Holly Stoppit’s Introduction to Clowning – June 2020

Explore what it feels like to put judgement to one side and develop the confidence to follow your impulses, turn up your curiosity, play more and connect deeply and authentically with yourself and others.

Holly Stoppit’s Introduction to Clowning is a 2-day workshop which gently immerses you into the state of clown, where everything is possible and nothing is quite as it seems.

Deadline for applications: Friday 15 May.

Over the weekend you will be led through a carefully-paced progression of group games and exercises, designed to free up your body, voice and imagination. You’ll be guided to mindfully anchor yourself in the present, authentically connect with the group and effortlessly enter into the states of ‘flow’ and ‘play’. From here, your clown will naturally start to emerge.

Clown is not a character you put on, it’s a gentle stripping back to a state of child-like wonderment, where pleasure, playfulness and exploration rule. Your clown is the most curious, spontaneous and authentic part of you and Holly delights in creating safe and non-judgemental environments full of invitations for clowns to come out to play.

Over the weekend, you’ll experience a multitude of technical comedy exercises, all geared towards helping you release more laughter from audiences. We’ll explore how physicality, breath, timing, rhythm, surprise and truth provoke laughter. You’ll discover how embracing and sharing your vulnerability through your clown can open up an audacious, laughter-laden quality of connection with audiences.

This training is ideal for emerging / professional performers of any discipline who wish to improve their stage presence, connection with audiences and ease on stage. But you don’t need to be a performer to come to clown school, over the last 13 years, Holly has taught this course to actors, bank managers, therapists, musicians, teachers, politicians, comedians, I.T specialists… If you are interested in cultivating a playful, light, deep and honest connection with yourself and others, then this is the course for you.

Introduction to Clowning lays the foundations for a plethora of advanced training courses.

About Holly Stoppit
Holly Stoppit is a facilitator, performance skills teacher, theatre director and dramatherapist, specialising in live, interactive, improvised and devised performance. Holly is artistic director of Beyond The Ridiculous and freelance facilitator / director / creative consultant offering bespoke services for professional theatre companies, community organisations, universities, businesses and individual artists. At the heart of all of Holly’s work is a desire to promote creative discovery and connection through play. For more info about Holly see her website www.hollystoppit.com

What do other people say?

“A masterclass in being human.” Participant, September 2018

“It’s about getting in touch with your internal playful child self, getting creative and having fun but doing so mindfully, so you look after the bit of you that could feel vulnerable/shameful in being so daft.” Participant, November 2018

“Not only did it offer tonnes of insight and skills around performing and audience interactions, it also opened up an inquiry into myself as a creative individual.” Participant, March 2019

“It was better than I could have dared to hope.” Participant, September 2018

Cost
£150 / £120 / £90
Standard / low income / no income.
There are limited concessionary places available.

To apply
This course will have an application process to make sure we’ve got a good mix of bods in the room (taking gender, age, performance experience etc into consideration). No experience of performing is needed but your reasons will be considered, and priority may be given to those who have applied before and we couldn’t fit on – these courses fill up quick!

Fill out the application form online or email Beccy, Holly’s event coordinator if you have any questions.

Deadline Friday 15 May.