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Where Our Magic Comes From
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Who We Are In Magic |
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In middle school, a classmate made a playing card appear out of thin air. He showed his hand empty one moment, and a card was at his fingertips the next. Astonishing! He taught it to me and I had a lot of fun practicing it in front of the mirror. Around the same time, I was introduced to Penn & Teller's show, "B*llshit!" and loved the intellectual side of magic that they championed. I have been fascinated by magic ever since.
Through high school, I developed card cheating sleight of hand skills, grew a large repertoire of close up magic, learned to read minds and hypnotize people, and studied the history of magic. At university, I studied with professors who taught the psychology of magic, senses, happiness, and skepticism. I even performed magic for some of my classes. When school was out during my university years, I traveled around the country and performed thousands of shows in difficult venues along side comedians, jugglers, acrobats, and sideshow acts. This heavy exposure to "real life" performance conditions forced me to put together everything I've learned, and become an entertainer, not just a student of magic. Over time, I've mastered the art of using world class sleight of hand to create wonderful experiences that alter people's consciousness toward joy. |
It might not mean much to most people, but based on my teachers and training, I am technically a part of a magical lineage that goes back to the 1700s.
My mentors were students of the late master magician Cellini. Cellini, in turn, was the prodigy of the legendary Slydini, who revolutionized close up magic. Slydini was taught by David Bamberg, of the six generation Bamberg Magical Dynasty. The Bambergs had performed for Dutch royalty hundreds of years ago. The first generation magician from the 1700s, Jasper Bamberg, was an actual alchemist and necromancer, seeking to create gold and revive the dead. Naturally, through the generations, the maqical skills and values have evolved and changed. Within two generations, the Bambergs were performing coin magic and cups and balls using innovative and mystic sleight of hand. Certain secret ways of moving and speaking to influence people and create illusions are still taught to us in person. My own contributions to the lineage were influenced by backgrounds in science and martial arts. It has led to the current Grandmaster of the "guild" to dub me the "heir apparent to Cellini." |
Magical MotivationMagic is unique as an art form in that it creates a feeling of wonder in the "here and now." Creating that feeling in the most efficient, distilled form, while being humorous and slightly ironic to be fun, is one of my favorite things in the world. Whether it's at corporate functions, weddings, or birthday parties, quality close up magic brings people together for shared memories of happiness.
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