SHENYANG - DAY 1

Arrived in Shenyang today. 30 volunteers, including myself flew on China Southern airlines, with a quick transit at Guangzhou. Check out the gate number on our ticket versus what was on the signboard. Hmm… wasn’t sure whether we’d arrive at the right destination. :)

I was surprised at the welcome we received at the airport. The Shenyang delegates had a big banner prepared to welcome us, and they also gave me a huge bouquet of flowers. (Seriously, taking pictures upon arrival is not the best idea. Felt so grubby... oh well!)

We were immediately ushered to a dinner prepared in our honor.

Good food... Good friends… It was really was a good start to the trip. Starting classes tmr. I’d better get some shut eye.

PROJECT SMILE IS GOING TO SHENYANG FOR A SECOND TIME!

Let me give you all some background information –

Last year, my dad and I went to Shenyang with 10 volunteers from Singapore to engage with the youth via Project SMILE. My dad taught magic classes for 3 days and on the 4th day, we brought the entire team to serve in an elderly home in the city. Five major TV stations were there to cover the event.

My dad, Lawrence was extended an invitation to come back this year to conduct more magic classes and to speak to the youths on leadership and other youth related issues. What an opportunity!

Back to real time. We have been invited back to conduct Project SMILE aka for 100 university students all over Liaoning. These students come from more than 20 different universities, coming together to take part in a Singapore and Liaoning exchange program, which Project SMILE is a part of. Not only will we be conducting Project SMILE classes, but my dad will be using magic to give a speech about life, to the university students in Dongbei University and Shenyang Technological University. This will really be a first of its kind!

Normally, I wouldn’t get excited about conducting Project SMILE classes overseas, as my dad usually does most of the work. I’m just his ‘blonde’ assistant. However this time, I’m supposed to be the MAIN TRAINER. Hoo boy! This could end up being a very painful experience for both me and my students. I plan to blog this whole experience, so stay tuned. Will unravel how everything goes…

Passionate about Magic?

A question that I have to answer for myself. I guess for a lot of you… you’ve just graduated from Project SMILE class. And you do have a genuine interest, but not sure if it’s just a phase or will it be a permanent part of your life.

I’ve been teaching magic alongside my dad since 2002. (At that time I was just his assistant) And I’ve seen many people who picked up magic and like us… have made it a permanent part of our lives. My brother Daniel & my cousin Chris are no exception. I guess Magic does run in the family. *grinz* Apart from family members, many others have caught the magic bug. It might sound strange… but learning and performing magic becomes a way of life.

For example, Over the weekend I met Kenneth & Jonathan from the recent Intermediate Magic class I am teaching.

Kenneth was attending the S-L class on Saturday, which I was there as a facilitator. He & I were doing the same thing – we were both carrying around our manipulation ball and were keeping our fingers occupied by constantly twirling it around our fingers, trying to keep them limber and agile.

On Sunday, I met Jonathan at church. (No surprise there since Eileen – Jon’s wife and I are from the same group.) Anyway, the first thing that he said to me was… “Can you show me again how to turn the ball in this manner?”

I was psyched that I wasn’t the only person obsessed with practicing magic. I’ve been carrying my multiplying balls with me EVERYWHERE and practicing all the time. What do I practice? Well, nowadays… I’ve been intent on working on my ball manipulation. Not just the multiplying portion but general sleight of hand. So I try to palm a ball when doing all activities. (well, except for when I’m typing with both hands… the ball is small but not that small.)

I remember that Jeff McBride once told me, “MAGIC = PASSION + PRECISION”
He is right! (Ohh… that sounds like an entire topic itself. Will develop more about that) My dad loves magic, and he watches at least one new magic DVD everyday. Till now, that itself amazes me. He is so busy constantly, but he always makes time to watch and learn new magic. He has made learning magic both a passion and a key priority in his life. I envy his passion.

It must be great to be so passionate about something. I’ve still been developing in this area. I enjoy watching magic, but for that to be a form of relaxation… I dunnoe… still skeptical.

As for me, I do like magic. But like us all… we get contented with what we do would and find ourselves in our own comfort zone. I have been very contented to doing illusions and performing the same card tricks, same close up sleights that I already know. BUT, you all inspire me. As you desire to learn more magic, I too want to continue developing my magic and move out into my comfort zone >> Develop more magic routines, learn new technique… a basically grow together as a community. *yeah!*

This is what I am working on now – A good multiplying ball routine. I hope to perform in when I am in Shenyang at the end of May. And will definitely perform it at the next Magic Circle meeting. Seeya all there!!

! Reminder !
Next Magic Circle Meeting – 8 JUNE, 7:30pm
(open only for Project SMILE graduates)

Intermediate Magic Class > what's that about?

Just had our first session of the Intermediate Magic Class. It was great! (from my perspective anyway) How did you guys find it?? Let me know k!

For all of you who weren’t able to join this round of classes due to the class being filled… Don’t worry. There will definitely be another round of classes, but it’ll definitely be after June. *grinz* We will keep you posted via our monthly newsletter.

So what is this Intermediate Magic Class all about?? Is it just learning more tricks?? Let me tell you all about it. I’m totally psyched about it. Initially, it was a response to people who wanted to learn more magic. So, I decided to put together a class with the follow objectives.

♠ To introduce you all to a world of sleights.
♥ To help you put up a 5-10 minute mini show aka “Parlor Magic”
(Check out the article about Parlor Magic)
♣ To create more platforms for you to serve the community via magic.
♦ To have fun and totally go nuts with magic!

My friend Eugene helped me find this clip online. It’s one of the tricks that I teach in this Intermediate class. It’s sort of a preview of what you will learn in this Magic II class.
-> For all my current students...check it out!!

Hope you guys are practicing your magic. I look forward to seeing you guys performing for the class (as per what we do before learning more incredible magic.)

Ciao for now!

OUR FIRST MAGIC CIRCLE MEETING FOR THE YEAR!

We just had our first official Magic Circle meeting in our office on Friday the 13th. Auspicious day to launch our magic circle huh! *grins cheekily*

“All about Cards” was the theme, and we saw a great turnout! We had more than forty people present for our first official Magic Circle meeting held at our office.

Check it out! We transformed our pantry and dance studio into a cosy chill out area with comfy sofas, mood lights, snacks and of course… lots of magic. With the ambience set, everyone was all out to hang loose and talk magic.

For all those who were not able to come, let me give you a brief rundown on the evening. Everyone did great and learnt at least one new trick before coming. Between showing close up magic and snacking, everyone quickly loosened up to the prospects of performing in front of everyone else.

We had a total of thirteen performers that night, including my dad and me. (13 performers on Friday the 13th! How apt *lol*) We had a great variety of card tricks. From automatic card tricks, tricks with different sleights, different ways to force a card, card tricks using gimmicked cards, mental magic. We had them all. One of the perks of the meeting was that most of the performers taught us the trick that they performed. Of course, as we all know… just because we know the secret didn’t mean that we could proceed to performing it. After all the performances, everyone hung around to learn the tricks that they wanted to learn from each other. Really enjoyable!

The first to perform was Addy Ang, our GE props master and one of our Project SMILE mentor. You should have seen his face when he was asked to be the first to perform. He performed Micheal’s Skinner’s Ultimate 3 Card Monte. Even though his hands were shaking with nervousness, he still took the crowd for a ride. Great job! Like many of you, that was his first time performing in front of a crowd.

Next, was our Project SMILE Director Chua Seng Lee. e performed a memorized deck where he got 2 spectators to randomly select a card and proceeded to read their minds. Although nerves got the better of him at one point, he kept his composure and successfully pulled off the trick on his next try.

Reaney Peh performed 2 great effects. The first was a great effect with 12 cards: 4 Kings & 8 indifferent cards, where the Kings were placed in between 2 cards each, and proceeded to vanish from the packs. Not too sure what the name of the trick is cos he bought it from a road side stall. (Who says magic isn’t easily available? *grinz*) The second was a an Ace Assembly.

Gutsy Emily Phua was up next, who performed a great self working card trick. By forming the face of a clock, she was able to know what card her audience had selected. Up next, was Nigel Wong, our veteran Project SMILE trainer who demonstrated his sleight of hand by bringing a selected card to the top of the deck and doing a top change, and a mind reading routine. The twins Konrad & Kendrick Leong then did a back to back performance which made everyone do a double take with their clever moves. Konrad executed another version of cutting to the 4 Aces, while Kendrick performed a wicked triple card revelation based on the ‘one ahead principle’.

Eugene Lim one of our Project SMILE mentors, was our next performer. He made all of us wait for for ages while he gnawed over his cards till my dad teased him that the trick had better be worth the wait. Finally, he did a very simple yet mind blowing routine where he laid out 5 cards – King of hearts, 7 of clubs, 4 of hearts, Ace of diamonds and 9 of diamonds, on the table. Asked someone to remember one card. Took up all the cards and selects and confidently tosses one card out on the table. He asks the audience to name the card. And lo and behold… the card named is the very card that is on table! Gads! How did he do it? That trick was Dai Vernon’s Mental Force. The effect was so simple yet powerful that it was really worth the wait.

One of the highlights for the evening was to see 10 year old Jorim Sim stand up in front of everyone to perform. He performed a simple card force that he learnt from Addy. Just to let you guys know, Jorim has been helping out as one of our facilitators as well. And it is a blast to see him teaching everyone. Betty Sim proved that card magic is not reserved solely for grown men. She deftly displayed the skills of her sons (Konrad & Kendrick), getting 3 volunteers to cut the cards and pick one, then proceeded to name their cards effortlessly.

Daniel Gan, another veteran Project SMILE trainer took the stage next. He performed Max Maven’s killer mental routine. For all of you who do not know what that is, let me describe it for you. Basically, he cuts the deck into 2 piles, gives the audience free choice of whichever piles. Audience deals 5 stacks of cards and selects any stack. Daniel proceeds to name each card in the selected pile.

Finally, it was my turn! I decided to do 2 card tricks by Eugene Burger. The first trick is called Simple Ten, I challenged 4 audience to cut to exactly 10 cards, though they failed but to their surprise, the 10 of hearts, 10 of clubs, 10 of diamonds & 10 of spades all turned up on top of decks which they cut. The next trick was a Double Reverse Trick where both myself and a spectator chooses a card and places it into the deck. Instantly, the cards are reversed in the deck.

The charm, wit and professional showmanship of my dad, Lawrence Khong closed April’s Magic Circle meeting on a high note. He conjured a performance that was simply mesmerising. Pulling out both old and new tricks from his hat, sleeves and even shoe! First he unleashed a fast and furious medley of card manipulation – producing single cards, card fans and ended by shooting cards into the audience. Then did his trite and true Ambitious Card routine & ended off with the signed card in his shoe. That’s not it. He later continued with Martin Lewis’s Come-Back Card and Ton Onosaka’s Giant 3 Card Monte.

In wrapping up the meeting, Lawrence shared what was on his heart concerning Project Smile. He encouraged all present to consider becoming facilitators and trainers, and to work on becoming better magicians by putting their magic lessons into practice more often.

I was excited to see so many familiar faces from past coming back together. I was even more thrilled that the Magic Circle gathering is revived. Like I’ve said before… All of you inspire me to want to be a better magician. I hope you all share the same sentiments, and together we will all grow in our art of magic. So till we meet again! Ciao!

Love and magic have a great deal in common. They enrich the soul, delights the heart a
And they both take practice!

Ok… back to 2007. So what have I been doing since the Christmas Magic Of Love show? Well, I’ve been living life in a whirlwind for the past 2 months. This year we’re like taking a break from touring Magic Of Love to work on tweaking the show. In the mean time, I’ve been doing more corporate shows and teaching lots of magic classes.

Let’s see… I’ve taught 10 different magic classes in the last 2 months and done many many community services. I’m gearing up to go to Shenyang to teach magic in Chinese. Man! That’s really going to be a challenge for me. Guess what… I just conducted my first CHINESE Project SMILE Magic Class last Friday. One down, 3 more session to go. You know what they say… that the first step is always the hardest. Well, I did it and survived!

Someone ask me whether I really like what I’m doing? By that she was talking specifically about teaching magic class.

Well, it is very different from performing. And it is very time consuming and somewhat tiring. Can you imagine teaching a class of 30 Primary 4 students?? I tell you, kids now days are too smart for their own good. There’s like this boy that catches on so fast that he actually completes my sentences for me. Of course I enjoyed teaching him, however sometimes it seeme­­­d as though he was perpetually sugar high. He’d speak like a bullet train and just ramble on.

That’s him on the left. His name is Tommy.

There was this other boy who was so precocious. When I told him magicians should never reveal the secret of the tricks. His first question was: “What if your parents ask you to tell and if you don’t they will disown you?”

Kids love to do that… They love to put you on the spot. OF course I told him that in that instance, to tell their parents, No point causing strife between you and your parents. Sheesh!

What was most rewarding about teaching all the primary school and secondary school students was to see them succeed during their class party and community service. I felt so proud of all of them.

My students rising up to the occasion, performing just like veterans magicians. Getting volunteers to participate in their act.

One even mustered his courage & got his Principal as a volunteer.

That’s when I really learnt the power of magic. Magic has the ability to change people, not just those who watch the magic… but very much for the performers. I’ve seen the shyest kid come out of their shell and the mischievous ones buckle down to practice their magic.

This parent actually told me, “My son has been changed ever he has learnt magic.” That was reward in itself.

So my answer to that question is… Yes. I do enjoy teaching Magic classes. I enjoy sharing what I know with my students. I realize that to teach someone, is to impart part of yourself to others. And my hope is that all my students not only take home a new skill with them, but take back a new level of confidence in themselves. That they are special and they really have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces.

Check out some pics of the classes I’ve taught.

Here are some primary school kids that stepped out of their comfort zone to bring a smile to patients at SACH.

Pretty cool huh. We’ve got angels & devils incorporated to our class.

Remember gals, the real magic is in you.

More primary school kids doing their parents proud!

That’s all for now!
Priscilla

Hi! Finally made the resolution to start blogging. I know people usually make resolutions at the beginning of the year and mine seems to be kind of late. Well, better late than never!

That saying doesn’t always work all the time. But I guess in this case, that’s always a good thing.

Last year was a busy year. Hmmm… come to think of it… every year is a busy year! Although this year is really unlike the last. Last year was really hectic. We were in US for 2 months rehearsing and performing the Magic of Love. Guess you guys already know that from the old blogs. (lol)

Betcha don’t know one of the highlights of that trip… My dad and I performed for the 2006 Magic Castle Award show in Hollywood, California.

It was a special award show to honor Chris Angel, where they officially presented him the 2005 Magician of the Year award.

It was truly a honor to be able to perform there. Saw lots of famous magicians at there.

Yes… I did get to meet Chris Angel !! Even took pictures with him and got his signature.

There’s me totally taken with him.

And here’s the real shot. From left to right: myself, Chris Angel, Liz, Amos, my dad & mom.