June 10 → June 14, 2024
Padova, ITALY

FROM THE NEUTRAL MASK
TO THE RED NOSE

The Journey of the Poetic Body
from Silence to Comedy

This workshop unfolds the journey from the Neutral Mask to the Red Nose, two referential masks in the world of movement theater.
First the work will lead the students to explore the “Neutral State” and subsequently to tweak that state toward character work and eventually toward the idiosyncratic and personal world of the Clown. 

Through the Neutral Mask the actor discovers a state of physical presence, calm and openness to space.  There is a web of “non-neutral attitudes” and physical and emotional “background noises” within each person’s movement and physical presence. If observed through the reference of the Neutral State, these movement patterns appear like paintings/markings on a white sheet. They are “dramatic” in the etymological sense. They contain a drama: an action. The Neutral Mask teaches the actor to unfold any “individual physical drama” to reach a state of pure presence in space, in the silence of the present moment. It’s the basis for all theater masks. “The masks behind all masks” (Jacques Lecoq).
 
After developing the actor’s awareness of a State of Neautrality, the workshop will explore some of the infinite possibilities of creating comic characters, based on variations from neutrality. The focus will be on exploring how each character development is based in an unbalance from neutrality.
The final step will be the discovery of the Clown through the analysis of the physical and emotional world of each actor, as revealed by her or his body in space, with the help of the Neutral Mask. The use of the smallest mask in the world, the Red Nose and the amplification and articulation of personal themes allow the actor to enter the Clown State. This will lead to the discovery of a unique clown, with a specific body, tempo, voice, costume, attitudes, emotions, and poetic world.

HELIKOS Red Nose Intensive, Padova, 2023

The clown before being a character, it’s a state of playing,  in which everyone has access to this key question: what is so funny about myself?
For a performer, there is something fundamental in the discovery of their personal Clown: it’s raw, direct personal, unique, challenging, empowering, revealing, extremely rewarding…

To discover one’s own clown is to reveal one’s own unique comic persona and turn it into a universal comic form.
It’s the exquisite pleasure of touching the empty space of sublime stupidity.

As a theatre genre, Clown has a unique poetic potential because it allows the performer to explore and play joining the naiveté and the vulnerability of the child, with the rigor and the technique of the adult, thus revealing the poetry of the ridiculous, and a unique poetic power.

As the Neutral Mask is the mask of humanity, the Red Nose is the humanity of the mask.

Neutral Masks by Donato Sartori

During this training participants will use Neutral Masks by Donato Sartori, Abano Terme,
Italy.

PRACTICALITIES

ADMISSION
This workshop is addressed to theatre practitioners with previous experiences in movement based theatre and in the Pedagogy of Jacques Lecoq.
If you are interested in getting to know Giovanni Fusetti’s pedagogy and one of the key steps of the Helikos School Training, this workshop is a great introduction.

LOCATION
The training will take place in Padova, Italy at the HELIKOS STUDIO, Via Monte Solarolo 16/A, PADOVA, ITALY.

HELIKOS Red Nose Intensive, Padova, 2023

SCHEDULE
Monday June 10th to Friday June 14th.
From 9:30 to 17:30. Friday from 9:00 to 17:00.

HOW TO APPLY
There is no application form. 
To apply to the workshop please email
 a letter of motivation sharing the essence of your story, vision, dream, desire, fear or un-explicable intuition that leads you to this workshop. Please include in your letter your experience with Neutral Mask and Clown. Giovanni will contact you after receiving the application. 



Once accepted, to confirm the enrollment, a deposit of EURO 200 is due.

Please note that the deposit is non-refundable. Once the application is accepted, places will be given in order of email submission.
The class is limited to 12 participants. Once this number is reached, the workshop is full, and a waiting list will be created. If you intend to participate, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note that the tuition does not include accommodation and that participants will be responsible for organizing their staying in Padova. Here is a list of useful information and contacts on how to organize your staying in Padova: WELCOME TO PADOVA

Please send your application to giovanni.fusetti@helikos.com

TUITION

Early Bird Tuition: € 450.
If full tuition is paid by May 1st 2024
Full Tuition: € 550
If full tuition is paid after May 1st 2024

 
Enrollment Situation as of May 9th, 2024:
the class is confirmed and fully booked.
A waiting list is in place

Neutral Mask by Donato Sartori, HELIKSO SCHOOL, 2011

LANGUAGE
The workshop will be taught in ENGLISH and a basic understanding of this language is required.

INFORMATION AND APPLICATIONS
For further information about the content of the workshop and for applications, please contact Giovanni Fusetti at