The complexity of ritual clowns (called kòròdugaw) performances in Mali prompted me to think about the most efficient way to convey it. Beyond the issue of a thorough description, analyzing ambiance led to pondering over the quality of events, its role, and how to describe it. The first step consists in putting the role of ambiance in Mali in perspective. Then, I explore the issue of its scales, through the spatial and temporal dimensions of events in which the ritual clowns participate.