The Poetry of Nonsense: Clown & Presence

A 4-part workshop series aimed at exploring the poetry of the clown, via dynamic phenomena, both visible and abstract. The elements, objects and materials, colours, and music will serve as inspiration for clown discovery.
 
Inspired by the teachings of Jacques Lecoq, explore the logic of the clown via dynamic phenomena, both visible and abstract. The elements, objects and materials, colours, and music will serve as inspiration for clown discovery.

The clown asks us to open our eyes and to observe the world as they live and love to imitate life, so we’ll observe the every day and how the movements of nature correspond to movements of the human condition and emotion and how this can be applied to inspire your clown body and thinking.

There are in total 4 workshops over 2-day weekends across the year. Attending all 4 sessions is optional however the ideal scenario is that the same group of artists participates and plays together over the year so as to build on a shared language. (Please refer to dates and program breakdown).
 
Each session will include movement work; improvisation work and devised work in solo, duo, and group ensemble where you’ll have the ability to explore clowning in an open and playful setting. 

Part 1. Clown & Presence
Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th April | 10am-4pm

What is the essence of the clown (of your clown), its being state? Uncovering clown through silence and stillness and finding the pleasure in discovery.

A 2-day weekend workshop to explore the notion of presence and how to cultivate your inner voice as a clown ready to receive, feel and share with the world. You will encounter the stage and practice the state of being fully alive and present to the moment in all aspects – emotionally, physically and mentally. Nourishing self-awareness whilst feeding your imagination and creativity.

Like in life clowning is an adventure, so together we’ll embrace the uncertainty and enjoy the journey - searching for the beauty and poetry of your clown.

In two days we will explore:

• A sense of openness, available to make offers & receive them
• Establishing ‘complicité’ - connectedness and a shared understanding
• Finding the pleasure in discovery and treating each situation like it’s new
• Finding your fixed point, breath, enjoying the silences in between the sounds and actions
• Mini field trip – observing and listening to natural rhythms of life
• Lots of laughter

Part 2. Clown & the Body
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th June | 10am-4pm

Physical approaches to finding and creating a clownesque body via every day phenomena like materials, objects and nature.

Click here to learn more.

Part 3. Clown & Music
Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th August | 10am-4pm

Exploring live sound and different musical works to create moments of conflict and comedy for the clown.

Click here to learn more.

Part 4. Clown & Melodrama
Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd November | 10am-4pm

Investigation into finding a theatrical language to transform personal human tragedies and narratives into works of poetic clown performance for the stage. Be ready to work with strong, sensitive and confrontational themes.

Click here to learn more.

Important Info

What to bring

• Full water bottle as well as an open mind and heart

 
What to wear

• Please come prepared with movement friendly clothing
• Comfortable shoes to move in

 
Accessibility

• For information regarding 107’s Accessibility, please click here.
• Please let us know of any special needs or accessibility requirements

 
Refund & Cancellation Policy

• Full payment is required prior to the workshop
• No refunds or transfers
• In the event that The Clown Institute cancel the workshop, they will provide a full refund of the workshop fee

 
Filming & Photography
The Clown Institute reserves the right to make photographic and/or visual recordings of workshops for marketing (including website) and archival purposes only.

Minimum age requirements
These workshop sessions have an age requirement of 18+. Places are limited.

Contact
For further info and enquiries please email info@theclowninstitute.com or leash.gonzalez@gmail.com.

Who are you?

Open to all levels. Beginner and professional improvisers, stand ups, comedians, circus and theatre performance makers, actors and artists practicing the art of clowning or seeking provocation and growth.
 
Who am I?
 
Alicia Gonzalez (aka Clownzalez) is... a practicing, dedicated theatre clown and bouffon. She is also a director-performance maker specialising in physical comedy and ensemble improvised idiot theatre, film and education. She utilises physical training as central to the actor and clown. Her area of research is focused on the poetry and the metaphors that traverse and express out of the clown to help us reach an absurd profundity, a deeper understanding of the human condition, of the universal that goes beyond the personal.
 
She has lectured and taught clown at Laugh Masters Academy including a long list of other amazing and reputable art centres, academies and theatres across NSW. She is also performer and writer for the comedy troupe Choo Choo and the upcoming touring show You’ll Never Guess Where I Hid the Cheese. She has performed at the Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide Comedy and Fringe festivals. Alicia is proud to be Dr Ding Dong, a clown doctor for the Humour Foundation.

She trained in movement and clown in Paris, France, at Lecoq with the likes of funny man Jos Houben, also studied clown with the hilarious Virginia Scott in NYC, and Eric De Bont in Spain. When she’s not trying to find absurdity in the everyday idiosyncratic human condition, she enjoys drinking turmeric lattes (seriously. she drinks them everyday).