Jeff says thanks to everyone for their support of the Browser's Den.

Special guest shouts out to: Kind of Magic's Phil Cox, Perfect Magic's Phil & Evelyn Matlin as well as past president of the IBM and head of the Canadian Association of Magicians – Joan Caesar.

From Len Cooper's family: Bernice, Len's wife, as well as his children Jack and Heather Cooper are here too! Len would have absolutely adored this!

Today's Zone performers: Al Grose, Arthur Poon, Morgan Pierce, Alex Boyer, Derick Finn, and Rosemary Reid!

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 ...


--
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.

• Jeff's looking more at home in his “trusty sweater vest.”
• Welcome to Dan Morrissey (of Morrissey Magic) to the stage!  We’ve missed you Phoebe and Dan!
• Welcome to Phil and Evelyn Matlin (of Perfect Magic, Montreal) to the stage!
• Mentioning Joan Caesar, past president of the IBM and founder of the Canadian Association of Magicians! 
• Added bonus:  Welcome to Len Cooper’s family! Bernice, Len’s wife, as well as his children, Jack and Sandy Cooper!

Talk about one big magic family!

Welcoming a new Friend: Joan Caesar

Welcoming our newest Friend, Joan Caesar!

I first met Joan at a Morrissey Magic anniversary party in 1997.  (Looking back, it seems like I spent a lot of time at that shop.)  Joan was looking for members for a new organization called The Canadian Association of Magicians (CAM), created so that Canadian magicians could compete at FISM under the Canadian flag rather than that of another country. Not only did she keep CAM running smoothly, Joan went on to become president of the International Brotherhood of Magicians 2008-2009.

Thank you Joan, for becoming an official Friend of Canada's Magic!

Please help identify the anonymous FISM registration

Updated at 10:20 to add (with permission from Joan):

• Joan's e-mail address is: jcaesar [at] sentex [dot] ca

From Joan Caesar:

Someone from Quebec registered for FISM through a wire transfer. Unfortunately, they forgot to include their name or address, so FISM has no idea who it is. If the person could contact me, we could get it straightened out.

If you don't know how to contact Joan, let me know and I will pass your information along to her.

Jeff Pinsky on the cover of Northern Peeks

Jeff Pinsky, owner of the Browsers Den of Magic, is featured in the most recent issue of Northern Peeks (Vol 17, 1, Summer 2014), the publication of the Canadian Association of Magicians!

In it, Joan Caesar has a wonderful interview with Jeff.

From the interview, Jeff says:

However, a magic shop is a specialty retail store and as such has some unique factors that come into play.  Its most unique feature is that the person operating the shop is more central to its relations with the patrons.

Too true Jeff.  And we're lucky to have you operating Browser's!


Lee Asher agrees:

With many brick and mortar magic shops closing down and going out of business theses days, Jeff Pinsky works hard to ensure the Ontario magic community continues to thrive.  Running The Browser's Den of Magic seven days a week is a small testament to his immense dedication and passion for the art of magic.  Thank you Mr. Pinsky.  Thank you!

What Lee said!

I've said this before and feel the need to say it again.  I urge everyone to support our remaining brick and mortar magic shops. It's the first place many kids get bitten by the magic bug. It's a place they can go for encouragement and coaching, by people in the know. A nurturing community is formed in a local shop, which can't be duplicated through the internet.

Don't have brick and mortar shop in your area? Consider supporting one through their online shops. (I direct your attention to two of the wonderful sponsors of this blog, Perfect Magic and of course, The Browser's Den of Magic!)

Linking Ring (v94, 4) round-up

For those of you who haven't flipped through the April Linking Ring, here's some of the Canadiana inside this issue:

• Cover and page 16, "Tony Econ An Icon in Card Magic" by Joan Caesar
• Page 58, report of Ben Train Lecture (Ring 211)
• Page 61, "Manitoba Magic Museum is Tribute to Young Magician" by Dennis Schick

Joan Caesar and Jay Sankey at Blackpool 2014

Joan Caesar and Obie O'Brien will be hosting the "The Four F's Stars of Close Up Magic."

Jay Sankey will be lecturing and performing at Blackpool 2014, February 21st to 23rd!  For more information, visit the Blackpool Magicians' Club website.

Photos from the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's Pediatrics Ward

Back in July we posted an article about Joan Caesar and Scott Hood's visit to the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's Pediatrics Ward.  Over at The Doug Henning Magic Wand club's website, they have posted photos from the August 2012 Linking Ring article about the visit (vol 92, #8, Aug 2012, pages 45 and 46).

It's lovely to see Joan and Scott bringing smiles to the faces of hospitalized kids.

Children's show at the Naval Medical Center Portsmouth's Pediatrics Ward

From America's Navy:

"Every year, we try to go to a children's hospital or a hospital with a children's ward and do a quick show for the kids, to take away some of the normal hospital routine," said Scott Hood, one of the Canadian magicians and the I.B.M. director of hospital shows.

"It takes their mind off what they're going through. It's something different; they get a bit of a laugh, a bit of a giggle. They get to see something they may have not seen before or may have only seen on television. And we have fun doing it."

"I love doing magic," said Joan Caesar, the other magician from Canada. "I especially love doing magic for children, and this was perfect - to perform for kids who are in the hospital and maybe need a little smile on their face."

Read more.

Joan and Obie at FISM day two

Joan Caesar and Obie O’Brien are mentioned in Craig Mitchell's report on Blackpool FISM 2012, posted at The Magic Newswire.

Women in magic: Joan Caesar

You can't talk about influential Canadian women in magic without talking about Joan Caesar!

Joan was probably the very first female magician I ever saw perform live.  (She was a guest performer at one of IBM Ring exchanges back in the mid 90s.)

Joan founded CAM on March 15, 1997 to allow Canada the opportunity to apply for membership to FISM.  In the year 2000, CAM was accepted as a FISM member and Canadian magicians could, for the first time, compete under the Canadian banner at FISM's World Championship of Magic.

Since 1997, Joan has lead the charge for more than 6 national conventions, been International President of IBM (2008-9) and kept a watchful eye on the publication of over 100 issues of Northern Peeks and Northern Sleights.

Thank you Joan for your contributions to the Canadian magic scene!

Joan and Obie at The European Coin Magic Symposium

This year's European Coin Magic Symposium, taking place November 12th and 13th in Milano, includes  Joan Caesar and Obie O'Brien!

For more information about convention, visit the European Coin Magic Symposium website.


[h/t: Magic Convention Guide]

CAM: Thank you Joan!

I was reminded by Jon and Susan in last month's Northern Sleights that this summer marks the first time in the history of the Canadian Association of Magicians (CAM), that Joan Caesar will not be the president.  Joan founded CAM on March 15, 1997 to allow Canada the opportunity to apply for membership to FISM.  In the year 2000, CAM was accepted as a FISM member and Canadian magicians could, for the first time, compete under the Canadian banner at FISM's World Championship of Magic.

Since 1997, Joan has lead the charge for 6 national conventions, been International President of IBM (2008-9) and kept a watchful eye on the publication of over 100 issues of Northern Peeks and Northern Sleights.

Thank you Joan, for all of the blood, sweat and tears that you have invested in this wonderful national association for over 14 years!

CBC: Joan Caesar and Julie Eng talk about women in magic

As a follow-up to the previous post "CBC: The Amazing and Astounding Invisible Women of Magic", John Pellatt pointed me to this Mary Ito interview of Joan Caesar and Julie Eng on the CBC program "Fresh Air" back on October 31st, 2009. 

Listen to Joan and Julie talk about magic, the Canadian Association of Magicians and Magicana.

CBC: The Amazing and Astounding Invisible Women of Magic

[Edited April 4 to add link to interview with Joan and Julie.]

Prompted in part by the recent death of Dorothy Young (Houdini’s Stage Assistant), today CBC Radio One reran "The Amazing and Astounding Invisible Women of Magic" a documentary by Frank Faulk.  You can listen to it from the The Sunday Edition website (it starts at about the 22 minute mark).

Listen to Mary Ito interview of Joan Caesar and Julie Eng on the CBC program "Fresh Air" back on October 31st, 2009.   Perfect Magic has a post on women magicians at Magie Montréal.

Recent articles on the subject of women in magic from:

• Slate: "The Next Queen of Magic -- Does magic need more female performers to be cool again?"
• Miller-McCune: "Why Have Women Magicians Vanished?"
• About.com: "Women in Magic - Interview With Krystyn Lambert", "Why Are There So Few Female Magicians - Interview With Suzanne", "Women in Magic: Margarette Le Claire","Women in Magic - Interview With Farrah Siegel"
• About.com: "Documentary: Women in Boxes", "Have Women Magicians Vanished?"
• About.com: "Readers Respond: Why Are There So Few Female Magicians?", "Article Asks: Does Magic Need Females to Be Cool Again?", "Readers Respond: Does Magic Need Females?"

[h/t: John Pellatt]

Happy 14th birthday CAM!

The Canadian Association of Magicians (CAM) was founded on March 15, 1997 by Joan Caesar.  The creation of CAM as our national magic representative allowed us to apply for membership to FISM.  In the year 2000, CAM was accepted as a FISM member and Canadian magicians could, for the first time compete under the Canadian banner at FISM's World Championship of Magic.

CAM also hosts CAMaraderie, a now yearly national magic convention.  This year's CAMaraderie will run from July 28th to 31st in Vancouver, BC and will be held in conjuntion with the annual convention of the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians (PCAM) under the guidance of the Vancouver Magic Circle (Ring 92).

Thank you Joan, for creating this wonderful national association 14 years ago!

For more information about the organization please visit the CAM website or the CAM Wikipedia entry.  Please visit magicianconvention.com for details about the joint CAM/P-CAM convention.