"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.

We also offer an Advanced Program, giving continuing students the opportunity to choose one of three Tracks:

• The Individual Study Track, in which the student creates an act of professional quality while training, performing and working with community groups;
  
• The Social Circus Track, which trains students to maximize their unique skills as performers and circus educations in community outreach; and 
  
• The Ensemble Track, in which students collaboratively create, produce, and tour a full-length original show using their clown, circus, and physical performance skill-base. The 2009 Ensemble Track show, Wonderland, was a hugely successful adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic "Alice In Wonderland'; the 2010 show will be a commedia dell'arte version of the Chinese epic tale, Journey to the West.

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

San Francisco CIRCUS CENTER clowns return to Wuqiao, China!

In 2008 a successful month-long clown workshop in Nanjing for professional acrobats from all over China cemented The Clown Conservatory’s role as an international resource of clowning teachers and performers.  We are thrilled to report that we were invited to return to Nanjing in 2009,  just a few weeks after the beginning of our 10th school year,  to offer an advanced workshop culminating in performances by a troupe of San Francisco CIRCUS CENTER and Chinese clowns at the Wujiao International Circus Festival, held in beautiful Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province from October 31st through November 8th, 2009. 

What an amazing time we had! It was an incredible honor to participate as the only US representatives at this Festival, and we hope our relationship with our friends in China will continue to grow.

Read more about this amazing historic festival at www.wuqiao.org/English/main.asp

Clown Conservatory Documentary: A Peek Behind WONDERLAND

Filmmaker and teacher Marco Martinez-Galarce made a wonderful short documentary about "Wonderland", our Advanced Program Ensemble Performance track project (2008/2009).  We are currently working with Marco on a larger piece about The Clown Conservatory.  

You can watch "Through the Looking Glass: a peek behind WONDERLAND" at http://blip.tv/file/2506119

Jeff Raz returns from CORTEO!

Jeff Raz is back at school having recently completed another run playing the role of "The Dead Clown" with Cirque du Soleil's Corteo -- this time, in Japan! Corteo thrilled audiences during its United States run two years ago;  Inigo Figuracion of About.com/San Diego writes: "Jeff Raz as the Dead Clown, the show's main character, is perfectly cast, bringing both comedic and whimsical traits as he tries to cope with his death, learning how to fly, and how to confront his memories as a former clown."

Other reviews:

Variety: http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934501.html?categoryid=33&cs=1

Reuters: http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKN2637388220070827

About.com/San Diego: http://sandiego.about.com/od/thingstodo/fr/corteo_revew.htm

"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 offers 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 Professional Training 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