Ray, Clown Teacher: Teacher

'Houston, we have a clown.'

Ray opening the Gala Show of a Circus Convention.

Who am I?

I'm Ray (pronounced 'rai' or 'raj'). I'm a nomad, a juggler, a little clown, a clown teacher and a good cook.

I was born by first time in Canary Islands when I was younger than one year old. I don't remember how it was! Since I discovered my inside clown, I born every day and I love it. Life is awesome.

I'm an open-minded and friendly person. I'm very positive. It's really complicated to see me angry. I love 99% of the population.

I'm very honest with my words and actions.

I'm nonsmoker. I don't drink alcohol. I'm vegan. I'm feminist. I look for equity (not equality). I'm queer friendly. In my opinion, there are a lot of awesome races: human, canine, feline, pachyderm, rodent, cetacean, lagomorph, cuddly toys,... Colours are the result of decoding the light waves.

My hobbies: Circus, playing music, origami, balloon sculptures, macramé, drawing, Morse code, astronomy, craft wire, painting,... I love learning a lot.

I speak Spanish, French, English and Itagnolo. I understand very well Catalan and Italiano.

I love hugs! If you like hugging, hug me!

Ray performing in München, Germany.

What about my clown experience?

I was really lucky because the first time I wore a red nose was in a Clown introduction workshop. Then, I participated in another workshop, more workshops, and in a long course. This way I didn't learn by myself. So, I didn't need to correct bad techniques because my clown knowledge was empty. That's the best way to learn clown. My first Clown workshop was in 2008 and the last one in 2017. I also have experience as a hospital clown.

I have won two clown awards:

Clownbaret International Festival 2008 Contest.
Humorous Interpretation Groucho 2011 Contest (2nd award, but the 1st award in clown modality). In this case, I was performing with a partner.

I presented as a clown the Gala Show of the I Canary Islands Clown Convention 2011.

I acted several short clown shows at the Gala Show of the 2nd African Circus Convention 2018 in Benin.

I have done clown shows in theatres, bars, social centres, schools,...

I have improvised in the streets with pedestrian, drivers, shopkeepers, waiters,... I rode on a police motorbike (turned on but stopped) performing as a clown. I achieved that a dog that was afraid of humans loved me in a few minutes performing as a clown.

But I need to learn much more yet to improve my clown more and more. Now I'm working on my clown voice. I wish to find nice clown workshops.

By the way, my clown's name is Rodolfo. :●)

Ray performing in Millstreet, Ireland.

What about my teaching experience?

Years ago, I taught short workshops because of people's request. I always said 'No, I can't, I'm not a teacher' but their feedbacks were always very positive. Step by step, I designed a good method. I'm very happy with it. I've been teaching clown seriously since the beginning of 2014.

The feedback is always very positive. The only aspect to improve is my 'Espanis' (Spanish) accent, but I always say 'If someone doesn't understand me, tell me and I'll enunciate better'. Hehehe, it's not a big problem.

I have taught clown in several Circus Associations, in several Circus Conventions, in several Circus Schools, in an NGO for children, in a Non-profit association for childrens in Molenbeek-Saint-Jean and in a Theater School.

I have run at least one clown workshop in each of these 23 countries: Albania, Austria, Belgium, Benin, Czechia, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, The Netherlands, Ukraine and United Kingdom.

Intensive clown workshop in Podgoriça, Montenegro.

I have run clown workshop at:

2011:

'I Canary Islands Clown Convention 2011' in La Graciosa (Spain).

2015:

'Thessaloniki Juggling Club' in Thessaloniki (Greece).
'European Juggling Convention 2015' in Brunico (Italy).
'Jonglierfabrik Oberösterreich' in Traun (Austria).
Circus School 'Cirkus-Kus' for the teachers in Bratislava (Slovakia).
Circus School 'Cirkus-Kus' for children in Bratislava (Slovakia).
'Asociația Jonglerie Cluj-Napoca' in Targu Mures (Romania).

2016:

'Asociației Culturale Macaz Incubator107' in Bucharest (Romania).
'Inex Circus Teatar' in Beograd (Serbia).
'NGO Kam-Hram' in Split (Croatia).
'NGO Don Bosko' in Podgorica (Montenegro).
'NGO Don Bosko' for children in Podgorica (Montenegro).
'Universiteti i Arteve' in Tiranë (Albania).
'10ª Convention di Giocoleria della Brianza' in Imbersago (Italy).
'European Juggling Convention 2016' in Almere (The Netherlands).
'Play Circus Festival 2016' in Carbourne Parva (England, UK).

2017:

'ASBL Françoise de Gottal' (as her assistant) in Brussels (Belgium).
'École de Cirque de Bruxelles' in Brussels (Belgium).
'European Juggling Convention 2017' in Lublin (Poland).
'Viktor Kee Foundation: Open Circle Program' in Uday (Ukraine).
'W Centrum' in Varsaw (Poland).
Circus Artists Space 'Katapult' in Berlin (Germany).

2018:

'Kletterhalle im Artistenkombinat Leipzig' in Leipzig (Germany).
Circus School 'Cirqueon' in Prague (Czechia).
'Chance 4 Children Dr. Klaun's' Hospital Clowns in Prague (Czechia).
Street intervention workshop in Prague (Czechia).
'Brno Juggling Convention 2018' in Brno (Czechia).
'IQ Roma Service Civic Association' in Brno (Czechia).
'Muzikálové Konzervatórium ALKANA' in Bratislava (Slovakia).
Circus School 'Cirkus-Kus' for kids in Bratislava (Slovakia).
'Stret Klub' in Bratislava (Slovakia), organized by 'Cirkus-Kus'.
Circus School 'INspirál Cirkuszközpont' in Budapest (Hungary).
'Israeli Juggling Convention 2018' in Sachne (Israel).
'Yoel Ron's Arts Studio' in Tel Aviv (Israel).
'12ª Convention di Giocoleria della Brianza' in Imbersago (Italy).
Convention 'Bigoud'n Jongle 2018' in Vezin-le-Coquet (France).
Circus School 'Cirkus in Beweging' for teachers in Leuven (Belgium).
'Convention Française de Jonglerie 2018' in Ambérieu (France).
'European Juggling Convention 2018' in Ribeira Grande (Portugal).
'SOLIDARIED'ARTE Açores' in Ponta Delgada (Portugal).
'17 Convention de Jonglerie à Poitiers' in Poitiers (France).
'28. Pyramidales Jonglier 2018' in Karlsruhe (Germany).
'Cookie-con Circus Convention 2018' in Tübingen (Germany).
Theaterklasse from 'BORG2 Lessinggasse Schule' in Wien (Austria).
'Das andere Theater' in Graz (Austria).
'Telodrom' in Ljubljana (Slovenia).
'Artist's Habitat in Villa' for families in Villa Estense (Italy).
Spazio Libero 'Progetto SLIP' in Torino (Italy).
'Casa Barriera' for children and parents in Torino (Italy).
'École inclusive Sainte Jocelynein' in Cotonou (Benin).
'École des Arts de Cirque Benin' in Cotonou (Benin).

2019:

'Personal Trainer 24' in Tegueste (Spain).
'Convention Française de Jonglerie '19' in Vezin-le-Coquet (France).
'Ecovillage Bel-Air' in Priziac (France).
'18 Convention de Jonglerie à Poitiers' in Poitiers (France).
'6 Tours de Pass'Pass En Retard' in St.-Étienne-de-Chigny (France).
'Jongle en Zik 2019' in Malemort-du-Comtat (France).

2020:

'Convention Français de Jonglerie 2020' in Habsheim (France).
'3 Convention de Jonglerie Limouzirk' in Ladignac-le-Long (France).

2021:

'Funny Juggling Workshop' in El Pinar, El Hierro (Spain).
'34ème Convention suisse de Jonglerie et des Arts du Cirque' in Genève (Switzerland).

2022:

'European Juggling Convention 2022' in Tres Cantos (Spain).

Street clown performance workshop in Bucharest, Romania

Why I decided to be a clown teacher?

When I was a little kid, I had a lot of energy and I wanted to improve the world. I always had nice ideas to improve daily activities; I always wanted the best for everybody; I have always fought injustice, and become frustrated when I cannot. But the system pushes us down, and I had lost the energy to make the world a better place.

When I discovered the circus world (juggling mostly) and clowning, I recovered that energy. I want to have a job that helps people and our society. I mix clown techniques and clown philosophies with life philosophies that I have learnt through being a nomad for 7 years. I am sure if everybody finds their 'clown state' (a way of being), we will live in a world without wars, hate and jealousy.

At the end of the film 'Back to the future', Marty says 'We don't have enough road to get up to 88', and Doc answers 'Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads', because Doc came back from the future and now the car can fly. Well, I say 'Clowns? Where we're going, we don't need clowns', because I believe the human society of the future will not need to learn clowning, because we will live in a nice society, where the system doesn't try to change our most natural and honest being.

So, I want everybody to learn clowning. I cannot do it alone. Do you want to learn to teach clowning? Come to my workshop or contact me.

Intensive clown workshop in Bratislava, Slovakia.

How is my teaching style?

All clown teachers have a different style and a different point of view about the clown being. I analysed my teachers and I took what I think is the best of each one. In the same way, you must take from all your teachers and me what you most love of each one, to create your own version of the clown being.

I designed the workshops in 3 parts: warm up, exercises with the red nose and improvisations. The warm up games are useful to do well the exercises with the red nose and, in turn, these are useful for the improvisations. You won't do any game for no reason.

I explain the theory little by little (you will learn the theory playing games). I will explain you the meaning of the games and then you could practise more at home.

I maximise the time in the way that you learn a lot during the intensive workshop. We will play a lot of games without and with red nose.

I have a purpose for each exercise. Since the workshops are intensive for a few days, I will give you some guidelines while you are improvising. At the end of the improvisations, I will say you advices to keep in mind.

Clown workshop in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Clown learning is playing games in a relaxed and funny mood. One of my objectives is that you feel comfortable all the time. You won't be forced to do anything that you don't want to do. I also hope that you make mistakes because I think that erring is a good way to learn. So, don't be afraid to learn. Enjoy the way of learning by mistakes!

Now I'm designing new specific workshops, but it takes time. I don’t just take exercises that I learnt in other workshops. I am very meticulous and I don’t offer a workshop until I am sure that it's perfect and that I can run it greatly.

I don't have the knowledge of all clown techniques. If you ask me a question and I don't have the correct answer, I will tell you 'Sorry, I don't know. You must ask another teacher'. I won't improvise an answer just to pretend to be a good teacher. I'm learning every day.

Clown workshop in Brianza, Italy.