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Cuddles the Clown has been clowning for sixteen years, full
time for the last twelve. She has trained and worked with many famous clowns
throughout the United States. Some of them have been inducted into the
International Clown Hall of Fame.
Her talents include clown magic, skits, incredible
face painting,
awesome balloon sculptures and fantastic storytelling. She
incorporates puppets, felt boards, magic, crafts, balloons and personal
experiences in her Story-telling.
Since attending the International Face Painting Convention, Cuddles' face
painting has evolved into artistic masterpieces, from partial to full face,
arms, or hands. She has also studied with Olivier from Belgium, the Wolfe
Brothers, Jinny and attended the Face Painting Convention in Telford,
England.
Cuddles teaches storytelling, face painting, costuming, make-up, easy
to make magic and give-away prizes to other clowns throughout the United
States at various conventions, seminars and conferences. She has been
regularly teaching balloon sculpting and the Clown Arts to elementary
schools.
Cuddles has developed a series of sight gags, stories and skits using the
rubber chicken. This has also evolved into a series of lectures and
demonstrations using rubber chickens. One of the most notable performances
has been at the Great Milwaukee Circus Parade Grounds Clown Tent. Lectures
have been given at many conventions from the Midwest Clown Association to
the Western Region Clown Association in Laughlin, Nevada.
This past June 2005, Cuddles attended Clown Camp in Nagoya, Japan and
performed at the World Expo in Aichi, Japan. |
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Billy Boy started out with
an interest in Clowning many years ago, but only had a chance to fulfill the
dream through another clown he was working with in 1989. She brought him to
a meeting of Cousin Otto’s Clown Alley and got him started. Next was a
weekend Clown Encounter sponsored by the Clown Hall of Fame. A face as a
hobo was created and a costume was assembled. It would be another year
before having a real costume and shoes. With the help of other clowns in the
alley a character evolved into Boxcar Billy the Tramp.
As Billy was learning clowning he was also active in the American Legion and
The Forty and Eight Society Child Welfare Committees. His clowning was put
to use in parades, veteran’s hospital visits and children’s parties. He was
part of a group that formed for the purpose of entertaining children at the
National conventions of the Forty and Eight. At their first and second
meetings, Billy was elected President each time. Billy attended children’s
parties in San Diego, Knoxville, Omaha, Virginia Beach, and Orlando.
Now the intensive training began, and continues. Attending Clown Camp at
University of Wisconsin Lacrosse,
Clown Hall of Fame
classes,
World Clown
Association Conventions,
Western Regional Clown Association
Conventions,
Midwest Clown Association
Convention,
International Face and Body Painting
Convention and the Twist and Shout Balloon Twisting
Conventions.
Billy Boy met Cuddles at a meeting of the Clown alley. She asked for his
help in making some props for her show at the Circus Parade Grounds. This
developed into a courtship and marriage at the
Circus World Museum.
His
character changed into an Auguste Clown and resulted in a change of
entertaining style. A new face was designed and new costumes and shoes were
obtained. Cuddles and Billy now perform together full time and have become
very well known and popular.
Working together they have developed a unique style of
performance, Cuddles
does the Face Painting,
Billy does the balloons and magic at most birthday
parties, daycares etc.
Cuddles can do everything Billy does but her Face Painting far out shadows
everything else. |