Hi there,

I've just decided a few days ago that I should have a proper go at the first thing I ever wanted to be (when I was 3). In fact, it was more than a year ago -the decision ;-)... never mind. I've ordered a couple of books, searched the net, found your site... I intend to a attend a course later in the year, as well as get together with some friends who have done some clowning, develop my character and makeup. I think my name is going to be nobody (nadie in spanish) at the moment.

Now, I've gone nuts with the amount of skills a clown seems to need: ballooning, magic, music, face painting, juggling, balancing, ventriloquism, etc. I would appreciate your advice here on how to prioritise. Take a deep breath...

Lets start with a quick inventory of what I've got.

- sports (that at least I know the basics of): karate (with throws and breakfalls), kick-boxing, kali (stick fighting), aikido, taichi, soccer, basketball, voley ball, table tennis, swimming, baseball, canoeing, gymnastics, basic inline skating, cycling

- dance (know at least a couple of steps or moves): tango, salsa, vals, rock and roll, flamenco, hip-hop, moonwalking, some Michael Jackson's moves, robot, can learn some pop song choreography

-music: play guitar a little, can sing along -in tune ;) but not fancy stuff, some basic melodies in a flute

- arts and crafts: I love splashing colour on a surface, call it abstract painting, better if it is with my fingers... can draw with resemblance, but takes too long (and I'm the only one to recognise the subject :(. make quick puppets out of paper plates for children to colour. I'm normally handy, havne't tried the auguste way yet. May be able to borrow an air brush

- other: done first aid course, access to basic medical equipment; my father always complain I abuse gesturing with my face, I rather think of myself as a multimedia person, what my mum would call expressive. mmm and I can juggle 3 balls for a few passes (I know, not very impressive) Speak english, spanish, a few words (literal) of italian, french and dutch

- I like children but didn't want to be a teacher. I'd like to be a professional, even though a part time one: I mean I want to do a professional work and and get a proper pay as well. l'd like to make laugh children in hospitals and with special needs... their are my weakness. My initial market is children's parties... thinking already of some friends's kids I could start up with.

Now from this I reckon I should focus on physical comedy. I have also set my eyes on balloons (I can only make a sword but not a dog yet) and think of face painting with air brush and a few stencils as a not so hard beginning. On the other hand, juggling and magic are amazing, but difficult to master... or not?

So, my questions are:
1- do I have enough skills to get me started? which ones should I use initially (from my inventory)
2- which new ones should I start with? -I prefer those which are faster to master and or give the biggest result
3- is it better to have few skills but a repertoire of 'tricks' in each of them?
4- or is it better to know a couple of tricks of many disciplines? both questions, in the context of starting out
5- any suggestions on this regard? at this stage I don't mind composing a show entirely of things other people do or have done, I'm already coming up with a Karate Kid moment or two, of my own :)

apologies for the extension...
ps I've noticed there is not emoticon here with a red nose :(

thanks a million clowns
nadie

I forgot to tell you the important bit... thanks for being there, the questions of those starting out and the answers of those with more experience really help

:)

WOW sounds like you are well on your way. you have alot of skills to throw into the ring if you where here id hire you as my sidekick :D Can ya do a cowgirl clown? Its great to have you here in our little group. hope you can join us in the chat room on thursday night. It starts at around 8 or 9 pm eastern time. as for your questions.
sounds like you have alot of skills to get you started now what you can do is put them into a act that your target audience will enjoy. and if they are kids ya might want to learn balloon twisting all kids love a balloon and they are not hard at all to learn. First thing you might want to do is work on your character what kind of clown are you gonna be, what kind of personality does it have.I am a cowboy clown and gear my character and my acts tward Mr. Buckaroo Cowboy Clown. that would be your first direction to go then from there you can build on it in any directions you feel comfortable. im sure someof the other clown in here will be able to help you with your questions also. Again it is great to have you here and hope to talk to you more.
Dave "Mr. Buckaroo" Gittings

Hey there Hi There Ho There Nadie....

Your list of knowledge is impressive, and will help you in the long run to become the best clown you can be.

One of the first things that you can do to begin on this great journey is find out about your character Nadie and what she likes doing best. Balloons seem to be what I am naturally best with, and I've managed to work in some really great magic with it. Whatever you choose to do, it must be something you're comfortable with. I tried to learn some of the more involved magic, but just doesn't work well with my clown character.

I would also suggest checking out some of the great books on clowning. I found some of the best ones at my local library, and now I have a few in my collection, although most of them deal with balloons.absorb as much reading as you can, and practice practice practice.

Congratualations on coming aboard. This place is a great resource, and we even have Thursday night chats at 8pm central standard time so you can join us if you like.

Remeber to have fun.....:)

Hello, Nadie. Welcome to our cyber alley.
It sound like you have a great start at clowning. Concentrate on three things that you now can do well. EG, Juggling, Gymnastics( Physical comedy for lack of a better term) and face painting. concentrate on those three things and then add one thing like, Balloon twsting, or magic, to learn.
I think you have a good foundation, however, Are you funny in a non obnoxious way? Are you good with kids? I think at this point the best thing to do would be to concentrate on developing your character and makeup. Sit down with pen and paper and write a short biography about your clowns character.Inculding:
Name:
Birthday: Mines Oct. 31. The date that I first tried the tramp face
Mental Age: are you a little kid, or an older person,
Physical description: tall, short, awkward, lanky,
Personality:Are you happy or sad? are you a giggly little girl, or a very awkward tomboyish type?
Favorite color:
Siblings:
This will make you think about your character and how you will act in character. it will also help you to keep your story straight about yourself when you are talking to people.
You've got a lot to draw from. But focus on just a few things at first, then add to the repertoire
Hope this is helpful.
Remember, there pullin for ya. Were all in this together.
Scruffy

Hi guys,

thanks for the replies. I need to ask first of all, when you say you chat at around 8-9 pm, can you tell me where you are and what time would it be in the UK -where I am? I'm confused about the times that appear in the messages.

I think I'll start as you say, with what I've got (mostly physical skills). Face painting doesn't seem too difficult, specially if I use stencils and air brush. However, my juggling is quite limited, so I may pick 5 different animals to do with balloons to start with.

I won't be practicing much in the next couple of months, but I can do character development. I'll keep make up minimal, but I want to be a clown with the red nose and the big shoes (auguste type, the first one I remember).

Funny that you assumed Nadie is female. Nadie means literally, NObody, and it's inspired in a famous charater called Who, who plays in the first base, or something similar, according to the Marx brothers. We have a joke: "Nobody is perfect, but who wants to be Nobody?". I think it may be a good intro... Anyway, it was mean to be gender-neutral. I'd like to be a gender neutral clown. I thought they all were, by definition, unless a very specific character is defined. Like angels ;-) I haven't read enough about this topic, what do you think?

Whatever, since I have to start where I am, Nadie is 5 years old, my mental age. I'm curious, get excited about new things, I will attempt anything, I'm shy and frienly, emphatic and smiley, and get distracted easily, but I can be stubborn too. I'm self motivated and will persist until I get what I want. There is not failure for me, there are challenges, and I'll always try again. I enjoy jokes about poo too. I feel very bad if I see a child crying, and I'm really, really, scared of angry adults and frigthened children (well, and dogs and bees). would you want to play with me?

Now, I have a question...does anybody know how long after seeing a clown's show people still smile?

thanks a lot
clown hug to all

birthday:29th of february.. :)

hey nadie thanks for the education on the name.
im not sure what time it would be there for the chat but its very early in the am I think
as to where it is in the list of what is in here where it says clown chat just click on that and it will take you right to the chat room. Figured it out and I think its gonna be about
1 or 2 am your time for the chat

...does anybody know how long after seeing a clown's show people still smile
[/quote]

THE MEMORIES LAST FOR YEARS. 8)

Welcome Nadie. the only thing I would add to every ones's suggestions is that you think carefully about any magic or skits you plan to do, if nadie is 5 can nadie read?, Write? remember to do things that are with in Nadie's age of experience.

I also think balloons are the easiest skill to learn, atleast the simple one, which is what most children want and they tend to expect a clown to know how to do balloons.

thanks a lot for your advice and responses.
I'll start with the balloons then... they are fun too :)

and yes, Nadie reads and writes, but is terrible at maths (however makes no mistakes if there are sweets involved). I would rather not speak if at all possible. I guess that's easier if there are more clowns around.

How do you guys go about that - not speaking?

I hope my name explanation thing didn't offend anyone, I didn't mean it to sound pedantic...

I'm really glad I've found this forum, you are the only real clowns I know.
thanks.. a lot

Welcome, Nadie

Have to say well done on finding your character, as I still haven't found mine. As for the time of the Clown Chat, I dont really know as I got confused about the USA time and the British time zones.

I was juggling once and I just talked to people while I did it. I made it so that it looked as though juggling was the easist thing in the world. That worked best with me although I was just juggling in some jeans and a shirt.

Not sure if that helps. Nice chatting to you :)

Shady Lamps; We are six and a half hours BEHIND you. And that is on the east coast. Mr. Buckaroo is nine and a half (I tkink) behind you beacause he is on the extreme western coast.
the US has four different time zones.

8O 8O wow! Thanks for clearing that up for me Scruffy, maths was never a subject that suited me :oops:

wished Ihad your skills when I first started But if you can do only a few things well then do them
Balloons are easy to learn if you practice them and you dont need to know a lot of different ones
I work with a clown who only does five or six things but he entertains while doing them and that is the important thing to make them laugh

The best advice I can give is K.I.S.S. - Keep It Super Simple

When I started doing stage shows for ren faires, a magician from Kansas City advised that most people in this age of multimedia have never seen some of the classic routines and simplest magic tricks. Up close and personal entertainemtn is an art that is quickly getting lost. A few basic trick can go a long way. Also, interaction with the crowd is very, VERY important. If it takes twicce as long to do a skit or an illusion because the kids are having fun teasing you (at your isistance of course, no hecklers) or because they are laughing so hard, then all that much better. Also, dont be afraid to improvise. Some of my best work has happened in mid show and has affected every future show. (in one trick I have the audience blown on a book to remove the color from the pictures and when they do i tell them thanks and offer someone in the back a breath mint)

The best thing I can say is plan a 30 minute show and add to it as you get more. I usually have about 30-45 minutes of basic magic and then 15-20 minutes where I make ballon animals and hats for all the kids at the party. At the renfaires I dont do balloons, however, I do puppetry in between with the aid of a storyteller (usually my daughter)

Funny thing, the night before my first stage show I was a nervous wreck. My family was stunned as I had been an attention hog for years - not to mention performing short bits as a clown for over 12 years. I was unable to eat breakfast the next morning, but after the first performance I was OK. Its always nerve wracking to try something new, even for those of us who have been clowning for a while.

kiss - that's a useful piece of advice, specially when starting out

i think i'll have to watch a couple of clowns in action to see what a show is or can be, because I've forgotten when was the last time i saw one... still remember the first though...

[quote="...Balloons seem to be what I am naturally best with, and I've managed to work in some really great magic with it. .....:)[/quote]
Hi I'm learning to clown and I really like doing the balloons, and I'm about to go hunting for jokes related to those balloons and their body parts - but a question about the magic - I'm intrigued about the magic bit... how can I learn more - is it in general magic books and then adapting or are there some specific balloon magic?
My character's name is un-confirmed maybe betty (and I'm in New Zealand) but I can't do flash magic because people can see right through me cause I'm so honest, I'm happy and loveing, and like simple things, I'll be doing street magic, I think I saw "strolling" somewhere and maybe heading towards hospital/resthome kids as a hobby.
This is a real cool site, my internet bill is going up up up!
I've got my first...arh "engagement" later this month - a week after NZ has its International Juggling Festival - yippe cant' wait to go and soak up some talent.
So, I'd appreciate any help with the balloon magic bit.
thanks
Betty
PS this is my first post and I don't know really what I'm doing - I'm still trying to find the chat button, oh well

Betty is great to have you join us, I'm in the USA, Isn't it great we can meet this way?

Greetings from cold snowy michigan! Nice to have you aboard Betty, come and joing uf for chat sometime!

welcome betty a big cowboy clown wave from oregon hope to see more of your around

ah welcome welcome, I'm across the pond. I'm in the green hills of Ireland :D Welcome Betty

nadie can do ALOT with skills like that

some good news--nadie seems to be naturally good at the type of slapstick that other clowns have to practice and try to learn

i worked with a clown from Russia named iace,she wood spin hula hoops and jump thru them as they were rolling,then invite the kids to do the same

Something very simple you can do with juggling is simply to throw one of the balls to a kid and then invite the kid to throw it back,keeping the juggling going.Every kid wants to do it

At picnics when they have music going grab a kid who is not afraid and do examples of all the dances you know how to do

communicate to the kids that you want them to copy you--karate,tango,split,etc and when each kid tries clap BIG for them

when you have a few bucks to invest buy a unicycle--big,little,tiny bike,giant bike--not all performers are limber enough to use these props and you will be sought

market yourself as being a very physical,slapstick,sports oriented clown because those skills are unique,but absolutely learn the more usual popular skills like balloons and face painting

look in public venues for children to see free shows that have performers who specialize in your type of interest--you will see what they do that works well and what is harder and needs work

most importantly--GET OUT THERE--and do the stuff you are good at even though you are learning. All the books and boards will not teach you as much as one real child's face

good luck to nadie,i'm jealous of all those skills!

Hey, thanks for my warm welcome
found the chat room, hopefully see you's next week
I think I've sorted my character - might have two different roles - I'm trying to figure out if its acceptable to have like a flower fairy for the small groups/individuals to bring joy and happiness and healing - like a character clown or if that just doesn't fit. I'm not sure what tricks a flower fairy does ! hmmmm have to think on that.
and then a white-face clown for the street...
Anyway, thanks for your support
I'm off to do more research and then onto juggling practice... :)

Hey rainbow-the-clown, thanks for the advice.

Can't do hula hops... too bad. Liked your idea of getting kids (and adults) to imitate different dance/martial arts moves. I was thinking of developing a choreography that takes me from ballet to tango, through hip-hop, break dance and vals, or the like, with falls and clumsiness all the way. Then I can get the kids to do it. Or maybe the other way around. I think this should be the last part of the show, because I would like to finish with everybody in the audience dancing about, then move to a corner and do my balloons or painting face or whatever.

I know bananatree said to design a show for 30 min. but how long should and individual routingelast? 5 min. 10?

I've set my eyes on unicycles as well (did you read my mind), but that's a skill it's hard to master so can't count on it on the short term (maybe I should dig out my inline skates). On the other hand, throwing balls to kids requires quite a proficiency in ball juggling, and so many things can go wrong (my skill level is very low on that one).

However, other juggling skills such as poi or staff seem very easy to me, coming from some weapons training it's familiar ground. I've learned a few poi tricks in just a couple of hours (they are more extensions of your body, so they a lot easier to control) and as I kept hitting myself on the process I felt it could be easily included in a show. I've been practicing with a pair of long socks filled with a juggling ball each, but switched the filling to a sock to make it less painful. You can find lots of poi tricks here: www.homeofpoi.com

I thought making big foam poi may make it funny and safe for a show (hit the children as well). Ideally, I would have a whiteface demonstrating the proper tricks and I would be attempting it with different outcome :) Since I'll be initially working alone, at friend's children parties or the like (indoors), it has occurred to me that I could video record a performance by my own 'demonstrating' whiteface, and play the video, trick by trick, so the kids actually know what I'm trying to achieve. I know it sounds complicated, and not all setups allow for it. Has anybody tried this arrangement?

thanks again

i can't answer everything there but I do have a suggestion--

1. you should have more than one time frame or length show 15 min,30 min depending on the clients needs

2. your idea about the dancing/martial arts is great! Be sure and market it by telling clients all dances etc that will be presented,and stress that the show is participatory

A good buzz word is--Edutainment--you are educating the kids while entertaining them

If you ever make a video,i'd buy it!

Hiya there Nadie;

Sounds like you've got what it takes, I've been clowning for about six years (when I can-not as often as I'd like to) and I'm still a newbie.

By the bye, welcome from "Sin City"--Las Vegas, Nevada.




Walmoe/Wilmoe

I wanted to renew this thread simply because there is some interestion information, some nice sharing of stories and to say that it is too bad that our overseas crew hasn't kept in touch. It would be interesting to see how they are doing now.

This venture you are heading into will become a more defined path the further down it you go. Pretty profound fer a clown huh!!! It's great to learn a little about a lot of the skills at first. Then I predict you will choose a few to master. Also learn the history of the craft, it will fascinate you and give you a better since of where clowning came from and where it's going. I welcome you to what will probably become the most fulfilling thing you have ever undertaken. And I urge you to really be the best clown you can become and never stop learning. There are far to many Hokey the amazing party clowns out there. Practice being ON as I put it, you don't need make-up or a costume to clown. Some of the greats were not "circus" clowns, like Laurel and Hardy or a host of others. I always carry magic on me as well as business cards of course. I have my small prop bag (balloons, juggle stuff, and so on) in my car. And yes it goes on vacation with me. There are many times you will be moved to make someones day . . .or at least make em smile. So be prepared and it's also great fer busyness!!!! Best of luck, it's as close to being a super hero as human's will ever get!!

I've really gotta start checking the dates on these darn things!!!!

Hi Betty I'm Sassy Frass.
Welcome:D