Meet Sonia Norris who I met in the California desert recently. From Toronto, Canada, she’s a professor of arts and theatre as well as an artistic director, particularly of ‘clown theatre.’
Sonia wears a couple more titles: “The Chaos Factory” and “Berry-the-Clown.” She talked to me about her work with the latter (her passion) and why she chose ‘clown theatre,’ how she teaches her students and why, more on the ‘clown analogy,’ and what she hoped it would teach them.
Fascinating.
She gives an example of the clown falling down and having to get back up again countless times, despite the fact that he could be perceived as a failure – each time. What do you do when you’re not a good tap dancer but you ‘must’ perform that role on stage. (of course, I had a ton of business analogies throughout the entire conversation but decided not to ‘go there.’)
She tells her students after a successful performance, one where they’re playing out a role they are particularly good at. “Now,” she says, “do the same performance and tap dance while you’re doing it. Do it in total belief as if you’re as good at tap dancing as you are singing and acting.”
My thoughts about this concept:
This goes back to the profound reality in the power of our belief system and what we do with that belief system. I’ve been thinking — almost daily — about this for the past few weeks, so when we entered into this conversation, it was not only ironic, but affirmation of how I’ve been living. (inside a clown world and out).
Imagine the concept where your world becomes what you want it to be, the “moment you say it is so.” I believe in this, but you must be in ‘complete belief,’ and erase all doubt. Of course the latter is hard, but once we eliminate that doubt in our ‘noisy heads,’ we begin to really step into our power. The power we’re designed for. The power we’re capable of.
Like the actor.
Like the clown.
It’s not rocket science. It goes back to the simple tale you tell your ten year old child, the same one we received at ten. “Honey, as long as you’ve done your best, you have not failed.”
Then it’s about moving that ‘no fear, no failure’ notion into our adult lives, but doing it in an enhanced state. Where we really succeed is who we are as a human and who we become over the course of our life. To take it a step further: how many people actually believe that they can be loved immensely as a human being regardless of the ‘tap dance’ or the performance they deliver? The one we know. Or the one we don’t know.
At an intellectual level, we might say ‘of course’ we do. But do we really?
The clown is like a bouncing ball, which rises to the top again and again. Just like life.
Thanks for a fabulous day Sonia.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
