photo by Medeea Haruki

“You cannot create an experience, you can create [conditions] for an experience.” — Seth Minard

Last autumn, I participated in the Stone Soup, an experience design camp (30 Aug–3 Sept 2018, Przyborowo, Poland). It was the second edition, after one in California.

Post-factum, I would call it the Experience-Makers’ Experience. When describing it to people, I say “Burning Man, minus: crowd, desert, drugs or the price tag”. Is there anything left? Apparently, a lot!

There are parts of LARPs, scout camps, artsy kindergarten projects, improv theatre, and unconference-like workshops. Though, what made it special was this on-site creativity and improvisation. There was a framework, but except for supplies (food and artistic), we were left to own devices.

The schedule was bottom-up and dynamic.

Before

I got invited by Magda Jagielska, my closest friend’s closest friend. Looking at the list of participants (publicly updated as we signed up), I got intrigued. On the one hand — creative and successful people, who already contributed to curious projects in experience design. On the other — I was a bit afraid that it may turn into a “cooler than thou”-fest of self-absorbed divas (myself included).

Though, my reasoning was simple: if people sign up for some random, bottom-up improvised event, for its intrinsic value, well… then it is exactly the self-selected crowd I am looking for!

I wanted to experience things that will change my mindset/approach. “Prepare for unforeseen consequences” was not a G-man’s grim threat, it was my wish! I mean, learning a skill or two is cool. So is pure enjoyment/pleasure. Yet, not all nice is impactful, and I aimed for the later.

Consumption

There was a temptation to write about all the experiences. But… I tried a few times, and it looked meek. Some things were too immersed in the mood & context, others are anything but words. The same way as an Instagram photo of a dish does not transmit its smell, taste, and texture. Unless you are have already experienced something, subtle hints won’t recall the experience.

Footage by Gunnar de Jong

Some examples, though:

contact improv & playfighting (I co-lead)

fire dance show

dynamic medication (~releasing emotions with shouts, movement, etc)

relaxation room, for napping, less-dynamic medication

as a random challenge, I have made a drama with a tree (shouting that they don’t love me anymore); but reconciled later!

field games and quests (a trip to an island to recover words)

brainstorming on creating experiences (what is an experience? what is a guided one, what is a game, what is a sandbox?)

“[A game is a] voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles” — Bernard Suits