Teaching the ancient art of magic

COURTESY PHOTO Terry "The Trickster" Harris. Terry Harris knows how to capture a child's attention and imagination without the use of video games or high-tech wizardry.

One could call it magic.

Mr. Harris does. After all, he is Terry "The Trickster" Harris, a member of the Society of American Magicians (founded by Harry Houdini in 1906).

Although Mr. Harris has been a practicing magician since his first paid show — at the age of 10 — pulling rabbits out of hats or making people disappear is not the magic he loves best.

He considers his greatest performance teaching children how to perform magic tricks.

For the past three years, Mr. Harris, with the assistance of another magician — Peter Washburn of Cape Coral — has been running the Society of Young Magicians in Fort Myers. He started the chapter to give youngsters ages 7 to 17 a way to learn the art of magic. The long-established Society of American Magicians does not allow anyone under 18.

So every third Saturday of the month from 10:30 a.m. to noon, children have the opportunity to meet at the McGregor Reserve Clubhouse, off Summerlin Road, and learn magic tricks and the ways of illusion. There are 21 members of the Society of Young Magicians.

The next meeting is Saturday, Feb. 28.

"We start kids with easy tricks," Mr. Harris said.

And for a $1 a meeting, the costs are not too steep for most children. Parents are also welcome to go with their children.

Though Mr. Harris welcomes children to the magic fold, he wants them to be serious about the art.

"You must want to learn," he said.

Card tricks, moves and rope tricks are some of the techniques children learn at the monthly meetings. But the real hocus pocus seems to be in the young members themselves. Some do so well in the lessons that they participate in shows of their own.

Nikki McBride, 9, is one of the organization's star magicians. She has been attending the program since its beginning, said mom Jennifer McBride. The pint-sized magician won Magician of the Year within the organization.

"She performs at every show," Mr. Harris said.

Nikki bubbles over with pride as she describes performing on stage. "I feel like I did something great," she said.

Creating illusions and a sense of wonder seems to build confidence in the young tricksters.

"We have seen kids come out of their shells," Mr. Harris said. "The magic is just a vehicle."

Mrs. McBride sees the results every day. She recalled how Nikki put on a magic show two years ago at her school, Tanglewood Elementary.

"It especially helps her self-confidence," Mrs.McBride said.

Learning magic isn't just for those looking for a career. Less than 10 percent of all magicians make it a full-time profession. Though David Copperfield, the globally known magician, racks in $65 million a year, most magicians perform at parties and functions. There are about 65,000 members in the International Brotherhood of Magicians, Mr. Harris said.

But for most children, magic is just a way to dabble in an age-old, secret tradition.

"My favorite thing about magic is all the tricks," Nikki said.