Hey guys,

I'm thinking about expanding my sponges. Right now I run about 10 minutes with them, and I would like to get my routine around 15. I'm thinking about getting the Eclipse from Jay Scott Berry's web site, but I'm concerned about whether or not this is going to work close up.

I'm mostly entertaining small parties, and the spectators will be right up on me. Are they going to be able to see the eclipse T?

I thought about going with the Sanada, but I know that a TT is extremely versatile, and I want to start with something that's well adopted.

Please let me know how much distance I need between me and the spectator to make this work, 4 feet maybe?

Thanks,
D

If you keep your hands moving you should be ok. More visible than a thumbtip in my opinion and your hand is in a position where you should be holding something if you're idle.

10 minutes is a long time. 15 is a real long time. especially entertaining at small parties.

Why is your goal 15 minutes?
That seems like a strange goal to me.

A goal might be to create an awesome sponge trick and perhaps the result of that means cutting out the fat and getting it down to 4 minutes.

Consider whether that should really be your goal before you spend money on yet another prop. If that goal really is appropriate I'd be glad to sell you one.

Otherwise save your money.

I want about a 30 minute routine that is both kid friendly but still entertaining for adults. The sponge balls are my number one act, and I use them in much the same way that someone would use cups and balls. I know that you can brow beat your audience with a single effect, but so far the responses that I've had with this are extremely positive. I'm just trying to put icing on the cake.

I have to be honest, I've not actually timed my current sponge routine, it may be more like 7 or 8 minutes. I just know that I want to expand it with some nice vanishes that can lead into a silk routine.

Your other statement confuses me a bit though, because the eclipse is a TT...

Thanks,
D

Eclipse. Oops. I was thinking of the Sanada thingy he uses. Vortex??, I think he calls it. Sorry. I was mixing up the name. Since we are talking about the TT thingy, it's the same as a TT. Easily usable at 4ft.

Thanks Frank. Yeah, I saw a picture of the Sanada-ish device fs2 and it steered me far away. Maybe it was just a bad picture, but it looked terrible... I won't go into the nasty details because I don't want to expose anything about it. But I know it won't work for me.

Plus, I've just been reading some of the neat impromptu routines you can do with a TT; sugar into a sugar cube, etc.

You should also look at the work Dean Dill does with the TT and sponge balls in his Intimate Miracles video/book. Very magical stuff. The TT is modified but I won't say how. If you can get a copy of the video you'll see how magical it is.

Dean also has something called SpotLight which is quite nice.

Hello Perry.
I use the Eclipse, and it works at the same, close distance as a TT

Hawkan
:wavey:

Yes the Eclipse uses another gimmick. The FS/2 can be used for sponge things and is very useful in this context.

Just a thought, There is a DVD by Carl Andrews "Table Hoping Cups and Balls." he uses two cups and finishes with a spongeball routine. This may expand and blend nicely into your show. The Sanada gimmick isn't that bad. I've used it with good success. It takes practice to make it natural, but it pays off.