Clowning
Discover the joy in letting go, finding the game and connecting through laughter. With its roots in physical comedy and being alive to the audience, clowning celebrates spontaneity, failure and vulnerability – foundational skills for any creative art. This energised and collaborative course will be game-based and explore classic clowning techniques to teach the basics of being silly on stage. Co-facilitators Sara and Sarah are excited to create a safe and inclusive space to play, to laugh and to nurture confidence and creativity in a brand-new clown collective.
TUTOR: SARA HIRSCH
Sara (they/she) is a creative practitioner currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She studied clowning under the infamous John Wright during their training at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London and has been silly ever since. In 2020/21 Sara was part of the Wellington Feminist Clown Posse with Anya Tate Manning and Tessa Waters, and in 2021/22 she directed the clowning show Raw! Asmr (starring Amy Grace Laura) – winning awards including Outstanding Sound Design (Auckland Fringe Festival 2022), Best Solo Performance (Nelson Fringe Festival 2022) and Spectacular Organised Chaos (New Zealand Fringe 2022). Sara was intimacy and gender play consultant on the queer clown show Naturally Curious (BATs Theatre 2023) and has put her clowning to the test in her own shows and performances across the globe including at The Edinburgh Festival, BBC and as the UK poetry slam champion. Sara’s latest project consists of two children who will be in and out of the classroom at NYDS to help keep things light and playful!
TUTOR: ELIZA SANDERS
Eliza is a movement artist and performer based in Te-Whanganui-A-Tara who accidentally stumbled into comedy through the back door of contemporary dance. After years of creating deeply serious solo works that audiences consistently found hilarious, she decided to lean in to the laughter, creating a series of increasingly clown-influenced performances that explore the delightful intersection of virtuosic movement and profound ridiculousness.
As Co-Artistic Director of House of Sand, alongside her sister Charley, Eliza creates visceral, surprising work grounded in care-based methodologies. Her current solo show “Manage Your Expectations” – an absurd, playful examination of trigger warnings – has garnered seven fringe award nominations including Best in Fringe, and won Best Performer at both New Zealand and Whangarei Fringe Festivals.
Drawing on her background as a certified Countertechnique teacher and her deep engagement with somatic practices, Eliza brings a unique perspective to clowning that embraces physical precision while celebrating joyful failure and authentic connection. Her teaching practice is informed by extensive experience as a full-time tutor at the New Zealand School of Dance and her work across Aotearoa, Australia, and Korea. She is passionate about creating spaces where risk-taking feels safe and silliness becomes a serious tool for artistic discovery.
