The Benefits of Going to Magic Camp
The following are two articles written by campers who attended The Sorcerer’s Summer Camp in Canada. Here in their own words are the wonderful benefits, the fun and lessons learned from going to camp. The first is from Kelvin Kwong and the second is from Aidan
(01/01/2008 By Kelvin Kwong)
So you want to go to a magic camp eh? It’s early morning; you’re dead tired, yet you still really want to get up. This can only mean one thing…you’re at The Sorcerer’s Summer Safari! Everyday, we, the campers, were waking up to do great magic. Not only were we able to session with some of Canada’s greatest magic talent, but also we were able to learn in organized classes, which we were able to select from a variety of magic. From newbies to ‘cardicians’, everyone was having fun with magic. One fantastic thing about magic camp is that once some new knowledge is obtained, you have many an audience to practice your new ‘miracle’ on. Above all, this magic camp is not like going to a junior convention, it’s actually a camp. Being situated in Muskoka, we were able to do magic as well as camp activities. Canoeing, volleyball and playing on the trampoline were perfect things to do, once your fingers were sore from practicing new enticing sleights.One may ask, what would be an average day at the Sorcerer’s Summer Safari?
The day starts off with breakfast, though some campers already started it with magic (councilors didn’t seem too pleased with that… I wonder why?). After most meals, a little free time is given. This, I feel is vital to a proper magic learning environment, because without free time to try out new effects learned, how could any one grow in their performance?
A magic elective or a lecture would follow the free time given. The lectures: The lectures were unlike regular lectures. At times, the lectures could be like workshops, at other times, the lectures were just lectures. The lectures at the Sorcerer’s Summer Safari were far more personal than lectures that you’d attend at your local magic ring or assembly. Above all, lecturers quite often stay a couple of days after their lecture to enjoy the facilities of Camp Tamarack (The Camp grounds that the SSS takes place on). This allows campers to inquire about material lectured on after they have had a chance to try it out a couple of times at their cabin.
Some magicians that have already lectured at the SSS include Johnny Ace Palmer, David Acer, Jay Sankey and Joshua Jay. The magic electives: magic electives could be anything from sessioning with a guest magician to learning card magic for the first time. This is an excellent opportunity for some magicians to try something that they have never tried, but have always been interested in adding to their repertoire. In past seasons, this meant that close-up magicians could learn to do the dancing cane or illusionists could learn to do coin magic. Magic electives were taught by guest magicians, councilors and the camp director himself, Magic Mike (Segal).
The day then continued with more free time, swim time or even time for canoeing. Lunch is then served in a cafeteria that is capable of serving up to 400 campers. Magic Electives or lectures take place again as guest magicians prepare for their performance after supper. We have had an enormous variety of magic that has been performed in the night show. Illusions, fire eating, hypnotism and comedy acts were all a part of the shows for the campers. The night show on the last camp night is not however a performance by guest magicians but is actually a performance by the campers! I personally have always found this show interesting. Almost all the performers try to find something new and exciting. Seeing a stage performer succeed in performing a classic spellbound routine must be rewarding to the organizers of the camp.Campers that attend the SSS are not limited to just Canada, but the Sorcerer’s Summer Safari has actually received an astonishing number of campers from all over North America (Yes, that includes the USA).
The magic is important. The camping facilities are important. The great lecturers are important. Although all of these are important, they don’t compare to the fact great friendships are made. Dozens of wonderful friendships have been made through this camp. Ages of campers that go to this camp vary from 8 to 18. That means that the formation of friendships is inevitable. I personally have now made friends with young magicians from Toronto, Oshawa, New York, Hamilton, Ohio and the list goes on.After you have read all of this (I’m hoping that you didn’t skip all that and just read the conclusion), you may be wondering whose opinion is this? Who is telling you that this camp is great? Well, quite simply, it’s me.
I’m 15 years old and am currently living in Toronto, Canada (eh?). I have attended the Sorcerer’s Summer Safari for 2 years and can’t wait to get back for my 3rd year. No, I’m not really getting much from writing this article. But I felt that all of North America, no, the world, should know about Canada’s only Magic Camp. I thought that everyone should know about the camp activities, lecturers, electives and definitely the fun, because I just don’t think that it’s fair to keep this a secret from the world.Eat, sleep, magic oh btw, there’s other stuff in between, but that’s not really important. (I mean ummmmmm… of course it is…*wink*.)
The Mystery of Magic - Pulling Fun Out of Your Hat at Magicians’ Camp
(1/01/08 - Originally Published in News4Kids in July 2004 By: Aidan)
Have you ever wanted to learn how to perform magic? Last summer I experienced a week-long magical adventure! Not at Hogwarts, but at Sorcerer’s Safari, the only magic camp in Canada. Sorcerer’s Safari is camp where magicians - beginner, intermediate, and expert alike - all go to have fun and practice their art. I have been going to this camp for six years now, and each one just keeps getting better than the last. At Sorcerer’s Safari, you get to do awesome camp activities like canoeing, swimming and hanging out with your friends. You also get to meet world-class magicians, who are more than willing to let you see some magic.
After a week here, you’ll learn more magic than you ever thought possible.I have been performing magic for people for seven years, and I have done hundreds of magic shows as well as working as a magician at a restaurant weekly. I started getting interested in magic at a very young age, about five or six years old. When I was little, my Grandpa used to do a bit of magic for our family at birthdays. I really liked it and my Grandpa gave me a magic kit for my sixth birthday. Ever since then my collection of magic tricks has grown and grown. Magic went from a hobby to an obsession (just kidding!).When I turned eight and found out that there was a magic camp starting up I knew that I had to go.
Even though in that first year there were only eight or nine kids, it was a blast and I learned loads. So I came back the next year to find out that the number of campers had doubled, that year I made even more friends and had more fun. I have gone every year since then and the number of campers and amount of fun seems to have increased steadily, until now where there are over a hundred campers of all ages and skill levels.If you are interested in getting introduced to magic then I recommend going to your local library (or maybe even school library!), and asking if they have any books on magic. Even better than that, if you know a magician or even someone that knows a few tricks, see if they are willing to teach you.
If you are already in to magic and are interested in going to magic camp, Camp Director of the Sorcerers Safari, “Magic Mike” brings together a variety of professional magicians and about 150 kids aged 10 to 16 for one week of magic and traditional camp fun in Haliburton. This year it is August 21 – 29. Every night the pros showcase different acts and skills, and on the last night the kids perform their own show on stage complete with lights and sound. At camp you learn not just “the tricks” but how to put together an act – from how to make a standard trick your own, to how to script a show. Topics include stuff like floating ball, card tricks, promotion and juggling. Kids come from all over Canada, the United States, Europe and Mexico.
In fact the camp is the best attended magic camp in the world. For more information call 416-322-1442 or logon to www.sorcerers-safari.com <http://www.sorcerers-safari.com/>
