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CLOWN TROUPES: A TROPE ON CREATIVITY
CLOWN TROUPES: A TROPE ON CREATIVITY This blog essay has 3 sections that are juxtaposed but not directly integrated in the writing. You the reader will need to connect the dots and find your own meaningful relation between the themes: a) Clown Troupes a few favourite examples; and, b) a 2-pages excerpt on confusion or…
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Healing the Theatre and Clown Training?
Healing the Theatre and Clown Training? by Ira Seidenstein, PhD Shakespeare warned all of Humanity: “There are more things in heaven and earth Horatio then are dreamt of in your philosophy” Hamlet. Hamlet also said “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark”. To heal something, first one must acknowledge an ailment and ideally find…
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SACRED DANCE
Photo – Gertrude Bodenwieser early performance. She was born Gertrud Bondi in Vienna, 1890. Bodenwieser choreographed over 300 dances and her companies performed in over 300 cities and towns internationally. She was extremely gifted as a choreographer with special talents: in using the unique attributes of her dancers; her use of space as a theatrical…
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REMNANTS – ENCOUNTERS WITH MY CULTURE. Prelude to my future book, part 1
REMNANTS – ENCOUNTERS WITH MY CULTURE. PRELUDE TO MY FUTURE BOOK Part 1 (Copyrights Ira Seidenstein 2022 – FINAL DRAFT 11/11 2022) General Warning: My way of writing meanders. It doesn’t work towards a ‘final conclusion’. I hope to encourage you the reader to engage with yourself during your reading. I hope you enjoy the…
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WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER
We’re All in This Together “We’re all in this together” may be my central saying that informs my teaching. That saying is also perhaps a key to my life philosophy. I am not against using a critical eye. I am not against making a critical comment. However, no amount of criticism can deny the mutual…
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DOGS AND CLOWNS… a match made in heaven
DOGS AND CLOWNS – A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN What do dogs have to do with clown and creativity? As you may recall from the previous newsletter, I’ve been on a 2 month journey into the inner nature of creativity. The map has been the solo portion of The Four Articulations. In Clown Secret in…
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Thoughts From A Young Artist: Grėtė Šmitaitė
INTRODUCTION Followed by Grėtė Šmitaitė’s reply to two questions KANDINSKY “According to Kandinsky, every artist has a threefold responsibility, which is (1) to exercise the talent he has—to express the inner necessity (italics mine) within him, (2) like every person, by actions, feelings, and thoughts to create a spiritual atmosphere, and (3) to use…
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An Elephant Walks Into a Room and Nobody Notices….. a slight insight into Jewish Humour in the key of b-flat.
Ed Wynn in photo above. An Elephant walks into a room and nobody notices… a slight insight into Jewish Humour in the key of b-flat. A number of times in recent years this was said to me: “Ira, why are there so many Jewish clowns”? After a few years I began to seek an answer. Mostly the…
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The More the Merrier. Mr Most Merryful.
Oh the delights and treasures of youtube and ‘giggle’:) Today a site posted a short film of Joe Cook. I knew nothing about him. Here you’ll find this EXCEPTIONALLY wonderful clown and clown film! Be sure to see the links below about him, and the one about the utterly glorious director!! In the meantime, if…
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57 Female Clown Short Films
There were four young girls who had the lead role in the Alice Comedies started in 1923. The first young actress was Virginia Davis and she acted in the first 14 films. “Recalling her work on the Alice Comedies, Davis said, “It was a great time – full of fun, adventure, and ‘let’s pretend.’ I adored…