Sensations is a Boris Wild and Big Blind Media collaboration that really kicks ass. At only $30 for two very detailed DVD containing over three hours of video and 6 card tricks (with multiple variations), this is a great deal.
Each trick is performed by Wild in either a close-up setting or in a bar with a audience. After the performance of each trick, it is explained in amazing detail by Wild. There is nothing left to your imagination because everything, I mean everything, is covered. As is customary with Big Blind Media, the production quality of the project is excellent as is the organization and format.
The first trick taught is 10 MAX, which is a Paul Gordon poker routine. Wild demonstrates how this trick can be applied to non-poker patter and demonstrates several presentations that have nothing to do with ending up with a winning poker hand. An easy trick that can be done impromptu with any deck.
Blind is a great trick, but requires you to bring an easily made gimmick to the table. The magician is blindfolded during the trick which makes it unbelievably amazing. Wild performs a version using your senses (except visions) and it is an impressive routine that will be remembered.
Show-Off, like Blind, also required a little something extra, but this trick, an update to your standard ambitious card routine, is really fooling and fun.
iPOP, the fourth trick on this project is fantastic. It requires execution of basic sleight of hand, as do many of tricks, and it is really fantastic. It is a very strong open prediction routine. In sum, you either announce a card or write it down on a piece of paper that is displayed before the trick begins. The spectator deals the cards face up one at a time until they think they have arrived at the predicted card, which they leave face down without it being seen. Then, amazingly, after the performer fans the deck, the predicted card is in fact the one card that was placed faced down. What a great impromptu, borrowed deck trick.
Of course my favorite trick is Symbiosis. Yes, it uses sleight of hand, but once you have a very basic technique down, you will blow any group of spectators away with any two borrowed decks! Ok, check this out, two borrowed decks are shuffled by two spectators. They each name a number 1 through 52 and that number card is removed from the deck, face down. Once both cards (one from each deck) are removed from the deck – from different positions – they are revealed and amazingly they are the same card. Then, a closed prediction is revealed to be that same card! Really totally amazing!!!!! (yes, five exclamation marks!) This is the kind of stuff that makes you freak out, or wet yourself, or both.
PURACAAN won the 2017 “Trick of the Year” at the TRICS convention and it is a great ACAAN routine. The deck can be and is borrowed and shuffled. Again, really strong and really amazing.
Mr. Wild has an extra track with tips on the cull which is a very good starter lesson or refresher course. Wild should do more sleight of hand instruction.
So, what can I say about Sensations? Totally awesome, laser powered, and magic as strong as steel. What a great deal from Big Blind Media and a world class magician.