Why Clown School might be better than a Traditional Education
- Dan Rudolph
- May 23
- 4 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Written by Dan Rudolph
When I told my family I was going to clown school, their reaction was a mix of surprise, concern, and mild disbelief. They weren’t completely shocked—my path had never been particularly traditional—but to them, this didn’t look like a legitimate form of higher education or a viable career step.
Honestly, I understood. In today’s society, especially within our neoliberal educational systems, creative paths like clowning are often dismissed. But deep down, without so much understanding or support from family and friends, I knew it was a valid and wise next step for me in my path.
A Crossroads in My Life
I had already earned a bachelor's degree (more out of obligation than passion) and later a master’s (motivated by a desire to travel and live abroad). I had cycled through various jobs over nearly a decade, but I never felt fully fulfilled. I was successful on paper but disconnected from any real sense of purpose or sustained joy.
It was an unexpected mentor, a trickster at the crossroads, Manish Jain, who first suggested clowning. At first, I laughed—it sounded absurd. As I intuitively, and later intellectually sensed deeper, I discovered that clowning wasn’t just about red noses and slapstick humor. It was a powerful, joyful, and deeply relational art form with the potential to heal, connect, and awaken.
Why Clowning Made Sense
Here’s what I found as I dove into the world of clowning:
It helped me reconnect with my body and my sense of play.
It supported my growth in confidence, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence.
Through juggling and performance, I developed skills I could share with others.
It brought joy, not just to me, but to the communities I engaged with.
It carried a rich history and lineage that made the practice feel deeply meaningful.
While I had originally planned to attend clown school in Brazil, the pandemic rerouted me. I ended up in a monastic setting—a story for another time—and began a more self-guided journey.
Thanks to platforms like the Clown Spirit Village, I took online classes, joined in-person workshops, and learned from master teachers in more intimate ways.
Clown Schools and Ecoversities
As my journey evolved, I learned about the Ecoversities Alliance—a global network of alternative education spaces that challenge traditional ideas of what higher education should be. They support community-driven, experiential learning that fosters both human and ecological flourishing.
One of the alliance’s guiding questions is:
"What might the university look like if it were at the service of our diverse ecologies, cultures, economies, spiritualities, and Life within our planetary home?"
Clown schools, it turns out, fit beautifully into this vision. In a recent Clown Spirit podcast episode, Manish Jain spoke about how clowning disrupts conventional education. Unlike systems that promote conformity, clowning invites curiosity, chaos, and compassion. It teaches us to be okay with not knowing, with being vulnerable, and with following zigzag paths instead of straight lines.
Clowning as Education
Clowning isn’t just personal development. To name just a few things, it builds:
Tangible skills in movement, communication, and improvisation
Critical thinking and emotional literacy
Relationship-building and community engagement
Transferable skills that enrich other professional fields
In a talk from the Clownvergence - The Trickster in Our Times - Manish described the Ecoversities Alliance itself as an “act of clown”—a joyful, rebellious challenge to rigid academic norms. And he’s right. Clowning helps us unlearn what no longer serves us, and replace it with something more alive.
Redefining What It Means to Learn
Recognizing clowning as a legitimate educational path isn’t just about giving it formal credibility, It’s about expanding our imagination of what learning can be. From clown schools to permaculture farms, healing centers to Indigenous-led initiatives, we need a multiverse of learning environments that allow people to grow in ways that align with their values and dreams. And to enable growth that regenerates the planet.
I never expected clowning to transform my view of education—but it did. If you’re feeling stuck or disconnected from your path, consider this your invitation: explore a journey that brings you joy, not just credentials. You might just find yourself, nose and all, in exactly the right place.
About Dan:
Dan is the strategic operations lead at Clown Spirit, founder of Unified Playfulness and co-founder of the Re-imagining Education Conference. He is now based in Montreal (Tiohtià:ke) exploring the art and absurdity of living in these crazy times, using his energy to creatviely bring more joy and well-being into the world.
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