OUR PRINCIPLES

Here are some of the key principles we are committed to in our teaching and which defines the specificity of our approach.

  1. SMALL GROUP SIZES
  2. A PERSON-CENTRED APPROACH
  3. STRUCTURED TEACHING ADAPTED TO YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE
  4. A COMMITMENT TO GUIDE AND SUPPORT YOU IN THE WORK
  5. POSITIVE REGARD
  6. EMPOWERING YOU TO BECOME YOUR OWN TEACHER
  7. COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND LEARNING
  8. GIVING A VOICE TO BOTH THE PERSONAL AND THE SOCIAL

Small group sizes

We are committed to working with not more than 12 participants. This guarantees you get to do each exercises and improvisation structures (especially solo and pair improvisations). It also means we are able to give individual coaching and feedback to everyone and you never have to compete for your space in the group or for your go.

 

A person-centred approach

Our teaching methodology gives priority to a person-centred approach that is respectful of each individual's path towards discovering his or her own clown. By focusing on the individual's experience, we prioritise authenticity in the learning process above the acquisition of external skills. We believe the expression of this inner authenticity is the ground for learning clowning.

 

Structured teaching adapted to your level of experience

We carefully structure our teaching to reflect your level of experience and we are committed to constituting groups according to level of experience. See the Nose to Nose progression.

Our team holds regular meetings to discuss new developments and ideas in how to teach clowning. Our approach focuses on introducing the concepts of clowning in clear, pleasurable and approachable ways. (See our articles about the work)

A commitment to guide and support you in the work

Even if the work is at times challenging, we are committed to take you through it as gently and conscientiously as we can. We will support and encourage you throughout and discuss with you problems and issues as they arise. If you need to, we will discuss and explain our work and approach with you. Our aim is to encourage a collaborative spirit of research and partnership and to nurture dialogue that encourage enquiry, personal insights and responsibility within the learning situation.

 

Positive regard

We believe that people grow and learn best in a supportive and positive environment. In our feedback, we point out what is good without being complacent or hiding what we think. This positive regard, we believe, affirms the courage to own our feelings and assert ourselves joyfully in the world – which are all essential ingredients of clowning.

 

Empowering you to become your own teacher

Because we wish to nurture a different mindset for learning through dialogue and enquiry, we create space for you to share and reflect on each exercises, games and impros within the group. We consider this sharing of your insights and experience as the most important part of the learning process and as a way of empowering you to become you own teacher. As facilitators, we see ourselves as partners on a journey of discovery and encourage dialogue and enquiry.

 

Collaborative research and learning

Because we are committed to nurturing a spirit of collaborative research and learning throughout our work, many of our courses have two facilitators. By inviting contributors experienced in their field and by working as a team, we ensure diversity and a continuity of learning and growth within our work.

 

Giving a voice to both the personal and the social

For us, clowns address and speak of the social and personal issues in our lives. They are not speechless mimes. In our work, we use words, language and the full range of emotional expression from joy to anger as well as the body, voice and gestures. Our only rule – never hurt yourself or others and never break anything.