Welcome Note
Michael Christensen, the co-founder of the Big Apple Circus in New York, is widely recognized as the pioneer of professional healthcare clowning. For over three decades, he brought joy and relief to children in hospitals as «Dr. Stubs», inspiring a global movement and clown doctor programs worldwide.
Sculpting Moments
Healthcare clowns transform energy. They raise vibrational frequency of spirit. Play is their medium, pure joy, their creation. Healthcare clowns sculpt moments.
From the doorway of a hospital room, Dr. Trikki notes medical equipment, staff activity, cautionary signs, patient’s name, the relaxed, middle-aged man in a blue shirt relaxing next to the bed, the overall feeling in the space and a young boy, Jason, staring at him, curious. In a state of dynamic presence, Dr. Trikki befriends the unknown, absorbing all of this information in seconds. He meets Jason’s gaze and offers the first gesture, the first proposal, the first brushstroke: a simple hat tip. Pause. Ahh, a twinkle. Sculpting begins. He tips the hat again. It falls. Pause. Jason smiles. Dr. Trikki retrieves it and places it on upside down. Blue-shirted man grins. These responses are his invitations to enter the room.
“Hey, your hat is wrong!” Jason announces. Dr. Trikki inspects it “Looks good to me.” and replaces it...upside down. Laughter.
Now the boss, Jason fires rapid commands. Staccato chaos erupts: where’s the hat? here, there? here a hat, there a hat, everywhere a hat, hat, mishap, missed hat, on the floor, near the door, near the bed, on the head, hatless, headless, mindless mayhem, until finally the tempo slows...ahh...legato. Breeeaaathe. With surgical precision, Dr. Trikki inches his unruly subject upwards towards its home, not noticing that its brim has snagged his tie. His hat rests securely atop his head right side up, but his tie now covers his face. Damn! Physical anarchy sounds double forte. At its peak when the room glows with shimmering lightness, Dr. Trikki leaves. He chooses this exact moment, when energy is at its brightest, knowing that the joy he has just created will remain in the room for several minutes.
How long was this cartoon wrestling match? Five minutes? Ten? Hard to say. Hmmm...Forty years? Everyone entered joy- time and joy-time is actually much longer— infinite in fact. Infinite versions of play in countless languages, partnering with medical professionals, administrators, funders, and so many others. Forty years and no end in sight. Welcome to HCIM, a celebration of Healthcare Clowning, the best job in the world.