CLOWNING METHODOLOGY

Exploring the Absurd and the Profound

What comes to your mind when you think of Clown? If you are thinking birthday party clown, or clowns blowing up balloons, then we are talking of different things. The clowning I practice is rooted deeply in theatre, the human experience, and political satire. It has been the greatest form of therapy for my own social anxiety, as well as in learning how to express myself and learn to be vulnerable in a way that honors my own integrity. It is also a form of clowning that evades definition - more akin to the Tao.

Rooted in the timeless traditions of clowning and enriched by a diverse artistic journey, I am a graduate of the Dream Theatre of Pure Form (part of Rubber Soul) in Athens, Georgia, an institution devoted to exploring the boundless reaches of performance through experimental theatre and the unspoken language of dreams. My journey as a clown has been shaped by my membership in the Sacred Pudding Society, where humor and ritual intertwine, and by my role as a founding member of the Order of the Golden Donkey, and the Totally Terrible Clown Troupe in Berlin. Here, we revel in the absurd, celebrating the transformative power of laughter and failure.

My craft draws deeply from a blend of influences: improv’s spontaneity, the mystical depth of esoteric traditions, and yogic philosophy, all creating a form of clowning that is both performative and meditative. The influence of the Hopi clowns is central to my practice, grounding it in an ancient lineage where humor acts as a mirror, reflecting the truths and contradictions of human nature. This approach allows me to create spaces where the spiritual and the comedic coexist, inviting audiences into realms of shared vulnerability and joy.