This post covers the benefits of clown classes, clowning techniques, how to choose the right class for you, and particular studios you’ll want to check out.

Are you ready?

It’s show time!

Reasons to Take a Clowning Class in NYC (or Anywhere)

Beyond learning how to make people laugh, clowning classes are a safe and encouraging space for expression and creativity.

Through clowning, you’ll…

1. Become a better communicator. As a clown, your ability to connect with your audience relies heavily on effective communication. Through improv exercises and character development, you’ll learn non-verbal ways of engaging with others.
2. Develop personal growth and self-confidence. Stepping out of your comfort zone and embracing your inner clown can be a transformative experience. Let go of those inhibitions and embrace vulnerability!
3. Relieve stress. Laughter has been scientifically proven to reduce stress, boost mood, and improve overall well-being. By immersing yourself in the world of clowning, you’ll bring joy to others and experience the positive effects firsthand.
4. Open doors to a supportive community who share your passion for laughter and performance. Building relationships with students and instructors is priceless and can pave the way for future support and collaborations.
5. Expand your horizons. Each artist-instructor has a different way of teaching. Sometimes the hardest — and most exciting — part of a clown class is feeling like a beginner (whether you’re new to clowning or a mirthful master).

Are you new to clowning? The next sections should help you understand the art form and identify the type of class that’s right for you.

Clowning Techniques that Tickle Funny Bones

Clowning techniques cover a range of fun skills like making stuff up on the spot, using your body to get a laugh, and creating unique clown characters!

Improvisation is the secret sauce of clowning. It’s all about thinking on your feet, being spontaneous, and finding the funny in unexpected situations. Clowning classes will help you trust your instincts and dive headfirst into the world of hilarious moments.

Physical comedy tells a story with your body. From pratfalls and slapstick to intricate movements and acrobatics, it’s all about perfect timing and control.

Clown character development is where the real fun begins. It’s about crafting your clown persona that’s a perfect match for your unique comedic style and personality. Imagine creating a look, nailing quirky mannerisms, and finding your clown’s voice.

Hunting for Hilarious: Your NYC Clown Class Quest

With the abundance of clowning classes available in NYC, you may feel overwhelmed. Here are a few questions to ask yourself. And, really, these apply to wherever you’re taking a class.

• Are you looking for an intensive or for a place for ongoing practice?
• Are you looking for a teacher who will help you build on your existing style, or who is going to shake it up with something completely different?
• Do you have a goal for a desired outcome? This could be anything from developing your existing act to getting new ideas for performing or teaching. 

You’ll also want to consider

• Your experience level. Are you looking to dip your toe into the world of clowning, or are you seeking to refine your skills? 
• Instructors and their backgrounds. Look for instructors with extensive experience in a style that resonates with you. Student reviews give insight into the instructor’s teaching methods and the overall quality of the class.
• Class size and the atmosphere of the studio. Do you thrive in larger groups with a bustling energy or prefer smaller, more intimate settings? To peek behind the curtain, swing by the studio for a trial class. It’s your chance to get a feel for the place and see if it’s a clown-tastic fit for you!

Juggle these considerations and you’ll find a clowning class that meets your needs and delivers a delightful experience.

From Jitters to Jollies: What Happens in Clown Class?

Entering a clowning class for the first time can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. However, knowing what to expect can bring ease to your experience.

Classes typically begin with icebreaker activities and warm-up exercises to help you loosen up and get into the clowning mindset. Picture physical warm-ups, vocal exercises, and improv games designed to get your creative juices flowing.

As the class progresses, you might explore different clown archetypes, learn how to develop a clown character, or practice physical comedy routines. The instructors will guide you through each step, providing feedback and encouragement along the way.

Most clowning classes also involve group activities and collaborations, which build relationships and provide opportunities for learning and feedback.

In addition to in-class activities, you may also participate in clowning performances or showcases. These events allow you to showcase your progress and gain real-world performance experience. They also offer the opportunity to connect with the larger clowning community.

Finding Your Clown Tribe: NYC’s Clown Class Destinations

If you’re an aspiring clown in (or arriving to) NYC, the city offers a wealth of resources to support your journey. From specialized clowning schools to comedy workshops, NYC has everything you need to take your clowning skills to new heights.

At Clowns Without Borders (CWB), we LOVE  Clown Gym for their ongoing Tuesday night drop-ins, and intensives, such as “Building an Act” and “Building a Character.” Our own Naomi Shafer has taught classes here and many CWB Artists have trained here.

Is Clown Gym a gym?

Why, yes! Just like athletes need weight training, clowns need clown training! Clown Gym is an awesome place to keep your silly juices flowing. They invite you to get out of your head and into your body!

Other good NYC clowning class options include: 

• The People’s Improv Theater (PIT)
  • Improv classes
  • Drop-in classes
  • Youth classes
  • Leveled classes
• Brooklyn Comedy Collective (BCC)
  • Drop-in classes
  • Full-length classes
  • Improv classes
  • Leveled classes
• Terry Knickerbocker Studio
  • Leveled clowning classes
  • Acting intensives
  • Voice intensives
  • Movement intensives
• The Barrow Group
  • Theatrical clown classes
  • Weekend clowning workshops
  • Leveled acting classes
• The Pandemonium Studio
  • Clown for All Weekends
  • Drop-in classes
  • Clown “Warm-Ups”

Do you know another great place to take clowning classes in New York City? Please let us know in the comments below!

If you’re looking for clown schools outside of NYC, be sure to check out our post: Top Clown Schools in the US.

Conclusion

What are you waiting for? Take that leap and pursue your passion for clowning!

NYC offers a treasure trove of resources for aspiring clowns. With each class, you’ll gain new insights and refine your skills — and laugh a lot along the way!

Happy clowning!

Migrant crisis.

These are phrases we’ve heard A LOT — and in some iteration or another, they’re phrases that we as humans have heard for basically as long as we’ve had the language to communicate.

In a world as large, diverse, and unequal as ours, migration is and always will be a fact of life. 

But what is a migrant exactly? And what do migrants have to do with clowns?

Glad you asked! Step right up and join the CWB clowns on a whirlwind tour of all things migration: 

• Migrant definition
• Reasons for migration
• Facts about migration
• Giving migrants love and laughs
• FAQs about migration

For the impatient readers among us (), here’s a little spoiler alert: Migrants are people who deserve to be seen!

Migrant Definition: Not What But Who

In a world as interconnected as ours, we hear about “migrants” all the time. (Hence the intro to this very post!) 

But did you know that there’s no legally accepted definition for this term? 

According to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM), the word “migrant” is currently undefined under international law. So let’s start with a few everyday definitions instead.

What Is a Migrant?

“One that migrates, such as a person who moves regularly in order to find work, especially in harvesting crops” – Merriam-Webster Dictionary

“A person who attempts to permanently relocate to a new country, but who may be subject to removal by the government of that country” – Dictionary.com

“Any person who is moving or has moved across an international border or within a State away from his/her habitual place of residence, regardless of (1) the person’s legal status; (2) whether the movement is voluntary or involuntary; (3) what the causes for the movement are; or (4) what the length of the stay is.” – United Nations Migration Agency (IOM)

Which Migrant Definition Resonates with You?

Comparing the three definitions above, an interesting point of difference comes to light. 

The first definition emphasizes work as one of the primary reasons for migration​. The UN definition of migrant is the most expansive — including all people who have moved for any reason.

Which definition aligns with what you’ve heard about migrants in popular culture and the media?

Because so much human migration stems from income loss and the need to replace that income to feed families, it’s easy to equate migrants with migrant workers. 

But 1) that isn’t necessarily the case and 2) there’s a danger associated with assuming all migrants move for work. 

If we only view migration as solely driven by work, we overlook other important factors that influence migration.

One Layer Deeper: The Connotations of “Migrant”

There’s a lot more to the concept of “migrant” than what appears in Merriam-Webster, and unfortunately, many of these connotations are negative.

The negative train of thought, consciously or subconsciously, goes something like this: If migrants are people who seek better, then they come from somewhere worse. And they don’t just come from somewhere worse, but they themselves ARE somehow worse. They must be…

• Lower (-class, -income, -socioeconomic status, etc.)
• Less (-developed, capable, trustworthy, etc.)
• Outsiders
• Foreigners
• Others

These ideas give rise to many of the additional challenges faced by migrants along their journeys, such as xenophobia and discrimination.

The bottom line: it’s easy to agree on the dictionary definition of migrant, but it’s harder to move beyond the words and see migrants for WHO they are: not a faceless group of “different” but a collection of individual human beings.

We should be asking the question, “Who is a migrant?” — not what!

Why Do Migrants Leave Their Country? Common Reasons for Migration

Let’s look not at WHAT is a migrant…but WHO are migrants. 

When and why do people become migrants?

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of why people migrate:

• Hunger
• To earn an income (and send remittances)
• To learn another language
• Work opportunities
• To gain access to different education or services
• To join family members who have already migrated
• To flee dangers of bodily harm, such as gang violence or terrorism
• To escape political crises, such as coups or government corruption
• To build a new home after a natural disaster (like the 2023 earthquake in Turkey)
• To seek relief from a climate-related disaster 
• To pursue freedom from persecution
• To find safety from war or other conflict

Some of these reasons for migration would classify a migrant as a “displaced person,” someone who is forced to leave their home. Forced migration can refer to people displaced within their own countries or territories, too!

The trans-Atlantic slave trade is the largest example of forced migration in human history. 

Some displaced people are further classified into categories of “refugee” or “asylum seeker,” which we’ll touch on at the end of this post.

Push and Pull

In answering the question, “Why do people migrate?” historians and demographers often classify the above migration reasons into push factors and pull factors:

• Push factors push people away from their countries of origin (e.g. the threat of violence).
• Pull factors pull people toward their new countries (e.g. new opportunities).

Key Facts About Migration

According to the UN: 

• In 2019, there were almost 272 million international migrants worldwide.
• Of international migrants in 2019, women made up 48%.
• Of those migrants, 38 million were children (roughly 14%).

From the Pew Research Center:

• The region with the fastest-growing international migrant population is Latin America and the Caribbean.
• While migrants can and do move all over the world, many stay relatively local. In 2020, over half of all international migrants (54.9%) stayed in their region of origin.

From the UN Migration Agency:

• 3.1% of the world’s population are migrants.
• Many more people move within countries than across borders.

Giving Migrants Love and Laughs 

To bring this tour to a close, here’s our stance on human migration.

Sure, the word “migrant” is defined by the act of migration — but migrants don’t have to be. Migration is an experience they’ve had, not the sum total of their identity. 

Migrants are people first. 

No matter where they are moving from or why, migrants are (all at once!) living through some of the most challenging experiences that human beings can face:

• Total upheaval of their environment
• Potentially unfamiliar language and customs
• Deep uncertainty regarding legal status, employment, and safety
• Discrimination, exclusion, and personal disdain 
• Institutional and policy-level barriers to successful relocation

In other words, migrants are having a hard time. Even when migration is by choice, the experience can be difficult and lonely; when the migration is forced, those feelings are more inescapable.

That’s exactly why Clowns Without Borders exists: to give migrants and other displaced people a moment of levity. We aren’t making light of their situation. We’re giving them a chance to laugh when they need it most.

Want to Bring Laughter and Play to Migrants?

For just $11, you can sponsor a migrant child to attend a Clowns Without Borders show! Donate today to give the gift of joy.

A New Migrant Definition

To wrap things up, we’d like to propose our own definition of a migrant, one that we feel better expresses WHO migrants really are:

“Migrant: A human being who happens to have experienced the need or desire to move residences over a long distance and who carries with them all the emotions, memories, hopes, and dreams that unite us as human beings.”

• Clowns Without Borders USA

There will always be migrants. And we hope you’ll join us in staunchly defending their right to play and laugh.

FAQs About Migrants

What is the difference between a migrant and an immigrant?

The distinction between migrant vs. immigrant is imprecise, but most people consider that:

• “Migrant” refers to people who move long distances, often temporarily or for an indeterminate amount of time.
• “Immigrant” refers to the intention of a more permanent move and often includes long-term legal status such as a residency card or citizenship. (The idea that “immigrant” equals legality is reflected in the often derogatory distinction of “illegal immigrant.”)

What is the difference between a refugee and a migrant?

According to the 1951 Geneva Convention, “Refugee” is a legally defined term with protective rights (“migrants” do not share these rights). 

It all comes down to who faces a significant enough threat to be considered a refugee vs. a migrant, which is a difficult and politically motivated determination.

What is the difference between an asylum seeker and a migrant?

An asylum seeker is someone who is requesting permission to stay in a country on the basis of persecution, violence, or danger in their home country. 

Asylum seekers do not meet the legal definition of “refugee” and must prove their claims, which may or may not be approved by the government of the country in which they are seeking asylum.

How to help migrants: What can You do?

There are so many ways to help migrants! Here are just a few options:

• Stay updated on the current issues facing migrants through trusted sources like the UN.
• Stand up for migrants and immigrants by supporting organizations such as the Immigration Advocacy Network.
• Join Clowns Without Borders in spreading joy by becoming a Joy Maker or otherwise getting involved!

Joy Makers is a family of people just like you, who love to laugh and make others feel good. You know, as a clown does, the power of ensuring all children play and feel joy.

When you join Joy Makers, your monthly donation supports laughter and play throughout the year for some of the most vulnerable people on the planet. For $11 a month, you can bring a new child to a clown show every month of the year.

Refugees may cross national boundaries to seek safety, but IDPs are unable or choose not to do so.

Aid organizations often can’t help IDPs because of unsafe conditions. For these reasons and others you’ll read about in this post, Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has called IDPs, “among the most vulnerable of the human family.”

Read to the end of the post for information, photos, and a video about IDP communities Clowns Without Borders-USA has supported.

Who are Internally Displaced People (IDPs)?

Do you know someone displaced due to conflict or natural disaster?

The number of IDPs across the world has been increasing for some time, but in 2022, the population of this group jumped to the highest level ever.

By the end of 2022, people displaced from their homes worldwide reached 71.1 million, with 88% displaced because of conflict and violence. Disasters caused the displacement of the remaining 22%.

Note: Data in this post is from the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre’s GRID 2023 Report unless otherwise noted.

Who are Internally Displaced People (IDPs)? by Maggie Cunha

Where are IDPs?

Internal displacement occurs worldwide.

At the end of 2022, sub-Saharan Africa accounted for 45% of the world’s total IDPs, with nearly 6 million in Democratic Republic of the Congo and 4.6 million in Ethiopia.

The Middle East and North Africa join sub-Saharan Africa as regions with the most IDPs in the world (18%). Syria had almost 7 million IDPs by the end of 2022 and Yemen had 4.5 million IDPs.

The war in Ukraine has caused the internal displacement of 5.9 million people.

IDPs and Urbanization

Most IDPs live outside formal camps, separating them from most humanitarian services. In urban areas, IDPs may have better access to education, housing, and healthcare services if discriminatory laws don’t block that path.

Another challenge IDPs may need to navigate? The people who already live in urban areas.

Urban residents may see an influx of IDPs as competition for housing or jobs. This can lead to harassment, discrimination, or violence.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions About IDPs

What does IDP stand for?

IDP = Internally Displaced Person. IDPs = Internally Displaced People.

What is an internally displaced person? Who are internally displaced persons?

A simple definition of IDP is from Wikipedia: “An internally displaced person (IDP) is someone who is forced to leave their home but who remains within their country’s borders.”

You may feel challenged to see internally displaced people (IDPs) as more than a distant, nameless group of people who you have nothing in common with.

But, at CWB, our supporters journey with us to where IDPs live, work, and play. We meet people, learn their names, and offer games — many, many games. Children and families connect through the magic of play and laughter.

And we share their stories.

Get CWB’s newsletter.

Are internally displaced persons (IDPs) refugees?

No, IDPs are not refugees.

To be considered a refugee, a person must cross their national border. If a family has the same experience as their neighbor but doesn’t leave the country, they will not have the chance to become a refugee. The neighbor that crosses the border has the chance to become a refugee.

Unlike refugees, internally displaced people, or IDPs, do not have a special status in international law. “Internally displaced person” is a descriptive term that does not come with rights or privileges.

What challenges do internally displaced persons (IDPs) face?

IDPs face many challenges:

• IDPs leave their home, and so leave behind a job, property, and livelihood
• IDPs are often out of reach of international aid organizations
• IDPs may not eat regular meals
• IDPs may get injured or lose loved ones to violence
• IDPs must rely on their government for support, which may not come
• There are more IDPs than refugees (over 2x), but receive less global attention
• International law does not protect IDPs from violence or persecution

What rights do internally displaced persons have?

Internally displaced people, or IDPs, have the right to the same freedoms and rights as everyone else in their country. However, a crisis may limit those rights, especially if the government responsible for protecting IDPs is also persecuting them.

Unlike refugees, IDPs lack protection under international law. The United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement sets out government responsibilities toward IDPs, but it’s not international law.

Below are documents for further reading.

• African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa (“Kampala Convention”), 22 October 2009
• International Standards Relating to Internal Displacement

What are the causes of internally displaced persons (IDPs)?

Conflict or violence forces 88% of IDPs to leave their homes, while natural disasters like storms, droughts, fires, or floods displace the remaining 22%.

What are the needs of internally displaced persons (IDPs)?

IDPs’ needs may include food, shelter, healthcare, education, and childcare. However, getting help to IDP communities may be difficult for aid organizations because of dangerous routes.

The good news? Informing yourself about your government’s policies toward international conflicts can help IDPs. This is especially true when your government knows that you care about IDPs enough to affect the way you vote and contribute to civic life in your home country.

What are the examples of IDPs?

Great question!

Clowns Without Borders has gone to many IDP communities.

In the last section of this post, you’ll learn about people from IDP communities we’ve supported (including tour photos, videos, and links to blog posts).

IDPs and Clowns Without Borders (CWB) – USA

Clowns Without Borders-USA has supported IDPs across the globe. For a larger sample of our work, check out our blog.

The Middle East

Iraqi Kurdistan is an autonomous region in northern Iraq where stateless Kurdish refugees and IDPs represent about 28% of the population. CWB toured the region twice in 2022 to establish a new partnership.

East Asia

There are currently 1.5 million IDPs in Myanmar. CWB toured here in 2018, performing a mine safety show for internally displaced children in partnership with Mines Advisory Group. This video is a taste of the project.

The Americas

Agricultural intrusions onto their lands constantly threaten Indigenous communities of Southern Brazil. CWB exchanged art with the Guarani people in 2019 and again in 2022.

Colombia is currently home to 4.8 million IDPs. Here, CWB toured 10 times since 2009, most recently connecting with youth who are at risk for gang recruitment.

In El Salvador and Guatemala, CWB laughed and played with IDP families who fled their homes because of violence or climate disasters.

“Thank you for bringing us laughter. The community needed it.

Thank you for being professional and different.”

– Ken, a grandfather from the audience Guatemala, 2022

Conclusion

You can help internally displaced people, or IDPs, by connecting with organizations that support them.

At CWB, we share the faces (often smiling and laughing) we meet on tour with our supporters. Because people connect with people, not statistics.

If you’d like to hear stories about displaced people regularly, join us by signing up for our weekly newsletter!

But is it true?

What about all the ways you do play? Like cutting a unique life path, cooking without a recipe, or swapping silly jokes with a special kid in your life.

This last post in a series of three on ‘right to play’ will first remind you of your inherent playfulness. With this new outlook, you’ll be well-positioned to take action and become a Right to Play Champion. I’ll share three ways to do just that.

Grab your play passport and let’s roll!

Knowing Yourself as a Homo Luden

Have you ever seen a baby engage in non-verbal teasing?

Psychology researcher Vasudevi Reddy teamed up with parents to document several instances of babies acting like clowns.  

He studied infants, aged 7 – 11 months old, who would do things like offer a toy and then withdraw their offer, or pretend they were going to do something prohibited. In each instance, the baby would smile at their caretaker, watching for their response.

If the baby got a laugh, they’d repeat the action.

What’s going on here?

Turns out play is a big part of what makes us human. And that’s exactly what Dutch historian Johan Huizinga asserted in his 1938 classic book, Homo Ludens.

Embracing a Play-Abundance Mindset

It’s one thing to know that you’re an inherently playful being. But it’s a whole other thing to practice play and believe you have enough energy and resources to play.

We call that a play-abundance mindset.

Operating from a play-abundance mindset cultivates joy and optimism and enhances your ability to

• Enjoy your humor
• Engage others in play
• Create original work
• _______________ (What else might be possible??)

Do you like the idea of play-abundance but feel more play-scarce? Tip the scale by hopping into the next section.

Three Ways You Can Support Kids’ Right to Play

1. Throw Your Hands In The Air If You’re a True Player

Thanks to the amazing educators at Playmaker Project, Clowns Without Borders (CWB) knows that kids’ ability to play is linked to how adults value play. To illustrate this connection, Playmaker likes to quote jazz musician Charlie Parker.

To help you step into a play-full life and a play-abundant mindset, I’ve made a list of play-related qualities (clown-inspired!) you can incorporate into your life in an ongoing, iterative way.

• Exploring ideas you wouldn’t have explored before
• Being curious
• Smiling first
• Taking the next step even when you don’t know what will happen
• Trying something new
• Saying yes to exciting things
• Admitting failure or mistakes
• Avoiding universal pursuit of perfectionism

Practicing these will help you see yourself as the Homo Luden you truly are. Pick one and, later, share in the blog comments about how it’s going!

Now let’s talk about how you can build opportunities for play in your neighborhood.

2. Stand for Kids’ Right to Play In the Place Where You Live

To lift play where you are, you’ll want to join forces with people who are doing the work.

If you’re not connected, you’re not alone.

A May 2023 advisory by the office of the US Surgeon General reported that, in the last 20 years, in-person social interaction has decreased across all age groups.

Connection is the solution, and the report lays out a National Strategy for how to make that happen. The framework includes six actions. We’ll focus on the first: Strengthen Social Infrastructure and Local Communities.

Social infrastructure (as defined in the report) is:

“the programs (such as those provided by volunteer organizations, sports groups, religious groups, and member associations), policies (like public transportation, housing, and education policies), and physical elements of a community (such as libraries, parks, green spaces, and playgrounds) that support the development of social connection.”

The bold-text items (my emphasis) represent tangible paths to get involved in your area, so many of which impact children and their right to play.

What if you want to support kids’ right to play around the world?

It’s storytime.

3. It’s Easy If You Try: Imagine the ‘Right to Play’ for All Kids

CWB sends artists to places of crisis where people are experiencing displacement. Children and families attend a show, and something magical happens.

This story, written by Tamara Palmer in a 2017 CWB blog post, explains the magic.

Tamara continues:

Clowns Without Borders comes for play. We deliver that play in ways other aid organizations aren’t equipped for. 

You can bring play to a child today by joining us. Just $11 can change a single child’s life forever as they find themselves at their first clown show.

Conclusion

In what new way will you defend kids’ right to play?

Please leave us a comment and let us know your plans or share, with this supportive community, how your play life is coming along!

Music Match-up Game:

Did you catch any musical references in the subheadings?

(Answers: 1. Big Poppa/The Notorious B.I.G., 2. Stand/R.E.M., 3. Imagine/John Lennon)

And why does play need to be defended in areas of crisis?

Clowns who have witnessed the transformative power of play help me answer these questions in this second post of three in a series about the right to play.

Why Does Protecting Play as a Human Right Matter?

You may have heard that play is helpful for brain development. We’re going to talk about that, and we’re going to talk about a few less conventional ideas of why play matters.

Ready? Game on!

Your Brain is a Fantastic Playground

Albert Einstein said, “The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” But how does your brain become adaptable?

Play.

Imagine your brain as a fantastic playground. The more you play on the playground, the more moves and tricks you learn. In the same way, play helps your brain respond with more nuance to situations that arise.

It’s all about the prefrontal cortex, a recently evolved (just 30 to 19 million years ago ) area at the front of your brain that serves your most complex thinking.

When you play, your brain’s prefrontal cortex refines its ability to regulate thoughts, actions, and emotions. That means that you’ll be able to handle tricky situations with greater ease.

Play-based brain development is especially important for those who have experienced a crisis, as we’ll talk about later.

Clowns’ Warning: Don’t Corrupt Play

Clowns will be the first to tell you that play’s worth extends far beyond brain development (and related discussions of educational gains). To limit play’s value in this way is to degrade it. Let’s flip that, and unearth play’s multifaceted and expansive qualities.

Conversations about play often overlook the social-emotional ways that play matters.

According to a 2019 study of humanitarian clowning, clown performance and post-performance play

• Treats failure as a right, and shows that it’s necessary for learning
• Strips away social roles and norms
• Exposes the audience to their self, free from normative social roles
• Increases self-awareness
• Acts as an interlude from real life
• Encourages a sense of community
• Facilitates relief of stress and anxiety 
• Provides human connection
• Gives people lasting memories of joy

We don’t have a joy-o-meter. Rather, we have records of personal communication that describe the joy and relief children and adults feel after attending a CWB event.

“I’ve never had this joy before. I am very happy!”

– A young boy at the Center for Sudanese Migrants, Egypt

“It’s so good that you’re here because there’s nothing for the kids in Islote. Not even a park. So they’re happy you’re here. Before you even start, it’s golden just to be here. It brings the community together.”

– A young mother, Puerto Rico

“In Karantina, one child found us wherever we were performing in the area. He told one clown that he’d been seeing the show in his dreams every night.”

– Sabine Choucair, Lebanon

“Before the clowns came, the children played war. Now they play clown.”

Jordan, Feedback given to CWB–Sweden following a tour

Can Play be ‘Purposeless’?

When the outcome doesn’t matter as much as the play itself, we call this play for play’s sake (a super technical term). CWB celebrates this kind of play, because it is about the processes, experiences, and feelings that occur during play — not the results.

During play for play’s sake, imagination and curiosity lead exploration. Children (and adults) are free to create as they wish.

Play for play’s sake builds confidence, agency, and a sense of ‘I am worthy.’

Experiencing displacement can feel like the world doesn’t care about your ideas, instincts, or interests. And even as you’re forced to adapt to a different lifestyle, community spaces rarely feel welcoming and loving.

‘Not Even a Park’: Defending The Right to Play for Children in Crisis

To recap, play is fundamental to childhood because

• It’s key to healthy brain development
• It supports a range of social-emotional outcomes, including the experience of joy
• We want children to love themselves

CWB defends the right to play for children who experience displacement because they are both uniquely in need of play and uniquely distant from play opportunities.

Play Matters in Humanitarian Settings

Children experiencing displacement have lost their homes and may have witnessed violence or death. On top of these traumas, their current living situation may be dangerous or exploitative. 

Disruptions to education, lack of nurturing spaces, and psychological neglect complicate survivors’ lives.

And these children still want to play and will play, given the time and a safe space.

Not only are these children capable of quality play experiences, but play may be their only available path to recovery from their experiences.

The Play Opportunity Gap

Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child protects all children’s optimum development through play.

However, a consistent problem found in humanitarian settings is a lack of play-friendly spaces. 

When CWB clowns arrived in Turkey following the 2023 earthquake, the clowns worked among tents because play areas had yet to be established. In community after community, children were ready to play and laugh after six weeks of rubble, food lines, and mourning. 

At Maras Avşar, an earthquake survivors camp in Kahramanmaraş, Türkiye, CWB clowns heard kids explaining to one another that we were foreigners coming from very far away — for them.

When it was time to leave, they didn’t want us to go.

Conclusion

The right to play matters because play is fundamental to childhood.

Remembering that at least 40% of the (official) 108 million refugees are under the age of 18, the enormity of ensuring that every child plays can feel overwhelming.

How can you help?

In the last post of the series, we’ll share ways you can help protect the right to play. Spoiler alert: One thing you can do right now is to make a donation to Clowns Without Borders. Just $11 can change a child’s life forever as they find themselves at their first clown show.

These opportunities — ranging from drop-in classes to Master of Arts programs — offer creative inspiration, historical perspective, skill development, and valuable feedback to support your path to wearing the red nose.

While there’s no right way to become a clown, training completed by Clowns Without Borders (CWB) artists typically includes contemporary circus performance and working in an ensemble. The schools highlighted here celebrate these styles. They also espouse clown qualities we treasure, including vulnerability, authenticity, and presence.

Before we jump into our list of top clown schools in the US, we’ve got a question for you:

What kind of clown will you be?

Clowntemplation: Questions to Help You Find Your Best-Fit Clown School

“Clown” means something different for everyone.

You may not know what kind of clown you want to be, or what kind of clown school you want to attend. And that’s okay.

To get a clearer picture, we encourage you to continue learning about clowning, how it can foster play and connection, and influence culture. This kind of investigation will give you direction, or at least get you asking interesting questions.

Here are five questions you can ask yourself right now to help bring clarity to your school search.

Wait! What about the Rainbow Wigs and Full Makeup?

If you dream of putting on big shoes and full makeup, definitely check out Mooseburger, Clown Camp, and other listings via the World Clown Association.

You won’t find that style of clown taught in the places listed below.

What will you find?

• Inspired locations
• Talented artist-teachers
• Passionate students with whom you can share the journey

Let’s do this!

The Funniest Education You’ll Ever Get: Top Clown Schools in the US

1. Dell’Arte International – Blue Lake, California

Dell’Arte International is a school for theater training, research, and performance of the actor-creator.

Carlo Mazzone-Clementi and Jane Hill wanted to share the European traditions of physical theater training with North American artists and performers. So they founded Dell’Arte in 1971. Since then, Dell’Arte International has gained international recognition.

Its School of Physical Theater teaches actors to develop their use of physical spaces, gestures, and movements while approaching stage performance as poetic expression. Instruction guides students to explore and produce creative works.

Offerings

Physical theater education is at the core of Dell’Arte’s offerings, which include a Clown Core program, a professional training program, a summer intensive, and a study abroad in Bali. Scholarship opportunities are available.

The campus is replete with studios, gymnastics/acro classrooms, mask construction area, costume shop, theater, amphitheater, as well as an outdoor wilderness space along the Northern Coast of California.

Many Dell’Arte graduates fill the Clowns Without Borders roster.

Learn more at https://dellarte.com/.

“My experience at Dell’Arte kind of blew my mind. I started to understand what it might mean to be an artist and not just an actor. I started to understand my strengths and where I needed to grow.”

— CWB Artist Hannah Graff

Read the full interview here.

2. Center for Movement Theatre – Washington DC

The Center for Movement Theatre is a large, gorgeous workspace for practitioners, teachers, and trainers.

Dody Disanto instructs students in her physical approach to acting based on the work of the late Jacques Lecoq. Physical theater training compels a student to learn the space — how to use it and body gestures to communicate with maximum clarity and intention for the audience.

At the core of this style of theater is the use of neutral masks.

Offerings

Dody Disanto teaches a monthly drop-in movement clinic, 5-day summer intensives, a bouffon laboratory, neutral mask, and a dynamic studies class.

The Center is complete with a gym, treatment rooms, and a natural light-filled studio.

Learn more at https://www.thisisthecenter.com/.

3. Celebration Barn Theater – Western Maine

Celebration Barn Theater offers intensives in a beautifully restored horse barn in rural Maine. It’s a neigh-sayers game-changer.

Tony Montanaro opened the Celebration Barn in 1972, creating a hub for mastering mime, improvisation, storytelling, and other skills that make great performers shine.

Alumni of the Barn have taken the skills they learned there and have gone on to amazing careers in theater, film, and television. Think Sesame Street puppeteers, writers for Between the Lions, and performers with Cirque du Soleil.

Offerings

Come prepared to play!

Participants receive quality instruction from talented teachers and exposure to other exceptional actors. Workshops and residencies focus on collaboration and pushing the artist’s creative exploration to the edge.

You can polish your performance at a retreat with Robert Post; try something new with Principles of Eccentric Performing; dive deep into bouffon and mocking; trigger your imagination with Spymonkey’s Creating Clown Material.

The Celebration Barn also holds shows on its grounds and features a traveling comedy play.

Learn more at https://celebrationbarn.com/.

4. Pig Iron – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pig Iron is an award-winning theater company, best known for its experimental theater.

Touring with its unconventional in-house productions since 2004, Pig Iron Theatre Company creates unique and challenging performances, trains new artists, and asks tough questions about the world around us.

Offerings

Pig Iron School focuses on performance acting with full-impact creativity. There are seasonal workshops to help actors, students, and professionals develop flexibility, presence, and collaboration skills. The summer sessions tend to be the most clown-focused.

Pig Iron School also offers an MFA/Certificate program in Devised Performance through a partnership with the University of the Arts-Ira Brind School of Theater Arts.

Learn more at https://www.pigiron.org.

5. USC School of Dramatic Arts, Institute for Theatre & Social Change – Los Angeles, California

USC School of Dramatic Arts is a clown school that believes that medical clowning is transformative and healing.

Medical clowns help patients feel better by reducing stress and boosting emotional well-being. The Medical Clowning Program at USC uses humor to improve the patient experience in local hospitals, and to shape a “healthier humanity.” The program has certified 25 undergraduate medical clowns and 10 professional performers.

USC Medical Clowns work outside of hospitals too. They’re partnering with The Children’s Bureau to provide emotional support to children through support groups, making them the first program in the US to use medical clowning in this therapeutic setting.

Learn more at https://itsc.usc.edu/mc-program/about-medical-clowning-2/.

6. Clown Gym – New York City, New York

While it sounds like a fun place to work out, Clown Gym is actually a great place for high-quality actor training in NYC.

It started as a collaborative experiment. It’s grown over the years to become one of the city’s most reliable sources for connecting artists in a community of experimentation, laughter, and play.

Julia Proctor, Director of Clown Gym, draws on her training with respected instructors such as Christopher Bayes and Philippe Gaulier to help students access their natural creativity and generosity in their acting. She encourages students to connect with their spontaneous impulses and build their skills in a supportive and playful community.

Offerings

Tuesday night drop-in classes are open to all, just register online before actually dropping in. These classes will help you strengthen your existing acting muscles and help you discover others you didn’t even know you had.

In addition, Clown Gym offers intensives, bootcamps, mentors, and shows. There’s even a monthly “Clown Jam” where you can practice your material with help from an experienced coach.

Learn more at https://www.clowngym.com/.

7. The Pandemonium Studio – Brooklyn, New York

Ready to unleash your inner clown?

Master teacher Christopher Bayes will guide you to explore new ways of doing, thinking, feeling, and expressing yourself — whether you’re a total newbie, a seasoned actor, or a complete clown (pun intended).

Pandemonium classes use rhythm, kinesthetic response, and impulse exercises to help actors develop expression. By unlearning societal filters and listening to your body, you’ll unleash playful impulses. The result? Performances that are bold, dynamic, and unforgettable.

Offerings

Pandemonium offers summer intensives, teacher trainings, and classes. Classes titles include Clown for All, Clown, Advanced Clown, Extra Super Advanced Clown (!!), Acting as Play, Shakespeare as Play, and Improv with Ralf!

Learn more at https://www.thepandemoniumstudio.com.

8. The Actors Gymnasium – Evanston, Illinois

If you’re looking to hone your foundational circus and performance skills, definitely check out The Actors Gymnasium (AG).

AG’s Artistic Director, Sylvia Hernandez-DiStasi, grew up touring with circuses like Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey as a second-generation performer. She is also an ensemble member of the Lookingglass Theatre.

AG’s leadership and staff have created a community of physical performers who support each other emotionally, physically, and creatively.

Offerings

AG classes are open to people of all ages and all abilities (Yes! Beginners are welcome!).

If you want more structure, check out AG’s Professional Circus Training Program. The program has two concentrations: aerobatics and clowning. 

The clown concentration is based on Ringling Bros Clown College and includes various disciplines such as circus arts, mime, dance, physical comedy, devising, and object manipulation. The curriculum also focuses on developing skills in clown dramaturgy and direct audience relationships.

Financial aid is available for anyone, with scholarships covering 25% to 95% of the program cost.

Learn more at https://www.actorsgymnasium.org.

9. The Clown School – Los Angeles, California

The Clown School wants your clown to come out and be creative, playful, and fearless.

Using ancient and modern methods to teach clowning, The Clown School pays tribute to everything from indigenous clown rituals to the modern-day circus. They offer unique classes that inspire actors, performers, and comics.

David Bridel and Orlando Pabotoy founded the Clown School in 2007, and presently, David and Mike Funt lead the classes, accompanied by various guest teachers.

Offerings

The exercises and improvisations build skills that are useful on stage, in film, and in life. The students receive individual attention and face targeted challenges, making the classes disciplined, rigorous, and fun.
Learn more at https://www.theclownschool.com.

10. The Idiot Workshop – Los Angeles, California

Get ready for some serious silliness at The Idiot Workshop! Their website proudly declares them as champions of “upholding, nurturing, and catapulting Idiots.”

Leading the pack is John Gilkey, a legendary clown, acrobat, and performer with over 35 years of experience in the entertainment industry, including stints with the Pickle Family Circus and Cirque du Soleil.

But here’s the twist: The Idiot Workshop ditches the traditional hierarchy and offers an ongoing class structure that prioritizes continued practice and lets students switch things up whenever they want.

Offerings

The Idiot Workshop emphasizes the importance of play, fun, and creativity in the learning process, and its instructors provide individual attention and feedback to their students. The school’s courses are suitable for anyone interested in physical comedy and performance, including actors, comedians, and theater students.

In the Intro class, performers learn to improvise organically without following rules or formulas, discovering their own comedic voice. Extra-Idiot classes include Body Brain Smoothie (a movement class), Devising and Idiot Dance, Red Nose Clown, a video-making class, and Acting as Disaster.

Learn more at https://www.theidiotworkshop.com.

11. Giovanni Fusetti

Get ready to ignite the stage and unleash your inner artist with Giovanni Fusetti! This rockstar of a teacher and performer brings a holistic approach that blends physicality, emotions, and wild imagination.

With training from prestigious schools and collaborations worldwide, Giovanni has become a renowned teacher, pedagogue, and director. His work in movement-based theater has taken him to numerous countries, where he has shared his expertise with leading theater companies, universities, and schools.

Giovanni’s passion for theater as a transformative experience extends to his work with hospital clowns and his exploration of personal healing through the Red Nose Clown.

Offerings

Giovanni Fusetti has an exciting lineup of workshops worldwide in places like Italy, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Join him for immersive experiences in Theatre Clown, Physical Comedy, Movement Analysis, Psychological Types, Contemporary Australian Types, Psychodrama, Physical Theatre, and the Pedagogy of Movement Theatre.

Keep an eye on the evolving calendar and join the mailing list for updates on new workshops.

Learn more at https://giovannifusetti.com/workshops.

“Giovanni is skilled at creating ensemble and teaches partner work beautifully. At every opportunity, Giovanni incorporates music into clowning. He structures the class within a professional standard that reminded me of ballet master classes and acting conservatories. He gives his students every ounce of his attention and expects the same in return, which created a hugely gratifying and respectful environment.”

— CWB Artist Olivia Lehrman Sblendorio

Conclusion

Finding the right clown school is like finding the right clown nose — it may take a while, but the search is worth it.

How else might we help you on your journey to bring more laughter into the world? Please let us know in the comments.

Also, do you think another clown school program should be on the list? Leave a comment and let us know what we might want to consider adding (and why) for our next update!

Learn more about CWB’s 2022 tours.