How do you present a sponge ball routine?

Jun 13, 2013
237
1
Germany
Hey there,

as I was just refining my presentation of DNoW I wondered how you present you sponge ball routine. Do you present it abstract (is this even possible) or do you simply tell the others what is about to happen?
I want to end with a sponge heart in the hand of the spectator because this would be a great transition to DNoW with my presentation.
Do you have an idea how I can justify this?

Thanks again for your help.

Cheers
Philipp
 
Sep 1, 2013
305
15
South Africa
I like to introduce my sponge ball routine by saying "This next magic trick requires a ball of sponge." They obviously look puzzled as I point to a spectator asking if he has one and I proceed to produce one from his pocket then continue the routine.
 
May 21, 2014
127
6
Staunton, VA
I treat them like little balls of actual magic, or mana perhaps. I actually start my sponge routine with a card trick called Flob. It's a no-strings haunted deck, and when I'm finished I pretend I'm about to expose the trick and then show them my empty hand, claiming that I use an invisible ball of magic which is stuffed into the deck to make it move. I then pick up the ball and "shake off the invisible paint" to produce it. I came up with that on my own and it's actually a surprisingly visual way to bring a sponge into view. You can probably work it out, but feel free to message me if you have questions about my exact handling. From there I just roll through the routine, and the fact that they're tangible magic instead of sponges inherently justifies a wizard having them and all the things I do with them. It would also justify being able to mold it into different shapes like a heart, a cube, or a really big ball.
 

Justin.Morris

Elite Member
Aug 31, 2007
2,793
888
Canada
www.morrismagic.ca
I can't say that I have any special justification for what they are. I have some justification as to why it appears, but once it appears I call it what it is and proceed. I can't see too much added value in trying to over justify what it is. Perhaps a reference to a clown nose (if it's red) may be simple enough, but I am not convinced it would be super necessary to do that because it is such a unique prop. Im interested to hear others thoughts on this though.
 

RickEverhart

forum moderator / t11
Elite Member
Sep 14, 2008
3,637
471
46
Louisville, OH
A cruise ship magician that I was hanging out with had a great idea that he shared using yellow sponge balls. You could put eyes on them and call them minions and then the patter or story could be tailored to Dispicable me / minions. You could even swap in a purple sponge ball as the one minion that turns all freaky and purple colored. I don't know. It was just an idea we were talking about.
 

Mike.Hankins

creator / <a href="http://www.theory11.com/tricks/
Nov 21, 2009
435
0
Sacramento, Cali
Eugene Burger has one of the greatest sponge ball routines I have ever seen. You leave the spectator with about 50 mini sponge balls in their hands...overflowing. Looks awesome.

My bud Josh Messado also has a pretty entertaining sponge ball routine.

Whenever I performed sponge balls I would say,

"This next little gem of mine uses props you MAY have seen before, and is not original."

(I introduce the sponge balls)

"But you have never seen ME perform with them, soooooo sit back and prepare to enjoy something original."
 
Jun 19, 2014
32
0
I use a presentationfrom a magician i saw a LOOONG time ago, i changed it a bit but i act nervous and check on my straw .. ( this has a sponge ball i produce from it then i act as if they are all friends and like to jump to eachother and play games .... then i suck em back up the straw
Kinda different but many of you may know where this comes from better than i do .. i call them GOBEFORES as in go before ....
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
Back when I was still doing sponge balls, I did a fairly standard routine. I produced the first one by having the spectator rub a spot on the table, then I do and the sponge ball pops up. Then I do a quick transpo from one hand to another. Then I split it in two by rubbing on the middle and having it split. Then the one ball jumps from their hand to mine. Then I put "both" in their hand, and have them name a number. Whatever number they name is how many appear in their hand.
 
Jan 1, 2009
2,241
3
Back in Time
Eugene Burger has one of the greatest sponge ball routines I have ever seen. You leave the spectator with about 50 mini sponge balls in their hands...overflowing. Looks awesome.

My bud Josh Messado also has a pretty entertaining sponge ball routine.

Whenever I performed sponge balls I would say,

"This next little gem of mine uses props you MAY have seen before, and is not original."

(I introduce the sponge balls)

"But you have never seen ME perform with them, soooooo sit back and prepare to enjoy something original."

The main problem with that routine is the anti-climatic clean up of having to scramble around and pick up sponge balls off the floor, the table and every where else.
 
Searching...
{[{ searchResultsCount }]} Results