FARGO – Thad Ellsworth caught the magic “bug” in 1983, when his third-grade teacher gave the class a reading assignment on Harry Houdini.

The Bismarck native asked his mom for a magic set that Christmas, and a family friend connected him with Bill Sorenson, a former Bismarck mayor and performing magician who let Ellsworth help backstage and master his first tricks.

More than 30 years later, Ellsworth remains just as hooked on the art of illusion – and he’s found a way to turn his assortment of tricks, props and a white rabbit assistant named Hooper into a learning experience for the children in his audience.

“If you are able to use magic to teach them a principle or something, they’re more likely to remember,” he said…. (By Ryan Johnson for Inforum)

Read more http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/431132/group/homepage/