtually any group of participants. Successful execution of the work requires three things: the desire to cooperate, trust in the interdependence within the group, and the willingness to push oneself beyond perceived limitations. Each and every member of the group is an integral part of the whole.

The process of learning and performing Ball Passing transforms a group of diverse individuals into an energized and coalescent team with a common purpose and a strong sense of belonging. Ball Passing engenders the kind of experience among its participants that has become less and less available in our culture: a non-competitive experience of play, fun and cooperation, achieved through the pursuit of a larger common goal.

The visual complexity, the rhythmic shifting of patterns, the surprise of dropped balls and the delight of recovery all serve to bring the audience into the game. Performed by volunteers from within and between smaller communities, Ball Passing is a spectacle that has the ability to create—for performers and audience alike—a greater sense of connection and belonging within the larger community.