Meet Danielle Levsky | Clown Educator, Performer & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danielle Levsky and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, what is the most important factor behind your success?
I’ve developed two types of courses that are unique in methodology and subject matter, which I think is the most successful part of my brand. I’m able to offer my audiences something they’ve rarely, if ever, experienced and encountered.

In my course Clown and Traditions in Judaism, we learn about the history of humor in Jewish tradition, the spiritual symbol of the Holy Fool, the role of ritualism in clowning, and what clowning looks like for the Jewish community in the 21st century through physical theatre exercises, story creation/adaptation, vigorous discussion, text questioning, and more hands-on learning.

In my Fool’s Yoga classes, I combine the sacred and mindful practices of Clown with Yin Yoga, Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, and Guided Meditation. Through the lens of Clown, this class helps students with:

1) Being more emotionally in touch: By practicing and delving into basic emotions, we can gain a greater understanding of what emotions are challenging and why and investigate them with curiosity.

2) Learning to present the most authentic self: It can be hard not to wear a mask or present a certain version of ourselves when we are meeting new people and in new settings, especially in a retreat setting. Clown training can guide you in shedding the layers you use to hide your authentic self by encouraging you to reveal and revel in all facets of who you truly are!

3) Physicalizing the practice of mindfulness: Clown is a different approach to experiencing mindfulness. It works in practice and not in theory, as it allows you to embrace your emotions by embodying failure, embracing failure as a part of life, and, therefore, embracing all possibilities.

4) Public speaking: Speaking in front of large or small crowds, whether they are your friends or colleagues, can be quite challenging for many people. Even seasoned actors experience bouts of stage fright. Through Clown, you learn to love your audience and see them as a partner in your presentation rather than a public that are apart from you.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

I took my first clown class when I was still working as a Theatre Editor for a local Chicago arts magazine. The main purpose of my taking this class was to do research for an article I was writing about the circus scene in Chicago; I wanted to understand the craft of Clowning more for this particular piece. What I got instead was incredibly unexpected: a deep dive into my emotional subconscious, a reckoning with my perceptions and preconceived notions of the world around me, and the permission to be myself and to delight in every part of myself. During the course of this class, I came to a significant understanding of my identity as a queer woman. After this class, I left my role as a Theater Editor, and dove into clown as a performance form, from critic to clown.

Fast forward a few years later, and we were in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. I found myself quite alone. So, I engaged with my Clown practice. The feelings of despair, lack of control, and fear I felt in the spring of 2020 were quelled when I put on my red nose. When I was a Clown, I was able to find solace in the unknown, understand my fear, and accept my despair. Sometimes, I would giggle endlessly at the texture and ability of my yoga blocks; other times I would sob into a blanket.

It was during the pandemic that I started to pursue my certification as a clown teacher, and then as a yoga teacher. I wanted to help others discover their innermost selves, delight in play, and feel their feelings deeply and safely. For me, clown has been an explanation for the mystery of the universe, where silly and sacred meet. Clown has many of the same goals of self-actualization, where we come to know ourselves, accept ourselves, and gain a higher level of awareness and consciousness.

Now, I am most proud of the two unique classes I’ve developed and am sharing with the world: “Clown and Traditions in Judaism” and “The Fool’s Yoga”.

Promoting my courses and sharing them with others, both online and in person, is a full-time job in itself. It is so imperative that you love your work, and deeply believe in what you are sharing, for there will be many empty classes, many repeated stories, and many unsuccessful encounters. But, for every rejection, there will be a beautiful acceptance, a story of a student who feels truly changed by the lessons I can offer them. The challenges come, again and again, but when I am able to remind myself of what drew me to this practice in the first place, I can welcome every step of the process.

When you see a performance of mine, or take a class with me, you’ll see that I infuse Jewish humor into my teaching, performance, and writing. Raised by a family of Soviet Jewish refugees, humor was the primary coping mechanism in my family, as well as experiencing and participating in all art forms. I’m endlessly inspired and influenced by Jewish humor, with its roots in the Yiddish-speaking shtetls that my family left in the early 20th century.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
San Diego is a true summer vacation city. In my ideal itinerary with a visitor, we’d get an early start in the morning, so we could squeeze in all the beauty the city has to offer. We’d start off with breakfast at Sunnyboy Biscuit Co in Hillcrest, with some delicious biscuit sandwiches and coffee. Then, we’d spend a few hours at the San Diego Zoo, which is world-renowned for their variety of animals and the ecosystem they’ve developed around them.

After, we’d drive up to La Jolla for some lunch at El Pescador Fish Market, where you’ll get the freshest catch of fish – truly, mouthwatering and delectable, though incredibly reasonably priced. After, we’d head to Children’s Pool on the beachfront to coo and look at the seals and sea lions.

Then, we’d drive back down to Ocean Beach to stroll around the streets, do some shopping and people watching. Finally, more food would be grabbed at Mike’s Taco Club (seafood tacos or California burritos for sure!), and then we’d walk down to Sunset Cliffs to watch the sunset and enjoy our tacos and burritos.

To end the night, we’d drive up to Normal Heights and head to the Blind Lady Ale house, to have incredibly brewed beer, watch local musicians jam together for the night, and have some good conversation.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a big shoutout to The Clown School (theclownschool.com), which offers in-person and virtual clown classes for students of any and all levels to engage in, all over the world. The mission of this renowned, Los-Angeles based school is to bring creativity, authenticity, and beauty into the world through the study of clowning and the physical theater arts, and to promote extraordinary theatrical classes and events. Their classes and events are all dedicated to a celebration of the expressive potential of live theater. As the institution that gave me my clown teaching certification, as well as has offered me wonderful opportunities to teach my craft, I can say with profound experience that they believe and share how clowning embraces and celebrates the totality of human experience and offers unparalleled freedom in art.

Website: https://criticturnedclown.squarespace.com/

Instagram: instagram.com/ellatheclown

Facebook: facebook.com/ellatheclown

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCit78AqbMKZV7UYB6c5Bkvw

Image Credits
Professional photos of Danielle Levsky by Timothy Hiatt