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Down arrow Up arrow Pasteboard Devices — and the beguiling finesses within compositions of legerdemain.

The lesson and notes reveal and instruct two special card sleights. Participants have the opportunity to witness Armando executing these sleights within original compositions of legerdemain. A few routines are shared. The routines are structured with artistic and theatrical considerations. The emphasis is on theory, application, and performance.

Prerequisites:

At least three years experience in the use of advance card sleights is recommended.

Down arrow Up arrow Capacity:

Attendance is limited to 7 people.

Enrollment:

3 steps to enroll; register, receive invitation, then confirm your reservation with a payment.

Duration:

2-days; 11AM to 4PM with a one hour lunch break in between, so 5 hours per day.

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Payment Method:

PayPal, Google Checkout, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or cash. An invoice is delivered by email after approval.

Down arrow Up arrow Non-disclosure license agreement:

An agreement will be emailed to you after your enrollment; Secrecy and Protection.

You will receive:

• Notes on the two sleights taught within the card workshop.
• Notes on the Empanada routine.
• Several routines will also be given at the workshop.
• Access to movie clips as Quicktime files; performance only.

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• Playing cards; two different colored packs with white borders.
• A close-up pad. Most popular close-up pads on the market are fine. Ideally it should have a good soft surface with some rebound action.

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About the Empanada

For the first time, Armando will be sharing his think-of-any-card effect, the Empanada. Below, is an excerpt from the notes written by the excellent Paul Vigil.

The eye bewraieth the thought.
Reginald Scot
The Discoverie of Witchcraft (1584)

Tricks dependent on thought foretold
or divined
are unquestionably the most striking
in the whole range of conjuring.
In truth, how is it possible to explain
(unless indeed you know the secret)
how anyone can know
what you have chosen to think of,
or even what
you are going to think presently?
Robert-Houdin
Les Secrets de la Prestidigitation
et de la Magie (1868)

There is probably no doubt
in the mind of any performing magician
that think-of-a-card effects are
among the strongest things one can do
with playing cards.
Roberto Giobbi
Card College, Volume 5 (2003)

Being among the oldest of recorded effects, the revelation of a thought-of card can be found as far back as the sixteenth century, in such works as Giochi di carte bellissimi di reola, e di memoria (Galasso, 1593). Other approaches to this plot can be found in many classic texts including Greater Magic (Hilliard, 1938, “The Three of Clubs,” pp. 327-29) and Dai Vernon’s More Inner Secrets of Card Magic (Ganson, 1960, “Out of Sight–Out of Mind,” pp. 14-15). The routine you are now reading is essentially Armando’s handling of “The Three of Clubs,” an effect attributed to Ralph W. Hull (1).

In this coup de grâce of card pieces, the thinking behind the effect has been brought up to date, both methodologically and theatrically. What Armando has done is to add the progressive sandwich plot (2) to “The Three of Clubs,” allowing the switches used to be subtler, thereby making the effect even stronger and harder to reconstruct. 

The effect unfolds slowly, building tension along the way, until it reaches its unbelievable climax. A showpiece of Armando’s professional act for many years, it has been honed through hundreds of performances and will be taught exactly as he performs it. 

This routine has been one of Armando’s best-kept secrets. In fact, as far as I know, he has taught it to only one person – me. Believe me when I tell you that I hesitated to write any of it down. I have personally seen him fry the best of the best with this one. I have also seen the sad faces of those magicians who have asked how it was done, only to be cast an impish and innocent smile that only Armando can give. Many have been willing to trade anything and everything they had for this one effect, yet he has always resisted. While he never hesitates to talk about effect, he hardly ever wishes to talk about method.

Armando has finally decided to share this routine with those of you who have chosen to participate in his exclusive workshop with the hope that you will give it the attention it deserves. I believe that after you have performed it, and experienced its power firsthand, you too will jealously guard the secret. 

Up arrow Up to top arrow EFFECT

The performer sets aside the two Jokers and asks a spectator to think of any one of the remaining fifty-two cards. Placing the Jokers face up at the top and bottom of the deck, the performer causes them to magically melt through the deck so that they slowly come together. They continue to do so until they trap a single card: the thought-of selection.

Amazingly, the Jokers locate the selection before the spectator reveals his thought-of card. All of this transpires with such economy of motion that no chicanery is suspected.

The Empanada
an effect by Armando Lucero
routined & written by Paul Vigil

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Down arrow Up arrow Coin Menagerie — and the art of perceptual manipulation. This is Armando's coin workshop.

The Coin Menagerie is considered to be Armando's quintessential work in magic. This workshop will reveal all of its techniques. The secrets are only part of the teaching; what is most important is the philosophy behind the magic. The objective is to gain insight into theory and composition, with Coin Menagerie as its most formidable model.

The Coin Menagerie, like a Sonata, is separated into 5 phases; Introduction, Exposition, Development, Recapitulation, and Coda. This is a highly intensive 5-day, 4-hour per day workshop for the serious student. Attendance is limited to five people.

Prerequisites:

One should be prepared with advance knowledge of magic and sleight of hand. At least five years experience as a serious amateur or professional is recommended.

Down arrow Up arrow Capacity:

Attendance is limited to 5 people.

Enrollment:

3 steps to enroll; register, receive invitation, then confirm your reservation with a payment.

Duration:

5-days; 11AM to 4PM with a one hour lunch break in between, so 5 hours per day.

Down arrow Up arrow Price:

$3500.00 per person. A 25% deposit will insure a place with the remainder due on or before the workshop date. Admitance is judged on a first come first served basis. A 100% money back guarantee is included.

Payment Method:

PayPal, Google Checkout, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or cash. An invoice is delivered by email after approval.

Down arrow Up arrow Non-disclosure license agreement:

An agreement will be emailed to you after your enrollment; Secrecy and Protection.

You will receive:

• Notes on the Coin Menagerie.
• Access to movie clips as Quicktime files; performance only.

Down arrow Up arrow Things to bring:

• Playing cards.
• Bring four half US dollars of any kind (liberties are very nice). Also, bring four smaller coins (like US quarters) to begin with.
• A close-up pad. Most popular close-up pads on the market are acceptable. Ideally it should have a good soft surface and at least a quarter inch of padding with some rebound action. Armando uses a large 20 inch by 30 inch pad for optimum results when performing Coin Menagerie

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VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS
Internet Multipoint Video Conferencing

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PASTEBOARD STUDIES ONLINE
See, talk, and interact with others simultaneously

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FREEDOM
Study from anywhere in the world.

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TOOLS
Use webcam, audio, & fast internet connection