Coin Waltz by Alex Pandrea

Sean.Cinco

Elite Member
Sep 2, 2007
683
2
Orlando, FL
www.seancinco.com
Here's the third product from The Blue Crown that I got to preview. This is Alex Pandrea's "Coin Waltz". I'm sure you guys are familiar with Alex's release here on T11 and on dananddave.com.

DVD Contents:

Performance
Gimmick Construction
How to Use the Gimmick
The Coin Waltz routine
Impromptu Coin Waltz
Coin Through Hand/Other Ideas
Bloopers

Coin Waltz is a pet routine of Alex’s that he has kept to himself for a few years now. To sum it up, Coin Waltz is Anniversary Waltz with coins. The spectator signs one coin, another spectator signs another coin, and you take both coins and as you click them together, they merge into one coin and you can see both signatures on each side of the coin, all of this seemingly without any cover of the coins and in front of your spectator.

The gimmick used for Coin Waltz requires a little bit of arts and crafts skills, but it’s nothing difficult. Alex provides one of the materials needed with the DVD, and you’ll probably have everything else needed at home (if not, you can pick them up at your local store for a few dollars). Alex goes over how to construct the gimmick step by step and as you follow along, you’ll have your very own gimmick to use for Coin Waltz.

Alex then teaches you how to use your gimmick and how to hide it when it’s not in use. There’s a few different ways to hide it, so there’s something for everyone. As far as using the gimmick, it’s pretty straightforward and easy to do. I don’t think anyone should have any trouble using the gimmick.

The next section is the instruction for the Coin Waltz routine. As Alex teaches the routine, he will also include some subtleties that you can use while he is teaching. The routine itself is really easy and Alex’s instruction is so detailed that if you’re a beginning magician and this is the first trick that you’re going to learn, you won’t have any trouble practicing it after Alex is done teaching. For you people who aren’t a fan of gimmicks (or if you just don’t happen to have the gimmick on you), Alex teaches a closed-handed, impromptu version of the routine. Granted it’s not as visual, but it’s still the same basic effect.

Alex also goes over some other ideas that you can use with the Coin Waltz gimmick. Some of those ideas include coin through hand, using the gimmick for a switch, and my personal favorite, coin through hand/table/glass. This goes to show that the Coin Waltz gimmick is really versatile and I’m pretty sure that you can come up with your own ways to use the gimmick.

All in all, Coin Waltz is a routine that is simple, straight to the point, yet it’s also very hard hitting. The gimmick that you make can be used for other routines and is easy to keep hidden in plain sight. This routine is a great representation of Alex and the way he thinks, and I’m definitely looking forward to the other products that he and the rest of the artists at The Blue Crown will come out with in the future.
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
Question, out of curiosity: Why would you use this coin version of Anniversary Waltz, as opposed to any of the billion versions already on the market (with cards), apart from "Just because" or "It uses coins"? What sets it apart?
 
Nov 8, 2009
131
0
Would the eliciting of a positive audience response and an interest in the effect count for why?

I believe this is unique BECAUSE it uses coins, and excluding that in your reasoning wouldn't make lot of sense...
 

KevinReylek

Elite Member
Sep 1, 2007
106
0
NY
www.newyorkmagicproject.com
A couple advantages with this routine over traditional waltz routines are that:

-You're doing magic with a borrowed object and returning it to them after doing something impossible with it. In my experience, magic with borrowed items tends to be the most powerful you can do.

-The fusing in this routine happens visibly, right in front of their eyes. It's a clear, startling, and impossible-looking moment of magic.

Kevin
 
Sep 1, 2007
723
2
Would the eliciting of a positive audience response and an interest in the effect count for why?

I believe this is unique BECAUSE it uses coins, and excluding that in your reasoning wouldn't make lot of sense...

I think you missed the point. He's asking if there's any other reason than it's just done with coins, or if that's the only special point f the effect. He's concerned it doesn't add anything to the plot.
 
Nov 20, 2007
4,410
6
Sydney, Australia
Well explained, that's exactly what I'm wondering. Uniqueness in and of itself doesn't really mean anything, and certainly doesn't mean improvement. I'm wondering if the people who own this feel that using coins has advantages above and beyond being different, "just because", like what Kevin has written.
 

Sean.Cinco

Elite Member
Sep 2, 2007
683
2
Orlando, FL
www.seancinco.com
The actual Coin Waltz routine is exactly as pratoritevong has stated, Anniversary Waltz with coins. As far as the plot of the routine goes, take Doc Eason's Anniversary Waltz and replace the word "card" with "coin".

With that said, even though the Coin Waltz routine is the main highlight of the DVD, the gimmick that Alex teaches you how to make can be applied to many other coin routines out there (coin bend, coin through hand, a clean vanish, threefly, spellbound, and coin to impossible location just to name a few). It's really versatile and can have hundreds of applications for it. I probably should've made more of an emphasis on the versatility of the gimmick when I wrote the review.
 
Apr 1, 2009
1,067
1
33
California
I just want to say, I am incredibly impressed with Blue Crown. The quality of effects are superb. The filming is flawless, rivaling Theory. A very professional site, I look forward to seeing their future work.
 
Jan 16, 2008
379
0
@Prae
I for one prefer coin work over card work simply for the fact that I can perform coin work anywhere without any pocket space. Borrow a coin and you're ready to do coin magic.
Borrow a coin and you're ready to do Coin Waltz.
Simplicity and spontaneous magic makes me happy. That's my reason I prefer Coin Waltz over Card Waltz.
 

Alex_Pandrea

Creator / <a href="http://www.theory11.com/1on1/#a
Sep 28, 2008
81
0
New York
Great review Sean, and thanks for all the feedback guys! I don't do much coin magic, but when I do use coins I make sure the routines are as commercial as possible, and to the point! We filmed Coin Waltz around 2 years ago and ever since releasing it I picked it back up and started performing it again, I forgot how strong it was myself :p ...If there are any other questions you guys might have please, don't hesitate to ask! Thanks again

Alex^
 
Feb 17, 2011
185
0
Quebec, Canada
I have a question: can you use about every size of coin or does it fit only to a certain size of coin? I live in Canada so our piece doesn't have the "exact" same size. Also, if it only fit to a certain size, can you modifie the gimmick to fit for other size?
 

XabierL

Elite Member
Aug 14, 2010
413
10
Can the gimmick be constructed with Euros or any other currency? I know this thread is kinda old but just in case...
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,238
3
Cool looking effect.

So there are two coins and two signatures used in the routine. My question is does the magician have to introduce one of the coins, or sign one of the coins himself, or can both coins and signatures both be from audience members. I'm assuming not, but just curious. The effect is awesome anyhow. Thanks!
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Sean.Cinco

Elite Member
Sep 2, 2007
683
2
Orlando, FL
www.seancinco.com
Cool looking effect.

So there are two coins and two signatures used in the routine. My question is does the magician have to introduce one of the coins, or sign one of the coins himself, or can both coins and signatures both be from audience members. I'm assuming not, but just curious. The effect is awesome anyhow. Thanks!

The coin can be signed by two spectators.
 
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