tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8937781668988736097.post714140342078417199..comments2024-02-21T08:00:44.545-06:00Comments on Trunk Stories: We were 48Jonathan Mitch Freddeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00391796062153387543noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8937781668988736097.post-1038994097204233532010-02-01T09:32:30.206-06:002010-02-01T09:32:30.206-06:00What a trip indeed!
It's odd - we were drill...What a trip indeed! <br /><br />It's odd - we were drilled in the classic routines as well, Dentist, The Boxing Gag, Dead & Alive, etc but the gags themselves were not utilized by the Alley when I joined the Blue Unit back in 1996. <br /><br />Though I did a variation of Dead & Alive with Sean Hartman and later did the boxing gag with you back on the 133rd, it seems sad that none of the clowns after the demise of Clown College had a sound working knowledge of these little chesnuts. They claimed they knew them (they had read about them) but when push came to shove, they didn't know how to execute the gags.<br /><br />When Clown College closed, we lost a common language and a shared experience. <br /><br />The inherent value of being drilled through these gags was the ability to suddenly grab a partner and stretch out the said routines to fill up any gap in the show whenever the band struck up the 12th St. Rag. Being able to cover wasn't rocket science nd it certainly was a bit more entertaining to have an act on hand, rather than stretching a juggling routine. <br /><br />I'm very thankful that you've got this blog going. The spirit of 'jackpotting' is a very important resource for all of us. I loved it when Jackie LeClaire or Joe Sherman would visit the Alley and regale us with stories of their experience. <br /><br />It's kind of scary to jackpot with the current clowns and tell them of the days when Ringling had floats, or for that matter - rings.<br /><br />It's a different age. <br /><br />Alan Ware<br />CC '96 Blue & Red 96 - 07circusgypsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02671668288635802774noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8937781668988736097.post-76057003419553827992010-01-29T13:59:52.682-06:002010-01-29T13:59:52.682-06:00Weren't there 3 dance instructors?
They choreo...Weren't there 3 dance instructors?<br />They choreographed a bit to the theme song of "Sanford and Son" tv show. To this day I cannot listen to that theme song.<br />Lou Jacobs made his first appearance to our class when we were trucked to Circus World for elephant riding lessons.<br />I think Lou was only in make-up one time.<br />When we returned to Venice, Bill Ballantine proclaimed, "You are going to learn classic American clowining, but these are gags you will not see on the Greatest Show on Earth". The Dentist. Lou watched us do a terrible job, then invited us to sit down and he walked through the gag three times, playing each part separately. He didn't need the make-up nor the wardrobe because he became each character.<br />What a great class it was, wasn't it Mitch?Mike Naughtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08279545515945103377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8937781668988736097.post-49899076386326076162010-01-27T19:33:24.601-06:002010-01-27T19:33:24.601-06:00I can almost smell Venice Arena... oh wait... I th...I can almost smell Venice Arena... oh wait... I think I stepped in something... nevermind.Ron Jarvishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13451195611090649069noreply@blogger.com