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OUR PRINCIPLES
Here are some of the key principles we are committed to in our
teaching and which defines the specificity of our approach.
- SMALL GROUP SIZES
- A PERSON-CENTRED APPROACH
- STRUCTURED TEACHING ADAPTED TO YOUR LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE
- A COMMITMENT TO GUIDE AND SUPPORT YOU IN THE WORK
- POSITIVE REGARD
- EMPOWERING YOU TO BECOME YOUR OWN TEACHER
- COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH AND LEARNING
- 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.
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