Name of the event: Workshop on Energy Clowning
Date: 9 March 2022
Session Summary
The Department of English and Cultural Studies organized a Workshop on Energy Clowning on 9th March, 2022 (Wednesday). Ms. Ronak Sharma Gupta and Ms. Maulshree, founder and cofounder of HasyaHetu Films were the resource persons. This program was conducted for the benefit of students across the departments. Students from Bachelor of Business Administration, Sciences, PS Eng, Psychology Honours, and M. A English with Communication Studies participated in the workshop. Forty-one students registered for the workshop. The session took place in the Seminar Hall of Block A.
The session started with a silent prayer followed by the inauguration session and the lighting of the lamp by Dr. Sanjay Rastogi, Dr. Anuja Singh, Ms. Vinothini, and faculty members from the Department of English and Cultural Studies. Students were emceeing the event, and Ms. Vinothini, Coordinator of the workshops, welcomed the gatherings and introduced the resource persons. The resource persons continued the sessions thereafter. The resource persons brought their practical knowledge and experiences of theatre and energy healing to the Seminar Hall of CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Delhi NCR. The workshop was highly engaging.
Ms. Ronak Sharma Gupta broke the ice among all the participants by starting an out-of-the-box introduction activity. This activity left all the attendees laughing, and they started feeling a bit warmer towards each other.
Each participant discovered their inner child by performing festive activities and learning various theatre techniques. They learned to use their bodies and imaginations employing breathing and sound techniques. This activity left the participants relaxed, aware and mindful.
The participants were later divided into groups and asked to create various stills from everyday life using their bodies. The students worked as a team and performed the activity well. They created a railway station, music concert, scary house, playground, and boxing ring.
The workshops brought insight into knowing how flexible and convincing the bodies and
imaginations were. Participants were asked to draw a version of themselves with positive thoughts in the next activity. This activity brought the participants closer like a family and trust was built. This workshop became a safe space that healed and benefited everyone. The students realized that they were brimming with a lot of positivity.
The participants were introduced to a form of theatre that Charlie Chaplin and Mr. Bean have popularised. This form of theatre is known as Clowning. A clown's nose is the smallest mask that an actor can wear. Session two was delightful because each participant stepped out of their comfort zone and challenged themselves. They dressed up like clowns using the props they had brought for the workshop. The participants forgot about being adults for those two hours and had a lot of fun like children. The Energy Clowning workshop organized by the Department of English and Cultural Studies was successful because each attendee left the Seminar Hall with a smile on their face and discovered the inner child in themselves again. The department is grateful to Ms. Ronak Sharma Gupta, and Ms. Maulshree Malik of HasyaHetu Films for providing this enriching experience to the students. The department looks forward to organizing more such workshops for the students of Christ, Delhi NCR. The workshop concluded with the formal vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Mehak, an I M. A English student.
