Magic Tricks

My thoughts on the Michael Ammar experience presented by penguin magic.

For the most part, it was a recap of what Michael taught on his penguin live and at the table lecture. However, having said that, this event truly was as it says. An experience. Here is what he taught:

1. Topit: how could you go to a Michael Ammar lecture and he not teach the topit? Michael is the king of the topit and his pattern is phenomenal. He goes over the ins and outs of the topit. Most importantly he goes over how to properly toss.

2. Bottle production / coin in bottle: this is a wonderful visual piece of magic! First Michael produces a large bottle using a silk. The best part of this was, he loaded the bottle in front of all of us, and no one spotted it. He went directly into his coin and bottle. A classic of magic made better. He uses a cork to plug the hole and slams a coin into the bottom of the bottle and bam it's in the bottle. Michael showed the workings of it and it convinced me to start doing it again. The best part of this was defiantly the cork!

3. Torn and amazed / albo card: this is a neat routine using 2 signed cards. One is visually torn and restored. The second is more spectacular! A corner of a card is signed and torn off, the card is torn off, then the card is resorted. So what?? The corner is backwards!! Yes it's an impossible souvenir. This is one great effect. He sells the decks, but they are pricey so I suggest only doing it for those special clients. But it's amazing!

4. Touched by numbers (not in penguin lecture) : in this amazing effect, you openly write a prediction. 3 spectators write down any 3 digit number each. They are added up and the total matches the prediction. The method is wonderful and clever. It's defiantly a magician fooler. Best part is all you need is a post-it pad.

5. The little hand: a visual comical coin vanish. A coin is placed on your hand and a little hand and arm come up grab the coin and take it. (Michael seems to have a lot of fun with this)

6. Bill to Nut (not in penguin live lecture) : Michael borrows 2 bills from 2 different spectators. Rips them in half gives each spectator half a bill. The other halves are placed in a handkerchief and placed in a wine glass. He then tossed out a bag of peanuts. The spectator can choose any peanut he or she wants. A magical gesture or word is said and upon opening the handkerchief 2 individual peanuts out of their shell falls into he glass. He cleanly grabs the peanut from the spectator (honestly no switches) opens it very cleanly and inside are 2 halves of dollar bills. He gives them back to confirm they match and lo and behold they do. He then restores the bills and gives them back. Phew, that was a long description! Here's my thoughts. This is super clean!! Honestly no switches of the peanut, the peanut is not forced. I love the effect but the method isn't practical for all but anyone with 4 months of magic knowledge can make it practical. Having said that, this is one effect I will do!! It's brilliant!

7: sheer surprise: Michaels famous silk through microphone stand. Michael teaches the ins and outs with this effect. He sells the "secret item" and the scarf (worth the buy). The "secret item" he uses is no longer available and if you did find it, it would cost $300 +. But he teaches you how to do it with a cheap "secret item" that's Under $1. But again, just buy it from him. It has the scarf, instructions, and the "secret item".

8: the photocopied card: (not in his penguin live lecture) Michael explains that he believes everything happens for a reason. The other day he spilled cards on a copier. He decided to scan it as the cards fell. He proceeds to bring out a sheet of paper wrapped up. When he opens it you see it's the copy he scanned. Inside is the deck he spilled. He has a spectator cut to a card, and you show that all the cards printed on the paper is all face up except one card. and as you turn the paper over you see all facedown cards, except one. One card is face up, it's the spectators card. You then sign the paper, and give it away as a souvenir. Wow!! I love this. It's a great give away. And it's easy and cheap, my kind of magic. This is one I'm defiantly using.

9: .41 cent miracle: (not in his penguin live lecture) Michael tells a beautiful life lesson story using .41 cents. He placed the coins in his fist and they all vanished except for the penny. He places it back in his hand and opens it up and all the coins are back.
Ok, so the method is an old item we all have in our drawer at home. But this trick is not the method. It's the story! The story is what makes this effect. It's a beautiful story that's great for many situations. I'll defiantly use this at some point.

10: lightning round: Michael has a few bits and pieces it's about 5 effects in 15 min. This is great and defiantly fun. He has this as a DVD with many more things on it.

11: exquisite: (not taught in his penguin live Lecture) Michael shows his newest release (with losander) a borrowed wine glass floats zombie style. It's really neat and may interest some. It's not for me, but hose who do stage and parlor will love it.

I may have missed a few, I hope I didn't! The best part of this as I said in the beginning was, this was an experience!! A chance to meet Michael Ammar, hear him lecture, and the best part, I stayed late so I could have some 1 on 1 time with him. He was so nice and welcoming. He talked a lot about dai Vernon, that's what I loved most. It was like learning from the professor himself. If you get a chance to attend the Michael Ammar experience, please do so! This was something I'll always cherish and I'm so glad I went.