Well there are SOOO many questions rattling round my head I woke the neighbors so I best get rid of a few more to lower the noise.

I was wondering about finding a Clown willing to guide, Train, Critique, Praise and what not.. Don't Clown protect there territories with the fierceness of a Mother Wolf? How do you find some one willing to take you under there wings are they not afraid of possibly loosing some potentual future customers if the one they train becomes as good or even better than they are? Or is the Clown community more sharing than this? I mean here in the forums its one thing many of you all are from great distances apart what about real life hands on guidence?

Dartel

Check out the Clowns of America website there is a listing of all the clown alleys in the country I know there are a couple in Ma.
I belong to alley 225 in Springfield Ma
Any alley will help you get started in the right direction

I train people in my area willingly, however, I don't have any willing participants! I train and then hire them out. I actually teach clowning.

In your case, I would encourage you to go to at least 1 clown camp, seminar, convention, or something. That is where you will learn so much about being a clown.

I was fortunate enough early on in my clowning to "sit" under 2 mentors, who now work for me. 1 guy taught the first clowning class I ever went to, it was held at a local church. The other guy is from Russia, Yuri Chervotkin, who also works with Yuri Belov, both very famous world wide. Yuri lived in my town and was looking for clown work, I had a clown business, and I was looking to become a better clown. So, once a week I spent hours at his house practicing skits and improv comedy. It was fun, and funny, since he doesn't speak any english! I don't think he ever felt threatened. I will never be better than him! He still works for me. In fact he is doing a gig tonight for me & on Friday night. He is thankfull for the work & I can't do every show! He was very glad to pass on his knowledge to everyone in my company.

I have also been to countless seminars, conventions, mini clown schools, camps, etc.

I think if someone feels threatened they have a low self image or what I clown "low clown esteem".

Good luck! & God Bless!

A couple of thoughts

A: Decide if being a clown is what you really want. Will you get fulfillment by being a clown performer even if you never pursue it as a business? Thats a big question. If you go into this thinking that you're going to set up shop yourself, before you've even learned anything about the craft, then the clowns at an ability level who you'd most need to hear from won't take you seriously.

If I have someone come to me and genuinely wants to be a clown, to do the hard work...learn the physical, learn not just the makeup, but the whys of the makeup, learn what real clown character is, wants to actually be funny instead of just "sorta cute", and wants to put in a year or two practicing and honing before even thinking about doing this for money, then I'll coach them. I'm happy to have another clown in town and would be even happier if my student turned out even better than me.

On the other hand, if all they want is to go out there with a pocket full of balloons and a paint pallette, and simply be good enough to work for the local rent-a-clown shop (or start their own), then I'm not interested. A: there's too many of those already, and B: They don't need me to teach them that stuff...they can buy a book.

Having said that, start by attending your local Clown Alley. See if you can find a clown who's work you admire and simply pick their brain a bit, then ask if you can call them sometime. Same with clown courses. Most instructors are happy to maintain a relationship after the course is over. (Make sure the guy or girl is teaching because they like to teach, and not because they want you to work for them.)

Its important to find someone who's work you admire. So hang around long enough to know the difference between a good clown and a bad clown. Once you find a good one, start asking. They'll share if they see something in you.

And remember that in clowning, credentials really mean nothing for the most part. (The way some people throw this stuff around has always been a huge beef of mine) Anyway, don't hang on one guy's every word just because he's been around a long time. Years clowning doesn't mean squat. I know horrible clowns that have been doing this for twenty years. Won a skit competition once? Doesn't matter. (Most competitions come down to "who's act sucked the least?") And forget about what organizations they belong to. Any organization that requires nothing but a yearly fee to belong to is suspect as a credential. (You don't even have to be a clown to join Clowns of America). Owns their own clown business? Meaningless. Its been my experience that rent-a-clown bosses often teach just enough to get them out there making balloon animals, and thats it. I personally know someone who is promnent in the business in my area that doesn't even know what "auguste" means.

So the only credential you should really be interested in is this: Did they make you want to be like them when you saw them perform?

So, in review:
1. Get thee to the library. Take out every book about clowning you can find. Micheal Stolzenberg's books hit more than most, I think. Also learn the history of clowns. Pick up "Strutter's Guide to Makeup" if you can.

2. Take a course. Show you love clowning for clowning's sake and befriend the instructor...they're usually pretty easy to like. (but remember that every instructor puts his own slant on the art...so keep an open mind. Also, take the little clipart diploma they give you and line your birdcage with it. There's no such thing as clown graduation.)

3. Go to an alley and watch some clowns in action. If you keep your ears open at the meetings, you can find out where they're performing and go and see them in action. Then decide who you'd like to approach.

4. Go to any and every show you can go to that has clowns or comedy performers in it. Even if they are strange, arty clowns in Fringe-style productions for grownups. Go to the circus when it comes to town...twice. If a local fair or festival's press says "Whizzy the clown" will be there, go see him. Soak up everything you can.

I know I come off sounding a bit brash, but I believe in clowning and want to see it done well. I hold the art in the highest regard and believe that its not an easy art to learn.

Remember, its not an oxymoron to take clowning seriously.

Great advice. Thank you, Hopper! 8)

There is some good advice here for the newer clowns on the list. Since it has been awhile I thought I'd bring this to the front again.

I'm in a different "industry" - we fire safety clowns are not competing against each other (or against other clowns!) - so we are very open to helping each other and sharing material - skits, sound effects, techniques, whatever! In fact we do conventions to network and share this information across the country.

I realize we are not the "normal" clown type, but I did want to share that there is a group of clowns that are very open to sharing their secrets.

Ashes

I have found ashes that the better the clown the more willing they are to share. And we all know that safety clowns are a pretty good bunch. Thanks.