"A clown is a person who is trained to show people how good they can feel on the inside by doing something
unique to touch the outside!"
An Introduction To The Performing Art of Clowning, as presented by Fuddi-Duddy The Clown and the staff of
The Capital Region Clown Arts Festival, is a 30 hour course of instruction usually presented in ten class sessions
desinged to give an aspring clown an overview of the art and craft of clowning, its histroy and some of its traditions.
Clown character developement, make-up application, costuming, history, traditions and public performing
skills are introduced and expanded on.
Local clowns often visit the class sessions to present topics of interest and to offer real life insights
to the students.
Students work together over the course of the program to write, direct and produce thier graduation performance.
The final session is a Commencement Exercise. Our students present the clown character they developed
to thier family and freinds, as well as to the public at large. They perform thier show demonstrating some of thier
newly found public performance skills. And, at the conclusion of thier performance, they receive a Certificate of Achievement
recognizing thier accomplishments and enternance in to the performing art of clowning. Traditionally, many of the local
clowns turn out to welcome these "First of Mays"* in to the art form. The local media has been known to take notice
and at times some of our new clowns appear on the news and in the newspaper.
For more details, call Smiles Unlimited or Fuddi-Duddy The Clown at 518-489-2680.
The next class is scheduled for summer/fall 2010.
* A First of May is a traditional circus term used to designate performers who are new to world of
circus performing.
