I have been fascinated by American/Australian clown and performer Ira Seidenstein‘s Four Articulations Method for some time. While I haven’t had any direct interaction with the method, it seems to be a creative method using tools and exercises to become more physically articulate with your body, and thus allow yourself to use your full capabilities to express yourself. Michelle Cajolet-Couture, […]
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I got a link to a video today, and after watching it, I felt a little sad/verklempt about Ringling going away. Â (If you don’t know the word verklempt, you should definitely look it up. Â Yiddish words have a way with getting to the heart of emotions. The video is a sad, maudlin, and touching pictorial tribute/video of Ringling clowns. It’s […]
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THE SECRET LIFE OF CLOWNS Former Cirque du Soleil clown (and Clown Conservatory director) Jeff Raz has written a great new book The Secret Life of Clowns that marries two jobs that he put his heart and soul into. For a brief time, Raz was doing both of these demanding jobs at the same time, and now, about 10 years […]
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My friend Trav SD, who writes the wonderful blog Travalanche, recently published the speech he gave at the Coney Island Congress of Curious Peoples. Â He was the keynote speaker, The topic is When Did the Circus Become Un-American. (or more accurately, when did the American Circus Become Un-American) Dick Zigun (founder of Coney Island Circus Sideshow) had suggested the topic […]
Read moreMontreal circus company Cavalia has a new show that opened recently in Chicago (playing through April 23, 2017 at Soldier Field). The show is called Odysseo and bills itself as “The Best Show Ever.” That’s a lot to live up to.  It’s a beautiful, sumptuous show that has amazingly talented acrobats, equestrians, and some of the most talented and trained horses […]
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Roxana Küwen is a circus artist and juggler.  Born in 1989 in Northern Germany, she graduated in 2013 from Fontys Academy for Circus and Performance Art in Tilburg, Netherlands. She completed internships at the circus schools ESAC Brussels, Die Etage Berlin and Le Lido Toulouse. In her second study year she specialized in static trapeze and foot juggling. Roxana’s foot juggling […]
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There’s going to be a clown event  called Laughs for the Left Behind – A Tribute to Patrick Cashin. next Saturday April 8 at 7 pm at the Seashore Day Camp and School 404 Broadway Long Branch, NJ 07740 As you might know, Pat Cashin was a well-loved and respected circus clown and performer who unexpectedly died last year– you […]
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On the website Complex, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus ‘s favorite clown Kinko opines about the new movie IT remake In case you weren’t aware, a huge portion of Coulrophobia (fear of clowns) can be traced to this one movie (and the original Stephen King book). Once the remake is released, I’m guessing even more! Here’s the trailer of the new […]
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While I know I’ve discussed the work of Jeff and Julie Jenkins (and their Chicago-based circus The Midnight Circus) I found a recent page on their website that details something I haven’t talked too much about. For as long as I’ve seen the Midnight Circus, I think they’ve always had a dog in the act. Â It’s been their family dog, […]
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Whoever said that Circus was on its way out hasn’t been to Chicago. Right now– there are a plethora of circus shows coming up in the next few weeks (and some are ending in the next few weeks, or even next few days. Â So don’t miss them!) Â And I’m sure I’ve missed a few as well. CIRCUS SHOWS IN CHICAGO […]
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Not my typical post for this blog, but these German Carneval float constructions are so good that I felt I had to share. Carneval is a time when things go upside down, and in Germany, that often means that the Carneval floats are merciless in their lampooning of current events. Â This year is no different, with a number of floats […]
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Brian Dewhurst is the elder statesmen of Cirque du Soleil’s Las Vegas performers. Â Currently 85, he’s been performing all kinds of circus acts for the past 70+ years, and since 1993, he’s been working as a clown, performer, and director for Cirque du Soleil. Â He’s currently starring as the usher in the Cirque performance of Mystere. Dewhurst is featured in […]
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I’m happy to say that ClownAlley, the late Pat Cashin’s excellent blog about the history of clowns and circuses, is back.  (It’s not currently at clownalley.net, but at it’s original place clownalley.blogspot.com) I have always been a big supporter of that blog, which has had some amazing photos and articles about circus clowns past and present. Friend of Pat’s  Beth Grimes […]
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I had heard of Robert Anton, but didn’t know much about him. He died of AIDS while I was in college (in 1984.)  I had read a couple of articles in TDR (the Drama Review), which I used to pore over.  Knowledgable artists and critics loved his work, and extolled him to the high heavens– and though he had not much […]
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Just discovered (thanks to Jim Moore’s Vaudevisual site) this documentary about American theatre clowning from the American Theatre Wing. It Features Slava Polunin, David Shiner, Joel Jeske, and Brent McBeth talking about the clown, what works, what doesn’t and the work of being a theatrical clown. So what’s great about this video? Well, clearly, one of the things I love […]
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THE DEMISE OF RINGLING I have been gobsmacked like many by the news that Ringling Brothers Circus will close down after 146 years of solid operation. Â Mr. Feld, owner of the circus, is losing too much money, and has to call it quits. Friends are losing jobs, houses, lives, and for some, they may well feel that the meaning of […]
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