Page 32 - 2016 April Voices
P. 32
PERSPECTIVES
Just Clowning Around
by Shannon Milliman
When I was four I went to my first rodeo your speech craft from recognizing what clown
in Burley, Idaho with my grandparents. It craft includes. This element is exaggeration.
was this fateful day my opinion of clowns was
formed. Unbeknownst to me, the rodeo clown You practice the same things over and over.
knew my grandma. He selected her from Consider adding the art of exaggeration
the crowd for some silly scarf to your rinse, lather repeat process in
trick antics knowing she would speech craft.
be a good sport. There could be In order to apply exaggeration as
nothing more terrifying in a young a part of your tool arsenal listen to
girl’s mind than her grandmother the feedback you receive and upon
being abducted by a creature with a practice exaggerate application of
hula hoop in yellow, oompa loompah the feedback you get. Practice your
pants. speech so over the top that you
look like a clown giving a speech.
Recently, a new Toastmaster friend If you are told you need more
explored her adventures in clowning in a arm movements exaggerate arm
speech-yes, the horn honking, juggling, movements, even include
red lipped variety. What struck me leg movements. Use your
most about her interpretation of stage like you are at the
what it means to be a clown was the circus, working the crowd!
focal point that love is a clown’s key They say you need more pausing
motivator. Even the clown at the in your transitions. Give them
rodeo chose my grandma because he more pausing. Go so slow it hurts.
loved her. He knew a perfect fried Pause unnaturally. Feel the words
egg maker when he saw one. Love in your mouth and body. Feel their
is why I choose Grandma and why heaviness and their lightness.
I wanted so certainly to know this Practice extremity, in time you
foreign creature had no ill intent. can dial it back but going through
the exercise of exaggerating your
A clown shows love through speech will give you new creative
exaggeration. It is this concept that
I believe we can all apply to our speech craft. ideas where you can create humor and vitality
You craft a speech. You deliver it. You receive that you would not have stumbled upon had
feedback and you might make revisions. you not been wearing your metaphorical big red
Knowing that the feedback you receive is shoes. You will find your mold and not another
anchored in love just like the clown’s intent toastmaster’s patterns. Through exercising
you repeat the process. Dun, dun, dun....you exaggeration, you will reconnect with the clown
are a clown! You practice the same techniques mindset that love will enable you to deliver
over and over. The juggling, the scarves, the through new perspectives.
running into walls-- the vocal variety, the stage
blocking and the body movements. Practice Shannon Milliman joined Toastmasters in 2013
refines the technique into art that has the power and is a membrer of Competitive Speakers PDX.
to influence and move. Clowning and speech
craft are cousins. Recognizing this there is .
something very valuable you can employ to
32 Volume 2 Issue 10 - APRIL 2016
