talkmagic.co.uk

All,

I am going to volunteer to support the local Special Olympic where the game is attended by athletes with intelectual disabilities.

Although the volunteering activity is more on supporting the athletes in doing their daily needs etc and it has nothing to do with magic, but i am thinking of giving them this magical experience whenever I have the chance.

However due to the level of understanding things they have could differs from one to another, i am trying to classify on what kind of trick could be understood and work for most of them.

Mind Reading, card tricks or some routines that take effort for the participants to memorize is definitely not on my list.
I am thiking of the following :

1. Sponge Ball routine.
2. Sleight with Coins ( Matrix , One coin routine etc ), or whatever small object i can find around that area
3. Rubber bands ( torn and restore rubber band, crazyman handcuffed etc )
4. D-Lite
5. Whatever visual

I am avoiding using expensive gimmick as they might grab/steal or don't want to return it anymore. :-p

Any advice would be appreciated, either on the tricks or how to behave/act with these people from the magic's perspective

Thanks.

DJ

Some years ago I was involved at a dinner party in Dublin with participants from the Olympics for mentally disabled. It was a very memorable experience. There were quite a range of intellectual ability, My guess is that they will receive the magic with great enthusiasm. I would do similar magic as if I was entertaining 10-12 yr. olds.

Many of these people are very sensitive so its obviously important not to come across as being very clever demonstrating how stupid they are etc...
Exactly the same problem as with "ordinary" spectators. I think the most important is to be a bit funny and involve the spectators. You have something to look forward to - they are really lovely people. I remember some of the Mongols one the basketball team were VERY emotional winning medals in the competition.

I have done charity work at a care facility and the visual effects are the best. I did sponges, chop cup, chinese wands, coins across, coin matrix, card warp, professor's nightmare, etc. One of the residents then did a wonderful change bag routine using a spotted silk.

Big, visual, and funny goes down well. Good luck!

thank you very much guys, i am feeling more excited now after reading your replies. This would be definitely be a memorable experience for me from both life's and magic's perspective.

kewl ! i will let you know how it went.

Visual is the key here. Colour changing Hank, change bag routines. And you should be excited because that is what is really going to come across. You are going to have a lot of fun.

Soren Riis wrote: I remember some of the Mongols one the basketball team were VERY emotional winning medals in the competition.

I hope you didn't refer to them as 'mongols'!