Compassionate Clowning is a workshop series for professional artists, who would like to develop their skills in working with people living with dementia or other people, challenged by ‘conventional’ systems of communication.
Compassionate Clowning combines my experience of over 30 years of performing, directing and teaching physical theatre and theatre clowning in the UK and internationally with elements of my Artful Minds training for artists of all art forms.
Compassionate Clowning is a workshop series for professional artists, who would like to develop their skills in working with people living with dementia and other vulnerable and neurodivergent groups. It combines my experience of over 30 years of performing, directing and teaching physical theatre and theatre clowning in the UK and internationally with elements of my Artful Minds training for artists of all art forms.
Compassionate Clowning is an in-depth voyage for performers interested in exploring or deepening their authentic connections and engagement approach with people living with dementia and other vulnerable groups.
We will focus on what connects us with people living with dementia, rather than what divides us from them, and how we can benefit from these insights and similarities. Clowns share a starting point of confusion and challenge with short term memory with people affected by dementia, resulting in fiascos and a permanent state of vulnerability. However, the strategies developed to ‘cover-up’ the ‘not-knowing’ and the reactions of our respective ‘audiences’ couldn’t be more different.
The work will provide perspective and insights into the reality of extraordinary human beings living with dementia and on the authenticity of our connection with them. We will touch on ACCEPTANCE; SIMPLICITY; GIVING and RECEIVING; PACE and REPETITION as basic principles of clown play in relation to our extraordinary audiences.
FORMAT
Length: 2 to 8 days
Participants: 20 maximum
A range of Compassionate Clowning workshops are available upon request.
For enquiries and further information please contact us.
“Magdalena’s many years of experience as a clown, director and expert in creative work with people with dementia make every workshop a safe place to learn and expand the individual’s clowning horizons with pleasure, joy and expert guidance.”
