Hello:

I just received Cellini's "Lord and Master of the Rings" DVD and must say it is very well done. Very well produced and probably the most beautiful routine I've ever seen. Maybe better Ross'. Ted B. is to be congratulated on a job well done!

Just curious though - a lot of the moves are very "angly" and I understand the Cellini performs this on the streets. How does he get away with this? Certainly, spectators on the sides will see the Key.

I've been doing the rings for years, but am new to street performing, so I may be asking a very obvious question. This is my first time I've seen Cellini...WOW!!

Thanks for any help.

Ron Reid

There are a couple of moves on the video that do require "audience management", but so does any effect.

But by proper body placement, and holding the rings close enough to minimize the viewable angles, you can get away with them.

And on the street, (more audience management...) it is rare to actually be Completely surrounded. So even if you are "in the middle", folks behind you will naturally migrate (maybe with a bit of enouragement form you) to the front where they can see the "big show" better.

BroDavid

I went to a Cellini lecture a couple of months ago. To close the lecture, he did a two ring routine that was so wonderful, it brought a tear to my eye! A thing of beauty by a master!
He mentioned that he didn't perform this routine on the street.
Maybe a different one.
Paul

I will do the Cellini routine (my variation using some of his moves, but largely inspired by his Lord and Master of the rings video) on the street as soon as the weather breaks here.

His 2 ring rountine is just as Paul said; it is downright wonderful!

To fit my style, I move it along a bit quicker, and think I can hold crowd on the street with it, at a quicker pace.

Or maybe not...but I will still do it because I love it! I have a great new 12" ring set, and can't wait to show them off!

BroDavid

I haven't seen Cellini perform nor have I seen his DVD. How many rings does he use in this routine and is there audience participation?

two rings no participation. It's great but it is a silent piece set to music.

Best,

Dan-

Yep. That was the only rings routine I've ever seen. I wondered how any ring routine could be any good if you know the secret.

This was!

thanks for the kind words.... really

koz

I just bought the DVD Lord and Master of the Rings. The performance is excellent. I noticed that Cellini uses a key with a large g--. My Owen 12 inch key has a g-- of about 1/2 inch. It looked like his was an 1 1/2 inches or more. I wonder if others have experience or opinions about the g-- size? I recall Aldo Colombini using a key with a wide g-- but not that large. As stated by Ron Reid, some of the moves are "angly" and it would seem that the larger g-- would be harder to hide. Comments?

it is angely but beautiful isn't it?
However, by using your body and your audience, you can reduce angles through movement. Don't be afraid to move as it's very important. Break the circle before you start that routine and it can work. I do some very angley jumbo coin work on the streets and it works.

The whole premise of the routine and the video was not to do cellinis routine, which you guys are welcome to do if you'd like, but to take things that you do in your routine and add to them. Great to to see that a classic piece of magic like the rings can be really beautiful. They can be much more than a noisy puzzle which until I saw cellini do, thougt it was just that.

It brings tears to my eyes when I watch him do that routine. Still, after seeing him do it 100 times, its the best ever!
If you don't own this DVD, get it as it's amazing. Only $25 you'll find yourself watching it over and over.

koz

The first time I saw Cellini work, he ran through several of the moves which would later comprise most of his two ring routine. The moves were found in a small booklet he wrote and had published in both German and English.

If Jim were to do the routine as it is shown on the dvd now he would have to utilize his technique of breaking the circle.

The larger breech on the key is to insure silence...a hallmark of his work (I just wanted you to know I successfully avoided an obvious pun there).

I say take a hacksaw to those Owen's babies.

On breaking the circle just as a side note. To the audience it seems as though the circle is never broken. That was the brilliant thing to me.

I use it in my multiplying balls routine and have been asked a couple of times by magicians how I am able to pull it off "surrounded".

Cellini is just a treasure. I can't believe he shares so much. Great, great, guy and one of the greatest magicians who has ever been.

Best,

Dan-

Hello All:

Thanks for all the replies. Very helpful information. Can someone elaborate on "breaking the circle". I've not heard of this. I've been doing magic for years and have performances in the 1000's, but am brand new to the whole street performing idea. But it appeals to me very much.

So, sorry if this is a obvious question. But, can somebody accomodate a beginning street performer's question about breaking the circle?

Also, I have an Owen 12" set that I plan on using. I noticed Cellini's look to be 10" and fairly thin. Do you think mine will be too big?

Thanks much!

Ron Reid

ron,
breaking the circle....when surrounded...to break the circle...you step back or and the circle of people around you will seperate...then you will be able to do things that are more angley....the reason they don't know you have done this is because they don't know....by steeping back you create more room to hbuilkd na audience....a simple way to break that circle would be to move your table back...so that the people behind you seperate....it changes the angle of your audience....allows for a larger audience....am i explainging this...at all?....lol....i'm such a dumb ass!....

danny, you don't have to agree!....

koz

Perhaps Danny can define "Breaking the Circle" From the context it sounds like a technique to organize or herd the audience so you are not completely surrounded but have angles more like a stage performance. The moves Cellini does on his DVD can be done with your 12 inch Owen set with the normal key supplied (I have tried them with mine). They should be somewhat easier and quieter with a larger space key.

i guess i didn't do a good job of explaining breaking the sircle....breaking the circle is causing your audience to seperate during your performance....by walking through the circle that surrounds you....the audience will move aside....so now you are part of the circle...creating good angles...was that better...

koz

Jeff McBride uses a huge g** on his key also, as seen on his Stage Magic dvds. Have to get the Cellini ring tape after all this praise. Also glad to hear that something slient--or with music--can work on the street, without audience participation. Breaking the circle sounds like a great way to do some stuff that wouldn't work surrounded.
Jim

The large g** that Cellini uses, broke my biggest misconception about rings. I was sure that the G** had to be so small as to be almost imperceptable.

Therefore the only time previously I treid rings, I almost went deaf from all the noise I made. Needless to say, I put them aside as being too hard and impractical.

Then I got the Cellini Video and couldn't believe that he could get away with it. Then I found out that I could get away with it too! Like a lot of magic, it is mostly about mindset. But the practicality of the larger G** makes it soooo much easier and quieter too.

I now have three sets of rings 8", 10", 12" for different venues, and love doing rings.

BroDavid

On breaking the circle. I’ll describe it briefly but if you really want the inside take on it get Cellini’s lecture notes. From what I understand you can get them from Kozmo (A.K.A. TedB) as he supplies them to Jim for his lectures.

The basic premise is this:

You are in the circle and have a move or display that will be a dead give away to a large portion of your audience. In order to avoid this you walk from the center of the circle to whatever edge will best hide the move. You then continue through the circle causing the audience to almost horseshoe briefly as you turn back toward the audience. The move is then made and the bad angle eliminated. You then continue back into the crowd and back to the center of the circle. The audience will fluidly follow you and once again become a circle.

This is done smoothly and the hands are in full view the entire time. Your script follows this move logically and to the audience you have never been outside of the circle. It is quite brilliant.

Of course, this can only be achieved with tricks you carry, balls, rope, rings, etc.

For cups and balls killing that bad left angle is just a stone witch. The same process can be applied but in that situation you would turn and gesture with your body covering the hand going to the pocket/pouch for the load. This is why almost all street cups and balls routines load from the front and most from a pouch. A routine like Ammar’s cups and balls while very nice in a close up situation would die a horrible death on the street having to go to the back pockets for the loads. Almost half your audience would be right there for the move.

Breaking the circle is a big way of accomplishing it, but in Cellini’s notes he talks about using your entire body as a tool and making logical movements.

Great stuff and for under twenty bucks if you want to do street work these notes are a gotta have.

Best,

Dan-

P.S. I didn't notice Koz already tipped this tidbit (I wasn’t going to) but seeing he did I will also reiterate what he said. You can also break the circle with your table. I do this when working my cups routine surrounded. I will start my show with the table close to my back but when I am ready to do the cups I go behind the table and pull it back.

This will force the people behind me to the sides and that forces the rest of the audience to widen and it creates a horseshoe instead of a circle. You can’t see the trick from the back so people coming by will follow the shoe and keep the shape. It reduces the bad left side and allows more cover. This is very powerful.

Thanks Danny! That's very helpful.

Ron Reid