Viewing response: Inspirations and Aspirations

Hi! So here's a series of videos I was going to show to you in class and talk to you about, but since I'm ill I thought you all could have fun watching them on your own. These are only a few of the many amazing clowns out there, and I've posted annotations with each, so you can get my take on them, why I chose to show them, etc.
If you could please make a "reading" response post responding to these clips, then we can discuss further when we return on the 7th. Same parameters as your normal reading responses.

This is just pure genius re: isolation of his body parts, and especially that creating the world using focus and physicality, that we discussed before break.
Who knew plastic shopping bags could be sublime? And who's his chair?
Okay people: this is Bill Irwin, Super Clown Genius, and I am not kidding. I took a workshop from him, and...just. No words. I adore this piece because it's postmodern, or at least it makes scathing commentary on postmodernism in theatre. Also, the way this man MOVES...The entire show is up on YouTube as well, I believe.
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The Master himself. This is classical mime at its most incredible. Note how he is dressed very much like a Commedia character, or a classical ballet dancer. Also: HOW does he isolate his FACE like that?? 

CLOWNLYMPICS INSPIRATIONS: Here are some amazing sporting events that I hope you all feel inspired by and in awe of:

 
Short, sweet, simple. Beginning, middle, and end. Monty Python. Need I say more?
Paul Hunt is quite the gymnastics virtuoso. Search for his balance beam routine too: it's extraordinary. And talk about your taihenjutsu punchline ending!
A classic sports scene from the movie City Lights. Obvs some unsafe stuff here, but do admire and note the incredible choreography here. Yes, clowning takes lots and lots of rehearsal.

Clown Research Project

Hi all,

Here's the basic assignment guidelines for your Clown Research Project, due April 7th. We decided we'd make these blog posts instead of papers, as some of you wanted to include multimedia in your presentations. We will be doing an informal show and tell of these in class on the 7th.

CLOWN RESEARCH PROJECT GUIDELINES:

--1-2 pages long (blog post)
--1-2 sources, cited in MLA format and with a proper Works Cited page (no wikipedia allowed; otherwise scholarly or popular sources are okay)
--Topic: overview of the oeuvre of a famous clown from recent history (we discussed possibilities in class: ask if you are stumped)
--in your writing, not only describe and show why your subject is an excellent example of modern clowning, but also why you chose them. What about this professional's work struck you? What makes it unique? What in their performances do you want to emulate in your Clownlympics performance?

CLOWNLYMPICS:

--we will be pushing the Clownlympics performances forward to April 14th. More on that when we meet on the 7th.

In high school, the final exam for our Clowning unit was to perform for at least one hour on the Pearl Street mall in Boulder, a mall known (then in the late '80s/early '90s especially) for its excellent street performers. Talk about a high pressure test. Maybe I should send you all out onto the 16th street mall...
(oh, this is me and my friend Christy. Can you tell which one is me?)

Spring break is almost over...

...aaannnnd I've forgotten what our Quote of the Day was last time. Anyone remember? Audrey?

Here's the old post with the four clowning vids on it for your continued amusement. You don't have to worry about any homework on those unless you were absent and didn't watch them in class with us. http://the3220.blogspot.com/2014/04/clowning-vids-for-homework.html

And also for your amusement, a throwback pic of me and my best friend in high school. This was the final exam for our class' clowning unit: to perform for at least an hour on Pearl St. Mall. Which is a mall known for its street performers. Not a high pressure final at all...

Funny Gymnastics "Clown" Paul Hunt

Hey everyone! Here are the funny gymnastic videos I was talking about in class! The guys name is Paul Hunt. There are multiple videos on YouTube but these are my favorites.

1) Uneven Bars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q52axiiPeQ

2) Beam

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LslN0nwQNg

3) Floor

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBPjhB9d3jc

Clowining Videos

Rowan Atkinson
I love Rowan Atkinson. I was first introduced to him many years ago by my parents. He is hilarious. His facial features are probably one of my favorite things he does in his comedy. In this video I loved how he used his body and pantomimed this huge drum solo that kept going awry.

Marcel Marceau
This one was weird. It was fine when he first started changing masks from one facial expression to the other but after that it just got weird. I did not laugh at all during this performance. Personally I don't know why anyone would want to pay money to see this performed. I understand that he was telling a story and I guess it was cool how he kept changing his body posture based on the mask used but over all it was just weird.

Bill Irwin
This guy had pretty good control of his body. I liked the part where he was dancing and making his foot dance but then his foot just kept on dancing off the stage making the rest of his body follow. The hat tricks were also pretty cool. I cracked up when he shot the gun after he turned his dancing into a karate battle. I think that his height really worked for his character, especially with the costume because it just made the character look like he had long awkward limbs, but it worked.

Jeff Wills
First of all that mustache is hilarious. This was an impressive show of body strength. The use of the two curtain things was really creative. I didn't really find this video that funny. I mean the only funny part was when he did that high pitched scream when he thought he was going to fall.

http://www.theplace2.ru/archive/rowan_atkinson/img/RowanAtkinson4.jpg

Clowning Vids For Homework

Here are the vids I'd like you to view for your reading response:

1.) Rowan Atkinson


2.) Marcel Marceau


3.) Bill Irwin


*Note: I took a class from Bill Irwin in Physical Comedy back in the day. I pretty much worship him. 4.) Jeff Wills (this is a WIP piece, FYI)

Clownlympics!

Nice work, clowns!

No Homework?

Oh yeah, huh. Just the coloring book pages. And I didn't work out this week at all (besides walking and biking all over creation, er, Boulder). Okay, so here's another picture of me in the early '90s playing a clowning role. Please to enjoy...   ~Prof. Jenn

Look at that little boy in the close background! It's like, the coolest, most magical thing that has ever happened to him...

Hey Clowns

Great work today--you guys rehearsed hard on two separate projects, and learned hat tricks to boot! For those of you who posted or printed your Clown Research Projects without a Works Cited or in-text citations, please correct this before next class or your grades will not make you happy. (in-text citations may not work on a blog post--at least have a Works Cited list). And...scene. Have a good week!   ~Prof. Jenn

Lucille Ball and Marx Bros.--Consummate clowns

Go check out this post (in case you don't follow my main blog) about...well...just watch:

http://bonzuko.com/?p=3593

We're Baaaaack!

Jenn as Jasper the Court Jester: I had to learn 5 magic tricks for this play.

Don't forget to do your reading, response, and  research project! See you Saturday (in KC Dance)!

Another Amazing Clown

Here's that clown that uses the plastic bags I mentioned in class yesterday.   ~Jenn

Prof. Jenn: Her Life and Times

I've supposed to have been weight-lifting 3X a week for the past month, but lately life has gotten in the way and some of those weeks we've only done one or two days. Today we did all our exercises (described earlier) at 1 set of 10 reps @ 75% heavy. Then we soak in the hot tub. Ah...

Also, who here besides me was ridiculously sore after last week's class? :)

Finally, for your amusement, I post this pic of me and friend in our high school's clowning unit. This would have been back in '89 or '90--as our exam for that clowning unit, our teacher made us go out on Pearl Street Mall and clown in public for at least one hour. I remember amusing quite a few people...

Your Videos For Homework

Here are the vids I'd like you to view/add to your reading response:

1.) Rowan Atkinson


2.) Marcel Marceau


3.) Bill Irwin


(you can also include the Aerial Clown bit I posted earlier of Jeff Wills)

Taihenjutsu Cheat Sheet

Here's the collection of taihenjutsu we've done in class. Remember you need to have 5 of these minimum (max: all of them!) in your Clownlympics events.   ~Prof. Jenn
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Taihenjutsu Cheat Sheet      Stage Movement/Combat Class                Jenn Zuko Boughn

Falls

forward

backward

swoon/side

Captain Kirk

Rolls

forward

backward

side

Jenn being thrown in a martial arts test, 2009 (air break fall)

forward rolling breakfall

(crucifix)

-ball & bowl rolling to work up to em

Isolation

pushes with indication

pushes into falls and rolls

Locomotor

walk

run

leap

gallop/chasse

skip

Jumps

straight/punch

hop

leap

1-2 feet (assemblé)

2-1 feet (sissone)

tuck

straddle

gingerbread man/Toyota

pike

(ninja)

-jumps into falls/rolls (smooth transitions from air to floor)

Clownlympics tableaux

Aerial Clown

A clown piece that's also an aerial dance piece. By Jeff Wills, a fellow movement pro.   ~Prof. Jenn