Coney Island Sideshow School

Learn Ancient Skills from the Very Best in the Business!
Have you ever dreamed of running away with the circus? Did anyone ever call you a freak? Well, now's your chance to become one! At Coney Island USA's Sideshow School, you can learn how to hammer a 20-penny nail right into your skull, how to shake and shimmy like a professional, and then paint a banner trumpeting your new career!

Sideshow Skills and Banner Painting are held in the spring and fall, while the Burlesque Master Class will be held in our new summer session.

Sideshow Skills - you'll work with some of the greatest talents in the business to learn the ins and outs of the working acts of the sideshow- Fire Eating, Snake Charming, The Human Blockhead, Sword Swallowing, Magic and More!!

Burlesque Master Class -Jo Weldon, New York's "Best Burlesque Teacher" according to the New York Burlesque Festival, will help you create a costume, persona, and full burlesque act.

Banner Painting - you'll work with our artist-in-residence, the Coney Island Legacy and the only traditonal banner painter workign in Coney Island today, and discuss in the history and theory of Sideshow banners, while designing and executing your own.

Students will be required to sign a "hold harmless" agreement before taking any classes. Please see each course description for details.




			SIDESHOW SKILLS WORKSHOP Sideshow Skills 101-102 Tuition: $600 Register Now!! Summer 2008 Section 102 Once-a-Week: Tuesday, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and August 5 6 PM to 10 PM This is the only place in the world where students can learn traditional sideshow acts from practicing masters of the arts. Our acclaimed faculty teaches fire eating, the human blockhead, fundamentals of sword swallowing, glass walking, magic and other famous sideshow acts. Students leave with the ability to perform these acts including sword swallowing and sticking foreign objects up their noses. For more details, please contact Coney Island USA at info@coneyisland.com.




			BANNER PAINTING WORKSHOP Banner Painting 101 Tuition: $450 Summer 2008 No Course A basic, hands on workshop demonstrating how to paint a sideshow banner, from initial concept to finished art. Each student will be furnished with one 5 x 4 inch blank, and the use of materials to execute it. Traditional banners will be discussed, sideshow banners from the collection will be on view for reference, instructor will be present at all sessions. Emphasis will be to help the student achieve his/her own large format composition, using the instructor's years of painting experience. Professor Roberts will paint along with students to demonstrate method. Limited to ten students.




			NEW!!! BURLESQUE WORKSHOP WITH PROFESSOR JO BOOBS Burlesque Master Class Tuition: $350 Summer 2008 Tuesdays, July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 6 PM to 9 PM Coney Island USA and the New York School of Burlesque brings you a master class worthy of the name! Get in on the feathery, fringey, glittery fun! Learn how to put together a dazzling and entertaining burlesque act from Jo Weldon, the performer voted “Performer Who Most Makes You Want to Get Naked” and "Best Bump N Grinder" at the New York Burlesque Festival! You’ll start with a bang and have the opportunity to start workshopping your act with New York’s premier burlesque performers from day one. There will be incredible guest teachers, such as NYU Professor Dr. Lukki, Bambi the Mermaid, Bunny Love, Amber Ray, World Famous BOB, Dirty Martini, Tigger, Julie Atlas Muz, Kate Valentine, Angie Pontani, Matt Mohr, and other spectacular performers who have made their careers out of being fabulous, glamourous, and funny. In addition to hands-on training, students will discuss the history of burlesque and watch clips of burlesque performances. Readings will be provided. This year's Master Class will get to perform their student showcase as part of the leendary Burlesque at the Beach series in Coney Island! For updates about which teachers are participating, visit www.schoolofburlesque.com/cmc2008.html JO WELDON Master Class Producer Jo “Boobs” Weldon is the Founder and Headmistress of the New York School of Burlesque. She has been awarded the title of "Best Teacher" in Arts and Entertainment in the Village Voice, and Best Burlesque Teacher and Mentor at the New York Burlesque Festival. She has coordinated the Burlesque Master Class at Coney Island for three years. She also produces The Follies Fromage, a burlesque show in which all the numbers are based on cheese, at Coney Island every summer. She has been a featured performer in Margaret Cho's "Sensuous Woman" variety show, and served as choreographer and consultant on the "Victor/Victrola" episode of Gossip Girl. She also toured with the Sex Workers' Art Show, performing in 33 cities in 35 days, and has worked as the judging co-ordinator for the Miss Exotic World Pageant in Las Vegas. For more on Jo, please visit www.gstringsforever.com




			2008 SUMMER PHOTOGRAPHY SEMINAR & WORKSHOP WITH KEVIN C. DOWNS Coney Island: Different Perspectives www.kevincdownsphoto.com Tuition: $250 Saturday afternoons/evenings 13 Sessions Total June 7, 14, 21, 28; July 5, 12, 19, 26; August 2, 9, 16, 23, September 6 All Sessions except June 21 (Mermaid Parade) and July 19 (Siren Festival) begin with a review at noon in the Coney Island Museum (1208 Surf Avenue) During this workshop, students will be documenting the changing conditions of light and weather, interacting with the environment and architecture of Coney Island. The natural elements and all of the remaining details tell the story of its history beginnings as the people's playground to the present. Students will be shooting the icons of the Cyclone, Wonder Wheel, Astroland and the Mermaid Parade, boardwalk denizens and personalities, the beach, Nathan's, the tourists, etc., from the water to Mermaid Avenue, developing their powers of observation and their techniques. Students will be asked to think of a specific documentary theme to focus on for the entire 13 sessions. Some examples could include: "The People of Coney Island", "Architecture of Coney Island", etc. The documentary theme can be anything that tells a story and documents the people, architecture and/or landscape of Coney Island. All themes must be approved by the instructor. Students will present their work every week, (only in-class participation will be allowed) where the instructor and students will review it for guidance and feedback. Students will gain insights into staying focused on the theme and how to improve upon the body of work. Although some technical support will be offered, this is neither a technical or darkroom course. Students should have a working knowledge of their equipment and a willingness to engage in discussion. At the end of the 13 sessions, we will create a Flickr site and a book of the class' work. For more information please contact Kevin directly via email or by phone at 917-607-3935

Registration
In order to register, please write a check out to Coney Island, USA for the amount indicated in the course description and send to:
CONEY ISLAND, USA
1208 Surf Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11224.

Please Note: You MUST also include a signed original of the attached Hold Harmless Agreement. Registration will not be permitted without a signed copy of Hold Harmless Agreement.

Accommodations
For students coming in from out of town, Coney Island USA does not recommend specific accommodations. For a list of local lodging establishments, see our Tourism Page

Click here for the Hold Harmless Agreement for Sideshow School Students