Does anyone do sponge balls with no closeup tabel in front of them? How do you mangae the balls and keep from having to constantly pick them up off the floor. I would like to work up a routine for a kids show where I do not have a table as we will be standing in front of the audience.

Your ideas suggestions appreciated.

Chris

Multiplying the spongeballs comes to mind. I am not sure how long you would like for the routine to go on, but with kids shows from what I have read, and I feel this way even with adults. Put them in the spotlight somehow, with adults, I will tell a story but instead of "me" it is "we".

Kids, I would take a ball ask for an assistant place the sponge ball in there hands and you have two options pull out another vanish it into there hand, or tell them to consintrate real hard on the ball in your hands.
Then have them open to reveal they now have two. The kid is happy you just went through part one.
Take one of the sponge balls. " May I barrow one?" then do the sawing in half move to make there. then invite two more kids up. Give them each one ball, and do the pocket to hand routine.. I think is what it is, where you place two in your hand put the third in your pocket but the third appears back in your hand.

Perform that realy close up with them.

Just a thought.

Mayo

There are routines that are out where a table isn't needed, however you could just use the kids hands as tables.

I agree with using the spectator's hands, sponge ball magic happens in the spectator's hands and is extremely strong. It shouldn’t be hard for you to develop a short routine for a walk around type of performance.

MM

Two children or two spectators hold a small net tended between their hands. The net will be used as a "table".

Thanks for the suggestions. I can see though that the balls will pop out onto the floor when the volunteer opens their hands..that is what was hoping to avoid..seems as if that would be a distraction..no in hindisght..it might be worked into the routine in a silly way to have fun with it..maybe saying the balls are excited to be there or somehting..Hmm

thanks again

Chris

Yes, I do a walk-around spongeball routine in the hands of the spectators. No table is required. You could solve some of the problem of sponges rolling around the floor by using some sponge cubes instead of the traditional ball. I don't bother, usually some good audience management is all it takes to keep the fall from happening. (not always the case but usually).

The good news is when they bend down to pick up the ball off the floor while everyone watches, you can cue the elephant to come in making a really large surprise production for your finish!

When one sponge pops up or flies out it is fantastic. I just oick it up during the pandemonium.

Mark wilsons complete course in magic, great routine in there.

All great suggestions Gang. I appreciate it. Was thinking I might use the Norm Neilson foam latex rabbits in this scenario..they have a flat bottom. LOL. I will work on those standing spinge ball ideas as well.

Frank: Now all I need is the Elephant. Suggestions as to a good source for high quality, inexpensive, low maintainance elephants? lol

Chris

I've always had good luck at "Elephants 'r" Us "

Frank thank you for that. I will now begin to practice my elephant back palm and will learn how to use a topit for the vanish of said Elephant.

This in mind...I wonder if there are sponge elephants that can be used in leau of rabbits or sponge balls? Has anyone ever seen those? Hmmm

Funny how a comment in jest can make the mind race with ideas to entertain the "yoots".

I've never done my Sponge Ball Routine with a table, suprisingly. Sponge Balls aren't one of my core 'subjects', you could say, due to my small hands and bad ability to palm. I just use the stock routine and add and subtract as I need. (add and subtract, get it? Wow, I'm not a real comedian all the time). Anyways, if your doing a basic '3' ball routine, you can probably have the spectator hold out their hands and use that as a table.

If you plan on doing a kids show, I'd use the idea of having the kids hold something, seeing as they'd be more likely to drop them or play with them during the routine. As mentioned early, though, when a ball pops out it really does get a great reaction. You can probably just make a joke and then pick it up and vanish it or something. Just a though

Adam

It is called spectator management. The late Don Alan mentions this in his lecture and I believe on his tape. There are others. 1st use a spectator left hand as your table and place in their right hand. 2nd turn the spectators hand fingers down. This will stop pre-mature opening. 3rd have them turn there hand up and open their hand slowly - slowly. This will help in the balls or rabbits from falling to the floor.

As a performer, you are in control and you are the only one that knows what is going to happen. This leaves the spectator no choice but to do as you request.

I use a table if one is present. If not, use people's hands.

Here's one reason I like the table however, you could do something similar if none was present:
I keep the ball in the hand by putting the fist on the table and resting the magic
wand on top of it. I've never seen a hand so still as when I do this.
If you have trouble keeping the hand closed and uninspected, try this.
I stumbled upon this doing kids shows. Just one day, I put their hand on the table, and I just propped the magic wand on top of it while I made a different ball vanish.

Works every time.

If doing a stand up type show like a birthday party I prefer to use a table and always have one. I have used the childrens hands on many occasions though. They won't fly everywhere if you tell them to open their hand slowly. You are on guard to take the balls immediately after they open their hand. Also, use the correct size balls for children. I use 1.5" when performing for kids.

If doing close up for the kids. Get down on your knee at their level and use the floor. Kids really like that.

Try Dean Dill's Real Sponge Ball magic or something like that. It really looks like real magic. It's in his Intimate Miracles book.

There is a move I've seen on a Pat Page video which would work without a table, I have used it but not often, this move allows you to show a dirty hand as clean and then to reload the dirty hand ready to continue, he says in the video it was designed for resturant strolling etc.
I nearly always do sponges without a table and into the spectators hand, strong stuff!

Dean Dill has a video/book called Intimate Miracles that has a spongeball routine in it that really rocks. Everything is in the hands. He uses techniques a little more deceptive than normally seen. Highly recommended.
Other very good routines are in Carneycopia and in In concert by Roger Klause.

Great suggestions. I will give them a shot. and as Frank said...while we are bending to grab the escaped sponge balls...*poof* I make an elephant appear