Hey guys,
Can anyone recommend a good video for learning a 'good' sponge-ball routine? I see several different routines listed over to Hank Lee's site but nothing for the 'newbie'. Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Brad Burt's tape on sponge ball magic is quite good for the beginner.

Lee Darrow, C.H.

If a routine is what you want I think you would be best served to devise your own routine.
If you want to learn vanishes that is another thing and I too would like someone to recommend a video (preferably DVD) that not only shows a number of vanishing techniques but also spends a fair amount of time on each one. Every video I have seen shows the handling of a vanish once or twice and does it fairly quickly so the viewer must constantly go back again and again. The focus on the few video's I have found are on the routine, not the vanishes.
Paul Green has an excellent video called "In The Trenches" that has a sponge ball routine. You might want to check that one out. It also has an excellent cut & restored rope routine that leads into the professor's nightmare.
Iven

Yeah, I think a video that taught the slights first would probably be best. I guess once I've learned the sleights, it shouldn't be 'too' hard to create a routine. Anyone got any pointers/suggestions? I'm all ears!

It is not the greatest dvd but the royal magic one is not too bad to start with and is really redeemed by its price! Amazing tricks with sponge balls (or something like that). I can't think of another (apart from Brads which I am not sure is on DVD? Brad does post here so he may well correct me).

The Royal DVD offers value for money and teaches some of the key sleights

L&L has re-released some older Pat Page vdieos on DVD. One of them is sponge balls which has his own routine on it. He's a very good teacher as well.

J.

Check out the Mark Wilson Course. It has a great routine.

Richard

I second the Pat Page video from L&L. I believe it's $10 including shipping, which is great value for the money. There is some great stuff on there, including a good general routine, and it's very accessible for the newbie (like me).

How is this for a 'starting' point?

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Set of 4 Professional Super Soft Red Sponge Balls (Value of $9.95)
25 Amazing Magic Tricks with Sponge Balls Video [VHS] (Value of $11.95)
Purse Frame (Value of $4.95)
1 Color Sponge Ball (Different than "Red" for the Color Change effect) (Value of $2.95)
Ball to Square Mystery (Value of $4.95)
Magical Gift Wrap (Value of $4.00)
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Hey guys, just a question...haven't yet ventured into the realms of sponge ball magic..but just wondering.i was actually looking for a blue sponge heart...and the closest I could come to was a red 1.5 IN sponger heart.....any idea if it'd be possible/hard/easy to cut a blue sponger ball into a heart? (don't know how soft a sponger ball feels)

I'm guessing there aren't a lot of people that still do sponge ball magic anymore, eh? Never got a response to my last post

Thousands of Magician's do sponge ball material. Sponge balls will never go away anymore than cups & ball or any number of classic effects.

As far as buying the kit that you listed? I would just buy a set of sponge balls (I prefer 2" green) and a good video and/or book and practice some moves first. After a while you will know exactly what you want.
So many people use red which is ok but I like to be different so I use green but depending on the type of routine you choose to do and the story line you may want to use other colors than the "classic" red.
Iven

Hey wulfie, a bunch of magicians still use sponges and I too would suggest just buying 4 (i prefer goshman 2") sponges to get started. I learned the slights from Mark Wilson's Complete Course and tinkered a retention vanish into a version I prefer. Lately I have been doing a part of Jim Pace's routine in his Restaurant Workers Handbook. I like his idea of a flash production and the ending of a bunch of balls. Once you can see a few routines to get a general idea, then you can construct a stong sponge routine. It is kind of like creating an ACR, once you learn the basics, it is all in your hands. Good luck, and enjoy those soft little bugers.

One last note, I also started with a packet sponge trick called, Then There Were Four. This is something that killed in the restaurant, I just cannot remembet who it is made by.

Carl Andrews has a nice one called Ain't no mo and of course if you are new to magic and want some good impromptu there's always the famous Greg Wilson On-The-Spot which includes a paper balls routine which could use sponge balls instead...

I think beginners should learn the classic like cup & balls,sponge balls,chop cup and ect.It is the fudamental of magic and prepares you for sleights and misdirections and for the higher skills effects.I like it when magician ask about sponge balls and sleights it tells you they are serious about learning and not just wanting to buy a trick.

I gotta go with Mark Wilson's routine for the typical presentations.
I've been performing that effect for over 15 years and it still gets a good reaction...the only problem is every other sponge ball routine has a lot of the same elements.

My favorite sponge ball effect is Clones From Brazil by Ron Bauer.
Originally published in Genii Magazine, the effect was later published on the http://www.thinklikeaconjurer.com site.

It has already been said but I'll repeat it. Patrick Page's L&L DVD that came out is a pretty good start it's only 12.50 and he has a few good vanishes he goes over, as well as a reasonable routine.

I bought the Royal Magic kit for TT magic for my sister-in-law who has taken a real late in life interest in magic. The video while having fair material was not well produced. The picture is dark, like they could not afford one more light on the set, and since a lot of the action takes place near the bottom of the screen it would have been nice to keep it in frame. I am hoping the Royal sponge ball tape is better produced.

I am awaiting the Pat Page video with great anticipation. I love his style and probably keep this one for my library - Sorry Patricia.

Frank Tougas

Speaking of sponge balls, Jay Sankey's Ear Plugs! has some really good sponge balls routines. He uese the yellow rectangular sponge in the EarPlugs! dvd but I can see replacing round sponge balls.