Word: clowning
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...circus; it goes from generation to generation and your teacher is your father. Like a craftsman, you pass your craft on to your son. If you are a trapeze artist, chances are that your son will be a trapeze artist. But I made the decision to become a clown when I was 8. My father thought it was just a phase. In the beginning he was not very happy, not because he was against it, but because he told me, "David, what can I teach you? I am not a clown." But he was cool with it and later...
...started by teaching me juggling and acrobatics, and he sent me to dance school and music school. I wasn't very happy, I said, "Dad, why are you sending me here? I want to be a clown, I don't want to be a dancer." And he said, "You want to be a great clown? You have to be able to move nicely. And to move nicely you have to learn ballet. You have to be able to play 2-3 instruments at least, because a good clown has to be a good musician...
...moments of my life was when I went to the festival in Monte Carlo two years ago. It's a tough festival. When you win there it's like an Oscar for an actor. You have performers from all over the world, and you don't just compete against clowns, you compete against the acrobats of Cirque du Soliel, or the acrobatic dancers from China. You compete with everyone, and you are judged by your peers. I am proud, of course, of the first prize, of the golden clown, but what I'm most proud of is that...
...wife used to be a trapeze artist. When I met her in Germany, she was the star of the show, because she was at that time the only woman in the world that could perform a triple somersault. I was a little clown at the beginning of his career. We've been married for 20 years. She doesn't fly any more, she misses...
...That is a problem. It's because they have this image of the American clowns with a big green wig. I mean let's be honest, they are scary. A clown should never lose his humanity. When the clown comes out you should never have to think that he comes from another planet. You have to connect with him. You have to see him and think, oh he moves like my uncle George, or he smiles like my friend Billy. You have to have a connection. A good clown should help teach people how to make fun of themselves...