In addition to the school’s basic requirements, applicants to the three-year clown training programme are assessed on whether they have the basic skills and mental maturity to practise clowning at the time of entry. The admission requirements for this course are the same as those for acting. Admission is by group workshop.

Elements of the admission process

Assassment of physical condition is required:

• Coordination, mobility
• Assessment of strength and physical capability

Clowning can only be taught to mentally healthy adults. Appropriate maturity and clear thinking must be assessed. This includes:

• cooperation, partnership
• attention, task-attention
• ability to change, openness

The thinking of the clown character created by the performer differs from the social standards of intelligent adult human beings, often clashing with social expectations, so mastering the art of clowning requires flexible, open-minded thinking. Only people who are able to distinguish between the realities of roles in acting and roles in civil life are suitable for this profession. The following qualities are optimal to learning clowning:

• tolerance, empathy
• humour, curiosity
• tolerance for failure, flexibility

For the admission procedure, it is an advantage if the applicant has some knowledge of the related arts:

• circus art disciplines, magic
• singing, music
• dance, mime, movement
• puppet
• other art forms