For an acrobat, the acting concepts of 'risk', 'a life or death situation' and 'trusting your partner' are visceral. If an actor loses focus, the scene dies; if an acrobat loses focus, their partner might die.
The medical clown connects with patients in a way that is markedly different from the rest of their experience in the hospital.
It takes about 6 hours of practice a day for quite a few years to become a professional juggler. I started when I was 14 and that discipline has helped me immensely as a performer.
When I am performing, I try to follow the advice I give to my students. This can be very hard - I was never a good student and I find I'm no better when I am the teacher.
The moment when I can see a student's block, name the challenge and watch them become fuller and more dynamic in front of their colleagues' eyes is as rich a moment in a boardroom as it is in a ring.
A director once said, when I was complaining about something or other, "I agree, it is terrible. The worst thing you can do to an actor is give him a job." That shut me up and broke off a big hunk of my actor's cynical armor.
