SPONGE by Jay Noblezada
Ok I noticed there wasn't a review on this DVD so I thought I'd pop right in and type one up, so here we go...
THE PACKAGING:
The DVD case is very big for a single dvd, but that's because it's not just a dvd you get, here I'll show you a pic of the case, I like the design, it's nice and simple.
WHAT YOU GET:
You get the DVD aswell as 4 sponge balls what will help you along with learning the art of sponge ball magic.
Ok I noticed there wasn't a review on this DVD so I thought I'd pop right in and type one up, so here we go...
THE PACKAGING:
The DVD case is very big for a single dvd, but that's because it's not just a dvd you get, here I'll show you a pic of the case, I like the design, it's nice and simple.
WHAT YOU GET:
You get the DVD aswell as 4 sponge balls what will help you along with learning the art of sponge ball magic.
METHODS OF TEACHING:
Jay goes through everything verbally whilst showing you the moves, it shows different camera angles on certain parts and I think it's a very easy way of learning the moves.
PERFORMANCES:
The first thing on the DVD if you follow it step by step is Jay's performances, he performs some routines on the streets to show you how effective they are, he gets a very big crowd aswell doing it. I always love to see performances of the tricks.
THE THINGS YOU WILL LEARN + REVIEW OF THESE:
- Finger palm
This is a cool palm and extremely easy, it is also used alot in the routines and is hidden extremely well. It doesn't make your hand position look unnatural, which I love. This is my second favorite palm, possible even joint first.
- Front clip
This is a clip in which you can hold your hand out straight without the audience seeing a sponge ball, I like this clip but due to my fingers being quiet thin the sponge ball can be seen when I do it, however when my fingers get a little fatter I'm sure I will use it often.
- Thumb palm
I love this palm, it makes your fingers look so natural, they can bend, open and do whatever fingers usually do without revealing the sponge ball, by far my favorite palm.
- Back thumb clip
Basically the same as the thumb palm but it's from the back, I doubt I'll use this because you cant get into it as easy as the other palms, it's a good way of showing your palm of your hands empty.
- Sponge ball classic
In this palm your hands can look relaxed and you could be holding another sponge ball with your first two fingers, this is a good palm for the natural look but not one my favorites, very cool none the least.
- Standard vanish
This vanish is the one I tend to do the most, it's a very simple vanish but very deceptive, he mentions how your movements with the ball are somewhat hypnotic to the audience in this move which is why it's so effective.
- Thumb palm vanish
This is a very easy vanish once you get used to the thumb palm, it looks extremely natural and the spectator has no reason to presume otherwise, it looks like your throw the sponge ball into your other hand, extremely visual. I really like this vanish due to how good it looks, one of my favorites.
- Retention vanish
This is one of Jay's favorite vanishes because the spectators eyes will actually see the sponge ball in your hand even when it's not even there, if you do it right. I like this vanish due to why Jay likes it, it looks as if you place it in your hand and leave it there, so it looks great and natural.
- Take vanish
This vanish is not one I see myself doing, it looks good, but it just doesn't look natural enough in my opinion, but it can look good and natural with some good ol' misdirection which Jay goes over later but not one of my favorites.
- French drop
This is another one I love, it looks extremely natural, and if you know coin magic I'm sure you'd find this one extremely easy. That's all I have to say about it really.
- 2 Hand vanish
This is a cleanup of the french drop basically, it leaves you clean to show both hands which is a great add-on to the vanish.
- Misdirection
This is where Jay goes over a few different ways of misdirection which will make your sponge magic magical. He goes over various things from eye movement, facial expressions and how the speak/word things. I really like that he put this section in, the tips he gives will help you alot when you are actually performing.
- Push out production
This is a production which uses the finger palm, it's extremely easy to do and is a nice little production, wont take you too long to get natural with it. He also talks about how he approaches someone and uses the production ect...
I think this is a great way of producing a sponge ball, you can produce it our of their ear aswell with this production *YAY*.
- Pinch production (by Garry Darwin)
This is a very visual production, it looks like the sponge expands in your fingers from nowhere, it uses the natural properties of the sponge aswell, it just looks amazing. This is probably my favourite production, like most things on this dvd it's fairly easy to learn.
- Stage production
This reminded me of one of the productions in Thunderbird by Lee Asher, it is a pretty cool production but I doubt I'll be using it, I think some of the other productions are more powerful.
- Pocket steals
These are ways of stealing sponge balls from your pocket, it's very helpful in alot of routines what you'll learn later on. I like the pocket steals
He goes over different ways of stealing them, such as doing a vanish and then loading ect...BTW he goes over steals from shirts and so on, not just pockets.
- Standard load
This is the standard way of loading two sponge balls into one hand whilst only showing one sponge ball, it uses the shuttle pass and is a very good load.
- Bold load
This is a very good load where the retention vanish plays a big part, it is a very good way to put 2 sponge balls into one hand, I love it put simply.
- The shuttle pass
This is a way of showing a sponge in one hand, transfer it to the other and show it, without actually transferring it. I like this as the spectator has no reason to think you've still got the sponge ball in your other hand.
- Sawing in half
This is a good way to show 2 sponge balls which involves a load and a shuttle pass, it looks very good and looks like you actually saw(ed?) a sponge ball in half, I personally prefer the rip split.
- Rip split
This is my favorite way of producing a second sponge ball, its very visually and looks like you rip the sponge ball into two sponge balls, it even sounds like you ripped it. I really like it.
- Optical split
I'm not a huge fan of this split, it's very good if you want to show 2 sponge balls fast, but I personally think the other two splits are better. It basically looks like you two appear from one, don't get it confused with the rip split, it doesn't look like a rip.
- 2 in the hand, one in the pocket routine
My favorite routine, it looks so great. Basically you put two in your hand and one goes into your pocket, then the three reappear in your hand, you do this again, then again but they end up all vanishing, it just looks superb, top notch.
- The 10 count
This is a nice little routine which involves you with the spectator, it looks very visual and basically happens in their hand. The reason I like this is because it's like you explain how it works but it ends up confusing them even more.
- Full length routine
This is the routine Jay uses and finds best for him, it's a full routine of vanishes, productions and a 10count, it's a very good routine to use but I've created my own routine which is more my style.
BONUS:
One of the bonus' is you go to Garry Darwin's house and he shows you some cool moves using the retention vanish and some other things, he goes through the moves with you after showing you them, I really like the stuff he teaches, I'll let you see for yourself if you decide to get the dvd. He also goes through other things than Sponges, like the card back palm for example.
He also does some other performances in the bonus effects which are great to watch.
OVERALL:
Overall I think this way a great buy for me and a great introduction into Sponge Magic, it basically takes you from beginner to pro if you put the time into it. I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to learn Sponge Magic.
