"A Clown cannot pretend or be artificial. In the circus, laughter cannot be faked any more than a somersault."
- Jerome Medrano of Cirque Medrano, Paris 

The Clown Conservatory offers a First Year program (September - June) with instruction in classic clowning, circus skills, acrobatics, mime, dance, character development, business, the creation of original clown material and more. Students also explore the history and current practice of clowning and its relationship and responsibility to society.

Our Advanced Program gives continuing students the opportunity to create an act of professional quality while training, performing and working with community groups.

The Clown Conservatory also offers workshops and classes to the general public; see the Workshops page for more information. 

 NEW CHINA PROGRAM, 2009

Following the success of our 2008 clown workshop in Nanjing, the Chinese government has invited San Francisco Circus Center to return in 2009 - and this time, we can bring some American students with us!

Classes are in English with Chinese translation for the approximately 15 Chinese students (professional acrobats from all over China).  6 hours/day, 5 days/week; weekends and evenings are open for students to explore and eat (food is wonderful, diverse and inexpensive).  Students tour a clown/acrobatic shows to local schools and other venues in the final week of the workshop.

WHEN: Four weeks, August 24 - September 18, 2009

HOW MUCH: $4000 total (tuition, airfare, and lodging are included in the fee)

WHO: Acceptance is by interview only; applicants should be graduates of circus, theater or dance programs or have solid professional experience. 

HOW TO APPLY: Applicants should contact program director Jeff Raz at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

"Business With Passion" Interviews Jeff Raz - Watch it Online!

 Jay Hamilton-Roth, founder of the website Many Good Ideas, interviews Jeff Raz on his "Business with Passion" television series."Business With Passion" features discussions with people who have successfully transformed their long-term passion into a successful business. 

Episodes air on Marin County Comcast Cable Channel 26 on Mondays at 8pm PST, and are also available for viewing online. Jeff's interview can be found at http://www.manygoodideas.com/2009/03/20/business-with-passion-jeff-raz/

Ten Reasons to study at the Clown Conservatory:

1) Graduates are performing around the world with Cirque du Soliel, Cirque Eloize, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Stomp, The New Pickle Circus and many others.

2) The Clown Conservatory is the only comprehensive clown training program in North America.

3) Actors, dancers, circus performers, improvisors, musicians and clowns come to the Clown Conservatory from all over the world.

4) Students receive a lot of personal attention from our staff of top professionals.

5) We offer cutting-edge training grounded in the rich global traditions of clowning.

6) Good, creative careers in clowning are multiplying as the New Circus movement flourishes.

7) Our students learn all aspects of clowning: classic routines, acrobatics, juggling, hospital-based clowning, dance, mime, stilt walking, make-up design & application, important aspects of business from marketing to negotiating a contract, and much more.

8) The staff and students are constantly questioning, experimenting and searching for new ways to make audiences laugh and cry.

9) We are a program of San Francisco Circus Center, home of The New Pickle Circus, The San Francisco Circus and the San Francisco School of Circus Arts.

10) The Clown Conservatory is a fun, warm and exciting place to be.

A majority of our 80 graduates now work in circuses, theaters and other performing venues around the world, including:

• The New Pickle Circus
• Cirque du Soleil
• Cirque Eloize
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
• Aga-Boom
• Winners of the Jose Soledad Aycardo Award (Top honors at the All-Mexico clown festival)
• The Broadway touring company of "My One and Only"
• Circus Monti (Switzerland)
• Circus Kaput
• Stomp
• Circus Bella
  
• Lunatique Fantastique
• Splash Circus
• Marin Shakespeare Festival
• Covent Garden Buskers, London
• Cirque Bijou (Brighton)
• Circus Minimus
• Prescott Clowns
• Berkshire Community College Circus Camp
• Fool Time Circus
• Children's Fairyland
• Earth Circus
• Velocity Circus
• Kaotica's Circus
• New Conservatory Theatre
• Encore Theatre
• Theatre Rhino
• Unconditional Theatre
• Lazer Vaudeville and others