The expansion of my online presence this year has come with a great deal of new opportunities for me and my team; our capability to get the word out about what we do has never been greater, largely thanks to recent collaborative efforts with YouTube giants like Dude Perfect and Slo Mo Guys. One of the coolest events at which I have performed since this period of massive web growth was “The Special Event.”
TSE, an event held at the New Orleans Convention Center, focuses on spreading ideas and knowledge regarding new developments in the entertainment industry. Each year, around 1500 professionals from all areas of the entertainment business gather in this space to support ingenuity and transformation in their respective fields. Being able to observe and converse with so many talented and experienced individuals sharing their love for performance was truly a unique experience, and I hope to return to TSE next year to be a part of the excitement once again!
Another memorable event that I attended this past month was Michael Cerbelli’s “The Hot List.” Through my partnership with Innovative Entertainment, I managed to secure a spot at this large and exciting event. Michael Cerbelli, the host of the event and a well-known corporate entertainment professional, seeks each year to figure out “what is hot” in the world of organization-wide performance (trade shows, award shows, corporate entertainment, etc.). The convention included 10 live acts and around 30 accent items, small expositions that might be helpful in spicing up a show. Not only was I lucky enough to be chosen as one of the 10 acts, but I also got the humbling opportunity to perform with acts such as Harrison’s Comedy and Digital Deception, two organizations that I have always held in very high esteem.
As soon as I got up on stage, my 3-minutes to perform started running down. I needed to prove as quickly as possible that my team and I were the obvious choice for the next corporate Gala or large-scale event that the attending businesses hosted. As the second-to-last performer, the key to winning over the audience would be making my act stand out enough to bring back the excitement from the beginning of the expo. After Michael Cerbelli introduced me, I ran out on stage and got started without wasting a precious moment.
I introduced myself as a magician and “master card-thrower,” which I explained would create the perfect combination of impressive stunts and funny gags to bring together any business’s employees. After giving a little bit of background regarding my records and career, I explained to the audience that I would need volunteers to perform some never-seen-before tricks.
Before I knew it, my 3 minutes was up. I didn’t leave the stage then, however – the performance was such a hit that it ran to around 6 minutes, and even Michael Cerbelli himself ended up becoming involved in the show! In a similar fashion to how I traced Coby Cotton’s frame by throwing cards around him on our Dude Perfect video, a nervous but excited Cerbelli stood still and watched in amazement as the cards stuck to the wall less than an inch from his body without ever hitting or hurting him.
Even considering how well-met my throwing stunts were, I knew that I needed to demonstrate a wider array of skills if I wanted to truly show the audience why I was the obvious choice for their next event. As such, I incorporated magic, comedy, and mentalism into my walk-around magic at the opening cocktail party. After the event was over, I took the stage once more for a Las Vegas-style Magic and Illusion show to wrap up the night.
I am forever grateful to Michael Cerbelli and Innovative Entertainment for providing me with such an opportunity, and I am already excited to travelling to Indianapolis this June for their next showcase event. Although these events are often fairly insular due to the expertise and niche knowledge required to contribute to the discussion, the network of clients, friends, and partners that I have developed due to these two events is truly invaluable. I look forward to a long and mutually beneficial partnership with both Michael Cerbelli and IE, and anticipate great things to come from these cooperative efforts in the future!