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Magicians labor in shadow of big names, but they’re tenacious..

Magicians labor in shadow of big names, but they’re tenacious..

By Mike Weatherford for the Las Vegas Review-Journal

“Welcome to my new stage,” Jan Rouven says. Then, as he steps down from it to a folding chair that serves as the halfway point to the floor, “It’s not a step, it’s a leap.”

Nice one. But it’s not even the best metaphor of the conversation.

I’ve come to talk to Rouven about his step/leap to the Tropicana. The new show opens Friday at a relaunched property with promise so far unfulfilled. It also puts him on the same intersection with David Copperfield and Criss Angel, two more famous magicians with bigger marketing budgets.

To make things even more interesting, Rouven’s old room at the Rivera has been taken over by Dirk Arthur, who opens there Dec. 1. Arthur is calling his show “Wild Illusions,” while Rouven’s is still called “Illusions.”

Arthur is “a clever marketing guy, obviously,” Rouven says.

“Don’t be nice,” chastises his manager and show producer, Frank Alfter. Then he adds, “Everything is good, but they could have avoided this one. It’s confusing for the customer.”

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Whether in magic or business, relevancy, communication count, David Copperfield says

Whether in magic or business, relevancy, communication count, David Copperfield says

By Ed Komenda for VegasInc..

What do a young entrepreneur and an illusionist have in common?

Ask David Copperfield, the world-renowned master of illusion, and he’ll tell you the jobs are very much the same: from a demand to push limits to selling a brand to being brave in the face of adversity.

That seemed to be the takeaway of his question-and-answer session at Tech Cocktail’s 2014 Celebrate Conference, where Copperfield sat down with Ben Par, co-founder of the venture capital firm DominateFund, and chatted about his career as an illusionist and entrepreneur in front of a crowd of up-and-coming startup leaders.

Here’s a look at the highlights of Copperfield’s appearance, edited for length and clarity:

On what separates him from other illusionists

I really fought to do what you’re doing with all your businesses: to be relevant and communicate something more. I’ve searched for ways to touch people….

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David Copperfield uses magic to heal..

David Copperfield uses magic to heal..

By Mike Walter for CCTV America

This week, Full Frame’s host, Mike Walters, visited the home of world-famous illusionist, David Copperfield, to talk about his career as a performer and the success of Project Magic.Copperfield has made his name performing some of the most daring illusions—making the Statue of Liberty disappear, walking through the Great Wall of China, and even flying in a packed theatre.  He has been named the most commercially successful magician in history. His elaborate stage shows and dazzling television specials have grossed over four $4 billion—more than any solo entertainer in history.

While challenging our understanding of the impossible, Copperfield has also challenged the status quo through the work of his foundation, Project Magic. Over 30 years ago, Copperfield recognized a similarity between his magic tricks and the exercises used in physical therapy.  His magic tricks had helped him develop his coordination, communication, concentration, and dexterity—all similar goals of physical therapy..

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Longtime assistant to magician David Copperfield dies at 61..

Longtime assistant to magician David Copperfield dies at 61..

Thanks to Ed Koch and the Las Vegas Sun for this article. Certainly, this is not the type of news we look forward to reporting. Our prayers go out to her friends and family. 

Joanie Spina, longtime assistant to magician David Copperfield, died Sunday at a Houston hospital while awaiting lung and liver transplants. She was 61.

Spina, a Las Vegas resident who also coached young magicians and was an aspiring filmmaker, suffered from pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease. She also had been treated for cancer.

She left Las Vegas this year for Houston for the planned replacement surgeries.

A fundraiser to defray Spina’s mounting medical costs was held in Las Vegas in September and attracted a number of luminaries from the magic community, including Lance Burton.

Since 2009, Spina had penned the Directions column for Las Vegas-based Magic magazine. She gave tips to aspiring magicians on stage presentation and technique to help them fine-tune their acts…

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