JCA News Update – August 2014

Just Clowning Around (JCA) Monthly Meeting Reminder

JCA will meet on Monday, August 25, 2014, at 7:30. The Educational topic for this month’s meeting is Marketing and Websites for Clowns. This is a group discussion about how to effectively promote your business All are welcome to come.

Education is an important event at each Alley meeting. This includes presentation, hands on sessions, and group discussion on topics related to being a clown and entertainer. JCA is a club where we all come together each month to share and learn from each other. New members are always welcome at any of our monthly meeting.

The following are the currently proposed educational topics for the coming year. Schedule subject to change.

JCA Meeting Schedule

-== 2014 ==-

Monday, August 25, 2014 Marketing and Websites for Clowns
Monday, September 22, 2014 Mr Rainbow
Monday, October 27, 2014 Member Picnic
Monday, November 24, 2014 Designing a Clown Face – Makeup Help
Monday, December ??, 2014 Holiday Party

JCA Monthly Meetings
4th Monday of each month at 7:30 pm
Vienna Baptist Church
541 Marshall Rd SW
Vienna, VA 22180

Take I-66 to the Nutley Street exit heading north toward Vienna. Turn right at the first light onto Marshall Road. Drive approximately one-quarter mile to Ware Street and turn left. We meet in the Parlor. The door that is usually unlocked is around towards the back of the building.

Several members meet at the PanAm Family Restaurant in Vienna around 6:00 pm for dinner before the monthly JCA meeting.

PanAm Family Restaurant
3051 Nutley St.
Fairfax, VA 22031

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JCA Membership Dues

It is time to pay your membership dues to JCA. Please bring a check to the meeting on Monday. If you cannot attend the meeting, you can mail your check to JCA c/o Violeta Peith, 6323 South Springs Circle, Clifton, VA 20124.

Single – $20/year
Family – $30/year

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Mr. Rainbow

We have a special guest coming to teach… David Bartlett, aka Mr. Rainbow will be teaching at our meeting in September. He will be presenting Comedy Music for Clowns Even If You Can’t Play An Instrument And/Or Sing Like A Bullfrog! His lecture will be free for JCA members or $10 for non-members. If you want to learn more about Mr. Rainbow or the classes he teaches, visit his website:

http://www.mrrainbowtheclown.com/Pages/Lectures.aspx

Mr Rainbow presentation at JCA
Monday, September 22, 2014
7:30pm – 9:30pm
Vienna Baptist Church
541 Marshall Rd SW
Vienna, VA 22180

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If you missed our last meeting, we made several videos of clown skits. I am still working on editing the videos, but have posted two of them on our website at http://justclowningaround.org/videos/

You can also see a video from the City of Fairfax 4th of July Parade at http://justclowningaround.org/2014/07/4th-of-july-parade/

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Our clown friends in Maryland, the Kapitol Klowns have changed their meeting dates. Starting this month, they now meet on the Third Monday of the month at 7:30pm. Their meetings also are moving to the TNC Classroom in the Town Center Building at Riderwood Village at Montgomery Station. The first meeting on the new date is Monday, July 21st.

Kapitol Klowns
Third Monday of the month at 7:30pm
Riderwood Village at Montgomery Station
3110 Gracefield Road
Silver Spring, MD

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Do you have clown news to share via the news updates or newsletters? Send your ideas and news to Sir Toony at SirToony@SirToonyVanDukes.com

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Requests for Clowns – Local Events and Parades

If you are interested in marching in one of the upcoming local parades, contact Sir Toony at SirToony@SirToonyVanDukes.com

NOTE: Starting in January 2013, we will review and critique all members before they may represent JCA at events as a clown. Clowns must also have paid their annual dues to both JCA and COAI to participate in events. Clowns from neighboring clown alleys are welcome to join JCA in parades
without being required to pay dues to JCA.

The next parade we usually do is the Vienna Halloween Parade in October. Details will be sent out in August or September. We were also invited to participate in the Herndon Homecoming Parade on Saturday, October 11th. I haven’t heard from anyone to say they were interested and available.

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Upcoming Clown Events

If you haven’t heard, the Kapitol Klowns cancelled their plans to host a convention in October. Jenny Henry has begun to oranize a jam to replace their convention.

Friday, Oct 17 Face painting and Balloon classes
Courtyard by Marriott Silver Spring North
12521 Prosperity Drive
Silver Spring, Maryland 20904

Time: Tentatively
early bird- 2pm to 5pm Balloon Decorations and set up (hands on workshop)
evening classes 6pm to 9pm (one room is face painting, one room is Balloon twisting)

Contact Jenny Henry for more details: jennyh.md@hotmail.com

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ClownFest
September 10-14, 2014
Seaside Heights, NJ
http://www.clownfest.com/

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Mid Atlantic Clown Association Convention
November 5-9 2014
Harrisburg, PA
http://www.midatlanticclownassociation.com/

–==—

Find more upcoming events on Just For Clowns:
http://www.justforclowns.com/calendar-of-events/

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The Circus is Coming to Town

Cirque du Soleil – Amaluna
July 31 – Extended to September 21, 2014
The Plateau at National Harbor
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/amaluna/tickets/washington-b-np.aspx

Cirque Dreams — Jungle Fantasy
Friday, September 5 at 8 pm
Saturday, September 6 at 7:30 pm
Filene Center, Wolf Trap

Cirque Italia
When: September 3-7
Where: 7807 Sudley Rd., Manassas, VA 20109.
At Sudley Manor Square Shopping Center- Former KMART STORE
http://cirqueitalia.com/manassas-va-opens-sept-3-7-2014/

Cole Bros Circus
September 5-7, 2014
Fredericksburg Agricultural Fairgrounds
2400 Airport Avenue
Fredericksburg,VA
http://www.gotothecircus.com/

Big Apple Circus
September 18, 2014 – October 5, 2014
Dulles Town Center, Dulles Va
http://bigapplecircus.org/

Fly away to their magical All-New Show, METAMORPHOSIS. Dulles Town Center is their first stop with the new season of the Bit Apple Circus.

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The Clown Network and Just For Clowns

Mike Becvar runs two websites for professional clowns, The Clown Network (http://www.theclownnetwork.com/) and Just for Clowns (http://www.justforclowns.com/). The Clown Network is the older of the two and has links to various clown organizations and vendors as well as to websites related to magic, juggling, and Santa. Just For Clowns is a newer website and run as a blog with links to news and videos that might be of interest to clowns. Mike also started a video series he calls, “News For Clowns of All Ages” which he had published several episodes on YouTube and links to the videos can be found on the Just For Clowns website.

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Jokes

Q: Where do dolphins see movies?
A: At the dive-in!

Q: Why did the dolphin cross the beach?
A: To get to the other tide!

Q: How do you get in touch with a fish?
A: Drop him a line.

Q: What part of a fish weighs the most?
A: The scales!

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Balloon and Face Painting Jams

Each month, Mike Becvar hosts a face painting and balloon jam at the Cici’s Pizza in Chantilly. It is normally on the 2nd Monday of the month.

Mike tries to arrive between 6:00 and 6:30 and grab some food from the buffet. The actual jam portion of the night begins at 7:00 and continues until Cici’s closes at 9:00pm. You can come as early or late as you like. The manager lets anyone who comes to do balloons or face painting eat the
buffet for free. The jam is open to face painters and balloon twisters of all skill levels. You may ask for tips, but you cannot set a price for the balloons or face painting.

Chantilly Face Painting and Balloon Jam
2nd Monday of each Month
Buffet from 6:00 – 7:00
Jam from 7:00 – Close

CiCi’s Pizza Buffet
14392 Chantilly Crossing Lane
Chantilly, VA 20151
703-961-9100

There are several other face painting and balloon jams in the area. Contact Mike Becvar aka Sir Toony for information about the other jams.

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Northern Virginia S.A.M. Assembly 252 Meetings
3rd Thursday of each month
7:30pm until 9:00pm
http://www.sam252.com/

The Knights of Columbus Hall
behind St. Leo’s Catholic Church
3700 Old Lee Highway
Fairfax, VA 22030

(go totally through church parking lot, make a right at baseball field,
then a left, Knights of Columbus Hall is on the right)

Note: Youth meet 1/2 hour earlier at 7:00pm

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Fairfax Jugglers
Key Intermediate Cafeteria
Every Thursday * when school is in session
Thursdays, 7:30-10 PM

Key Intermediate School
6402 Franconia Road
Springfield, VA 22150

Contact bsperling@cox.net to get on their email list.

Enter the parking lot opposite Japonica Street, turn RIGHT at the front of the school and drive around to the far back and the end of the parking lot. Enter the cafeteria at entrance #6 (visible past the dumpster), along a sidewalk, and this may be the best way in (if you arrive first please
prop open this door). Alternately, check the Handicapped Student’s Gym by Entrance #9 or use entrance #5 and turn left at the first cross-hall, then look for the cafeteria on the left. OR: check the handicapped student’s gym by Entrance #9 after your first left turn.

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The CIRCUS CLUB also meets at Key Intermediate School on Thursdays, but in the Handicapped Student’s Gym by Entrance #9. They teach many circus skills to children and perform in parades and other venues. If you know of a child or teenager who would be interested in learning or developing
those kinds of skills then contact them at Circusclub@yahoo.com

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