Holly Stoppit’s Introduction to Clowning – December 2019

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. You will be led through a carefully paced progression of group games and exercises, designed to free up your body, voice and imagination, anchoring you in the present, connecting you with the group and helping you to effortlessly enter into the states of ‘flow’ and ‘play’. From here, your clown will naturally start to emerge.

Deadline for applications: 8 November.
Scroll down for application form.
Workshop is 9.45am-6.30pm, Saturday & Sunday.

More about the course
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-judgmental 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 11 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
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 playful peeling away of the grown up nonsense to get to the joyous idiot within.” Participant, March 2018

“An amazing chance to connect with others in a safe space, and through that connect with yourself. Also, my cheeks have only just stopped aching from all the laughing.” Participant, July 2018

“It was a weekend full of possibility and curiosity. Beautifully and skilfully held… It enabled me to grow as a performer and challenged my perception of how I experience the relationship between performer and audience.” Participant, June 2018

“I would describe it as transformative, raw, so much laughter, healing, challenging, held with gentleness and great skill.” Participant, June 2018

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!

Please fill out the application form below, or email Beccy, Holly’s event coordinator, on info@hollystoppit.com if you have any questions.

Application form
Click here to go to the application form: forms.gle/jWzaDnhiUMPU2oTn8