I just got back from several days at Martini’s “Funarama”. It is an eclectic gathering aimed at family show performers. Balloon twisters, face painters, clowns, and yes, magicians attend. The focus is more on magic but there is a little for everyone there.

OK, OK, why am I posting this here? The reason is simple. I watched a young lady (girl really) perform the “Challenge Rope Tie” in the hallway of the convention! She really worked the gathered crowd (she pulled a heck of a crowd at that, pulling many away from the dealers and an ongoing lecture). It was more or less an impromptu performance coming on the heels of an informal discussion of rope escapes.

She simply bought a hank of rope right off the table from one of the dealers and went to it. It was 50-feet of rather thin (I’d say ¼ inch), neon (turquoise) colored cotton rope.

She got a couple of the magicians present to do the tying. Her banter and crowd control kept us laughing and standing watching the process. Her technique was flawless. Heck, I know that was burning her performance like a hawk! I also know that no one there caught her when she was doing the little "somethings" that help the escape happen (I actually asked many of the spectators during and following the performance).

I timed the whole thing. It was a little over eight minutes to tie her up (a lot of reversals and knots, one guy knew what he was doing and frankly I was a bit worried).

Her control of the guys tying her up was very good. One went to wrap the rope around her neck and she stopped him, reminded him of the rule (no rope around the neck) and directed him to tie elsewhere. This mid-forty year old man took the direction and did what he was told! It was beautiful to watch.

An example of her banter is when the guys were finished, she wiggled, a bit, smiled sweetly at them and said “Is that it? That’s the best you can do?” Then she started her struggle to escape. She made it look difficult and as if she was in pain in a couple of places yet was out in just over 35 seconds! Tossing up her hands and saying a big “Thank you” to the spectators and her volunteer helpers.

Now the big deal here is that this young lady is a mere 16-year old! She has a wonderful, cocky demeanor, great poise (and posture!), and a beautiful smile. She is not all that tall (5’3” or less) and has a nice figure and strong looking body (almost athletic build). Her eyes and smile win you!

She has just become interested in escapes and the 50-foot rope escape act is her signature piece. She knows a couple of other short rope ties, including a thumb tie routine (work in progress she tells me), a chair tie (variation of the Billy Bishop, sitting leg and wrist tie. She does the leg and wrist then bends over and is tied to her wrists around her neck.

Actually, she has the start of a nice act featuring ropes. She is working on a couple of other escapes including a pipe pillory (she is in the process of building it herself!), wooden wrist stocks (also being made by her) and a regulation (ungimmicked) straight jacket. She also has plans to add a “Bohemian Torture Board” and maybe a “Tom Horn Belt”.

For now, performs a bit on the street and as a segment in a larger magic show (in which she assists the magician). She is pretty focused on building her skills and her act.

I enjoyed meeting and talking to her at length (we were the only two EA’s at the convention so tended to hang out and talk shop a bit). I only hope that she stays interested. She is an honors student in high school with aspirations of attending University and medical school. Brains!!!!

She has to be one of the youngest, and maybe the shortest, escape artists around! Clearly she is the youngest female escape artists I know of. Listen for her name “Douce” (pronounced “Duce”) a little French-American girl! I strongly believe that she has what it takes!


P.S. There were a number of teen-age boys in attendance. Most were the Baline-abe types doing card work (one actually has an illusion show at a small casino in New Jersey). They all watched this young woman work. Every one then rushed to the dealer and bought rope! Several of the older magicians also bought rope. The dealer told me the next day that her little impromptu rope tie act helped him sell out of his colored rope. He tried to talk one kid into buying a hank of plain white magician’s rope but the kid said that he wouldn’t because “she was using colored rope!” It was important to have what she was using (as if the color made any difference!! LOL!!!)

Interesting, Yes?

Harry,
We can only hope that she sticks with it. Teens have a way of being interested for a season and then moving on to other things. I knew a girl, teen, who was one of the most amazing close-up magicians I'd ever seen. She arrested peoples attention when she performed, but today she has nothing to do with magic. I've seen them come and go sadly. But alas, I was a teen and stuck with it. And I'm sure many EAs on this board kept the interest throughout their teens. The youth are the future of our art, the best we can do is encourage and help them along the way. I have to laugh at how all the rope was bought up at the convention, lol, magicians, sheesh.

One of my coworkers found out I was a magician and showed me a card trick he had just learned. I asked for his deck (after telling he did a great trick), and showed him a few card tricks I haven't done since the arthritis hit. Well, blew him away, and for a guy who admitted that he hates reading he is now buying every magic book he can get his hands on and showing me each new trick he just finished learning. I am hoping that his youthful enthusiasm will keep him reading as that alone is vital, but he picked a good hobby and once he gets his english downpat he might even be able to perform for the public. I am waiting for him to try an escape too!

May they all learn the difference between knowing tricks, and doing a good performance!

Yes harry, I remember that... I believe that was the night where we stayed up and got oh... maybe 2 hours of sleep or so... Lol... I didn't actually get to see that. I actually never saw any escape stuff going on at all.. .i was at The mentalism lecture... haha.. I heard she was amazing though.

Hey John, when did you get to go sleep? I don't remember anyone getting to bed the entire convention! I know that I did two all nighters in a row! No sleep at all. Thank goodness for caffeine! I am only thankful that my old and trusty car knew the way home cause my brain didn’t!

You are spot on Harley; it is all about the performance and being entertaining. You know sometimes I think I miss the boat on that one. I work at it but I miss sometimes.

Thorndike I can clearly empathize with you on the arthritis thing! I can remember doing card fans, multiplying balls, and a very good misers dream. Now 30 years later my old hands just don’t work the same.

Interestingly I spent some time with Joe Mogar (thimble man and knife builder par excellence) I spent an hour or two with him showing me thimble move after thimble move after color changing knife routine etc. etc. His hands are as flexible as they were when he was 20 and he’s mid 70’s now. He claims that it is because he works with his hands for hours each day! I guess it is the old “if you don’t use it, you lose it” syndrome.