Balloon Twisting Magic

Discuss the art of Children's Entertainment with your fellow performers.
User avatar
Spellbinder
Posts: 472
Joined: January 17th, 2008, 12:00 pm
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Spellbinder » April 19th, 2020, 12:22 am

Most Balloon magic consists of secretly making a balloon pop and apparently causing something magical to happen. Jim Gerrish had better ideas than just popping balloons and has included them in his "Balloon Twisting Magic" e-Book in The Wizards' Journal #42 - https://www.magicnook.com/WizJournal/WJ ... stingMAGIC! It is written both for Balloon Twisters who want to add Magic to their Balloon Twisting acts, and for Magicians who want to do magic with Balloons in their magic acts for children (or adults). Popping balloons is still allowed, but only if it causes the balloon to change color, or to do something magical like changing shape or causing a small balloon animal to magically appear inside a large balloon.
Phineas Spellbinder
The Magic Nook

User avatar
Paco Nagata
Posts: 436
Joined: July 3rd, 2019, 6:47 am
Favorite Magician: Juan Tamariz
Location: Madrid, Spain.

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Paco Nagata » June 27th, 2020, 2:11 pm

Have a look to this...
It was sent to me by a friend of mine around a week ago :lol:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZwmH_D ... p=drivesdk
"The Passion of an Amateur Card Magician"
https://bit.ly/2lXdO2O
"La pasion de un cartómago aficionado"
https://bit.ly/2kkjpjn

Jackpot
Posts: 236
Joined: June 8th, 2016, 12:38 am
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Jackpot » June 27th, 2020, 2:40 pm

"Balloon Twisting MAGIC!" by Jim Gerrish looks interesting and like it can add some additional uses to these very commercial props.
Paco's link requires permission to view so I couldn't see it.

Since the start of COVID-19 I've not been making balloons for others. I do make a few to keep in practice. I've always blown them up without the aid of a pump because it adds to the entertainment. I'll have to rethink that going forward.

I don't know how available it is, but in my opinion the most comprehensive book on twisting balloons is "Great Balloons" by Jean Merlin.
Not the one who created the Potter Index.

User avatar
Paco Nagata
Posts: 436
Joined: July 3rd, 2019, 6:47 am
Favorite Magician: Juan Tamariz
Location: Madrid, Spain.

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Paco Nagata » June 27th, 2020, 3:07 pm

Jackpot wrote:Paco's link requires permission to view so I couldn't see it.

I'm sorry about that! I didn't even know that it was protected! :oops:
There are things I still don't understand about Google Driver. I'll try to fix it...
"The Passion of an Amateur Card Magician"
https://bit.ly/2lXdO2O
"La pasion de un cartómago aficionado"
https://bit.ly/2kkjpjn

User avatar
Paco Nagata
Posts: 436
Joined: July 3rd, 2019, 6:47 am
Favorite Magician: Juan Tamariz
Location: Madrid, Spain.

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Paco Nagata » June 27th, 2020, 3:21 pm

Please, try now...
I did "something" in the "Menu" of Google Drive.
Really, I'm not very good at computer handling :roll:
"The Passion of an Amateur Card Magician"
https://bit.ly/2lXdO2O
"La pasion de un cartómago aficionado"
https://bit.ly/2kkjpjn

Jackpot
Posts: 236
Joined: June 8th, 2016, 12:38 am
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Jackpot » June 27th, 2020, 5:50 pm

Thank you Paco. That was wonderful.
Not the one who created the Potter Index.

User avatar
Paco Nagata
Posts: 436
Joined: July 3rd, 2019, 6:47 am
Favorite Magician: Juan Tamariz
Location: Madrid, Spain.

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Paco Nagata » June 27th, 2020, 9:38 pm

You're welcome, Jack!

It's very interesting to see what a wonderful magical effect can be achieve with a simple balloon and a sheet!
(And, of course, a good shomanship).
"The Passion of an Amateur Card Magician"
https://bit.ly/2lXdO2O
"La pasion de un cartómago aficionado"
https://bit.ly/2kkjpjn

Jackpot
Posts: 236
Joined: June 8th, 2016, 12:38 am
Location: Santa Rosa, CA

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Jackpot » June 27th, 2020, 10:31 pm

Paco Nagata wrote:It's very interesting to see what a wonderful magical effect can be achieve with a simple balloon and a sheet!
(And, of course, a good shomanship).

As magicians we love methods. To the extent that we sometimes overlook solid effects because the method is "beneath us". In this video the response is outstanding. I believe the audience will always remember their reaction even if they later become aware of the method. Thank you for sharing this fine effect.
Not the one who created the Potter Index.

User avatar
Paco Nagata
Posts: 436
Joined: July 3rd, 2019, 6:47 am
Favorite Magician: Juan Tamariz
Location: Madrid, Spain.

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Paco Nagata » June 28th, 2020, 2:56 am

Jackpot wrote:As magicians we love methods. To the extent that we sometimes overlook solid effects because the method is "beneath us".

Very good reflection, Jack.
Jackpot wrote:In this video the response is outstanding. I believe the audience will always remember their reaction even if they later become aware of the method. Thank you for sharing this fine effect.

Indeed, some magical effects are so strong that the magical sense may keep in our mind forever, no matter getting to know the secret.
"The Passion of an Amateur Card Magician"
https://bit.ly/2lXdO2O
"La pasion de un cartómago aficionado"
https://bit.ly/2kkjpjn

wirelesstkd
Posts: 9
Joined: November 18th, 2020, 2:03 pm

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby wirelesstkd » November 18th, 2020, 2:42 pm

I think it's helpful to think of balloons as part of the stage dressing for a routine than the focus of it. One of the staples of my kids' magic show (it's been in my show consistently since I started performing professionally ~7 years ago) has been a routine called the Mind Reading Hat. The original routine was published by Magic George on the now-defunct Magic Bistro, but it evolved over time in my show. At it's core, it's simply a card-force and reveal. I force a card with a picture on it (out of a deck of cards with pictures on them) and attempt to reveal what the chosen picture was by making it out of balloons.

I think anyone would recognize that this is a balloon based magic trick, but the balloons are just set dressing. We use them to make a mind reading hat to help me read the kid's mind, then I use them to reveal what they are thinking of (spoiler alert: I'm wrong just about every time). I think many tricks can work this way.

I actually have another balloon trick I do that doesn't use balloons! It's essentially a Fraidy Cat Rabbit routine, but instead of the rabbit changing colors, the balloons get twisted in to something. So there's a picture of three 260s (modeling balloons for anyone who doesn't know) and then they transform in to a parrot, then back to balloons, etc. This is another way to use balloons, even when you don't use them.
I perform professionally as birthday party magician, Matt Matthews and manage The Party Troupe, an agency for magicians, face painters, and more.

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27053
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 18th, 2020, 2:56 pm

The author of my favorite balloon twisting book as a kid, Roger Seigel, recently died. Can't remember the name of the book, but Magic Inc. published it.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

User avatar
chetday
Posts: 207
Joined: March 13th, 2008, 1:45 pm
Favorite Magician: Jon Racherbaumer
Contact:

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby chetday » November 20th, 2020, 11:11 am

Richard, was it "ROGER'S RUBBER JUNGLE: One Balloon Animals"? I found a copy of this for sale at

https://www.amazon.com/ROGERS-RUBBER-JUNGLE-Balloon-Animals/dp/B000PCNPAA

If I've done my math right, accounting for your age, my age, and the fact that this was published in January of 1978, I'm thinking this may be the title that's currently hiding in a corner of your memory. :)

User avatar
Richard Kaufman
Posts: 27053
Joined: July 18th, 2001, 12:00 pm
Favorite Magician: Theodore DeLand
Location: Washington DC
Contact:

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby Richard Kaufman » November 20th, 2020, 1:29 pm

Correct! But I thought it was published earlier than that.
Subscribe today to Genii Magazine

MagicbyAlfred
Posts: 2388
Joined: June 7th, 2015, 12:48 pm
Favorite Magician: Bill Malone
Location: Myrtle Beach, SC

Re: Balloon Twisting Magic

Postby MagicbyAlfred » November 21st, 2020, 4:03 am

Here is some info on Siegel's balloon twisting manuscripts that was provided back in 2003 by a Genii Forum contributor with the moniker, "Necromancer":

"Roger's Rubber Zoo, Roger's Rubber Ark, Roger's Rubber Jungle, Roger's Rubber Magic Volumes 1 and 2, and (yikes) Bar Room Balloons were all written by Roger Siegel, who was resident balloon twister at The Pickle Barrel in Chicago. They were published in the '70s by Magic Inc., and most can be found through a search on Addall.com."

viewtopic.php?t=783
(8th post on the page)


Return to “Children's Entertainment”