"Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body."  - Joseph Addison & Richard Steele in The Tattler March 18, 1710
 
One goal of physical exercise is to make your body more flexible.  Reading, especially material that has a lot of humor or metaphors, increases your mental flexibility.  Studies have shown that humor increases mental flexibility because the majority of jokes cause you to think one thing and then the punch line jolts you into thinking something else.  Metaphors also cause you to form one mental image that shifts into a different image. 
 
That ability to shift images is a necessary element of creativity.  I have heard it said that creativity is looking at the same thing as everyone else and seeing something different.  In doing their research for designing the Ford Motor Company pavilion at the 1964 New York World's Fair, Walt Disney and John Hench visited a steel mill where sheet metal was made for cars.  They observed large red-hot metal ingots moved around on tracks of powered rollers.  Walt asked John Hench, "Do you think we could put some kind of seat on that type of conveyor, or some kind of arrangement for people to ride on...do you think this thing would handle it?"  John Hench was sure it could be done and turned the project over to Roger Broggie, the head of the Disney Studios machine shop.  Broggie used the concept in creating the WEDway PeopleMover system that premiered at the World's Fair and was then installed at Disneyland.  Broggie attached each guest vehicle onto a large flat piece of metal that made contact with the rollers in the conveyor track.  The result was a simple system that rarely broke down.  (I recently learned about the development of the PeopleMover by reading Designing Disney: Imagineering and the Art of the Show written by John Hench and Peggy Van Pelt.)
 
Another goal of physical exercise is strengthening your muscles.  Reading strengthens you mentally by giving you practice visualizing.  As you read a description you begin to picture it in your mind.  That is the advantage of written words over visual presentations.  If you watch a video or movie, you see the image that the production team has created for you.  When you read you create your own image.
 
Visualization is an important part of creativity.  I imagined that I was performing every routine I have created before I began the process of turning it into reality.  I visualized many different variations of the routine, until I thought I had a strong image of the best possible version.  It didn't cost anything to create all of those versions so I could easily experiment.  Then I began the process of figuring out how to physically perform what I had visualized.  The final product was never exactly what I visualized because I would make more discoveries as I worked with the actual props, but I couldn't begin without that vision to guide me.
 
Once I had the routine ready to go into performance, I would rehearse it in my imagination, especially late at night.  Studies have shown that visualized rehearsal can be almost as effective as physical rehearsal.  The pathways in your brain are reinforced whether you are visualizing or actually performing an action.
 
That is why you should do two different types of reading.  The first type of reading is for information and inspiration.  I read a lot of books about creativity and about variety arts skills.  That provides the technical information I need to turn my visions into reality.  The second type of reading is for mental exercise.  I read a lot of mysteries, some science fiction, and other fiction.  I am convinced reading that material has strengthened my ability to be creative by improving my mental flexibility and strengthening my imagination.  That provides the visions to start with.
 
How often do you get mental exercise?  What reading will give you technical information?  What reading will increase your mental flexibility?  What reading will help you see images?  What can you read this week that will help you become a better entertainer?

 

The costume that makes it look like you are riding an animal is called a basket animal. The name comes from the fact that in the early days the body of the animal was woven out of wicker like a basket.  In the most common version, the performers legs extend down through the animals body and are hidden by a blanket worn by the animal.  Dummy legs appear to the the legs of the performer sitting on the animal. 

 

I think an interesting variation in the early circus was "riding with grandma" performed on horse back.  The clown rode standing up, but it looked like he was sitting on the shoulders of an old woman sitting on the horse.  The performer's legs extended down through the torso of the dummy of an old woman.  Her dummy legs made it look like she was sitting astride the horse.  Dummy legs made it look the clown was riding on grandma's shoulders.  This was a parody of actual human pyramids that were performed on horses.

October 15-18. 2009

 Olympia. WA

 

Red Nose Festival Competition Coach and Vendor

 

 

 November 4-8, 2009

 

Wilmar, Minnesota

 

This is an advanced workshop for those serious about Gospel Clown Ministry.  It is limited to fifteen participants.

 

 

April 29 - May 1, 2010

Branson Magic Bonanza

 

Branson, MO

 

I will be there with a dealer table.

 

Branson Magic Bonanza 

July 9-15, 2010

 

Sixteen hours of classes over three days plus four days of performing in Singapore schools. 

 

 

 

I believe in promoting any event I will be lecturing at.  If you schedule me for an educational event that you are hosting, I will list it here.  My goal is to do what I can to best meet the needs of you and your group.

 

For information on additional services that I can provide for an educational event 

Educational Services