Title: Exquisite
Artist: Dirk Losander & Michael Ammar
Producers: Dirk Losander
Link: http://www.losander.me/epages/62364720.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62364720/Products/Exquisite
Retail Price: $85.00 USD
Learning Difficulty: Easy
Length of Video: 15 Minutes (approx)
Never have I ever seen a magician perform before either live on stage or in a video and thought to myself “That’s a real wizard” until I encountered Losander on stage at the Magic Castle many years ago. For the two of you who aren’t in the know Dirk is a master of the art of levitation. Bubbles, staves, wands, even his famous tables all seem to animate effortlessly in his hands and inspire a sense of wonderment for the audiences who are there to witness such wizardry. Now Dirk has partnered with another powerhouse of creative force (Michael Ammar) to bring to life a project which miniaturizes the awe inspiring epicenes of his floating table into something portable enough for the strolling close up magician. It is with extreme pleasure that I present my review of Exquisite to you; a product very aptly named.
I was giddy to receive my copy of Exquisite. Losander’s floating tables have been a thing that some of us have ways dreamed about owning but their expensive costs have always made them something of a dream and never a reality. When you are living pay check to pay check it’s relatively easy to justify spending that kind of money on other things such as rent or groceries than magic props. So when I heard from a close friend of mine that a newer, more affordable, Losander levitation was just released onto the open market I pounced on the opportunity like a cat would a toy mouse stuffed with catnip. The gimmick is made from a thick sturdy material and portable enough to be carried with you on your person while you are strolling. The gimmick has a modification to the end of it that allows it to easily attach to any thin walled wineglass. Thicker drinking glasses and mugs won’t work with this gimmick so it’s best to play around at home with a range of different glass types to get an idea of what you can and can’t use it on while out in front of real audiences.
Working with the gimmick is so easy it actually is pretty nerve racking the first few times you levitate a glass with it. Not because it’s difficult mind you, but because it’s so easy it’s practically self working and you find yourself in utter amazement that you can do this so easily. The gimmick works because of gravity and the specially designed head. Providing you don’t pitch the gimmick too far forward in your handling, and doing so would really be more of an awkward movement anyways, you have no fear of the gimmick not gripping the glass and causing the glass to drop possibly breaking. It is my assessment that your fingers will give out long before the gimmick ever will.
This is a strolling magicians dream come true. While it is true that it will work well for close up performers, parlor, stage, or street workers the true power of this piece becomes evident when in the hands of a table hopping corporate or restaurant magician. With a little care to some sleight of hand you can start and end clean and borrow everything from the wineglass you’re going to float to the napkin you’re going to use to cover it with. You’re angles are pretty well covered for the most of the performance, save for maybe the get ready and the clean up, but it can be done pretty much surrounded. You can even float the glasses with liquid, or other small items like cards or cell phones, in them!
The effect comes with a well made instruction pamphlet written by Ammar complete with pictures, and advice for making the illusion the strongest possible. The instructions include a tutorial link to an online video as well hosted on Murphy’s Magic website. The video is short, informative, to the point, and taught by both Michael Ammar and Dirk Losander themselves.
Overall the power, practicality, and affordability of a Losander levitation has been finally made available to those of us who can’t afford the more expensive stage stuff. Exquisite majestically empowers the performer with the ability to create a truly impossible effect, the art of levitation, with a spectator’s borrowed wine glass and napkin. This impossible feat will quickly become a favorite effect of yours as well as an invaluable reputation maker. Losander and Ammar have once again changed the animation/levitation game with another Exquisite product. Highly recommended!
When I give my product scores below I am measuring them on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 Being absolute the worst score possible, and 10 being the absolute best, making a score of five average. The four points that I grade upon is Product Quality, Teaching Quality, Sound & Video Quality and Overall Quality.
Product Quality: 10
$85 dollars is nothing to sneeze at but it’s worth every single penny. The well constructed gimmick will last a lifetime.
Teaching Quality: 10
You’ll be levitating wine glasses at home within minutes, and professionally within a few days.
Video & Sound Quality: 10
For an online tutorial this is pretty well produced. Great sound, and solid video.
Overall Quality: 10
Excellent product. Highly recommended! I can’t stress enough how happy I’ve been with this purchase. Ammar and Losander have outdone themselves again proving without doubt why their reputations as masters of the craft is well earned.
Have a product you want reviewed? Want to see if it will stand up to the Draven Seal of Approval? Contact me directly at draven@williamdraven.com to find out how your product could be on the next Draven Reviews! Don't forget to like my blog where all my reviews are posted at www.williamdraven.wordpress.com.
Artist: Dirk Losander & Michael Ammar
Producers: Dirk Losander
Link: http://www.losander.me/epages/62364720.sf/en_US/?ObjectPath=/Shops/62364720/Products/Exquisite
Retail Price: $85.00 USD
Learning Difficulty: Easy
Length of Video: 15 Minutes (approx)
Never have I ever seen a magician perform before either live on stage or in a video and thought to myself “That’s a real wizard” until I encountered Losander on stage at the Magic Castle many years ago. For the two of you who aren’t in the know Dirk is a master of the art of levitation. Bubbles, staves, wands, even his famous tables all seem to animate effortlessly in his hands and inspire a sense of wonderment for the audiences who are there to witness such wizardry. Now Dirk has partnered with another powerhouse of creative force (Michael Ammar) to bring to life a project which miniaturizes the awe inspiring epicenes of his floating table into something portable enough for the strolling close up magician. It is with extreme pleasure that I present my review of Exquisite to you; a product very aptly named.
I was giddy to receive my copy of Exquisite. Losander’s floating tables have been a thing that some of us have ways dreamed about owning but their expensive costs have always made them something of a dream and never a reality. When you are living pay check to pay check it’s relatively easy to justify spending that kind of money on other things such as rent or groceries than magic props. So when I heard from a close friend of mine that a newer, more affordable, Losander levitation was just released onto the open market I pounced on the opportunity like a cat would a toy mouse stuffed with catnip. The gimmick is made from a thick sturdy material and portable enough to be carried with you on your person while you are strolling. The gimmick has a modification to the end of it that allows it to easily attach to any thin walled wineglass. Thicker drinking glasses and mugs won’t work with this gimmick so it’s best to play around at home with a range of different glass types to get an idea of what you can and can’t use it on while out in front of real audiences.
Working with the gimmick is so easy it actually is pretty nerve racking the first few times you levitate a glass with it. Not because it’s difficult mind you, but because it’s so easy it’s practically self working and you find yourself in utter amazement that you can do this so easily. The gimmick works because of gravity and the specially designed head. Providing you don’t pitch the gimmick too far forward in your handling, and doing so would really be more of an awkward movement anyways, you have no fear of the gimmick not gripping the glass and causing the glass to drop possibly breaking. It is my assessment that your fingers will give out long before the gimmick ever will.
This is a strolling magicians dream come true. While it is true that it will work well for close up performers, parlor, stage, or street workers the true power of this piece becomes evident when in the hands of a table hopping corporate or restaurant magician. With a little care to some sleight of hand you can start and end clean and borrow everything from the wineglass you’re going to float to the napkin you’re going to use to cover it with. You’re angles are pretty well covered for the most of the performance, save for maybe the get ready and the clean up, but it can be done pretty much surrounded. You can even float the glasses with liquid, or other small items like cards or cell phones, in them!
The effect comes with a well made instruction pamphlet written by Ammar complete with pictures, and advice for making the illusion the strongest possible. The instructions include a tutorial link to an online video as well hosted on Murphy’s Magic website. The video is short, informative, to the point, and taught by both Michael Ammar and Dirk Losander themselves.
Overall the power, practicality, and affordability of a Losander levitation has been finally made available to those of us who can’t afford the more expensive stage stuff. Exquisite majestically empowers the performer with the ability to create a truly impossible effect, the art of levitation, with a spectator’s borrowed wine glass and napkin. This impossible feat will quickly become a favorite effect of yours as well as an invaluable reputation maker. Losander and Ammar have once again changed the animation/levitation game with another Exquisite product. Highly recommended!
When I give my product scores below I am measuring them on a scale of 1 to 10. 1 Being absolute the worst score possible, and 10 being the absolute best, making a score of five average. The four points that I grade upon is Product Quality, Teaching Quality, Sound & Video Quality and Overall Quality.
Product Quality: 10
$85 dollars is nothing to sneeze at but it’s worth every single penny. The well constructed gimmick will last a lifetime.
Teaching Quality: 10
You’ll be levitating wine glasses at home within minutes, and professionally within a few days.
Video & Sound Quality: 10
For an online tutorial this is pretty well produced. Great sound, and solid video.
Overall Quality: 10
Excellent product. Highly recommended! I can’t stress enough how happy I’ve been with this purchase. Ammar and Losander have outdone themselves again proving without doubt why their reputations as masters of the craft is well earned.
Have a product you want reviewed? Want to see if it will stand up to the Draven Seal of Approval? Contact me directly at draven@williamdraven.com to find out how your product could be on the next Draven Reviews! Don't forget to like my blog where all my reviews are posted at www.williamdraven.wordpress.com.