Autumn Workshop Programme 2019

Jul 05 2019

Holly Stoppit
Image credit: Katie Storer, fooling in nature on Beyond The Ridiculous' Fools Retreat

Whether you're a virgin clown, diving into clowning for the very first time, a partially cooked clown, ready to take your next steps into stupidity and beyond, a veteran fool, looking to jump in even deeper to a world of play and discovery, or someone who's had enough of been bossed around by your Inner Critic, you're in the right place! We've workshops galore this autumn.

Here are the headlines:

<<Bong>> We've got three Introduction To Clowning weekends coming up in September, November and December in Bristol.

<<Bong>> We're heading up to Edinburgh in October to do our very first Scottish Introduction To Clowning Weekend.

<<Bong>> For those who've completed our Introduction To Clowning, in September, we're running a Nonviolent Clown Weekend in collaboration with Seed of Peace.

<<Bong>> We have a 5-day Fooling intensive in Bristol in October for those who have completed Introduction to Clowning.

<<Bong>> We're running a Full Nature Immersion Fools Retreat in October for people who have completed our 5-day Fools course

<<Bong>> Back by popular demand - We'll be running a daytime and evening version of our 8-week inner critic Inquiry course, starting late October. 

<<Bong>> News just in - We've added one more workshop for November - A wild play day in the woods with guest facilitator Dr. Mel McCree.

Introduction to Clowning in Bristol: 3 dates for the autumn

"Transformational, fun, playful. To be honest, I have found it very difficult to put it in words, it feels fuzzy (good fuzzy), like a blend of clowning vs therapeutic exploration."

"Intense, joyful, about connecting with your true self and throwing off the "should"s in this world."

"A gentle journey into clowning done in a measured, embodied and positively held way. For people of all levels and experience."

Dates for this autumn

 Saturday 21 & Sunday 22 September
★ Closing date: Friday 16 August bookings now closed
★ More info on the FB event page here

 Saturday 30 Nov & Sunday 1 Dec 
★ Closing date: Friday 25 October
★ More info on the FB event page here

 Saturday 14 & Sunday 15 December 
★ Closing date: Friday 8 November
★ More info on the FB event page here

All Intro to Clown courses

★ Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-6.30pm 
★ 12 people max
★ Venue: St Werburghs, Bristol
★ Cost: £150 / £120 / £90 (standard / low income / no income)
★ More info also on the Holly Stoppit website.

The Introduction to Clowning is the gateway into the teaching methods and world of Holly Stoppit

Introduction to Clowning: coming to Scotland for the first time ever!

The fourth Introduction to Clowning weekend this autumn is a bit of a departure... Holly is excited to be stepping over the border and bringing the course to the people of Scotland for the first time ever!

  • Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th October 2019
  • Saturday 10am-6pm, Sunday 10am-6.30pm 
  • Venue: St Margarets House, London Road, Edinburgh
  • Cost: £150 / £120 / £90 (standard / low income / no income)
  • Deadline Friday 13 September. Bookings now closed
  • More details here.
  • Application form here.

** New ** Nonviolent Clowning Weekend

Holly will be collaborating with her Nonviolent communication teacher, Shantigarbha to offer a weekend course that will explore tools and techniques that foster compassionate connection, both on the stage and in life.

Come and find out how NVC and clowning can combine as we explore the 3 vital components of NVC; self-empathy, empathy for others, and self-expression. Through cerebral investigation and body-based learning we will dance between NVC and clowning - will you join us?

  • Dates: Saturday 28 & Sunday 29 September
  • Application Deadline: Friday 16 August bookings now closed
  • Times: 10am-6pm both days
  • Venue: Central Bristol tbc
  • Cost: £180 (full price) / £160 (low waged) / £140 (unemployed, full time student)
  • More info on FB here
  • Or on the Holly Stoppit website here

This is a one-off advanced training for anyone who has completed the Introduction To Clowning Weekend.

5-day Fools School this Autumn

“Whenever people ask me how it was, the same thing happens: 'Boof' I say, while flinging my hands away from my head and body.” 

We had so much interest in the Fooling Summer School that we've scheduled another Fools course in October.

This 5-day course equips participants with the tools to walk onto an empty stage with no script, no plan and no ideas and discover and play with whatever is ready to be seen.

Please note: you need to have completed Holly’s Introduction To Clown Weekend to attend this course.

  • Dates: Monday 7 - Friday 11 October
  • Deadline for applications: Wednesday 4 September bookings now closed
  • Times 10-6 each day
  • Cost £350 / £325 / £300
  • More on facebook here
  • or on the Holy Stoppit website here.

New for 2019 - Full Nature Immersion Fools Retreat

Let nature speak through you; play and rest to your heart's content, surrounded by the beautiful Dorset countryside. Open to anyone who has done Holly's 5-day fools training

  • Retreat dates: Friday 25 October 2019, 5pm - Tuesday 29 October 2019, 2pm
  • Retreat Location: Springhead, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury, Dorset SP7 0NU website here
  • Closing date for applications: Monday 9 September BOOKINGS REOPENED - ONE PLACE REMAINING
  • More info and booking form: click here.

The Inner Critic Inquiry - Back by popular demand

We're delighted to be bringing this deeply exploratory course back to The Bristol Improv Theatre this autumn.

If you want to release the grip of your inner critic, through dialogue, art, writing and dramatherapy, then this is the course for you. There will be two courses, one in the afternoons and one in the evenings.

  • Dates: 8 consecutive Thursdays, starting Thursday 24 October (with a half term break on 21st Nov)
  • Daytime session: 2.30-5pm
  • Evening session: 7-9.30pm
  • Venue: Bristol Improv Theatre, Clifton
  • Cost: £280 / £240 / £200 Standard / low income / no income
  • Eligibility for applications: This course is open to anyone who feels called to participate. Usually Holly requests participants to have completed her Introduction To Clowning Weekend before taking any of her other training, but we are lifting that restriction to allow people from The Bristol Improv Theatre Community and beyond to access to this course.
  • Deadline: 20th September
  • More info and Application: here

Going Feral - A Wild Play Day with Guest Facilitator Dr Mel McCree

We're delighted to be hosting exceptionally inspiring practitioner Dr. Mel McCree. Both Holly and Beccy (Holly's admin) have had the pleasure of experiencing first hand. In fact, Holly and Beccy first met each other in the woods on a Going Feral day led by Mel!

Mel's ridiculously intricate understanding of outdoor play is deeply rooted in both theory and practice - she is an actual Doctor in Outdoor Play, don't you know!

Mel will merrily lead us through the forest, scattering play invitations galore, encouraging us to drop into nature-based creative explorations that will leave us feeling closer to our natural state.

  • Sunday 24 November, 9.30am-4.30pm 
  • In a secret woodland near to Bristol (exact location will be given closer to the event)
  • Cost: Standard £69.04 / Low income £53.29 / No income £37.54 (includes booking fee) 
  • Places are available on a first-come first-served basis regardless of whether you've attended a Holly Stoppit workshop or not.
  • For more info click here.
  • To book your place click here.
  • Facebook event here.


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