"It is now official, due to lack of commitments, we are unable to hold the Feb. 14th-thru 18th CLOWN INTENSIVE. We are very grateful for the few that did commit to join us for our unique weeklong workshop, and hope all understand that in order to successfully produce an event of this type, we need to meet our financial obligations to the artists teaching as well as the venues. We hope to re-schedule this event for September 2012. Watch this space for more details."
Friday, January 27, 2012
ICHOF: Clown Intensive Cancelled
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This is a chronological order of postings on the International clown Hall of Fame Facebook Page.
Dec, 8, 2011
We have decided on the week of Feb 14 to the 18, 2012. Arrive on Monday the 13th, depart on Sun the 19th. Need a guarantee minimum of 10 paid attendees. Cost for 5 Intensive days will be $600.00. Working on rates for hotel/B&B/ housing.
Dec. 17, 2011
Give yourself a wonderful gift this holiday season! This session WILL sell out and fill up quickly. For detailed costs and class descriptions go to www.theclownmuseum.com for all specifics and much more information.
Dec. 20, 2011
Looking for that PERFECT Christmas present for the clown in your life (and it most certainly can be YOU!)-sign up for the CLOWN INTENSIVE this Feb. 14 to 18, 2012. Spots are filling up as we speak! What a great way to re-charge your comic batteries!!!!
Jan. 25, 2012
We are very sorry to announce that unless we get commitments from 8 individuals in the next 48 hours, the ICHOF sponsored CLOWN INTENSIVE scheduled for Feb. 14 thru the 18th will be cancelled. We were hoping this unique opportunity would attract more interest, and hopefully in the next 48 hours, it will. Details are online at www.theclownmuseum.com. Don't let this very special chance to work and develop your clown pass you by. Sign up TODAY!
Jan. 28, 2012-01-29
It is now official, due to lack of commitments, we are unable to hold the Feb. 14th-thru 18th CLOWN INTENSIVE. We are very grateful for the few that did commit to join us for our unique weeklong workshop, and hope all understand that in order to successfully produce an event of this type, we need to meet our financial obligations to the artists teaching as well as the venues. We hope to re-schedule this event for September 2012. Watch this space for more details
Analysis:
Dec 8, intial annoucnement. Must have 10 participants
Dec. 17 - class WILL fill up fast. sign up NOW!
Dec. 20 - CLass is still signing up FAST as we speak! sign up now before it is too late
Jan. 25 - we need 8 more people in 48 hours
Jan. 28 - cancelled due to lack of interest
Summary: Two people signed up and he wants to try this again in September???????
Summary: 2 people signed up. And he actaully wants to try again in September??????????
Rome (as well as the Greatest Show on Earth) wasn't built in a day. There is always a learning curve and we are further ahead of that curve for postponing the event.
If the opportunity to learn from some of the very best artists in the country onstage at the historic Al Ringling Theater isn't your thing, there are other excellent educational opportunities available to you that I'm sure you'll enjoy and learn from.
The ICHOF will be running several different programs this year and is currently more active in research and education than at any point in its entire history.
We hope to see you in Baraboo this September!
The Clown Intensive came about by repeated requests from working professionals in the clown world wanting a more intense form of learning. It was always intended to be professional level workshop and differed from the camps and courses already offered by many other worthy organizations in the clown community.
We secured a unique venue, hired a very experienced, funny and capable professional clown/performer to headline and prepared course materials to cover topics rarely if ever touched on in other clown classes.
From a business model, all we required was 10 pre-paid attendees to cover expenses and show a small profit to the ICHOF. We had over 40 inquires into the program (3 from outside the United States), 17 potential commitments,but by the time it came to show commitment, we encountered many different reasons and explanations why people could not commit to this event at this particular time. All are valid to the individuals and we understand the economy and time restraints, but we are required to be successful in every way, artistic and fiscally, so we had to make a decision to cancel this event.
We are hoping with more time to advertise and promote this unique opportunity throughtout the year, we can offer this again in September.
We hope "Anonymous" can join us in September.
Greg DeSanto
ICHOF
I tried commenting yesterday... perhaps my comment was deemed too harsh by Mr. Cashin. No offense was meant, sir; I was venting because I hate to see such dedicated people frustrated in their efforts to teach and further the art of clowning.
Really, though... $600 is NOT a lot to ask for this kind of specialized and intensive training and interaction. It's a shame that the economy gets to take the blame for the failure of this workshop.
I'm sure that PART of the issue is that there's a lot of fear and uncertainty in many people's lives; they are excited by the prospect of learning from great clown performers, but are perhaps a little scared of the insecurity that stretching yourself as an actor brings.
It's very hard to commit a financial investment to something that is not only enjoyable, but will open you up to greater and more challenging roles as you pursue the depth of meaning in your clown.
Would training at the average person's "day job" be worth $600? Of course it would. Employees need to be trained because they need to produce a viable, quality product. The difference is that most people get training at work for positions and promotions that they are sure they can handle.
Clowning isn't like that; as a theatrical art, the goal of clowning is to continually mine deeper veins of comedy and commentary... there is no "I've arrived" in clown, unless one is satisfied with doing one unchanging routine, ad nauseam, for the entirety of their career. Those performers almost never maintain an audience over the long haul.
Many of us feel that our clown is a deep-seated and integral part of who we are as people, if not the core of who we are. A chance to be encouraged by, strengthened by and connected with others who share such a passion is an opportunity that should never be taken for granted.
For the sake of the ICHOF, the sake of the performer/instructors and the sake of the art of clowning, I sincerely hope that the next attempt to hold the Intensive will be met with much greater enthusiasm and success.
I am not the "Anonymous" from the other recent comment, but I, too, shall do my best to be a part when I can. I was unable to even consider attending at this stage in my working life, but I am already making definite plans to be able to afford a future event.
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