Monday, January 11th at 10:00 a.m. (PST) I received a phone call from England, specifically from Jamie Allan, world famous magician and creator of Toronto's multi-media magic extravaganza "Illusionarium".
It was a call I was anticipating, but not expecting at that moment; he informed me of the news that I was hoping for, but not taking for granted: I was accepted into the world's most prestigious magic organization situated in the heart of London, England: the esteemed Magic Circle! I could hardly believe it! For weeks on end I was rehearsing a new card routine, plus a very old cups and balls routine that I had long forgotten, in eager anticipation of my exam, or audition for The Magic Circle. It all began several months earlier, when I was checking off my bucket-list: among other things, I had always wanted to belong to The Magic Circle, which in my mind was the foremost magical organization that many magicians, professional or otherwise, longed to belong to. It's hallowed halls shrouded in secrecy, to whom only the rare and fortunate few were privy to: this organization is one of the world's oldest magic organizations as well, founded in 1905. Don't get me wrong...I love and respect the other global magic organizations to which I belong, The International Brotherhood of Magicians, and the Society of American Magicians, both of whose monthly magazines I've either had articles published about myself in, and/or trick ideas that I'd invented, published. Nonetheless, after applying via e-mail to The Magic Circle some months back, an interview with myself and the examination team was scheduled. I completed the interview and a trick. After some time, again, I was informed by e-mail that I was granted access and acceptance into The Magic Circle as an "Apprentice". I was encouraged by a senior member of The Magic Circle, who was also President of one of the Society of American Magicians assemblies, to "go for" full/regular membership, or the title "Member" of The Magic Circle, I felt nervous and anxious at even just the thought of attempting this, but nonetheless I requested by e-mail to the examination committee a time for my audition/exam for acceptance as a "Member" of The Magic Circle! I set out to embark on what was to become the journey of my lifetime! I had no idea that this journey was to be more than just constant and regular rehearsal, which would have been arduous enough, but something of a "spiritual" evolution and development of both my character, personality, and performance style! With some trepidation, I began weeks of research and rehearsals, as the organization required that I also submit a sheet of sleight-of-hand moves that I was going to use with my routines.
I was directed to pages of criteria and rules set out by the organization, which further fuelled my nerves. While rehearsing my cups and balls routine, I realized that doing that trick to music would make it more "theatrical", along with showcasing my "personable" interaction within the context of my card routine with a "volunteer", who in actuality was my wife. I set out to find suitable music for my cups and balls routine, and it was during this search that I, if-you-will, "found" myself again!
Music was always a catalyst for me as far as memories, particularly happy memories, are concerned. My earliest memories as a child were comprised of beautiful and colorful Walt Disney animated features and story-books, with songs such as "When You Wish Upon a Star" being particularly poignant and emotional for me, as it encouraged hopes and dreams, again, important to me and my belief-system, even to this day. Other memories, again, during my childhood consisted of magicians performing on television and the wonder I experienced while watching them; to me, this wonder I felt represents the true "magic" in this life, along with feeling hope and having wishes and dreams for a potentially happy future. Something about animated cartoons and comic-books spurred on this optimism and hope, passion and excitement for life. I made some correlation between all of this and performing magic which stayed with me for most of my life; even when visiting Disney World in the 1980's and '90's, I felt these same positive emotions; I'm sure that Walt Disney and everyone associated with the organization and theme-parks have a thorough understanding of the philosophies and principles involved with the art of magic! It was because of all of this I set out to find "Disney-like" music to accompany my cups and balls routine. Besides, the use of emotive music in Disney feature-movies as well as the use of emotive music within the cinematic world in general is a well-known technique for emotionally "hooking" the audience. A new day for me was slowly beginning to dawn.
After procuring copyright-free "Disney-like" music for my cups and balls routine, I set out to rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse again, so that I might "time" the moves to the music. One day, while rehearsing the cups and balls routine with my music, I got emotional. I didn't out-rightly blubber, but I felt moved to tears; I think it was near the end of the routine, during the crescendo of the music; it felt both powerful and sensitive at the same time. The trick "wrapped up" in a powerful and gratifying way, thanks to the music. My mind was flooded with all of my childhood memories, dreams, and emotions, of colorful animated features, of laughter and happy tears; a veritable roller coaster of powerful and beautiful emotions reflected in my mind, and touched off by the combination of music, graceful movement, and the illusion of the cups and balls. I felt ready for my examination/audition, which I did pass successfully after all.
That was it. I not only found the tricks and routines that I believed would successfully enter me into the realm of The Magic Circle, but I found again something that, as an adult, I had lost in my childhood: hopes, dreams, wonder, and the magic of life.
