6 answers
Jay
Student
Clymer, Pennsylvania
3
Questions
Asked
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how to get into clowning ?
This honestly might seem like a joke but I've fallen in love with the idea of dressing up to entertain people but I have no clue where to start other than a small local business. just to clarify, I don't think I would be a circus clown, I would just want to be like a party clown or someone higher in individual events
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6 answers
✨ Danuta Chapin, MFA
Designer and Art Director
18
Answers
Arlington Heights, Illinois
Updated
✨ Danuta’s Answer
Hi Jay,
Being a party clown or excelling in special events sounds like a blast! I know a couple who are clowns part-time, and they always have such joyful stories to share. If you're interested in clowning, joining the World Clown Association and local Clown Alleys is a great idea. They provide fantastic resources for learning skills, creating costumes, and even performing magic tricks. You can also look online for local groups or workshops to get started. It's a fun and creative journey, and I wish you all the best on your adventure!
Being a party clown or excelling in special events sounds like a blast! I know a couple who are clowns part-time, and they always have such joyful stories to share. If you're interested in clowning, joining the World Clown Association and local Clown Alleys is a great idea. They provide fantastic resources for learning skills, creating costumes, and even performing magic tricks. You can also look online for local groups or workshops to get started. It's a fun and creative journey, and I wish you all the best on your adventure!
Michelle M.
Actress
3284
Answers
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello, Jay !
I do not see it as a joke, Jay, because I have known a couple of clowns in my day. One had her Bachelors Degree in Theatre and one went through official Clown School. This is a good niche because you can have your own business with it. Once you obtain the training, you're good to go !
After training and establishing your unique clown makeup design, register your makeup as property at Clowns International Egg Registry where you illustrate your clown makeup on a egg by placing a high quality photo of your makeup and costume as intellectual property. Have your costume and some props, register at Actors Access as a Clown. Actors Access is a platform for performers to manage their auditions and you can create a resume on the site, too. You can check the boxes of all your skills on your profile. You then register for notifications and you'll receive information about auditions.
You can also take out an ad in anything that your town uses, magazine, newspaper, websites, etc. and do a lot of networking and be involved in local fairs, festivals and community events. Have business cards made up, too. Also for work, join The World Clown Association and be registered in their directory. Another directory to register at is Clowns and I left the website address for you below. As you move along, you will discover more directories to register at for more possible work.
Some skills to hone will be pantomime, balloon sculpture and juggling.
Try to be open-minded, flexible, available and have good transportation for the optimum career as a professional performing Clown !
CLOWNS DIRECTORY www.clowns.com
I do not see it as a joke, Jay, because I have known a couple of clowns in my day. One had her Bachelors Degree in Theatre and one went through official Clown School. This is a good niche because you can have your own business with it. Once you obtain the training, you're good to go !
After training and establishing your unique clown makeup design, register your makeup as property at Clowns International Egg Registry where you illustrate your clown makeup on a egg by placing a high quality photo of your makeup and costume as intellectual property. Have your costume and some props, register at Actors Access as a Clown. Actors Access is a platform for performers to manage their auditions and you can create a resume on the site, too. You can check the boxes of all your skills on your profile. You then register for notifications and you'll receive information about auditions.
You can also take out an ad in anything that your town uses, magazine, newspaper, websites, etc. and do a lot of networking and be involved in local fairs, festivals and community events. Have business cards made up, too. Also for work, join The World Clown Association and be registered in their directory. Another directory to register at is Clowns and I left the website address for you below. As you move along, you will discover more directories to register at for more possible work.
Some skills to hone will be pantomime, balloon sculpture and juggling.
Try to be open-minded, flexible, available and have good transportation for the optimum career as a professional performing Clown !
Michelle recommends the following next steps:
thank you for the advice. I appreciate the resources
Jay
You're very welcome, Jay !
Michelle M.
Christina Davis
14
Answers
Updated
Christina’s Answer
To become a clown, start by checking for local clown hiring companies and use online apps to find job opportunities. Practice your makeup skills by watching tutorials on YouTube.
Volunteering with a local theater group can help you meet people experienced in costumes and makeup.
Branding is key, so make sure your clown services stand out. Practice for 20 to 45 minutes daily to improve your skills.
Many clowns offer additional services like balloon art, face painting for kids, and comedy for adults. Having a variety of offerings can help you succeed. I hope this helps!This might be a very indirect way but it really depends on where you live at and if there is even a clown hiring companies. If you go on to any online apps start there. A lot of people are using apps in order to find a clown and the most important thing to do is start getting on Youtube or anywhere you can start practicing makeup. Volunteer if you have to have any local theater group especially for like opera. So you can start talking to other people who constantly use costume makeup and costumes because a lot of the things. That you need to do to clown a stand out. So branding is gonna be super important. You don't wanna seem like you're doing the same exact thing as someone else's service and you're not doing it as well. You want to make sure that whatever you're doing is something where you talk and it flows very easily. And practicing. It only takes 20 to 45 minutes a day to practice something, so you can learn virtually anything as long as you're disciplined. I would also remind you that like a lot of clowns actually have multiple other services. Like they also do like balloon art. They do face paint for kids. They know how to tell jokes that are technically also comedians. So they might even have a comedian skit that's for adults only later on and then something for children as a separate service. I hope this helps.
Volunteering with a local theater group can help you meet people experienced in costumes and makeup.
Branding is key, so make sure your clown services stand out. Practice for 20 to 45 minutes daily to improve your skills.
Many clowns offer additional services like balloon art, face painting for kids, and comedy for adults. Having a variety of offerings can help you succeed. I hope this helps!This might be a very indirect way but it really depends on where you live at and if there is even a clown hiring companies. If you go on to any online apps start there. A lot of people are using apps in order to find a clown and the most important thing to do is start getting on Youtube or anywhere you can start practicing makeup. Volunteer if you have to have any local theater group especially for like opera. So you can start talking to other people who constantly use costume makeup and costumes because a lot of the things. That you need to do to clown a stand out. So branding is gonna be super important. You don't wanna seem like you're doing the same exact thing as someone else's service and you're not doing it as well. You want to make sure that whatever you're doing is something where you talk and it flows very easily. And practicing. It only takes 20 to 45 minutes a day to practice something, so you can learn virtually anything as long as you're disciplined. I would also remind you that like a lot of clowns actually have multiple other services. Like they also do like balloon art. They do face paint for kids. They know how to tell jokes that are technically also comedians. So they might even have a comedian skit that's for adults only later on and then something for children as a separate service. I hope this helps.
David Robkin
Consulting
10
Answers
Monrovia, California
Updated
David’s Answer
What kind of clowning attracts you? Circus? Mime? Dance? Rodeo? Puppetry? The answers to these questions will help you choose your training path.
Karin P.
Lecturer, Academic Advisor, Career Coach
1091
Answers
Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
Updated
Karin’s Answer
Hi Jay,
That sounds like a fun career! There are different types of clowns, like you already found out. There is the classical circus clown and the party clown but also physical theater. You might also be interested in medical clowning. It will depend on you to develop your clown persona and where you would find the best fit.
You could find training in actual clown schools, in a circus school or in acting schools for physical theater. You find a couple of suggestions here: https://clownswithoutborders.org/top-clown-schools-u-s/
The Clown School is in Los Angeles but also offers online classes. Mooseburger in Minnesota runs Clown Camps and workshops. The Pig Iron Theater in Philadelphia also runs clown workshops. University of Southern California has an interdisciplinary medical clowning program (Comic and Care).
You find physical theater training at a couple of schools: https://www.americantheatre.org/2015/12/16/a-roundup-of-physical-theatre-training-programs-in-the-u-s/
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
https://www.theclownschool.com/
https://pigiron.org/school/workshops/intro-to-clown/
https://itsc.usc.edu/mc-program/about-medical-clowning-2/
https://giovannifusetti.com/workshops/
https://www.mooseburger.com/
That sounds like a fun career! There are different types of clowns, like you already found out. There is the classical circus clown and the party clown but also physical theater. You might also be interested in medical clowning. It will depend on you to develop your clown persona and where you would find the best fit.
You could find training in actual clown schools, in a circus school or in acting schools for physical theater. You find a couple of suggestions here: https://clownswithoutborders.org/top-clown-schools-u-s/
The Clown School is in Los Angeles but also offers online classes. Mooseburger in Minnesota runs Clown Camps and workshops. The Pig Iron Theater in Philadelphia also runs clown workshops. University of Southern California has an interdisciplinary medical clowning program (Comic and Care).
You find physical theater training at a couple of schools: https://www.americantheatre.org/2015/12/16/a-roundup-of-physical-theatre-training-programs-in-the-u-s/
I hope this helps! All the best to you!
KP
Karin recommends the following next steps:
Taryn N.
SAHM, Educator, Communication Professional
3
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Taryn’s Answer
Hi Jay,
In addition to the clown-specific tips mentioned by others, I recommend learning different types of comedy performance to inform your clowning skills. If you have the chance, learn improv, stand-up, or sketch comedy. This would build your performance toolbox and make you a more dynamic, versatile clown!
A friend of mine began her performance journey in stand-up and improv comedy, then went on to take clowning classes. In addition to working as a clown, she now has her own live variety show! Taking classes in other forms of comedy or performance, signing up for open mics, or just practicing with friends and family can help you a great deal. Comedy classes, open mics, and improv jams are also very helpful for networking with other performers. You might meet some folks with a background or interest in clowning and learn from each other’s experiences.
Best of luck in your clowning journey!
In addition to the clown-specific tips mentioned by others, I recommend learning different types of comedy performance to inform your clowning skills. If you have the chance, learn improv, stand-up, or sketch comedy. This would build your performance toolbox and make you a more dynamic, versatile clown!
A friend of mine began her performance journey in stand-up and improv comedy, then went on to take clowning classes. In addition to working as a clown, she now has her own live variety show! Taking classes in other forms of comedy or performance, signing up for open mics, or just practicing with friends and family can help you a great deal. Comedy classes, open mics, and improv jams are also very helpful for networking with other performers. You might meet some folks with a background or interest in clowning and learn from each other’s experiences.
Best of luck in your clowning journey!