Listening to NPR, in a segment on a working vacations, a college student talks about clearing trails Out West to broaden his view of the world.  Growing up Out West I used those same internships and seasonal jobs to broaden my horizons by meeting the kind of people who went college Back East.

My Kid had her first piano lesson on Saturday and she started ballet today.  She’s had dance before but this is the real deal with barre work and first position and all that.  My head is filled with thoughts of how the music lessons will help her with her standardized tests and the ballet will help her soccer game.  Also I’m remembering what lessons I did and did not get as a child as is the mother of the other little girl, current BFF of my daughter.  Together we mothers plotted to get our long of limb daughters to agree to take ballet class.  Their lack of interest went away when we suggested they go together.  At Mark Morris they have the luxury of live piano accompaniment at their class and they don’t have any idea how special that is.

I’ve been going to improvisation workshops at Gowanus Arts in Brooklyn.

Dancers and physical theatre people working with a live band (and the band working with the movers).

I was afraid it would be all new-agey and weird.  But it’s been well-conceived and fun.

Eliza Ladd is cool.

We’ve got an open workshop this afternoon:

All are invited to an open rehearsal of Tribal Epic – Kinesthetic Delight in Improvisation with Live Band Monkeyworks, Sunday 1/24 at 2:30 at Gowanus Arts Building 295 Douglass (bt. 3rd and 4th ave) Bklyn, buzzer # 6

I got an e-mail that makes me a little sad:

Hello NY clown community.

The Clown Revue is near the completion of its 4^th year. In that time the show has met all of its initial goals and exceeded my personal expectations. In four years we have presented over 300 different clown acts! We are so grateful for the support and work that the entire community has given us. We are grateful for the amazing relationships between clown artists, audience, photographers, techies, companies, and media the Clown Revue has inspired. Thank you to everyone.

After evaluating the company’s mission as well as my personal goals I have decided this will be the Clown Revue’s final year. There will be 2 more Revue performances (February 15th, and March 15th) and 1 last Golden Nose Awards Ceremony on April 19 2010.

From the onset the Clown Revue’s goal was educational, to give NY clowns an opportunity to learn by performing and learn by observing. I have learned a lot about the art of clowning over the past four years and I hope each clown in NYC took many lessons away from the Revue. I have enjoyed watching the community grow and individuals take personal and artistic risks. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have presented the show and value each clown’s contribution over the years.

I will miss the artistic dialogue on stage every month and I will miss the gathering of community. But I look forward to the clown future that 4 years of the Clown Revue helped create.

There are still slots available in the final performances, if you want to perform let me know asap-info@newyorkdowntownclown.com

Thanks for your support as audience and clowns over the past four years.

Clown On!

Christopher Lueck

I am sad about this but I too am ready to move on.  I attended regularly after learning about the venue at the New York Clown Theatre Festival when I first ventured out into the city on my own (without My Kid in tow).  I performed on that stage with Kendall Cornell’s “Soon-To-Be-World-Famous-Women-Clowns” and with Jef Johnson’s Clownlab and on my own as a solo performer.  Been there, done that, got the T-shirt (actually  there isn’t a T-shirt that I’m aware of.)  I will say good-bye without regret.  I have not been making it to the shows as frequently as I did when I first encountered the downtown clown community.  I’ve got projects of my own and people I’ve met that I work with some who I met at Downtown Clown.  I will miss the bull sessions in bars after the shows.  They made me feel young.  But, we all move on.

It was so dark and rainy today I thought for a while I was in Seattle.

This morning, I made oatmeal but My Kid wanted pancakes.

In the afternoon I went to a workshop of physical improvisation to live music.  That was cool.

Our evening at home is about chemistry experiments and board games.

My girl played indoor soccer with boys and outdoor soccer with her dad.

I have never seen a child move more slowly and carefully than my daughter’s friend did this morning.  Her dad rang the buzzer, expecting her to run down the stairs and hop in the car  so he could begin his day.   Quick! Quick!  Places to go people to see!  The nine-year-old sat down on the floor and carefully put on her shoes and socks tying precise loopy knots in each of her sneakers.  Then she decided to use the bathroom.  After that she asked for a plastic bag for her boots.  I watched her deliberate movements, as though she were underwater.   Finally, she went out the door bringing the sleepover to its inevitable conclusion.

Ever since The Husband started working at Rockefeller Center I have been shopping regularly at the Tristan store conveniently located in his building.  I went there because it was in his building and it was a good place to pass the time when he was delayed in meeting me for lunch.  But, I discovered that the clothes were flattering and not that expensive and I began to buy there the kind of clothes that made me feel as though I belonged in that part of town.  (When The Husband worked in Chelsea I could wear jeans to his office no problem.) I got a brown suit and a black tweed dress that looked kind of “Madmen” and a long black cardigan with colored flecks in it and some cute tops…  And now my go-to store is gone.  I am shocked!

That store has been there the whole time we have been in New York, I got a cute sundress there on sale back when I was still pushing a stroller.

My Kid made a little “Perry the Platypus” out of LEGOS, like a mascot–only, not. The other kids on the team knew it was there.

“You are particularly flammable and when a rocket goes off next to you, you go up in flames.”

I’m not saying who said it.  I’m not saying what it’s about.  I’m just saying it has something to do with the creative process.

nuf said