Have you ever found yourself running from one in-game meeting, pre-negotiated scene, and secret ritual to another, feeling like there’s no time to larp in this larp? You may be suffering from a Full Dance Card Syndrome! In this talk, Anni Tolvanen addresses the impact of dance card larping on participant experience and demonstrates why steering for openness and serendipity creates powerful larp magic and more inclusive play for all.
Anni Tolvanen is a Finnish sound designer, composer, and creative producer. She works internationally on participatory art and games projects and has co-created various larps over the past 25 years. Her article “Ensemble Play” in What Do We Do When We Play? (Solmukohta 2020), co-authored with James Lórien MacDonald, talks about artistic co-creation methodology and its relevance to creating better participatory experiences, and a more inclusive larp community.