Project SMILE 2 - A Healing Touch - in Singapore General Hospital

It's been quite a while since we've done Project SMILE 2. I still remember when we launched it in 2003. Let me give you some background info on Project SMILE 2. Well, Project SMILE 2 is a program that uses magic as a form of rehabilitation therapy for hospital patients. It has gotten widespread support from therapists in the United States as an alternative form of therapy that exceeds traditional therapeutic methods. Today, I was invited to do a presentation at Singapore General Hospital, introducing them to the concept of magic as a form of rehabilitation.

I realize that Project SMILE 2 - A Healing Touch - is a great way to tie in magic with rehabilitation because the use of magic tricks adds fun and motivation to the difficult rehabilitation process for patients.

At SGH, I demonstrated some tricks that could aid the rehabilitation process to about 25 doctors and therapists at their staff meeting. They took the opportunity to learn the tricks for themselves which they found very entertaining and seemed enthusiastic to incorporate this form of rehabilitation into their therapy for their patients.

It has always been my passion to develop Project SMILE 2 - A Healing Touch. I long to see this program succeed, not for us magicians, but for the patients. I sincerely believe it will help them on their road to recovery, plus it'll bring them lotsa fun!

Project Smile 2 is indeed a great tool to synergise our love for magic and our contribution to our community. For all of you, magicians, therapists or caregivers of the sick, interested to get involved in Project SMILE 2, do email us at magiccircle@magicoflawrence.com

VJC Arts Appreciation Day

VJC had their annual arts appreciation day and I was invited to do a 2-hour magic appreciation workshop. I conducted a semi-lecture-style workshop, starting off with a 20 min show. There was great response from the students. They were all very eager to start learning magic. (Man! I wish that my school had magic classes when I was a student! Seems like there are so many more choices nowadays)

While planning this lecture, I wasn't sure what to teach - how much magic would be sufficient. So I decided to cover a wide range of magic - cards, coins, street magic and miscellaneous objects. My guys thought that I was giving them too much to manage. However, as I dialogued with them, I found that many said that they've been learning magic on their own and most have watched many close-up effects on YouTube and Metacafe.

Welcome to the 21st century - Where anything can be found on the web!

Check out the class... Glad that they are so into learning the magic.

Fiddling with the pack of cards that was given to them free, most of my students gave a resounding “Chey!” upon the revelation of the trick. It's a standard response! It's hard for many people, even magicians themselves, to understand that magic need not be complicated to create a magical effect. It's all about the presentation. Like Eugene Burger says "The greatest magic is usually very simple"
To all the VJ students who attended my Magic Appreciation course, let me know how your magic is coming along. Hope that you'll continue to pursue magic as a hobby! You never know where it may lead you.

In love and magic,

Priscilla

Community Service at TOUCH Senior Activity Centre

Today, the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Project SMILE students performed their community service and I believed it was a great experience for all of them.

First of all, it was a chance for them to perform magic in front of a live audience and, at the same time, be a blessing to the community. It was also great to see Nigel put up a 30-minute show for the elderly. Kudos to Nigel who commanded the stage and did the show in Mandarin! Wow. That made the show so much more appealing to the elderly who are much more familiar with the Chinese language.

It is great for trainers and volunteers like myself to be able to use Project SMILE as a platform to practise our routines. We’re no longer standing in front of a passive mirror or a group of indulgent magic peers. It’s time to put our money where our mouths are and get some genuine oohs and aahs from the audience.

Many of us have gained a lot of invaluable experience during these community services which has helped us to become better performers. Nigel highlighted this today at the TOUCH Senior Activity Centre.

I encourage all current students and alumni members to step forward and perform for Project SMILE community services; it’s a great platform to use our passion for magic to serve the community.