About
Biography
Vanessa Kneale is a franco-ontarian clown, physical actress and dancer. Following a B.F.A. in Contemporary Dance and Business, she pursued clown training with Francine Côté, James Keylon, Joe de Paul, Michel Dallaire and Yves Dagenais, amongst others. Her talents have been put to work in productions such as Dance Animal (Just For Laughs), L’Aubergine’s Ripopée (pan-canadian touring), Les Bunheads (America’s Got Talent & other international televised talent competitions), Bibi & The Beast (Clown, Burlesque and Fringe festivals), and her solo work as Vana and other characters on stage and at events (Les 7 doigts de la main, C2Montreal, Phil d’Ariane, Espace Forain, Richard LaCroix, Les Foutoukours, etc). She has also dedicated much of her time to social causes with La Caravane Philanthrope in El Salvador, Artcirq in Nunavut, Phare Ponleu Selpak in Cambodia and E.motion21 in Australia. With a passion to entertain at the heart of her work, Vanessa continues to charm audiences of all ages around the world as an MC, performer, creator, and roving character.
Artistic Mission
Vanessa Kneale performs and creates as an artist on stage, in the street, and on screen, showcasing alpha, female, and satirical characters. Her background in classical dance and clowning make of her a technically precise and movement-based performer. The diversity of her training has highlighted the ability to fit into the commercial performance world with a critical angle. What has emerged is a portfolio of glamourous characters who inevitably collide with the imperfection of human nature. Her creations are inspired by her comical view of real life, which is an approach anchored in traditional clown technique. In whole, Vanessa Kneale’s artistic mission is to expose the foolishness of human behavior while amusing the audience and keeping the art of clowning alive.