Kent, sorry, I did not look them up before my post, they are called Flying Rings.
Here: http://www.stevensmagic.com/index.php?ma......d=111745

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU3nrRYYIyk

There was a Worlds Greatest Magic clip of a girl doing the Flying Rings while using 'The Lean', but I can't find it. The Lean has nothing to do with my suggestion, that is just how I remember the show and clip. Here movements were slow, that is my point of trying to find the reference.

Even though you cannot do the 'exact' moves involved in a Tai Chi movement, Jeff McBride was right in that it should simulate that movement to stay within the story line.

I think a lot of people have seen those news reports of Chinese people in the background doing Tai Chi while the news person talks about elderely health. When you say, "Tai Chi"; they are thinking of slow stretching movements.

I favour my own linking ring routine that uses one ring.

I've used the one ring routine. Seems not to draw the audience in well... It just feels like it's missing... Well, I don't know... Something.

I did a little research and found it was not WGM but Masters of Illusion, the girl was Krystyn Lambert, but I could not find the video on YouTube, where for some reason they had at least 2 people doing the linking rings.

In your opening talk. Stand still. If you recall Johnny Carson, when he did his monolog stood perfectly still. Moving to an fro creates nervousness. And the moves at the beginning where one ring go's over another, to laymen isn't magical, they just think one ring is larger than the other. Most of the routine is quite nice. The costume problems you can fix, and can help with proper lighting.

Wmhegbli - Thanks for the links. This may fit in nicely with the vision I have for this routine.

Pete - I really do need to control the nervous energy I have on stage. Learning to plant myself and simply direct my attention to various parts of the audience is something I really need to work on. Also, Jeff McBride provided some valuable guidance in the initial pass through moves, that will hopefully focus a little more attention to the penetration aspect of the move. In particular, he suggested performing the initial pass through in a cross-body position and then immediately "trying" to pull the ring back through again. The ring gets "stuck" and I look a little confused. A sense of realization comes over me. I take a deep breath and successfully pull the ring through.

I am overwhelmed by the wealth of knowledge here on the Café and the generosity of the members in providing constructive advice and guidance. Thank you again for everything!

Kent

Thanks Pete. Fidgiting is one of my pet peeves. Drives me bonkers, especially when filming non-pros.
Nice work once you get into the routine though.
Pretend your feet are encased in concrete during your monologue. Every movement should have a reason for being.

For pure artistry, Jonathan Neal's often copied "2 ring" routine is pure poetry in motion. It gets down to the essence of what the effect is about.
For 3 Rings: Richard Ross
4 Rings: Whit Hayden
6 Rings: Dai Vernon
8 Rings: I like my routine best or else I wouldn't be doing it!

Thanks Ray for the kind words!
Of course, your bias is to be expected ...you were there when I created it.....33 years AGO!!
All the best-
JNeal

Personally I think there are a lot of great routines.

At the present time I love the:

Robert-Houdin 12 ring

Claudius Odin 8 ring

Dai Vernon 4 ring

Jack Miller 5 ring

Benson 11 ring

Jay Marshall 5 ring

Cardini/Vernon 6 ring

Richard Ross 4 ring

Jonathan Neal 2 ring

Whit Haydn 4 ring

Levent 11 ring

But pound for pound I think the most powerful routine ever performed was both Chung Ling Soo 12 ring routines

That's just my opinion.

Levent
http://www.LeventMagic.com

Hey J.Neal:

I will be back home next week, will you be around? We really must do another episode of our podcast!!!

lol.. Wow! really?? I was ... what... about 12 at the time?

True it was a great time in history to be working out ideas and brainstorming handle locations with one of the great minds in magic. My bias is valid but time (and copyists) has proven my point!

Would you be including Chung Ling Soo's version in your new video?

Thanks for the research list Levent. I know a few of those but I look forward to looking at more. I ended up not adding a ring routine since I just didn't have enough time to practice. I'm pretty particular about making sure what I do is great, I hate to see guys hack things on stage! Ok, I'll hack through a self working trick now and then but... I decided to create something of a bit of mix and make it unique, now I have even more to look into. Thanks everyone for the input and suggestions.

HI MTPASCOE:

On the video I will certainly fully explain the Chung Ling Soo routine and show all of the moves. I cannot however do the entire routine as a performance (like I did with the Cardini Billiard Ball routine), because the Soo ring routine requires two HIGHLY trained assistants, which is something that I do not have. What the assistants do visibly and secretly are a big part of how Soo SELLS the trick to the audience, both in terms of mystery and showmanship. I have not yet shot the video, but I will try to give the viewer everything that will need to know if they choose to put in the hard work required to perform either one of the two 12-ring routines that Soo made famous in Vaudeville.

Levent
http://www.LeventMagic.com

I'm looking forward to it Levent.

I had no idea that Vernon had a 4 ring routine?

I recently saw JNeal do his rings at the castle a few weekends ago while I was performing there. Every move is a picture.

Jim

While we are talking about ring routines, there are a few that come to mind as exceptional.

First, I think everyone would agree that Chris Capehart's crash link in his routine floored us all.

I remember being very impressed with Terry Lunceford's 3 ring routine. That is a video/DVD that I wish I had purchased. Does anyone know if it is still available?

Speaking of 3 ring routines, I also remember being very impressed with Joe Devlin's routine. No DVD or lecture notes on it to my knowledge, but it was a very solid routine. I remember really liking a certain over the head and one in each hand display that I really liked.

Because I perform outside at festivals and on the street, I'm partial to a lot of Cellini's material. Basically I perform a variation of Vernon's Symphony probably like most everyone else.

Richard Ross's routine is certainly a thing of beauty. Levent, I'm curious about the truth concerning the L*****G K** he supposedly used. There is certainly a lot of myth surrounding its use. (If he truly used one at all)

For what it is worth, Levent I'm very excited to hear you are working on a set of ring DVDs. I really enjoyed your DVDs on the Miser's Dream and the Billiard Balls, so I know you'll do an excellent job with the rings. I know magicians tend to discount the power of the rings, but for my money it is one of the strongest routines out there.

just my 2 cents...

JamesinLA:

Yes, Vernon definitely did a four ring routine

Pslaughter:

I especially liked Devlin's routine in the old days when he used to do whole sequence of clever tricks as a prelude to the linking rings, such as: the vanishing silk to mouth, the mini ring that would vanish and reappear on his ear (as an earring), the instant linking of the 10 mini rings into a pocket watch chain, the transposition with the pocket watch. I know the exact Devlin move you mean, the one where he hold the ring in his mouth and flips it over his head by snapping his neck backwards. Joe did that beautifully, but I think I would injure myself if I tried it.

Also, like J. Neal I think Joe Devlin chose some really superb music for his ring routine.

Regarding Ross, yes he definitely used one, and because a friend of mine helped him get it repaired when Ross broke while on tour, I know the exact kind he used.

I am extremely excited to start shooting this video next week. I'm also thinking about writing an essay on the (Linking Ring) trick and posting it here on The Magic Café, the day I begin shooting, the same as I did back when I shot the Billiard Ball DVD.

Best Regards,
Levent
http://www.LeventMagic.com

I am so looking forward to it. The Linking Rings have been a staple with me ever since I started magic as a kid. I can always learn new stuff. Besides, I can't wait to see the routines of the old masters. I started off learning the stuff from Henry Hay's book, then learned the routine in Blackstone's book on magic. Then I fell in love with Richard Ross' and wanted to learn it. Before I found it at the Magic Castle library, I created my own and stuck to it.

When I got heavier, the old style of dancing to music just didn't fit. So, now I do Whit's version ending with my old routine, which suits me better. His old "School Teacher" character works well with my character.

Can't wait Levent.

I particuloarly enjoyed Kent Wong's Tai Chi rings and his open response to constructive criticism. The Tai Chi theme gives a logical purpose to the ring routinc. there was a time when everyone did the rings in the same way and it was an over used effect that most people groaned about. This thread brings out interesting variations. Whit Haydn has the best comedy routine. No one can successfully imitate it.