CLOWN CODE© PART 2

Sammy Davis, Jr and Arte Johnson on Rowan & Martin’s LAUGH-IN

CLOWN CODE© PART 2

Here are some of the main points of discussion which were in CLOWN CODE Part 1.

1. There are 11 FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES in CLOWN CODE. Explained in Part 1 linked at the end of Part 2.
2. The CLOWN CODE is most beneficial professionally and personally if a person gets the book CLOWN SECRET and practices – at least some of – Chapter 2’s step-by-step instructions. CLOWN SECRET can be had in 2 minutes via Kindle.
3. The method explained instructionally in CLOWN SECRET is: The Four Articulations for Performance.
4. The 11 CLOWN CODE FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES are integrated and practiced within the exercises of The Four Articulations.
5. The FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES once learned via practice of The Four Articulations can then be applied to any performance method; to other types of training; as well as, to any genre of theatre/performance.
6. The first two sections of The Four Articulations are physical exercises that are connected to the mind, concentration development, and creativity
7. Part 1 focused on those physical sections known as: The Three Loosenings; and, Core Mechanics.

PART 2 Assumes that you have read Part 1. Part 1 includes a 4 minutes videoed, super short, demonstration and explanation of the first exercise of The Four Articulations. That exercise is the 1^st Loosening – The Indian Club Swing.

Learn that exercise, as a test case, to see how some of the CLOWN CODE FOUNDATION PRINCIPLES are integral to that exercise as well as within the whole method of The Four Articulations.

In other words the exercises of The Four Articulations practice the 11 CLOWN CODE PRINCIPLES.

In The Four Articulations for Performance, the physical exercises are the foundation for Creativity in performance. The Clown Code Principles are within the creative exercises that occur chronologically in The Four Articulations. The creative exercises are also physical, even those that use text.

CLOWN CODE CREATIVE PRINCIPLES

1. The PRINCIPLES in the physical exercises are important and integral to the creative exercises. The Principles, exercises, and mechanical techniques provide an adaptable foundation for anyone’s creative performance  work.
2. The actualized, visual, visceral results stem from what is hidden. That is exemplified with a 1 minute physical choreography named The Twist Choreography. This is Movement #6 within Core Mechanics section of The Four Articulations. Although Movement #6 – The Twist Choreography appears to be only physical it contains the seed and essence of one’s creativity in performance: Embodied; in Space; and, in Time.
3. The Twist Choreography inspired The Creative Twist. That pair of exercises I also refer to them as The Vitruvian Exercises in reference to Da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man drawing’s wisdom of microcosm/macrocosm. The Vitruvian Exerises contain the essence of Creativity for Performance. The Creative Twist is the 1^st of the series The Seven Solos section of The Four Articulations.
4. The Creative Twist is semi-choreographed but with flexibility and interpretation. Remember Principle #1 The Counts Count. The Creative Twist is done 3 times. The Creative Twist base is five instructions or phases:

1) Twist

2) Twist

3) Drop and Pause

4) Use the Legs 8 times in a way that moves you in Space and keep that rhythm going

5) Sound/Silence – after the 8^th ‘step’ continue the rhythm but ADD use of the voice for about 4 to 8 counts then the same duration of silence. Do the sound/silence a total of 4 times after the 4^th silence Pause. Then release and do The Creative Twist 2 more times. (Full instructions Ch. 2 Clown Secret book)

• Pause for Applause – pauses count, they are invaluable in performance. A pause is not a stop!! Rather… A pause is readiness like the inside of a cat’s paws before the cat pounces on a mouse, a bird, a snake, an insect, or a moving string.

Pause means alert and ready without tension.

• The Creative Twist introduces Moving Through Space and being aware of how you are moving through space. This exercise begins moving on the spot for the two twists as well as stillness in the exercise’s single pause.
• The consciousness of the performer knowing how and where they are moving in Space; and how they are moving on the spot; and how they are pausing cause an energy of awareness that enlivens the Space and brings an alertness to each member of the audience.
• Very important and useful within The Creative Twist is: The Principle Sustaining and Adjusting!!!!! Several of the Seven Solos are done three times. The first two emphasize Sustaining. The third attempt also uses Sustaining and also moves into Adjusting. In the first two attempts there are 4 Sound/Silence’s. In the third attempt there is also 4 Sound/Silence’s. But this third attempt EXTENDS to 5, 6, 7, 8 and more Sound/Silences. The rhythm and particular attempts movement of the legs SUSTAINS through 5, 6, 7, 8. But about at the 7th, 8th, or 9th Sound/Silence… one begins to ADJUST!!!! SUSTAIN CONTINUES!!! One ADDS… ADJUST. One begins to gradually ADJUST the arms, the legs, the voice (Sound).GRADUALLY!! Although this moves into an improvisation, in this case in The Creative Twist, in this third attempt SUSTAIN CONTINUES BUT ADJUSTS. Whereas in most improvisational work, exercises, games, and PERFORMANCES!!! Either the performers OFTEN, VERY VERY OFTEN either sustain rigidly or they adjust too early and too significantly so that there is no remnant of the beginning ‘character’ or ‘mood’ of an improvisation. That fault, weakness, default behavior is far too common in Clown work, exercises, games, and PERFORMANCES!!! The Creative Twist is a most significant tool to aid any performer or teacher to counter such default behavior of either sustaining rigidly or letting go of every impulse and idea that arises and therefore CONSTANTLY having to “come up with” more STUFF. More meaningless STUFF. The Creative Twist is a tool and discipline to learn how to anchor one’s creative freedom and to shape one’s spontaneous discoveries or choices in a professional, enjoyable yet productive manner. Thus, one learns how to generate material from which one can create an act or a show or a character.

THE SEVEN SOLOS

photo – Bob Hope – the film about the Vaudeville troupe “Eddie Foy and The Seven Little Foys”.

The following information is intended to accompany the step-by-step instructions provided in the book Clown Secret – chapter 2.

Clown Secret is available in 2 minutes via Kindle. Or can be ordered, as a paperback, print-on-demand book, via a local INDEPENDENT bookseller, or via any online bookseller. You can also learn via I.S.A.A.C. Creative Mentorship – www.iraseid.com/creativementorship

The Four Articulations for Performance is a clear structure for progressing from physical exercises to physical-creativity. The Seven Solos is the first creative section.

1. THE CREATIVE TWIST – is THE central creative exercise. THE CREATIVE TWIST incorporates the following Principles: the counts count; use your whole body; pause is not a stop; WHAT YOU START WITH CONTINUES AND EVOLVES. THE ARTIST INTERPRETS WHATEVER THEY ARE DOING. THE CREATIVE IMAGINATION MUST INTEGRATE WITH ONE’S MECHANICAL ALERTNESS – IN THE BODY – IN SPACE – IN TIME – IN THE INTIMATE PROXIMITY OF OTHERS IN THE ROOM. KNOW HOW YOU ARE MOVING IN SPACE. With this exercise one can move anywhere in the room. The CLOWN CODE PRINCIPLES within The Creative Twist are used throughout all of the Creative exercises in The Four Articulations. Those Principles are tested and practiced in each of the creative exercises which follow a chronological order as per Ch. 2 Clown Secret. Now one will begin to learn the Principle:

ADAPT – ADJUST – INTERPRET.

Eddie Foy, Senior

2. THE NOTHING EXERCISE – see instructions in Ch.2 CLOWN SECRET. There is a very simple beginning of this exercise that involves walking forward while at the same time moving one’s arms to 3 or 4 positions and then PAUSING. Then an initiating single-movement-into-moving. This exercise in particular has no aesthetic directive. The initiating steps are so simple!! But otherwise there are no rules. Interestingly it has a tight clear neutral walk FORWARD i.e. towards the workshop viewers (i.e. other Participants). Yet it can THEN go anywhere or nowhere in terms of using or playing in the space. Above all is to get the lesson: PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING. THEN YOU DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT ‘COMING UP WITH SOMETHING’. This initiating movement though is clearly intended to use the a-b-c-d-e PRINCIPLE during the initiating creative movement. At the same time one is to USE one’s arms i.e. the whole body as the initiating creative movement. THAT will trigger one’s creative instrument, one’s psyche – creativity – imagination – awareness. This exercise is done in a set of three attempts. The 3^rd attempt introduces one of THE MOST POTENT PRINCIPLES IN CLOWNING!!!!!!!!! DO THE OPPOSITE – RETURN TO THE ORIGINAL – DO ANOTHER OPPOSITE – RETURN – A NEW OPPOSITE ETC. Plus – similar to the 1^st solo also done as a set of three attempts. The 3^rd attempt in the 1^st Solo is THE EXTENDED VERSION.

3. THE THREE WALKS – THREE VERSIONS EXERCISE – the formality here is that the body will traverse the space from Stage Left to Stage Right and reverse. Here the trigger one’s creative instrument, one’s psyche – creativity – imagination – awareness is formal!. SHAPE – PAUSE – RHYTHM.  Unlike the previous Nothing Exercise that begins with a neutral walk forward. THREE WALKS traverses Left to Right, Right to Left across the space/stage. Like in THE CREATIVE TWIST one is to USE one’s legs rather than ‘walk’ per se. The USE of one’s legs in a RHYTHM will move one across the space. In this exercise a neutral or normal pedestrian walk is to be shunned or avoided. One of the objective’s of this exercise is similar to THE CREATIVE TWIST i.e. pay attention to the rhythm of ‘walking’ i.e. traversing the stage via the USE of the legs. SUSTAIN A RHYTHM.  Whereas in the 2^nd Solo – THE NOTHING EXERCISE one need not NECESSARILY sustain a single rhythm. We now see that the whole method is to juxtapose primary objectives and Principles. This exercise also uses the principle of THREE ATTEMPTS. Except here there are THREE VERSIONS OF THREE ATTEMPTS. Explained in CLOWN SECRET.

4. THE ALL-INCLUSIVE MIME EXERCISE. HOW TO CREATE ON THE SPOT IN ONE LOCATION. The first three Solos involve walking through space in three basic ways. Whereas the 4^th and 5^th Solos are CREATING ON THE SPOT IN ONE LOCATION. THE MIME EXERCISE is done in 3 attempts. The feet stay in one position i.e. feet wide apart through the whole exercise including all three attempts

5. THE JO-HA-KYU EXERCISE – the 2^nd exercise on-the-spot. How to use very strong energy to start then to shift gears to gentle energy the Principle of CONTROLLED Changing of Dynamics.

6. THE SIX DIRECTIONS – the first of two geometric exercises; the first of two directional exercises. The Principle of Knowing When You Change Directions on Stage and In Performance

7. THE PONYDANCE CIRCLE – the second geometric and second directional exercise. The Principle of Know Where You Start and Know Where You Finish.

The Ponydance Circle exercise was created for Ponydance Company in 2009. One of the company members at that time was the young Oona Doherty. Oona’s company is Oona Doherty Works.

In The Four Articulations for Performance the order is: a) Three Loosenings b) Core Mechanics c) Quantum Voice Warmup d) The Seven Solos. a, b, c, d are then meant to be integrated and tested via Partnering. d) 3 Duets; 1 Trio; 1 Quartet exercises e) The Path of Honor – 9 exercises some of those are duets and some solo. There is a thread of disciplined freedom and creativity from the first Loosening all the way through to the penultimate Path of Honor solo: Tell a Story of a Clown.

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/oct/07/oona-doherty-interview-choreographer-dance-hope-hunt-devil-navy-blue