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Shobi's Workshops

 

 

Above a clown workshop in Tokyo (Shobi is in the middle with the blissful smile)  The clown nose is the smallest mask.  But for the clowns to get where there were that day, we went through character masks.  As one Japanese participant ask, "Why do I feel so free when I put on the mask?"  I answered, "Because the masks not only carries you, but carries the responsibility of you and releases you from the mirror you so often identify in the mirror." .

 

Why Mask?

All of Shobi's clown workshops incorporate the 40 plus character/emotion masks created by Shobi Dobi to use in her workshops.

Clown moves through space 

like a bar of music 
with tone, volume, space, 

energy and rhythm.

                                           – Shobi

If you tell me, I will listen

If you show me, I will see

If you let me experience,

     I will learn
                                    – Lao Tzu


maskplay.jpg

 

denmarkplay.jpg
masks.jpg


When the face -- our natural expressive mask -- is covered it allows us to put on a different suit – a different persona. We are able to shed our habitual gestures, even our unconscious ones. In this realm, action is the language. The mask gives us larger-than-life worlds, and emotions. It allows us to escape the limited world of our practiced movement and enter a realm of heightened awareness. We become aware of the magic of our bodies in new ways. Breath and eye contact make magical moments. Watching the masks in motion is as intriguing and magical as being in a masks.


And this mask work is FUN! It engages that silly inside part of all humans who want to play. Wearing a mask allows us to enter the magical world of performance without the self-conscious stage fright. The mask will perform for you, if you let it. The Play is the key.

 

These workshops are for anyone wanting to expand their creativity expressiveness and spontaneity; however, they are most important for the clown in world and community service, as our stage is a stage of spontaneity not routine.
 

 

Shobi's masks are not for sale.

 

For a list of commedia mask makers see:

i Sebastiani - Commercial Commedia Links

Commedia/Mask Workshops Shobi Recommends

 

To Learn How to Make Commedia Masks:

Dell’Arte International School of Physical Theater  

http://www.dellarte.com

To Study Commedia Theater

The Roving Classical Commedia University with Hovey Burgess, Julie Goell and Stanley Alan Sherman www.CommediaU.com  

and at  www.celebrationbarn.com .

Other Clown Workshops  

 

The NY Goofs   www.nygoofs.com

 

Baby Clown Workshops with the Pochinko Method of Clowning in Canada

www.mumpandsmoot.com/workshops.html

www.canadianclowning.com/workshops.html

 

Celebration Barn in Maine

www.celebrationbarn.com/workshop/work/schedule.html

 

The Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theatre 

in Blue Lake, California

 

Clown Conservatory This is part of the Circus Center in San Francisco has a full year training for clowns. Their emphasis is on circus skills, but they have periodic workshops for for clowns taught by Jeff Raz and many others 
see www.jeffraz.com 
The Clown Conservatory also has a wonderful program for children. 
http://www.circuscenter.org/classes/clowns.html

 

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