20 things you need to know about Sorcerers Safari

Also in the 26th edition of VANISH magazine, starting at page 104, is "Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp: A Canadian institute."

To mark their upcoming 20th anniversary, have a look at "20 things you need to know about Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp."  Paul Romhany did created an eye-popping with fabulous photos taken by James Carey Lauder.

Does anyone have anymore information to add about the origins of "Farquhar Lake" mentioned in item 6?

My favourites are:

1. Sorcerers Safari Magic and Performance Arts Camp is hosted at an actual outdoor camp in Haliburton, Ontario. With an actual lake. Be sure to pack your swimsuit. And lots of sunscreen.

and

20. There is no one single thing that makes Sorcerers Safari successful. As Magic Mike Segal often says, "it is more than the sum of its parts." And he's right. He's created, seemingly by alchemy, a unique opportunity for young magic enthusiasts to learn from and network with, professionals who are open and approachable. When asked how he came by this elusive recipe, a modest Segal said, "I'm totally amazed. This is the best trick I have ever pulled off in my life."

What would you add to this list?

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Erratum:  #5 In 1997-2000 Sorcerers Safari was hosted at Camp Tamarack. From 2001 to 2015 it was at Camp White Pine.

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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit Sorcerers Safari

20 amazing alumni from Sorcerers Safari

No matter how you slice it, camp just wouldn’t be camp without campers!  It shouldn’t surprise you that Neil Croswell (gold medal ‘Magic of China, International Magic Championships” 2015), Bill Cook (three-time award winner at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas), and Kelvin Kwong (first place Magi-Fest junior close-up, second place IBM junior close-up) have all attended.  Without a doubt, Sorcerers Safari attracts multi-talented and amazing youth.  To mark their upcoming 20th anniversary, flip to page 108 of the 26th edition of VANISH magazine and have a look at "20 amazing alumni from Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp."




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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit Sorcerers Safari

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 7

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A camper's notebook.

Day 3: Sunday August 16th (cont)*

9pm
Dinner was good but the ice cream pie was AMAZING!

At the theatre they said Chris Mayhew is making a video of camp.  I can’t wait to see that!  Rosemary said she runs the Sorcerers Safari social media accounts and will help promote events that campers are involved with.  Impressive.  I don’t get the sense that people here think they’re better than anyone else -- they all just want to see everyone succeed.  Just like our moms and dads.  But WAY cooler. 

Mike Close played some beautiful piano before the show.  (Is everyone here crazy talented?)  The lip syncs were extra funny tonight. Rosemary (singer) and Chris Westfall (background cheerleader) did “Cheerleader" by Omi, and Jonah (with Jonah supporting) did a duet -- "Love Is An Open Door" from Frozen.  HYSTERICAL!!!!

Found myself a cheerleader!

Jonah backing up Jonah.

Tonight’s show was called the “World Champion Show” and featured three award winning magicians!  I got to see Greg Frewin, Shawn Farquhar, and Daryl all on the same stage.  I bet that the evening shows alone are worth the price of camp.

Greg Frewin.

Shawn Farquhar.

Daryl.

Rocket popsicles for bedtime snack!  (The sugar will help keep me awake for cabin visits!)  Eric came and gave us all mouth coils to try.  (I thought they would never end!!  We’re going to decorate the bunks with them tomorrow.)  Lee Asher showed us some super cool tricks with cards and then he showed us specialty decks we’d never heard of.  They looked really fancy.

Eric sharing secrets.

Goodnight.

To be continued ...


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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit SorcerersSafari.ca

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* The “Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie” is primarily based on the 2015 camp season.  It is an aggregate of many perspectives, and at times includes events from previous years.

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 6

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A camper's notebook.

Day 3: Sunday August 16th*

Morning comes too early.  I’m tired.  Started the day with scrambled eggs and cereal (no sugary cereals here… boo!).  Card class was great.  Dick Joiner taught us how to do an effect called “Hotel.”  I’m amazed at how it works!

Card class with Dick Joiner and Ted Outerbridge.

I heard that some of the more advanced kids need to get some card tricks ready to perform walkaround magic in the audience before the camper show.  I’m glad I’m just a beginner!

Camp stretch.

Field activity was a game called “Food Chain.”  The rules were a little complicated, but it was fun.  One kid hid under the mess hall stairs to try and “survive” longer in the game! 

There's always time to squeeze in some more magic!

5pm
Fueled up at lunch with meatball sandwiches and corn!  Apparently Joan Caesar, the founder of the Canadian Association of Magicians, is here visiting today.  And Bill and Becki Wells from the International Brotherhood of Magicians are here all week.  Wow!  More great electives to choose from (camper show walk through, impromptu magic, classic force, balloons, stage presence / performance tips, elastic thread, the business of magic, and necklace magic). 

The balloon elective was tonnes of fun!  Balloons kept popping all the time.  It was crazy!   Even the instructors, Carey Lauder and Chris Westfall, were surprised at how much they kept popping.  We learned some easy things like dogs but also some more complicated things like flowers and ladybug bracelets. 

Before the camp swim, they got EVERYONE in the camp together to take the camp photo at the dock.  I took forever to get everybody organized.  I can’t wait to see it.  I learned an important lesson too:  never be late for the camp photo!  There were a few stragglers and boy did they get get in trouble.  Not only are they not in the photo, but now they have to clean up ALL THE TABLES at dinner tonight! 

2015 camp photo! (Scroll to see everyone.)

Turns out that Carey is also the official camp photographer.  During camp swim he did something called “Levitation Photos.”  We all got to pose for a photo either levitating someone, being levitated by someone or both!  (The line got longer by at least 20 people when Neil’s assistant was being levitated!)  I posed for pictures with one of my new best friends.  I can’t wait to see them!  (Diary, you’ll have to understand if I don’t reveal the secret here.  I’d hate for it to fall into the wrong hands if I happened to lose you!) 

Levitation photos!

The big kids looked like they were having so much fun jumping off the tall platform.  The lifeguard did some trick flips too!  I want to try jumping but it looks scary.  I don’t like heights.

In performance workshop we played a game called “Freeze Tag.”  That was hilarious.  It was improvising and then anyone could call out “freeze” and tag someone out, take their spot, and change the entire setting!  It’s supposed to help with thinking on the spot, playing characters, and doing scene work, but I just think it’s great fun!

Mark Correia and Chris Westfall make improvising fun!

To be continued ...


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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit SorcerersSafari.ca

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* The “Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie” is primarily based on the 2015 camp season.  It is an aggregate of many perspectives, and at times includes events from previous years.

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 5

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A camper's notebook.

Day 2: Saturday August 15th (cont)*

5pm
Camp swim is so much fun!  We get to use huge inner tubes to float in the docks at the lake.  Eric Leclerc went out of the designated area in an inner tube, to get a ball that floated away.  It was funny to watch him try and paddle with his hands!  There’s a slide that goes into the lake and a super high platform that you can jump off of too.

Inner tubes are fun!

Squeezing more magic in before the swim.

We had “performance workshop” where some campers performed something and everyone got to tell them what they liked about it and what they thought could be improved.  Some kids got up and did things that we just learned at electives today!  Everyone seems really supportive and encouraging here.  No one was mean about it.  

Then we played the “Umm” game.  It’s where you have to talk as long as you can about an assigned topic (think unicorns, chocolate, soccer, etc) without saying things like “umm” or “ahh.”  It’s hard!  (And fun to watch!)  Now I know that I need to script my performances because I’m not so good at improvising!

Performance workshop.

10pm
What a night!  We ate chicken burgers and chocolate mousse!  At the theatre we watched video messages for us from magicians from Las Vegas and other places in the US.  Apparently there’s a camper show later in the week.  I wonder if I have anything good enough to do for the show...

The evening performance was mind blowing.  Mike Close, Eric, Sheldon Casavant, Scott Hammell, Neil Croswell and Ashley Da Silva are all fabulous.  I got to see dove magic live for the first time.  Neil made birds appear out of NOWHERE. 

Mike Close.

Eric Leclerc.

Neil Croswell and Ashley Da Silva.

Rosemary Reid, Mark Correia, and Chris Mayhew did lip syncs tonight.  I laughed so hard when Chris “blah, blah, blahed” his way through "Single Ladies" by Beyoncé.

Chris Mayhew channeling Beyoncé.

After that we had a beach party -- wait for it -- on the beach!  There was fire floating in the lake (I’d never seen that before).  We had fries and chicken nuggets and fried zucchini for snack.  Phil DaCosta, the DJ, had everyone moving and doing the limbo and forming conga lines.  I liked it when he played the “Cha Cha Slide” and “Uptown Funk.”  I complained when my counsellor said I had to leave early ‘cause I’m so little.  Secretly I’m glad I’m back at the cabin.  I’m pooped.

How low can you go?

Beach party!

More beach party!

 
To be continued ...


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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit SorcerersSafari.ca

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* The “Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie” is primarily based on the 2015 camp season.  It is an aggregate of many perspectives, and at times includes events from previous years.

Magic Camp TV

Have you ever wondered what Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp was really like?  Are you more of a video person than the sort that would read "Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie" or "The Secret to Sorcerers Safari's Success"?  Well you're in luck!

Have a look at the Sorcerers Safari 2015 video put together by Chris Mayhew:

Sorcerers Safari 2016 special guest

From Sorcerers Safari:

Toronto, Ontario. – May 19th, 2016 EST – Campers and fans of Sorcerers Summer Safari Magic Camp have been posting ideas on who this year’s special guest will be for months. Perhaps someone extra special in celebration of 20 years in operation?

Finally, the wait is over. For the first time ever the special guest this year will be famed female magician, Suzanne!

Recently famous for fooling Penn & Teller and winning the Close-Up Magician of The Year award from the Magic Castle, Suzanne’s magic is internationally acclaimed. She has released several best selling DVDs and appeared on the cover of Genii Magazine.

“She simply loves magic and will be a perfect fit for camp and the kids. What a wonderful role model for the young girls, too,” exclaimed Jennifer Segal, co-owner of the magic performance art camp. Segal continued, “There really is no better way to spend quality time immersed in the art of magic than with one of your heroes. Who doesn’t love Suzanne? She’s awesome!”

Sorcerers Safari Summer Magic Camp chooses only the best of the best to come up as their special guest, and it is always a hot debate at the annual executive staff meetings. After unanimously agreeing Suzanne was a perfect fit, the team asked her and she gladly accepted.

“Suzanne is going to have a great time up at camp, and so are all the campers and staff. She is a celebrated performer with tons of magic to share, recognized and respected by everyone in the world of magic, and she’s a genuine trailblazer,” said Sorcerers Safari sixteen year camp veteran and professional magician, Rosemary Reid.

Reid adds, “I have not had the pleasure of meeting Suzanne yet, but have anticipated a female special guest for about… sixteen years, when I first attended Sorcerers Safari as a girl. We welcome her to our camp family with open arms. Hopefully her attendance will encourage more young women to come to camp too!”

Sorcerers Safari continues to grow exponentially every year with a high rate of return campers and staff. With luck, Suzanne will love camp so much she will be counting down the days until 2017 along with everyone else!

Are you ages 8-20 or know someone who is and would benefit from a week at Sorcerers Safari? Learn more about attending Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp with Suzanne this year.

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 4

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A camper's notebook.

Day 2: Saturday August 15th *

Don’t have much time.  Breakfast was awesome (pancakes!) and no one laughed at me in card class.  Most of the kids in my class are near the same age and ability as I am -- I am so relieved!  I was very surprised (and happy) to find we were learning in the Mess Hall and not in a big classroom with blackboards and uncomfortable desks!  Yesssss!!!!  Our instructor, Scott Hammell, told us that “The main time you go through a lot of cards is when you’re practicing.” Then he told us to “Go through a lot of cards.” 

Scott teaching card class.

I learned the term, “beached cards.”  It’s when you drop your cards on the ground and they get all sandy and wet and impossible to use afterwards.  I’m going to be extra careful to keep mine on the table. Some of the more advanced kids said they learned harder things.  The really experienced kids had to perform stuff and then everyone else in their group gave ideas on how it could be made it better.

I have to get ready to do this big camp wide activity.  I hope it’s not dodgeball.


11:40am
Whoa! That was so much more fun than dodgeball!  We just did a relay race kind of thing in teams with everyone from different cabins.  It involved:

• water
• balloons
• tape
• pool noodles and
• people wrapped up in toilet paper! 
  
  
  

Listening to the rules.

Pool noodle marble run.

Pouring water backwards.

That's a lot of balloons!

It was more fun than Fun Day at the end of school!  I think Sheldon Casavant was still on the field, wrapped head to toe in toilet paper, when I left.  Hope he’s okay.

Sheldon getting wrapped.

2pm
Yum!  Bagel pizzas for lunch!  Magic Mike Segal and his staff make announcements at every meal.  Sometimes when there’s exciting news, everyone bangs on the tables and cheers!  It gets really loud and it’s great fun!  

Announcements with Magic Mike.

I saw three cute little brown rabbits eating weeds outside the Mess Hall.  Someone said they saw a deer here too.  I hope I see one!

There were so many interesting electives to choose from today (duct-tape wallets, “no sleight” misdirection, stage card manipulation, sponge balls, juggling, and bill folds).  I did juggling and boy am I bad at it.  I was dropping things all over the place.  Scott said that it will come with practice.  I hope he’s right!  (He’s really good!)

Learning to juggle with Scott.

Stage card manipulation with Sheldon.

To be continued ...


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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit SorcerersSafari.ca

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* The “Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie” is primarily based on the 2015 camp season.  It is an aggregate of many perspectives, and at times includes events from previous years.

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 3

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A camper's notebook.

Day 1: Friday August 14, 2015 (cont)*

11pm 

After dinner we went back to the cabins to get some rain gear -- the weather report said it was going to thunderstorm.  We headed off to the “Pinetages Theatre.”  The theatre is about the size of my school gym, maybe a little smaller but with a bigger stage. 

The Pinetages Theatre.

Each cabin did something for “cabin intros” under the guidance of the counsellors (Philip Bowser, Greydon Gilmore, Jonah Babins, Tyler Williams, Mark Correia, Nathaniel Rankin, Rosemary Reid, and Sam Segal).  Cabins did really clever things including impersonating well-known magicians (like Penn & Teller and David Blaine), miming deliberate misinterpretations of magic terms (like overhand shuffles and dribbling), a version of the TV show “Fool Us,” and magic effects performed using people instead of things (linking rings, sliding knot on rope, and cups & balls).  I was sooo nervous.  I took some deep breaths and I didn’t mess up!  It feels amazing to be on stage and hear everyone clap and cheer for you. 

Cabin intros.

More cabin intros.

Rosemary announced that they were going to do a lip sync competition all week.  She started it off and then Eric did “Your Name” by Taylor Swift.  Hilarious!  It rained really hard while we were in the theatre.  (Glad I brought rain boots!) 

Rosemary singing.

Eric channeling Taylor Swift.

Daryl did amazing rope magic. Ben Train did a wild book test.  Phil DaCosta did more fun rope magic.  Chris Westfall and Chris Mayhew made everyone laugh so hard.  They even threw some “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Llama” shirts into the audience.  I wish I got one.  At the end we all got brand new decks of really cool cards that Dave Mitchell got donated from Ellusionist.  They look so nice, I don’t want to use them!

Chris and Chris bringing the laughs.

It is soooo dark here at night.  I can see more stars here than I knew existed!  At our cabin we had a “cabin visit” from Chris Westfall. He showed us AMAZING tricks using cards, rubber bands, and coins!

Chris Westfall being magical.

I feel a little sad.  I miss my home and my bed and my room.  And especially my family.  Everyone here is super friendly and nice though.  And this place is so much fun!  I’m super excited about tomorrow.

We all got ready for bed.  I tried to go to sleep without writing here.  But I just couldn’t.  That’s why I’m writing here so late.  Tired now.  G’night.

To be continued ...


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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit SorcerersSafari.ca

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* The “Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie” is primarily based on the 2015 camp season.  It is an aggregate of many perspectives, and at times includes events from previous years.

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 2

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A camper's notebook.

Day 1: Friday August 14, 2015 (cont)*

6pm
The cabins are huge. You could fit 16 people in our cabin -- I’m glad there are only 10 of us. The kids in my cabin are really nice. A bunch of them are here for the first time and some of them have been here before. Steven Kline made us fabulous name tags with an old magic comic book theme. Kids that were here before brought their old ones. Some campers have sooo many! My counsellor is nice and so is my “counsellor in training.” There’s an instructor in our cabin too. I hope it’s not like having a school teacher live with you, making you do work all the time. That’d be a drag.

One of the cabins.

I did my swim test. The lifeguard said our “swimming didn’t have to be fast or pretty, we just have to do 2 lengths.” I passed! Turns out, even if you don’t pass the swim test you can go in the deep water if you put on a life jacket. They want us to have as much fun as possible. This place is incredible!

At the swim docks.

Learning from Daryl during free time.

The Mess Hall (the place where we eat) is enormous! Someone said they filmed a famous movie here over 30 years ago. [Note to self: look up “Meatballs” when I get home.] Each cabin sits at their own big picnic-type table and then people go and get food (even seconds!), and take back dirty dishes, and wipe down the table. Everyone gets assigned a job. (I even saw the special guest, Daryl Easton, bringing dirty dishes from his table to the “dirty dish window.” Wow. Everybody pulls their weight!) We had potatoes and turkey and bread. They made me eat some salad -- Mom would be happy. Then we had dessert -- brownies! Sooooo good! (Worth eating salad for.)

The Mess Hall

To be continued ...


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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit SorcerersSafari.ca

|< page 1 -2- 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 -  8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - next >

* The “Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie” is primarily based on the 2015 camp season.  It is an aggregate of many perspectives, and at times includes events from previous years.

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 1

The “Diary of a Sorcerers Safari Newbie” is primarily based on the 2015 camp season.  It is an aggregate of many perspectives and at times includes events from previous years.


Thursday August 13, 2015

Tomorrow I go to Sorcerers Safari Magic Camp for the first time! 

I'm nervous.  Mom said, “Alex, it's normal for a ten year old to be anxious about their first time at sleepaway camp.”  That makes me feel a bit better.  I hope I won't get too homesick.  I wish I knew someone else who was going.

I'm worried that I don't know enough magic.  I know how to do the "cups and balls."   But I don't know any card or coin tricks.  I hope no one laughs when I try to shuffle cards. It usually ends in a big mess.

It's getting late.  I should try to sleep.  I feel excited and scared both at the same time. (How weird is that?)

Day 1: Friday August 14, 2015

I'm here! This place is awesome!

We got up early and Mom drove me to camp.  During the drive I kinda wished Dad was driving. Mom drives so slow I thought for sure we'd get here late. Turns out my worry was for nothing.  We got here early and even beat the bus!  Way to go Mom!

Camp is huge!!!!  The staff were waiting for us on a big field when we got here.  Other campers were waiting too.

A bus full of campers just arrived. Kids are laughing and cheering and hugging people as they get off the bus.  People are asking if Eric Leclerc is going to be here this year.  He must be awesome if everyone’s talking about him.

Campers gathered on the field.

They’re asking us to take our things to the cabins so I’m going to give Mom a hug goodbye and hope she doesn’t see that I’m sad and a little bit scared to see her go.  If she starts crying I’ll be a mess.  Don’t know when I’ll get a chance to write again.

A camper's notebook.

To be continued ... 


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The 2016 season of Sorcerers Safari will run from Sunday August 7th through Friday August 12th, 2016. For more information, or to register, please visit SorcerersSafari.ca

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