Barrie: Dear Santa, I can explain... [Dec 28]

From the November 22nd Instagram post by DaCosta Magic:

Preparations for our holiday show on December 28th are well underway. We can't wait to see you at the show. Do you have your tickets? Head on over to www.dacostamagic.com and grab em! 

 

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A post shared by DaCosta Magic Ent./ Phil DaCosta (@dacostamagic)

 

 

 

 

 

DaCosta Magic Family Day Magic Show/Magic Workshop

From the January 26th Instagram post by DaCosta Magic:

But we will be back at it soon enough. Until then, join us virtually February 15th for a family day to remember.
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Magic Show/Magic Workshop combo for the whole family. $30 per zoom link.

 

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A post shared by DaCosta Magic/School Of Magic (@dacostamagic)

 

Mississauga and Toronto: DCME’s School of Magic

Their website currently has a special offer:  those that sign up for all three sessions (Fall, Winter, and Spring) will receive a 15% discount.


From DaCosta Magic:

DaCosta Magic Ent. is proud to offer classes teaching students the art of magic. Our classes are designed to offer aspiring magicians an insight into magic technique, form, and performance quality. In addition to this we hope to provide students with an environment that promotes respect (for each other and the secrets of magic), inclusivity, positivity and personal confidence. It is important to us as a school of the magical arts to not only contribute magic knowledge to our students, but to also provide a safe and positive environment for these aspiring magicians to grow as individuals.

Read more and register.

From Kristine:

DCME’s School of Magic will have two homes, one in Toronto and one in Mississauga, classes starting for ages 6 all the way up to adults. Our goal is to create a place where kid/teen/adult magicians can go to learn technique, performance skill, and have an opportunity to test their skills in performances we offer throughout the year.

Diary of a Sorcerers Safari newbie - part 11

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A camper's notebook.

Day 5: Tuesday August 18th (cont)*

8pm

Dinner was wings and fries and salad and donuts!  Jen Segal, Christina Galonska, Stephanie Kline, Lori Farquhar, Lisa Close, and Mike Toal worked hard to get it organized and serve us since we weren’t in the Mess Hall tonight.  They’re always working really hard to making sure all of the non-magic stuff is taken care of.  I sure am grateful for their efforts. 

Dance party = so much fun!   Mark Correia did a wicked Michael Jackson impersonation and two of the littlest kids here had an incredible dance off!  Phil DaCosta DJ’d again and gave away t-shirts and cards and stuff too for answering questions and making clever requests.  I love this place. 

Mark doing his thing.

The weather must have cleared ‘cause they’re letting us have camp swim!

10pm
I did it!!  I got scared and wasn’t going to.  But then I remembered that Scott Hammell and Eric Leclerc both say that we should try things “out of our comfort zone” now and again.  The lifeguard said it was safe to jump from up high and that he’d make sure nothing bad happened to me.  I was so nervous climbing up those stairs.  They went up forever.  The lake looked such a long way down.  I froze and almost didn’t do it.  Then I jumped!!!!  I was surprised how long it took for me to hit the water -- it felt like hours.  I didn’t get hurt, nobody laughed and my friends all cheered for me!  I really feel like I’m part of one big family here.

I did it!!!

There was more dancing and a spectacular fireworks show.  Everyone sang some song by a band called “Queen” and that was the end of the night.  I’m so excited and tired.  I don’t remember much else.  I don’t want camp to end tomorrow.

This is so. much. FUN!

Everybody dance now!

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 10

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A camper's notebook.

Day 5: Tuesday August 18th*

Cheesy omelette breakfast.  I saw the rabbits again!  And I saw a bright green frog too.  Still no sign of the deer. 

At card class Shawn Farquhar talked to us about stuff I’d never considered.  He said, “give people a sense of wonder.  Don’t make them feel stupid or small.”  And then he said this quote from American poet Maya Angelou:   

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

We played “Capture the Flag” which was so. much. FUN!

6pm
The camper show was fantastic.  Before the show, Lee Asher made his group perform walk around for the audience.  They did really well. 

Pre-show walk around.

Then the show started.  Some of the kids performed things they just learned (or even made!) this week!  Others made stuff up and some came prepared with things they’d been working on the whole year.  Shout out to them all!

Emcees: Chaz and RJ.
Performers: Cathy, James, Brad, Matt, Tariq, Jordan, Ava, Vincent, Landon, Matthew, Nathan, Will, Ben, Jack, Nick, and Jeff.
Backstage: Simon, Holden, Serena, and Jarrett.
Sound and tech: Steve Kline (for this and all the other shows!).
Production assistants: Mike and Lisa Close, Dan Wiebe, and Mike Toal.

Owning the stage.

Sponge balls.

Something big is about to happen!

The coolest thing about the show was that everyone’s performance looked good.  Beginner kids went first so they didn’t have to go after someone who had more experience.  I don’t see any competition between the kids.  The adults want us all to shine. 

Today’s electives were Pulp Friction (with Lee himself!), linking rings, Gravity Half Pass (with Aaron Fisher!), Assistant’s Revenge stage illusion, Miser’s Dream, any card at any number, and Patriotic Ropes. 

Bill Wells and Sheldon Casavant talking coins.

I did the linking rings and was kinda surprised (and disappointed) to learn how they work.  It seems that some of the most wonderful effects are based on simple ideas.  Loran was a great teacher, but I’m going to have to practise a lot more until I feel comfortable doing it in front of anyone!

Rats. Camp swim got rained out.  (I wish I tried the high jump yesterday).  Silver lining: we all piled into the Staff Lounge and had a big impromptu panel with Shawn, Eric, Phil, and Mark.  They do things off the top of their head better than I can do anything I’ve rehearsed a million times.  I wonder how much of it is pure talent and how much of it is hours and hours of practise.

Shawn speaking at the panel.

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 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

|< 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 3

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

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

|< 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.

Kickstart the Can-eh-diana deck

The previously mentioned Can-eh-diana deck is now an official KickStarter project.

From KickStarter:

I have been a deck collector for quite a while now, and have yet to find a Canadian deck that isn't filled with stock photos of scenery (basically a souvenir deck).   So, having combined that fact and my passion for playing cards, I have designed a deck of playing cards with a Canadian theme.

The deck will feature maple leaves instead of the the typical spade suit.  The suit colours will be two shades of red (bright red, and maroon), instead of red & black like in a typical deck of cards.

The most customization for the deck can be found on the court cards.  I have featured nine world famous Canadian magicians.

Read more and pledge.

Toronto: Open mic magic night

From the Open Mic MAGIC Night Facebook event:

Thursday July 25th

Jekyl & Hyde Pub & Restaurant

2340 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON M6P 4B2

  

Come witness 3 of Toronto's TOP Magic Performers as they

amaze and astound!

• Ken Margoe - www.kenmargoe.com 
• James Alan - www.jamesalan.ca
• Phil DaCosta - www.dacostamagic.com

Strolling Performances, Close Up Magic, Stage Shows!

Read more.