What they said... some experiences of workshop participants)

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Thanks very much for the weekend, it was a lot of fun - I haven't laughed so much in ages. I found it really liberating to be able to choose not to go along with other people if I didn't feel like it.

You were really helpful in demystifying clowning, offering ways in to it that were clear, and easy to understand and remember, like it being fine to be real or fake, not always having to wait for it to feel real, and the difference between what an actor generally does and what a clown is doing.

(Georgie Steele, London 2024)

 

I learnt a lot about clowning and how to approach it - Jon gets the message across in a simple and understandable way. Clowning isn't a mysterious art form - the answer lies in just what we are feeling at the time. Priceless.

(Sally Mayhew, London 2024)

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I want to share with you that for me personally, I experienced deep joy every day. I woke up crying with happiness and thankfulness Saturday morning. It has been decades since I’ve felt so much lightness and joy…. I am breaking out of my own mental prison.  Yippeeeee! I hope to share the clown spirit with others. Thank you for being you.

 

Thank you Jon. Some takeaways and things I really appreciated and enjoyed: your honesty, practicing laugh and silence awareness, listening for laughter if my “funny idea” fails, moving when there is silence (dealing with on stage emotions), so many ways to clown, useful grounding tools, being less abstract or storyish, clowning within a script, the individual and group feedback was very useful. 

 

I felt safe, curious and open to try things. It is great how you see the clown in us and genuinely desire to magnify it. Your honesty and interest in each of us is apparent. Jon you are full of life and experience and it is beautiful that you are teaching/sharing at such a reasonable rate. I would take your workshop again because I know I can get more out of it each time. I highly recommend. What a great group of folks you draw in, hope to have you in Reno one day soon. Cheers (Audry Townsell, Los Angeles, 2023)

 

Oh my goodness, Prof. Davison!!

Your class is really fucking hitting home… I understand the value of doing what’s real, responding to what’s real in the room!

Your class is the class that just keeps giving, even after its conclusion.  I am very pleasantly surprised.  Already in one day, I am applying so much to my “real” life. Fascinating!

(Mona Hanouni, Los Angeles 2023)

 

Jon is a brilliant teacher and is able to bring out courage in people by focusing on the tasks of exploration rather than getting something "right". Jon welcomes all human interactions, interruption, confusion, and questions. Play is not limited to simply saying "yes". There is an excellent introspectiveness set from the beginning without it becoming paralyzing. Where all feelings are correct.

(Andy Ross, Bristol 2023)

 

Not having any previous experience in clowning or theatre, I was quite apprehensive and I really had no idea what to expect. Jon led the workshop through fun and engaging games which loosened me up and I managed to let go, and to just go for it quite quickly. Everyone was easy going and really nice to hang out with and you find yourself getting to know each other quickly. I found the workshop gave me a lot more than I had anticipated, giving me more confidence in my day to day life. I definitely recommend checking Jon's workshops out, it's a win-win situation.

(Paul Gadd, Bristol 2023)

 

This was an active, fun, funny weekend.  Lots of laughs and many varied stimulating activities to reveal the clown. Works well for experienced performers and brave beginners!

(Helen Herman, Bristol 2023)

 

“It has deffo been a challenge to come to terms with life outside of the glow of clown school. (but I guess life has to change as a result!)

 

It was wonderful! I'm still pretty new to performing, and I was worried about feeling too out of depth, but the whole thing felt so natural and logical (and novel in a massively exciting way)- which I think was very much down to the delicate way that you taught, (and how unified (most of) the group was). I was blown away by the line you managed to tread between letting us discover things and guidance. How open you were and the levels of honesty it felt like we reached, without being brutal.

 

It was certainly the most generous teaching I have had the pleasure to experience in my life. Within this environment, I felt safe (and compelled) to explore myself in places I had never known myself to be before. And I watched other people do the same. This felt like unlocking a new voice that had been dormant inside of me.

 

I have found within the ideas and philosophy of your teaching of clowning a new clarity in thinking around ideas I have been stuck with for a long time. Including ways of thinking about my own painting practice that has been in a consistent struggle with its relationship (or lack of) to an audience.” (Jessie, London)

 

“Your workshop (including your philosophical musings within) touched me in a deep way. For a while I have been feeling confused and wrongly accused by feedback about how I need to "think less and do more" or "follow my impulses", and also unhappy about my unpleasant experiences working in a group, and while of course you wouldn't know all of these going-ons and they are not "solved" or anything, I think my confidence took a hit from these experiences and in your workshop I felt a sense of relief, self-acceptance and an acceptance from others.

 

I felt so moved especially when you were talking about how we spend all this time trying to make people do things when each of us is our own person, but also your general approach of encouraging us to give observations (instead of judging statements) of each person's actions/words/expressions, and accepting our varied interpretations as valid.

 

I think this environment was also created when you told us to just chill when we have nothing we want to test for a reaction (it's so stressful to feel like we gotta do something all the time and the framing of "testing for a reaction" is really useful!), and when you encouraged us to try new ways of being in the space when we're just not feeling it.

 

I found the workshop to be an excellent introduction to a perspective on clowning that is freeing and clear. What I found to be the greatest strength was that the exercises were paced and scaffolded well such that they were do-able (really made the atmosphere encouraging instead of disappointing) and delivered the intended learning within the day itself (no need to wander and wonder until the day we mysteriously get 'it'). The language you used was clear and avoided misunderstandings/confusion, and the goals of the exercise were never hidden from us for no good reason (as in, you were clear on what we didn't need to do and what we needed to do, and there were no annoying surprises).

 

Oh, and I really felt so tickled by the idea of imaginary clowning which you classified someone’s clowning examples as -- it's been on my mind and a source of inspiration. I love it.” (Jia Min, Singapore)

 

“I find your teaching style is very concise and to the point, yet you are still sensitive to peoples emotions during the workshops. To kickstart was a rigorous name learning game, again, rigorous – I could name everyone in the room within two minutes. This is so important, I have been to other workshops that do not focus on this and it really does have an impact throughout the workshops so thank you. It is clear that your knowledge of Clowning is substantial and thorough, which guided us and gave factual information to back up the practice throughout. I also find it fascinating that you are able to join in with laughter in the audience- we are still funny to you! You are professional and clear, yet very much up for having a good time as well and this shows." (Beth, London)​

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My first clowning teacher Jon Davison conducting a workshop across the continent. His lessons gently tame my rigid imagination and creativity, allowing me to draw spark inspiration from the little scenes of life. It would be great if as many people in our country could have access to this interesting field as they wish. Woah I have so much to study...! (Soleá Soyoung Kim, Korea, 2021)

 

“I am trying to explain why the set up of the clowning classes work for me. I thought it was “because I get no assignments”. But I actually do. I think it is because I don’t feel judged.” (Rosemarijn Dumont, Care Clown, Belgium, 2020)

 

“Jon invites us through a door into the agility of our imagination. His ideas and exercises are simple, playful, whimsical, and work in deep moment-to-moment awareness. But please look around at other online miracles as I don’t want this one to get over crowded.(Peter Shub, Clown, USA/Germany, 2020)

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“I played my first small solo and managed to apply some of the ingredients of your method.

It was fun! And it worked! The feedback I got:

•You seemed very relaxed in stage

•There was always laughter

•It was so stupid!

•Really funny

•The audience always felt safe and recognized.

So, I wanted to say thank you and that your method produces something pleasurable for both the performer and the audience.” (Tobi Tambornino, Germany)

 

“Thank you for the brilliant course. It was wonderful in every way – personally challenging without any terror attached, mind opening, fear conquering. I think everyone should do a clown course to better understand themselves and others. And particularly do yours.” (Dr Dea Birkett, Ringmaster and leader of Circus250)

 

“Jon is a brilliant teacher!” (Dani Tonks, Wild Play Lab, London)

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"Jon is the best teacher I have ever had, and I am a very picky person. He is like the rain that gently falls onto the earth, softly moistens the grass and encourages every plant to grow at their own pace. He never judges people and gives a lot of freedom. He makes scaffolds and you will find yourself making progress and achieving more than you have expected. The way he inspired me definitely boosted my self-confidence and stimulated my creativity. Now I know myself better and I love myself more. Last but not least, all the happiness and silliness you will experience in his clowning course is the medicine for life! We all had so much fun!” (Jingxian Mei, Clown Foundation Course 2018)

 

"You won't know when you start a clown course what you will discover ... with Jon Davison he makes it wholly about your journey, supportive and a true guide. He has specific and helpful ideas, which he clearly communicates, even more, he has a genuine capacity to facilitate your learning. People say he’s a clown teacher genius. I am saying this too, although I have only experienced 8 other clown teachers. I never want to leave the London Clown School … that’s why I am so happy to keep getting it wrong (this is a bad clown joke)!” (Justine Smith)

 

"If you can make it and were thinking of going, just go. It's amazing." (Caitlin Day - Nottingham Clown Course)

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"I loved how you de-emphasized the individual clown- which has always felt like a difficult way in for me. It was fascinating to see how we arrived at many of the core concepts in clown in a much more intuitive and felt way." (Rebecca Stevens Royal Central School of Speech and Drama)

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"thank you so much for all the laughs and the experiences so far...it’s a wonderful class and I’m very grateful to you and the group for the sheer joy of it all. Thanks for sharing your superb gifts and teaching”(Mark Denham - London Clown School student)

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"Thanks again for a great workshop! This was my first clowning experience - ever. The workshop made me explore and discover so many new things as an actress and about myself as a person. Learning to laugh at oneself more, and just letting yourself be more stupid, as silly or simple as it sounds, is so rewarding. When you feel idiotic on stage, the audience feels it, they laugh, and you’ve done your job. I would highly recommend this workshop to anyone wanting to extend their acting style, or just experience the art of clowning  - you won’t regret it." (Jazzara Jaslyn, actress, Cape Town)

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"What a ridiculously funny and informative workshop!" (Nathalie Codsi, Brighton clown student)

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“The workshop was fantastic, one of the best things I’ve done since I arrived in England … I am definitely laughing much more and much harder since the workshop!” (Dror Latan, Circomedia student)

 

“Great fun and a very good learning experience” (Katherine Steer, Brighton clown student)

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“I really enjoy your teaching approach... I felt I was eased into the session nicely (as I was a little nervous), but toward the end I felt like we were digging deeper. It was a nice gradient!” (Jenny Haufek, Brighton clown performer and student)

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"Some of the most illuminating and enjoyable workshops I've done (and I'm addicted to the things)" (Jonathan Richardson, producer of House of Idiot Comedy Club, and London Clown School student) 

 

"Jon Davison is a great clown teacher" (Lucy Hopkins, freelance physical theatre performer and creator)

 

"I wish I was in London to do this, the man's a genius!!" (Klara Van Wyk, clown student and performer, South Africa)