Darien DeVries

So my posts are way behind. But this is a good thing as I’ve been kept extremely busy with Circus Center.
I shall quickly recap. School began about 5 weeks ago on September 8th. As it turns out, clowns need to have a lot of skills for their craft. It’s not just all about big shoes, red noses, and cramming ourselves into tiny cars.

Here is my class schedule:

Tuesday-
9:00-10:30 Dance (Ballet this term)
10:30-12:00 Acrobatics
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-4:00 Core Clowning
4:00-6:00 Individual skills practice

Thursday-
9:00-11:00 Circus Skills
11:00-12:00 Body Awareness
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-4:00 Core Clowning
4:00-6:00 Individual skills practice

Friday-
9:00-10:30 Mime
10:30-12:00 Acrobatics
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-4:00 Core Clowning Modular Class (guest instructor)
4:00-6:00 Individual skills practice / Informal Friday performance

So that’s 18 hours of class a week. We also have to read at *least* a chapter each week, meet with our reading groups to discuss the readings, and every few weeks create a performance piece based on the readings. We also have routines to rehearse outside of class.
I have thoroughly enjoyed all the classes, although they can be very trying. Acrobatics leaves me feeling like I was hit by a truck the following morning but at the same time, feeling very strong. Although gaining muscle has made me lose flexibility, I feel like a more powerful being. Plus, I can stand on my head now and am working on walking on my hands. Circus Skills is an exciting class because I feel like I can do anything there – Judy Finelli, my instructor, has a way about her and suddenly I am successful in all that I put my mind to there. It’s amazing. Body Awareness and Mime have really helped me be specific in the ways that I use my body, adding new dimensions to each piece I perform. Core Clowning teaches us classic routines and challenges us to make them our own. I am constantly exhilarated and terrified there.

But… as I’ve been told, and learned myself, clowning is all about being vulnerable. And I am finding myself vulnerable doing some of the exercises and routines asked of me. Sometimes they just hit an emotional chord and other times it’s just a matter of doing something totally new and being ready to fail utterly. Failing is safe to do here at school and is actually encouraged because the trying is what’s important. But even so, it takes a certain level of vulnerability. This, of course, leads me to be vulnerable in other areas of my life. But having Arleth here has really helped keep me in balance and I am grateful for her presence.

Northern Faire has also been going on since school started, helping me with my homesickness for my friends/faire family. It also provided a great way for me to practice at least 5 hours a weekend juggling by working at the juggling school!! The past two weekends and this upcoming weekend was/is performing with the Merry Wives and it’s been so wonderful seeing the girls. I missed them so much!! What’s also really great is that I have been able to use what I’ve learned in school to improve my performance in the Wives’ show. For example, my teacher, Jeff Raz, was explaining how to invite an audience member on stage to participate and this proved quite effective for me this past weekend. I didn’t feel like I was dragging anyone on stage but rather that I was inviting them to something very special. I guess I should have always felt this way but it’s nice to have the reminder of purpose.

Our next big project at school is a research assignment. While this may be difficult to do the work on, I will actually be providing new secondary resources for the clown world in general. There is not much written about our field so each of our reports will be adding to the circus library as a whole. which frankly — is really freakin’ cool. I’m nervous about doing the legwork for the research but excited all the same. eeeeeee!!

Up next: CLOWN CONSERVATORY CLASS OF 2010’s FIRST PERFORMANCE!!
This Thursday, October 15 – yes, tomorrow! - at 2:30 pm at Circus Center

If you are in the Bay Area and have a Thursday afternoon free, please come on out and support us first year clowns. The theme of our performance is “Who Am I?”

Again, many thanks for your support, my friends. More updates on my adventures soon!