Coney Island USA Offers Sideshow School, 8/16-19

Coney Island USA presents the most unique learning experience in the world: Sideshow School.

August 16-19, 2010

For over nine years Coney Island USA has been transforming regular mundane individuals into freaks, wonders and human curiosities by teaching such feats as sword swallowing, fire eating and the human blockhead. " We get all kinds of pupils at Sideshow School," boasts Adam Rinn, current Dean and active Professa at the school. "I've taught doctors, lawyers, college professors, high school teachers, bartenders and performers of all disciplines." "Believe it or not," he continues, "a large percentage of students do not go on to perform. Many have a love of all things sideshow, many simply want to stand out in a crowd. Imagine being the only attorney at a firm who can hammer a nail into your own face." He says jokingly.

But the acts that are taught are no joke. "Every single act that I teach poses some sort of danger. Some more than others, but none are without risk." Rinn sternly warns. "With sideshow acts it boils down to what you see is what you get. The sword swallower is really gliding swords down the throat, the fire eater isn't using phony fire and the blockhead is really hammering nails into the center of the face."

Needless to say, there are students who register and attend, but remain fearful of any number of skills taught. To that Rinn claims, "Sideshow School is a nurturing environment where even the most timid and fearful student will get the attention that he or she needs to master the skill that is being taught. In addition to the actual workings of these well guarded secrets, I try and impart to the students a great appreciation their own bodies and what the body is capable of."

There are many additional feats that are taught beyond those mentioned above, like escaping from a straight jacket or the sideshow classic-the blade box illusion, where students learn how to twist and contort their bodies around eighteen solid steel blades while confined inside a wooden cabinet.

The graduation ceremony is not one of pomp and circumstance. "Each student lays on a bed of nails while I smash a cinder block to smithereens on top of them." The Professa says with a smirk. "The remaining chunks of block are then inscribed and given out as a diploma." He continues.

As a graduate of the Sideshow School, Rinn has come full circle filling the position of Dean and Professa. "When I was approached by Dick (Zigun, founder and artistic director of CIUSA) to head up Sideshow School I saw this as a great opportunity to really give back to a wonderful organization." Adam proudly exclaims. "Being a graduate of the Sideshow School has opened many doors and has given me countless experiences that I would not have had if I were not a student there."

Sideshow School will take place August 16-19 at Coney Island USA, 1208 Surf Ave., Brooklyn, NY
Sessions begin at 10:00am and end at 3:00pm.