Page 21 - Boca ViewPointe - September '24

September 2024 Viewpointe, Page 21

Clowns On Call

By Harriet Rubin, aka Florabelle the Clown Just as an additional comment
– I am going to write an article for
Hi everybody! Greetings our international Clown magazine,
from the clown world. Calliope, on the wonderful success
Cutie Pie, Twinkle Toes, clowns can achieve from producing
Juggles and I had a wonderful a kids show. I’ve thought about it for
summer thanks to the kids at a while and after reading hundreds
the Club Day Camp. I was of clown articles since 1995, I can’t
there twice a week and the recall a single one on this subject.
others once a week, and it There have been clowns over the
was really productive. As I years who devoted themselves to
mentioned last month, there teaching kids, but the ages were
were some different kids each generally over 10, and the emphasis
week so it was a challenge to was not on performing on stage,
teach everyone who was interested in how to do a few clown except for solo acts like magic, or
skills. About 10 of them came consistently and that was our juggling, and yet the mainstay of
core group. A few were not able to be there the last week when circus clowns (if you think back) was The cast of “Wiggles and Giggles” with CutiePie and Juggles
we really focused on the show; however I really believe they on slapstick skits, like shooting out of
all will remember the clowns and what they were able to learn. a cannon, packing into car, pies in the
Week by week the ability to juggle, make balloon shapes and face, etc. There has always been “skit
perform in skits improved! By the time August 6th arrived, we competition” at clown conventions,
were ready for dress rehearsal. The excitement was focused on both for a single clown and for groups
pretty crinolines for the girls and whether or not the boys would of clowns, so it’s not a lost art, but, I
consent to wearing a wig!! We ended up with 12 kids, ages 6-10, don’t believe many clown “alleys”
4 girls and 8 boys. As you can see in the group photo from the have skit groups that are specifically
show, most of the boys decided to wear a wig and get made developed to perform for all ages of
up. The girls, of course, loved being in costume and makeup. audiences. Going back to my early
Ashley, head of the Fitness Center, and so talented, did all the days in N.J. where I was one of the
makeup and the kids looked adorable! founders of a group in Bergen County
One hour before the show we assembled and the kids of senior volunteer clowns called
were really great. In generally they get so excited that it’s “Call Us Clowns,” I developed a very
difficult to quiet them down to prepare for 10 entrances successful performing group. I was
and exits, correct props, keeping their wigs in place, not director, choreographer, producer, etc. So Cute Anyone can be a clown.
touching their greasy makeup, etc. Between the counselors and we had about 10 performers. At
and us, things went really smoothly. You never can be sure that time we were the only clown group in our part of N.J. and members were working clowns, and they had no performing
when working with young children who might get upset at we grew to about 35 in a short period of time. Our costumes and group. I tried to get one going but it never really developed. So
the last minute and refuse to go on stage, etc. It happens in make-up were very different from today’s look, as most of us had in 2015 when I trained 14 clowns at Boca Pointe, skit performing
the best prepared situations as performing can be terrifying total white faces. (I can’t do my complete face in white any more was an integral part of the curriculum, and we started to perform
for some kids. Ours were terrific. The performances went due to “wrinkles”, as the grease paint gets stuck in in the lines!) after about 3 months of practice, and have never stopped.
just the way we rehearsed them, the audience cheered and We performed at all kinds of clubs and were really successful We are looking forward to “Bowling For Bread” with
the kids glowed!!! It was really great and the four of us and got better and better with multiple performances. When I Boca Helping Hands on August 25th. It’s one of our favorite
were glowing with pride! Hopefully, we will be able to relocated to Boca in 2001 and was a snowbird, I joined the only events and the kids love seeing us! Wave when you see a
repeat it next summer. clown alley in south Florida in Delray Beach, but most of the clown on campus! 
World War II Veteran, 100, Weds Boca Pointe Beauty, 96,

In France On Anniversary Of Normandy Invasion

During this year’s annual commemorative visit to Normandy
President Biden And to honor those who sacrificed their lives that day and in the
French President Macron weeks that followed to secure victory over the Nazis, the now
100-year-old Harold Terens ensured the beginnings of new,
Congratulate Newlyweds At happier memories by marrying the beautiful Jeanne Swerlin,

Elysee Palace State Dinner 96, a member of Boca Pointe Country Club in Boca Raton.

The ceremony took place in the town of Carentan, a
few miles from Normandy. And to make the occasion
Eighty years ago, then 20-year-old Harold Terens
served in England and France during World War II,
working on D-Day, June 6, 1944, as a radio mechanic in
constant contact with allied fighter planes taking part in
the invasion, many of whose pilots never returned.

World War II Veteran on page 22