Conjuring is using photons or other LED type lights that can be turned on and off quickly to dance. Conjuring differs from other photon or light dances as it focuses on using the on and off to create illusions of different types that can't be done with a glowstick or less flexible light source.

The Art of Conjuring VERSION: 0.9 FAQ
-phillip huang - aka ginseng
written on behalf of www.glowsticking.com
internet community for light related dance forms

1. The Basics
1A) What is Conjuring?
1B) Is there anything I should know about this FAQ?
1C) So, how do I start?


2. Misleading the Audience/Technique
2A) Is there any way I should hold my Photon?
2B) What is direction?
2C) If not direction, what else?
2D) Do you have any advice on timing?
2E) What about speed?
2F) What are gloves for?

3. Advanced Conjuring
3A) How can my conjuring be furthered?
3B) The Conjuring in Conjuring?


4. Originality

4A) How can I make myself unique from other conjurers?
4B) Could you throw me some inspiration?

The Conjuring in Conjuring

. Final Comments
AA) Isn't there more?
BB) Where can I reach you!?
CC) How long have you been conjuring?
DD) Why don't you learn to spell before making an internet publication!?




1A) What is Conjuring?

Conjuring is using photons or other LED type lights that can be turned on and off quickly to dance. Conjuring differs from other photon or light dances as it focuses on using the on and off to create illusions of different types that can't be done with a glowstick or less flexible light source.

1B) Is there anything I should know about this FAQ?

I will refer to the lights used as photons. You might be using rav'n lights or some radioactive handheld nuclear generator strapped to a firefly, but I am lazy. It's like writing he/she instead of he when referring to the president.

1C) So, How do I start?

Turn your photon on, pass it to your other hand. Stand in front of a mirror for this. Does it look smooth? Congratulations, your first photon passing trick has been learned! Experiment- process! It is all based off of this simple motion of what feels natural to you. From here the world is yours...

2A) Is there any way I should hold my Photon?


Holding your photon is important. A very popular way to use photons aside from holding them between your thumb and finger is putting them inside the fingertips of a glove. This makes it easier to isolate different colors if you are using more than one, and create a strobe effect between several different photons. This method will slightly dim the photon light, and prevent direction.

2B) What is direction?

Direction is a term I made up. Yes me, Phillip Huang AKA Ginseng.

Think of your photon as a directional flashlight, rather than just a light bulb. In a dark room, pointing your photon at a wall will light up a circle, not your entire surrounding. When not using gloves, you are able to utilize direction in your conjuring.

A rather popular move is what I will call the the circular arm pass- you move the light from one palm- up your arm, over your chest, and trace down your other arm, making a complete circle. By using direction, this move becomes completely different- if you keep the light focused on your body, it isn't the same as seeing a will-o-wisp flying around you. The light is no longer in your hand- its on your body.

2C) If not direction.. What else?

Usually, you will be using direction. Holding the photon towards a certain direction is not your choice- it's simply built that way. However, you can PREVENT direction by masking the tip with your finger. It will shine through if you have reasonably sized fingers, and will still be seen from every direction- though not at its full intensity as it would when using direction.

A good use of masking is when pulling a photon out of your mouth or another pit-like body structure, mask the photon after you've used direction to show the "source" of the light. When you bring the photon in "free" space, you might think of it as a firefly or a flashlight, masking is up to you.


2D) Do you have any advice on timing?

When passing the photon, DON'T think of the light as an object. In fact, your photon may travel up to a million times faster than a ball you're passing back and forth. Even when tossing the photon up and catching it again- you may not want such a "realistic" approach on your photoning. If people wanted to watch you pass a glowing ball around, THEY WOULD GIVE YOU A GLOWING BALL TO PASS AROUND.

Timing links heavily into misleading the audience. Just know that when conjuring, remember you're making something look unreal- not real. Everyone knows that you have pretty lights that cost you 8 bucks each, but do they know that you can give an old man a heart attack with them?

Experiment with everything to see what kind of effects you want to produce. Try passing the photon instantly- and then try passing it with a full second break between lights. This breaks up one basic move into two completely different appearences- it's not a simple move-by-move process now is it? When using the pendulum, bring one arm down to the base, and then stop for a second. Instead of putting the other light on, use the same arm and put the light back on, as if electricity in your arms get locked up and couldn't find a path- then continue on with the move as you would regularly.

2E) What about speed?

Let's take the simple ball toss as an example. This move is performed by holding the trigger on your photon, and releasing it after raising your hand as if throwing something upwards, and catching it with the other hand. Now try this with your arm travelling in slow motion on the way up- as if you're pushing through a thick liquid... like... fresh cement in the mixer. Let the ball go, and watch it travel through the air still moving at the same speed. Then on the catch- suddenly have the other light in hand bolt away as if all the stored energy was released from the original slowdown.

Can you see the importance of speed now?

2F) What are gloves for?

Gloves let you use multiple photons, and create color switching effects, or do advanced moves with multiple photons with more ease.


Advanced Conjuring

3A) How can my conjuring be furthered?

There is no catching and tossing in conjuring, and there is very little improvement to be made in "clean" motion, unless working with a very specific few techniques, in which angles become important. The coordination stringers require at higher levels is not required either, unless you are using multiple photons in each hand. Besides utilizing different combinations of moves, all you can really do is keep adding techniques to your library.

If you feel you have mastered simple conjuring, move on to more photons...

3B) The Conjuring in Conjuring?

Here's a reminder for those of you taking a step up, or think you've got it all down. Conjuring is different from freehanding, different from stringing, and different from doing loads of figure 8s with photons. The concept of it all is one mind game after the other. In James classic conjuring video, each move is like a piece of a magician's routine- I feel that conjuring has moved up a bit from then, and can now function with less solid appearing tricks. Experiment with shorter passes, and unpredictable jumps, switching from a solid routine to a more random pattern. Let the audience know the possibilities with every lightshow.

Originality

4A) How can I make myself unique from other conjurers?

A problem with being original in conjuring is that new conjurers are under the impression that you have to do everything by specific moves. The move guides online are only examples of what you can do- how you handle your photons naturally is what you should be focusing on, not perfecting your pendulum. The great thing about conjuring is that if you're sticking with only two photons, you don't need weeks of practice to get the concepts down.

Almost any conjuring move can be linked to any other one, and probably back to itself. Being a very versatile art and not needing too much flexibility- what can you do that will set yourself apart from other people?

Now I'm going to contradict myself. Have you gathered all of your natural feeling comboes? Now do everything as unnaturally as you can. Do you think long time poppers and lockers could do what they can without training their bodies? Just as glowstickers might handle their glowsticks as paintbrushes, hold your photon and express yourself with it as if it were the oil paints themselves waiting in their tubes to be squeezed out as you push down the button.

4B) Could you throw me some inspiration?

Always keep in mind, there aren't just 360 degrees around you, there's high and low, so don't feel like you have to keep your feet still. Fake a fall and use your photons as rockets and push yourself back into orbit. Trace your legs and drop photons into your sleeves, and then pull them out of the cuff of your pants.

Draw shapes in front of you. Rotate your hand to face you, and draw that shape again. Put a whole picture into your head and try drawing that too, and then instead of just drawing the reverse facing you, draw the backside of the three dimensional figure. You might soon find yourself not needing me to finish this section. Which is what I'm going to do. smile.gif


AA) Isn't there more?

No. However, I probably missed something in this version, so if you have any ideas to what to add, please drop a line!

BB) Where can I reach you!?


I am not a guru. However, I can be reached by the following.
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AIM: itsmeinfluence

CC) How long have you been conjuring?

I got my photons around June 2003. I have lately been practicing funk style forms (see www.funkstyles.com), but I'll be returning to the world of glowsticking soon. Conjuring is more of a side meal for me, I hate replacing batteries.

DD) Why don't you learn to spell before making an internet publication!?

I'm an immigrant.
-ginseng

Here's a great site for animated conjuring tricks:
http://www.geocities.com/DavesPieShoppey/photon3.html