The world-renowned College of Magic, Cape Town’s only magical arts organisation, welcomed a record number of 64 new students to its introductory Course One and Course Magic and Showmanship classes at its incredible Victorian manor base on Saturday 3 February 2018!

Bright-eyed youngsters from all over the Mother City, keen to start their enchanting magical education, were treated to a special assembly with David Gore, the College of Magic’s founder and director, and a whirlwind tour of the organisation’s mysterious building which is home to Africa’s largest magical museum, the continent’s premier magic shop and the wondrous Imagination Centre where the College’s popular festivals and events are held.

With the strike of the College of Magic’s enchanting gong to signal the start of lessons, it was time for the new recruits’ very first magic lesson. In their inaugural peek behind the wizard’s curtain, the new students learnt an introductory magical effect, received their first wands and joined in a recital of the Magician’s Code - a promise to never ‘spoil the wonder’ by revealing the secrets of magic to the public.

In 2018, the College of Magic, the only organisation of its kind in the world, celebrates 38 years of  teaching the theatrical performing art of magic and its allied arts as well as vital life-skills to children.The organisation is thrilled with the fantastic sign-up for the first day of lessons:

“It’s been incredible to see how eager Cape Town’s youngsters are to learn the art of magic! In nearly 40 years, this is one of the largest intakes we’ve been privileged to have and we are excited to lead our new students on this educational journey of wonder!”, says Gore.

Registration for the second intake of Course One for the year will open in July 2018. For more information about the College of Magic, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com or call +27(0)21 683 5480.

First year township magic student makes community proud

Eleven-year-old Anathi Fodo, Gugulethu’s rising young juggling star held parents, students and guests at the College of Magic’s 2017 Annual Graduation ceremony at St Anne’s Primary in Plumstead in thrall with his gravity-defying act on Saturday 25 November 2017.

Now in its 37th year, the College of Magic is the only organisation of its kind in the world and offers a six year on campus diploma that covers all aspects of the magic theatrical performing arts.Each year, the College of Magic, based in Claremont, honours its exemplary students at two graduation ceremonies, one for the junior and one for the senior students.A highlight of these ceremonies is a performance by its most accomplished students in magic and its allied arts, including juggling.

When Fodo enrolled for his first year of magical studies at the College of Magic in January 2017, it was quickly apparent that he had an innate ability for juggling. Over the past year, that extraordinary natural talent, sparked by Sinethemba Bawuti and further nurtured by Michael Barta, the College’s juggling instructor of more than 20 years, has seen this shy but mischievous youth grow from strength to strength.

The impressive Fodo, who can now balance as many as three balls and clubs for long stretches of time, has participated in some of the College’s mega magical events including his amazing juggling and impressive clowning feats the Imagine! Family Magic Spectacular at the Artscape Theatre in June and, together with juggling partner Ayabonga Tshofuti, was awarded the Colin Marshall Memorial Trophy for their clowning and juggling in the Imagine! show.

The youngster was exhilarated after performing and wowing the crowd alongside his fellow jugglers on stage at the junior graduation ceremony:

“Juggling is a difficult performance method to learn but when I am out there, balancing my props in the air, it makes me so happy. I spend most of my time practicing and it is wonderful to be recognised for how hard I work at this art.”

In 2018, the College of Magic will welcome a new generation of would-be magicians. When asked what his advice to new magical recruits hoping to follow in his wondrous juggling and magical footsteps would be, Fodo replied:

“Study magic and its allied arts because you love it and pay close attention to everything you are taught in class. The College of Magic is a wonderful place to learn all of these amazing things.”

In addition to the Junior Graduation, the College of Magic hosted a senior ceremony for its older students who are progressing to the next captivating level of their wizardry training and the 2017 Course Six graduating class.

Learn the art of magic at the College of Magic in 2018!

Registration for the College of Magic’s entry level Course One for budding magicians is now open. Course One will commence on Saturday 3 February 2018 and fees are R520 per month or R2 850 for the entire course (Includes lessons, notes, magical equipment and allied arts such as puppetry, juggling and mime and clowning sessions).

For more information, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com or call +27(0)21 683 5480.

First two shows sold out in record time, third performance tickets vanishing fast!

For Immediate Release

In a feat more magical than pulling a rabbit out of a top hat, the College of Magic’s must-see winter extravaganza, the Imagine! Family Magic Spectacular‘s first two shows have sold out in record time. Now, due to overwhelming popular demand, a third amazing performance will be staged at the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town on Saturday 3 June, 2017 at 5pm!

Cape Town’s magic fanatics have been clamouring to get their hands on tickets for the family friendly Imagine! Spectacular, South Africa’s biggest magic show. With a cast of more than 50 - top children’s entertainers, illusionists, jugglers, mimes and more on stage and special guest magicienne Lee Cohen from Australia as her Fairy Lee persona dazzling audiences before and after the show, the Imagine! Spectacular is a fantastical event of incredible illusions and dazzling magic not-to-be-missed!

The College of Magic, now in its 37th year of teaching the art of magic and its allied arts, as well as vital life-skills, to children and adults, regularly hosts mega magical events.

A non-profit organisation, and the only one of its kind in the world, the College is astounded at the public’s hunger for the wonder of magic at its Imagine! Spectacular:

“We’ve never seen anything like it in the magical community in Cape Town! To have one year of sold out shows as we did for the Imagine!,Spectacular in 2016 was amazing but a second year running is just unbelievable. We look forward to dazzling families at not just one, but three amazing shows at the Artscape Theatre this June where the impossible is made possible”, says David Gore, director of the College of Magic.

Pick a seat, any seat, and book your Imagine! Family Magic Spectacular tickets TODAY at Computicket. Tickets are available from R160 with discounts for family bookings.

Proceeds from the show will be used in aid of the organisation’s Umlingo Outreach initiative which provides holistic life skills to young people in need.  

For more information about the College of Magic and the Imagine! Family Magic Spectacular, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com, call +27(0)21 683 5480 or follow the College on Facebook – www.facebook.com/collegeofmagic.

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Issued by Fazielah Williams on behalf of the College of Magic (Interviews available on request)
Contact: 0839296999
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