Doug Henning believed that it was his job to create a sense of wonder for his audience.
I remember the first time I saw an effect that created that sense of wonder. I don’t remember how old I was, I don’t even remember a lot of detail. I just remember an overwhelming sense of ‘holy shit’ for lack of better words.
The magician in question went by the name of Israel. If you asked him he would tell you his mother is the earth, and his father is the moon. He was just that kind of guy. He came into the magic shop, (our basement at the time) took off his sandals, sat cross legged on a bamboo mat he had set up and proceeded to perform ‘coins across’ where magically, four coins travel one at a time invisibly from one hand to the other. This is a standard effect that most magicians perform, and to this day it is one of my favorites. Perhaps it was my age, where I was in my life, his presentation or a combination of many things at once. But for me that performance created a sense of wonder. I think (possibly blame) that moment for my inability to escape magic.
Another such moment happened years later, only this time I saw it from the other side.
Once again I was in the magic shop in Montreal. A good friend and brilliant magician Romain was helping us out behind the counter as he often did.
For you magi out there who don’t know who Romain is, well suffice it to say he was a student of Slydini, He was a demonstrator at Tannen’s magic shop, one (if not, the) oldest magic shops in the USA, He has an effect written up in ‘Million Dollar Secrets’ by non-other than Frank Garcia. Romain is the Monarch of Manipulation. He is known around the world and he is a magic icon in Canada…And, for those in the know, he is one of Canada’s top ballroom dancers.
A young girl wanders into the magic shop. She actually belonged to the owner of another retail shop a few doors down. Romain is sitting behind the counter and decides to show her a magic trick. The response from the little girl is indescribable But it was easy to see what was going through her mind. She was just old enough to know that magicians show tricks, that things just don’t vanish or appear intellectually she knew it could not happen, yet it just did! And she was young enough that she only recently left that wonderful childhood place where everything is possible and most things are magical. Romain let that girl know that despite what she had learned, there is still magic in the world. I will never forget the look of wonder on that girls face. After she left Romain turned to me and said, “Brian that is what this is all about” It was one of many valuable lessons Romain has taught me over the years.
Romain, if you are reading, thanks for the lessons you probably don’t even realize you taught me. I’ve been watching So You Think You Can Dance, it is nice to see your influence has gone beyond magic.
PanningForGold 
It may be difficult, but I will try to get Romaine to read it. I didn’t know he was a demonstrator at Tannens. BTW, he was also in the movie Atlantic City with Lee Majors and he performed in Bermuda with Victor Borge as well as with Phil Matlin in the Back In Time show, which played in Ontario for 1100 people. He was just awarded the lifetime achievement plaque at the recent Canadian Association of Magician’s convention in Kitchener Ontario. I think I’m encroaching on one of my wife’s future blogs for Perfect Magic. Loved the blog. One learns if one has the sense to listen when someone else talks.
I remember he told me he demonstrated at Tannen’s and John Blake told me that Romain demonstrated at Tannen’s, I didn’t think they would both be wrong, but perhaps. In any case he is still Romain.
I was almost positive you were going to comment on that guy Isreal.
I remember that magician sitting on our basement floor. I remember how incredible the effect was and after being in the business for over 30 years and knowing a few tricks myself, I still can’t conceive of how he did it. I don’t remember his name, but it seems to me he was from India. I vaguely remember a magician with the name of Israel but it don’t know if that was him. But then again, your memory must certainly be better than mine.
His name was Isreal. At the end of the day we were going to Plattsburg and he ‘hitched’ a ride with us. When we got near the border he got out of the car and walked across. I think we also went to visit him once at the Yogi camp in the mountains somewhere, Stowe perhaps?
Wait a sec… you’ve been watching So You Think You Can Dance???
I freely admit to watching and liking So You Think You Can Dance. What they accomplish is absolutly incredible and amazing to watch.
I think your putting separate events together as one. The guy who walked across the border was Israel but he was a juggler, who came to Montreal from Oregon. He was here for a few days and I think either lectured or did a show for us, but it was juggling. Mom was right about the Indian that sat in our basement and blew us all away, even Romaine. The trick I remember was the Indian Cups and Balls. Never saw it performed like that before and never since. The Yogi camp episode came about from an invitation we got to go visit the the head Yogi. It was in the Laurentians. Also a very weird day. He was interested in levitation. Seems some other Yogi did not believe in levitation and this guy wanted us to supply him with a trick one that he could pass off as real. He didn’t get to ask us about this until after they fed us and grace us the door and the indoctrination spiel. Had he asked us first, we would never have had let us eat their food. As it was, we had to escape. Never was so relieved to have left a place.
I am obviously mixing things up. But I do remember the guy on sitting on the floor, and yes it was cups and balls. But I still like coins across.
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