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Workshops and Classes

Clown Weekend Workshop with David Cassel

Clown Weekend Workshop with David Cassel

Clown Weekend Workshop

December 1, 2, 3 at QSpace

David Cassel presents an intensive weekend course that will introduce students to his Complete Clown Process Tool Kit. 16 hours of instruction that will focus on 4 units, 4 hours each: Physicality, Mental Acuity, Creative Process and The Birth of A Clown.

Dates and Times of Workshop:

December 1, 19:00 to 23:00
December 2, 10:00 to 19:00

December 3, 10 to 14:00

Location: Q Space Mühlenstraße 62-65, 13187 Berlin Cost: €225

This is the primer course for those interested in my eight week master class: “The Birth of Clowns on the Edge” scheduled for Febraury 2024.


CLICK HERE TO REGISTER


Overview

The well rounded clown has an extensive toolkit. These classes aim to provide an overview of the skills required to create a healthy happy clown.  During these classes we will touch upon the individual disciplines of improvisation, voice, song, acting, dance, mime, acrobatics and circus and how they relate to the creation of a clown. 

As we move further into the 21st century, the successful clowns will be the ones who manage to integrate each of these skills at the highest level of proficiency. 

Dexterity, flexibility and adaptability are key elements to being a clown.  These must be developed in order to effortlessly improvise around the obstacles and unexpected challenges that are the clown’s ultimate domain. Being in command of these skills ensures the creative freedom that the Clown craves.

The full course of study includes elements of vocal exploration and text in multiple languages as well as music and song where each student is required to learn how to both play an instrument and sing.  Each clown must be able to operate both as a soloist and in harmony with other members of the group.

The full course of study provides for an equal balance between solo and ensemble movement, tumbling, acrobatic and a variety of dance components incorporating a wide range of improvisational techniques and methodology.

The acquisition of circus skills is included and encouraged to improve coordination and balance.  Through the exploration of circus skills, students begin to understand the relationship between performer, object and environment. This is where real creative innovation begins.  

The Pochinko – Ojibway Clown Process

Pioneered by Canadian clown Master Richard Pochinko, The Ojibway Clown Process involves the making of six clay masks, each exploring one of the six directions that helps us to find the personality our true inner clown. During this introduction workshop it is not possible to engage in the complete process, but we will explore some of the exercises that baby clowns are exposed to.

In addition to learning all of the physical and vocal skills outlined previously, the student  will be given an overview of how, during an extended process, we will learn to “Pull” and build a mask from mother earth, read the mask’s  colour and interpret it’s rhythm and textures.  Through the exploration of the six masks, the baby clown will be born.

“8 Things” – The Grotowski Method Towards Accelerated Learning

Central to the complete training programme is “Grotowski theory” and the use of his modified version of the “plastiques” training system.  Students will be trained to use their bodies and voices so that the entirety of a text can be relayed using just movements and nonverbal sounds. The technique prioritizes physical and mental health not only for the performer’s well-being, but also for the sake of the performance.  Clowns speak a universal language and this is best cultivated through the development of physical vocabularies.

Clowns must develop strong improvisational instincts.  I have always believed that learning thing in groups of 8 improves random access memory and the ability to spontaneously call up physical and vocal vocabulary during improvisation.  Improvisation is central to the creation of new work and is the essence of the clown.

The full course of study includes the following units:

1.  Sign and Design Mind Thinking

Students are introduced to the idea that there are always two ways to come at the creation of an idea and that creativity can evolve from either chaos or order.  They are introduced to the concept of the “sign” and “design” mind, left brain and right brain and how to develop each in equal measure so as to maintain balance in all things.  It is stressed that the world “problem’ is to be replaced by the word “challenge” and that the search for solutions remains the primary pursuit.  There are only ever solutions, there are never any problems.  We will explore what it is to be a “Joey” an “Auguste” and a “Ringmaster”.

2.  The Process of Plastiques

Based inside Jerzy Grotowski’s process of physical vocabulary, voice and skill development.   Students are introduced to a system of progressive repetition that results in accelerated learning, teaching students how to adapt to an ever changing set of circumstances.  This unit provides students with a frame work by which they can develop strong stage personalities while increasing their aptitude, physical abilities, confidence and random access memory.

3.  Physiology and Performance

Students study muscle, bone  and tissue structures so as to better understand the human body in an effort to avoid, or at least manage,  injuries and the pain associated with repetitive muscular exercise and impact stress.  Nutrition and holistic therapy are central to this pursuit.

4.  Creating an Ensemble Organism

Students are introduced to collective forms of onstage interaction and improvisation including music and rhythm.  They are instructed in how to provide support for others when training and rehearsing.

5.  Individual Pursuit

Students are placed in situations where they are required to deliver on solo inventions and presentations.  Character building, discipline and understanding the concept of ‘project milestones’ is central to this pursuit.

6.  Compression, Expansion and abstracts

Students are given instruction in how to improve quality of performance by focusing on Macro and Micro perceptions of the work being pursued and the details associated with the compression and expansion of each extreme.

7.  Learning to Accept and Embrace Failure

A safe and supportive training environment is created wherein the students are made comfortable with the idea of taking risks and failing.  The idea that the creation of  innovative performance requires going beyond the obvious choices towards concepts that we may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with is central to this pursuit.

8.  Commitment

Students are introduced to the idea that nothing practical is achieved without hard work, tenacity, courage and determination.  Understanding what provides students with the motivation to commit to the learning process is central to this pursuit.


Other courses by David Cassel


 


 

Me with my Class of Circus Students in Berlin, 2022

PTMI Classes

David Cassel offers a dynamic course in Improvisation, Mime and Physical Theater that focuses on accelerated learning, random access memory development, physical agility and mental acuity.

Until May 2022 he was the coach of Physical Theatre, Improv and Story at Die Etage Schule fur Darstellende Kunst in Berlin, Germany  and has been, in part, supported by The Canada Council for the Arts

 

 

 

 


Physical Approaches to Performance and Circus,


Improvisation for Stage and Film


Director and award winning performance specialist David Cassel offers a unique training and performance program designed to introduce both students and teachers to a process that explores physical and mental development towards the creation of original performance works and expanded improvisational vocabulary.

The teaching program integrates a variety of theatrical and sport techniques with a diverse array of live performance situations. Workshop students are given opportunities, during extended workshop programs, to advance through a system of skill plateaus and to publicly perform the skills learned upon completion of the extended training program. .

 

 

 

 


Course Outline


Subjects in the curriculum in include:

Physiology, Preparation and Theory

Systematic Physical Warm Up

Laban Technique (Movement Quality developed by Rudolph Laban)

Corporal Mime Technique (Structural theory developed by Etienne Decroux)

Improvisation (Short Form and Long Form)

Balance

Acrobatics

Acrobalance (Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Levels)

Plastiques (Cardiovascular/Memory Development system created by Jerzy Grotowski)

Music and Rhythm

LeCoq Mime Technique (Dynamics/Illusions technique developed by Jacques Le Coq)

Vocal Development

Characterization

Narrative Development

Object Manipulation and Juggling

Choreography


Methodology

Classes are taught in a repetitive manner in a safe and healthy environment where students can train in processes of accelerated learning. New techniques are introduced on a schedule that, while tightly mapped, is governed predominantly by the student’s aptitude and speed.

The objective is to have the students perform all of the choreography and techniques learned in a special group presentation of 5 to 25 minutes. Duration and complexity of final performance is dependant upon the total number of hours pursued during training.


Workshop Formats

Workshops are available for students of all ages. Content of course of study is modified based on age range and ability .

 


Introductory Workshops

A 2 hour class designed to introduce students to each of the items included in the curriculum. Provides an overview of topics to be studied in the extended program. Available for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced studies at the primary, secondary and tertiary education level.

Class limit: 16. Total Hours: 2. One instructor


Weekend Workshop

2 days, 8 hours per day. Available for Intermediate and Advanced studies at the primary, secondary and tertiary education level.

Part 1:  The Rhythmic Warm Up

The first hour of  this class introduces students to a systematic warm up, rhythmic in nature, that prepares the body for the second part of the class that explores low level tumbling, acroblance and musicality in performance. Students will learn a “warm up” choreography, repeat it and begin building an acrobatic skill set. .

Part 2: Plastiques and Movement Improvisation

Building on techniques and exercises presented in Part 1, this class focuses primarily on a technique developed by Jerzy Grotowski and Eugenio Barba called “Plastiques”.  Students will be introduced to  8 specific categories of movement and be immersed in several exercises that will teach them how to overcome resistance in the learning cycle and how to quickly expand their movement vocabulary.

Part 3: Story, Staging and Performance

During this class, students will have an opportunity to put the theory and techniques presented in the first two classes into practical performance use.  Students will be introduced to story structure and how it relates to presenting outdoor performances of everything from soloists to large ensembles.

Class limit: 12. Total Hours: 16. One instructor


1 Week Masterclass

5 days, 4 hours per day. Available for Intermediate and Advanced studies at the primary, secondary and tertiary education level. Low level skills are formed into a 5 minute presentation. .

Class limit: 16. Total Hours: 20. One instructor


2 Week Masterclass

10 days, 4 hours per day. Available for secondary and tertiary education level students only. Medium level Skills are formed into a presentation of 10 to 20 minutes depending upon skill level achieved. .

Class limit: 16 Total Hours: 40. Two instructors required.


Residency Program

A four week program, 5 days a week, 6 hours a day for tertiary education level students only. Advanced level skills are formed into a presentation of 30 to 60 minutes in duration depending upon skill level achieved.

Class limit: 16 Total Hours: 120. Two instructors required.

A program of classes can be developed for integration into an existing program of study depending upon schedule and budget.

 

 


Tutorials

Individual classes in personal development can be organized on a student by student basis.

 

 

 

 

 


Improvisation and Comedy in English

I have been involved with comedy and improvisation for over 30 years.  I have had the opportunity to train students and present shows that showcase the skills that they have learned through my classes.  The only performers needed for this project are the ones that I train during the workshop.

This is a series of 12 x 3 hour classes presented over two weeks that provide students with a solid academic foundation in spoken, physical and musical improvisation techniques including story structure, character and “advancing” scenes.  The program has the added benefit of helping students of English further develop their language skills.

The student’s work is presented at the end of the workshop program in a series of 1 hour shows presented in a game format where teams of 2 or 3 students compete with each other for a big prize. Maximum class size:  20 with two instructors (myself and my assistant) .


On Line Study Companion

An on line reference center developed in conjunction with the real time training can be accessed by visiting: The DCP e-Training Centre


“8 Things” – Towards Accelerated Learning


I have always believed that learning thing in groups of 8 improves random access memory and the ability spontaneously call up physical vocabulary during improvisation.  Improvisation is, ultimately, the most effective process by which to create new work and develop as an artist.

My program of study introduces students to the following ideas:

1.  The Yin and Yang of It All

Students are introduced to the idea that there are always two ways to come at the creation of an idea and that creativity can evolve from either chaos or order.  They are introduced to the concept of the “sign” and “design” mind, left brain and right brain and how to develop each in equal measure so as to maintain balance in all things.  It is stressed that the world “problem’ is to be replaced by the word “challenge” and that the search for solutions remains the primary pursuit.  There are only ever solutions, there are never any problems.

2.  The Process of Plastiques

Based inside Jerzy Grotowski’s process of physical vocabulary, voice and skill development.   Students are introduced to a system of progressive repetition that results in accelerated learning, teaching students how to adapt to an ever changing set of circumstances.  This unit provides students with a frame work by which they can develop strong stage personalities while increasing their aptitude, physical abilities, confidence and random access memory.

3.  Physiology and Performance

Students study muscle, bone  and tissue structures so as to better understand the human body in an effort to avoid, or at least manage,  injuries and the pain associated with repetitive muscular exercise and impact stress.  Nutrition and holistic therapy are central to this pursuit.

4.  Creating an Ensemble Organism

Students are introduced to collective forms of onstage interaction and improvisation including music and rhythm.  They are instructed in how to provide support for others when training and rehearsing.

5.  Individual Pursuit

Students are placed in situations where they are required to deliver on solo inventions and presentations.  Character building, discipline and understanding the concept of ‘project milestones’ is central to this pursuit.

6.  Compression, Expansion and abstracts

Students are given instruction in how to improve quality of performance by focusing on Macro and Micro perceptions of the work being pursued an the details associated with the compression and expansion of each extreme.

7.  Learning to Accept and Embrace Failure

A safe and supportive training environment is created wherein the students are made comfortable with the idea of taking risks and failing.  The idea that the creation of  innovative performance requires going beyond the obvious choices towards concepts that we may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with is central to this pursuit.

8.  Commitment

Students are introduced to the idea that nothing practical is achieved without hard work, tenacity, courage and determination.  Understanding what provides students with the motivation to commit to the learning process is central to this pursuit.


The Moving Acrobatic Ladder


Back at the beginning of my career in the spring of 1986, I worked with a group of 8 BFA actors, who were in their graduating year at the University of Alberta, to create a physical theatre show called “Phasers”.  The show was presented as part of the Phoenix Theatre’s “Hot Summer Nights” series in Edmonton, Canada.  This is where my fascination with ll things circus and physical theatre took off.

The primary metaphor for the show was all about climbing on ladders to get to a higher place only to have the ladder move sideways and deliver you to an entirely different destination.  It was a love story.

This show saw the creation of my first “new circus” device.  I invented a moving acrobatic ladder and told the actors that we would be doing a lot of jumping, rolling and balancing, something that was not really done in theatre, by actors, back then.  I also decided to put the audience in the centre of the theatre in swivel seats.  I put the sets on the outside and the audience on the inside so as to maximize the performance space.  I managed to increase the amount of stage size substantially and was able to have 2 moving ladders on 2 levels running on semi circular pieces of track.

New Circus, as we now know it, didn’t exist back then so manifesting ideas like this  took a lot of effort.  I often got into trouble for the way I wanted to use theatre spaces.  People used to laugh at me and call me crazy.

I owe a huge thank you to Bob Baker, then Artistic Director of Phoenix Theatre, John Paul Fischbach, the curator of the series, and Richard Link who provided all original 1980’s styled music on the new synthesizers that were coming out back then.

Extra special thanks go out to Frank Manfredi, Jeffery Hirschfield, Lorretta Bailey, Donna Call, Barbara Gates Wilson, Brian Knox McGugan, Andrew Dolha and Judith Hawking, who trusted me when I told them to balance on a piece of metal and wheels as it hurtled through space.  You were all very brave and I will never forget you.


<<<CLICK HERE TO REGISTER<<<