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kihei kid Inner circle Dog House 1039 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-03-03 13:40, Frank Starsini wrote: Frank, I would love to see you perform. Pete, thanks for the advice I will step back and take a good look at sponge magic.
In loving memory of Hughie Thomasson 1952-2007.
You brought something beautiful to this world, you touched my heart, my soul and my life. You will be greatly missed. Until we meet again “my old friend”. |
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C Christian Loyal user 288 Posts |
I'll be the 1st to step up and yell out...I hate sponge balls! I never understood why anyone would like them. I read Carneys book Carnicopia (spelling) in it he has a sponge ball routine. In the beginning of the book he writes to the reader something to the effect of if you don't do this trick you will be missing out. I thought gees it's only a sponge ball routine. That same day I happen to bump into Johny Ace Palmer and a few other folks that week that all had the same thing to say about there own spong ball routine. Audience loves them!
So I took Mr. Carneys routine worked on it and ohh my it is a gem!! I still, to this day can't stand sponge balls. But then again most people work at a job that they hate in order to pay the bills. So I consider myself lucky that I have to suffer just a min. of my life playing with something I don't like every so often... It's not a bad life!! Hope this helps, Cheers Chris |
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Dougini Inner circle The Beautiful State Of Maine 7130 Posts |
Gotta agree...
Did not like the standard Sponge Ball routines. Kozak personally taught me his routine in the 70's (wonder what HE'S doing these days?), and I did it for a long time (until that routine was pointed out to me as "politically incorrect", due to the "Chinese Do Tlick" patter). That stopped me cold. I guess I offended someone. Now I found I have a trick called, "Blue J Surprise", four blue, sponge eggs, and four blue "Capital J's" for the finish...KILLER! I'm back a-spongin'... A real "absorbing" routine! Doug |
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mkiger Loyal user 228 Posts |
I don't like them, but they always got a big response when I did use them. Far more than they should for the amount of work they take to do. Every time I have seen a magician perform that trick it really works on the spectator. Give it a try, they are certainly one of the cheapest props you will ever buy. We sometimes forget that the things we learn to do are not intended to amuse us, but entertain others.
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Kaliix Inner circle Connecticut 1984 Posts |
I can only add my voice to the number of magicians on this thread who say that "Spectators love sponge balls!"
Sponge balls get such a reaction that I use them as one of two openers when doing restaurant magic. As someone said earlier, you can get great mileage from simple, yet well executed, retention vanish. I love seeing people's eyes open wide when I tear a sponge ball in two and then grow another one. When it jumps into their hand, they sometimes freek! SPECTATORS LOVE SPONGEBALL MAGIC!
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance; it is the illusion of knowledge.
~Daniel J. Boorstin |
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Chickens and Beandip New user Canada 83 Posts |
It is wierd but when ever sponge was mentioned I thought cup and balls, but remembering properly and reading this forum I want to try it out. Only have done cards and dabbled in coins, but I'll look into sponges now. THanx.
late. B) |
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Chris Berry Special user 831 Posts |
Quote:
On 2004-03-03 13:05, Pete Biro wrote: Very good advice. It took me about 20 minutes or so to put together my spongeball routine (after keeping the sponges in storage for months). Having performed it for anyone that wants to see my magic this is now their FAVORITE. It drives me nuts because it is so simple. I can go do coins all night and show them thigns I have worked on for weeks but they still loves those red balls! Chris |
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Jonathan Townsend Eternal Order Ossining, NY 27297 Posts |
Re: I can go do coins all night and show them things I have worked on for weeks but they still loves those red balls!
Crazy would be thinking there is something wrong with the audience. Take a note from your audience and notice what things they like. When you have an idea about WHY they like a thing you can experiment with your routines. The idea is to do tricks they like, right?
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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MJ Marrs Inner circle Los Angeles 1124 Posts |
I guess there are things that I'll never understand.
Four dollars worth of sponge and a little practice can help us create as much of a magical experience as hundreds of dollars worth of props and countless hours of practice. I recall Copperfield voicing a similar bewilderment about getting as much out of a pencil thru bill effect or rubberband routine as he does out of a million dollar grand illusion. Life is weird! |
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D Atkinson New user 95 Posts |
There are two kinds of people in the world...Those that do sponges and those that pretend they don't
dear God! What we are discussing here is a little trick with balls that brings alot of pleasure to those that watch and perform it correctly. It is a perfect example of the fundamentals of timing and misdirection, its mega interactive and It also captures pretty much all of the classic concepts of magic...and my little girls love them more than anything. Kid, I beg you for these reasons please let those poor little red munchkins live and breathe in your heart. I do this trick about twenty times a day for completely different people and I very seldom get a negative response from anybody Love feelings Dean |
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japanjazzy Regular user Crestview, Florida 139 Posts |
The thing I like best about the sponge balls is you can fit them in just about any pocket because they take up little to now room, but they pack a big response to the your customer. Not many effects you can think of that can have both of those important qualities.
Michael |
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Cabrera Special user Seattle 513 Posts |
I love perfroming sponge balls, beacuse they have gottem me plenty of work at auditions. Took a few years to get down a routine of my own that really kills. The moves are not obvious to a lay person, unless they are done badly without a good presentation.
Any trick can be obvious if done badly. Hey KID, if you owned an ice cream shop and you hate vanilla, that doesn't mean you shouldn't dish it out to the customers who'll eat it up! Cheers
"The quilt of life is woven with many different threads"
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kihei kid Inner circle Dog House 1039 Posts |
I had my own ice cream store once it was called 32 flavors. There was chocolate, chocolate chocolate chip, chocolate chocolate chocolate chocolate chocolate chocolate and chocolate, that didn’t have much chocolate in it…
WOW! I go away for a day or two and when I come back an angry mob of magicians are banging me over the head about sponges. Good thing their soft. Has anyone out there gave thought to soaking one in something like starch and letting it dry then sometime in your routine when you make it appear drop it in the spectators hand or on the table with a thud. Just an idea…
In loving memory of Hughie Thomasson 1952-2007.
You brought something beautiful to this world, you touched my heart, my soul and my life. You will be greatly missed. Until we meet again “my old friend”. |
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Chickens and Beandip New user Canada 83 Posts |
I just bought a sponge ball set because of this thread. Awesome.
late. B) |
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Daniel Faith Inner circle Neenah, Wisconsin 1526 Posts |
Sponge balls are awesome!
If they are not deceiving, you are doing something wrong. I have several different routines and one or the other are my most requested routines!!! I would like to give credit to Scott Guinn for a very entertaining and commerical sponge ball routine called Peanut Butter and Jelly. I use a good portion of that routine and it is sweet.
Daniel Faith
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Chickens and Beandip New user Canada 83 Posts |
I bought a book on how to do it and it turns out I already new how to do it. I am going to make a holder. Awesomerad.
late. B) |
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Mike Walton Special user Chicago 984 Posts |
I think spongeballs are so magical because they're so simple. You don't lose the spectator during a card count or some underlying multi-stepped premise. Ball in hand. Gone. Their mind is chasing the ball vanish and it gives so much pleasure because it doesn't require much thought.
Bill Palmer used the phrase "eye candy" when referring to the pop-up move for Ambitious Card in another thread I've read a while back. It's a great move because it's so visual and it doesn't require any thought to realize the magic. Sponge balls are the same - delicious eye candy and spectators eat it up. The routines are not easy and you really have to work at making a vanish visually astonishing, in my opinion, but once you nail it, you got it. If Jay Sankey doesn't turn you on, then I highly recommend going to the hidden nuggets only available on video. Knepper's Klose Up and Unpublished offers my favorite sponge routine, because it is an extended routine and offers some moves that aren't typical with sponges. Patrick Page has a great routine, and Steve Dacri offers some inspirational work with the sponges and rabbits. You'll have to go to video for these, but the extra hassle is worth it. |
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DanHarlan V.I.P. 998 Posts |
They are balls! Forget your negative (perhaps naughty) connotations. When you were young, one of your earliest toys was a ball, I'll bet. The first sport you learned used a ball, I'll bet (unless you're from Canada). Balls are fun. People understand the connection instantly. And sponge! Squishy, squishy! Now, that's fun! Only the most prudish people can resist their appeal. The more hands on you can make your routine for the audience, the better.
--Dan Harlan Hey, have any Canadian magicians ever tried a Sponge Pucks routine? |
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maylor Loyal user england 231 Posts |
Whats a good source where I can learn some killer sponge ball magic?
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what Special user Lehi, UT, USA 643 Posts |
Start off with Mark Wilsons book. There is also a great video called "25 tricks with sponge balls." Beyond that, there are some very inventive routines out there.
Magic is fun!!!
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