Didier Danthois
Didier Danthois is a clown and clown teacher based in London, England. Didier first trained in Clowning and Circus skills 24 years ago at the Fratellini Circus School(Paris). He studied Expressionist Dance, Clowning, and then, Indian Raga singing with an Indian master.
He is the founder of the Fool at Heart School of Sacred Clowning and teaches, performs, & directs internationally. The school offers Mime Clown & Musical Clown trainings with a focus on bringing out the healing potential of the fool and the clown for today’s world. Didier is also the spiritual director of ClownCare & Co., an organisation bringing Sacred Clowning into healthcare.
Didier describes Sacred Clowning as follows:
The clown is allowing himself to be vulnerable, to become truly naked to the present, to become empty. Then openness, an unstained perception can manifest, a veil is lifted to the realm of innocence and wonder. A sense of gratitude and a reverence for all things and all people emerge. Love and compassion fill the heart, carrying him, he feels held, as by an infinitively loving mother, holding her child.
In that sacred space, everything is alive, and becomes a source of creativity. A dull face in the audience, a balloon exploding, a light-shadow on the floor, dust flying in the air, a bald head shining…Everything around him starts to tell a story, taking him on a journey into the unknown…
A forgotten microphone stand takes over the stage. He feels left out, laughter in the audience calls him, he waves his hand, the stand is now looking at him severe and grave, and he shrinks under its power…
A story unfolds, where every object speaks, where everybody contributes, where there is an invisible link between all things and all people. Enchanted, he becomes an instrument being played, in service of the unseen. This is Magic. This is Sacred Art. This is the Sacred Clown.
Didier has been inspired by the teachings of the Buddha for the last thirteen years.
He works towards creating an art which celebrates the beauty of authenticity, compassion & the interdependence of all things and all people. His dedication is to encourage a greater understanding of the Wisdom of the Child.
His present work explores the field of emotional and spiritual resonance through the Fool at Heart in mime – dance – music & play, and also through Indian Raga singing, for both adults & children.
To find out more about Didier’s work, including workshops with him. visit his website listed below: