I pick the nine of diamonds and throw it back in Camilo DominguezB次元官网网址檚 deck of cards. He shuffles faster than I can see.
He asks if my card is the 10 of hearts and IB次元官网网址檓 struck with worry B次元官网网址� either heB次元官网网址檚 a lousy magician or I canB次元官网网址檛 remember anything beyond four seconds.
He flips the 10 card under the Bicycle playing cards box, and somehow, of course, itB次元官网网址檚 flipped into my nine of diamonds moments later. Even under the all-seeing eye of a video camera, itB次元官网网址檚 hard to spot the cool sleight-of-hand of the 21-year-old magician.
The young son of Colombia has come a long way since wowing students in the halls of Belmont secondary with his preternatural talent to make the cards dance.
Since graduating from Belmont in 2008, heB次元官网网址檚 honed his magic show at the Havana Club in Vancouver, and is launching his first professional Victoria performances next week at the Belfry Theatre.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e tried to move my magic to a different level,B次元官网网址� Dominguez says. B次元官网网址淚 use two projection screens and a camera so the audience can see the magic close up.B次元官网网址�
Dominguez was drawn to sleight-of-hand magic as a child and attended the Bogota School of Magic as a teenager, before moving to Canada for high school. He learned the secrets of pulling rabbits from hats and sawing people in half, but he prefers the simplicity of a pack of cards.
B次元官网网址淎t Belmont I was challenging myself with the language and getting in front of people,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淣ow itB次元官网网址檚 more about surprising the audience with two hands and a deck of cards.B次元官网网址�
His Belfry performances are titled B次元官网网址淐ontinuum,B次元官网网址� based on the theme of time and connections. His setup is simple and intimate B次元官网网址� a chair for him and an audience member, a table and a deck of cards and video projectors to make sure the crowd doesnB次元官网网址檛 miss a beat.
B次元官网网址淔or Continuum I do tricks that are a challenge in 10 seconds or 20 seconds, whatever the audience asks for,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about surprising the audience and surprising myself.
B次元官网网址淓ach show I try to make it fresh, but a show is set by the mood of the audience.B次元官网网址�
His parents are travelling to Victoria to see his show, the first time theyB次元官网网址檝e seen him perform outside of Colombia. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a big thrill, Dominguez says, and he hopes his friends and audience from Belmont will come out to see him on stage.
Dominguez says despite the thematics, every performance is different and evolving. New tricks come during interactions with audience members and friends, many who just throw out odd ideas.
B次元官网网址淢y friends will say B次元官网网址榤ake a card appear in a soccer ball or some different object,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淚 go home and try to create it with the tools and skills I have.B次元官网网址�
He is on his last semester of theatre production school at Studio 58 at Langara College in Vancouver, part of a larger strategy to make a career as a working magician. Understanding the nuts and bolts of stage management B次元官网网址� lighting, sound, set design B次元官网网址� can be as critical as stage presence. It all must come together before the cards come out.
B次元官网网址淭hat is the most facinating thing about magic B次元官网网址� anything you want, you can make it happen, with practise of course.B次元官网网址�
Camilo DominguezB次元官网网址檚 Continuum is at the Belfry Theatre from June 29 to July 2.
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