College of Magic facts for kids
The College of Magic as seen from the front entrance on Imam Haron Road.
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| Type | NPO |
|---|---|
| Established | 1980 |
| Director | David Gore |
|
Administrative staff
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voluntary |
| Students | 342 |
| Address |
215 Lansdowne Road, Claremont
,
,
33°59′01″S 18°28′53″E / 33.98348°S 18.481387°E |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | www.collegeofmagic.com |
The College of Magic is a special place in Cape Town, South Africa. It is a nonprofit organization that teaches young people the amazing art of magic. David Gore, the Director, has been with the College since it first started.
Contents
The College of Magic: A Place to Learn Magic
How the College Started
The College of Magic first opened its doors on February 23, 1980. Its main goal was to teach performance arts to young people. It welcomed students from all over Cape Town.
In 1992, the College moved to its current home. This is a beautiful old Victorian house in Claremont, Cape Town. The building was officially opened in 1995. It was named the Magical Arts Centre. The College and the community worked together to fix up the building. They made it a perfect place for teaching and training.
What the College Aims to Do
The College of Magic has several important goals:
- To teach skills in magic and other performing arts.
- To help students become great leaders.
- To provide chances for students to perform and find jobs.
- To help young people gain respect in their communities.
- To inspire students to be creative and develop their skills. This helps them build careers and contribute to society.
Learning Magic: The Courses
The College of Magic focuses on teaching performing arts. It trains young people, usually from 10 years old and up. They learn magic and other related arts. These include juggling, ventriloquism, mime, and clowning.
The College has six main courses. They are set up so that each course builds on the last. They become more challenging as students learn more.
First Three Years of Magic Training
In the first three years, students learn the basics of magic. They also learn how to present their acts. They study the ideas behind entertainment. Students learn how to control an audience during a show.
Advanced Magic Training
The fourth, fifth, and sixth years are much harder. Students learn more difficult tricks and theories. They focus on entertaining children. They also learn sleight of hand (quick hand movements). Other topics include close-up magic and stage magic. They even learn magic with animals and big stage illusions.
How Each Course Works
Each course at the College follows a special cycle:
- First, the teacher shows how a trick is done.
- Then, students get to practice it.
- Next, they present what they have learned.
- After that, they think about how it went.
- They then make their performance better.
- They practice again.
- Finally, they present it one more time.
Who Works at the College
The College of Magic has different groups of people who help it run:
The Board of Management
A group of experienced people called the Board of Trustees guides the College. They make all the big decisions. The head of the board and the person in charge of money both used to be students at the College. David Gore, who started the College, has been the director since 1980.
The Administrative Team
This team handles the daily tasks of the College. They make sure everything runs smoothly.
The Volunteer Teachers
The College started with only three teachers. Now, it has many more! These include professional magicians and experienced teachers. There are also specialists in juggling, ventriloquism, and other arts. Many teachers are graduates of the College. They also have visiting teachers from South Africa and other countries.
These teachers are very important to the College. They create the lessons and prepare for classes. They also give one-on-one help to students. They check how students are doing. All 14 teachers are volunteers, which means they give their time for free!
The Magical Arts Centre Building
The College of Magic is located at the Magical Arts Centre (MAC). This building is on Imam Haron Road in Claremont Cape Town. It was officially opened on February 24, 1995.
The MAC is a two-story Victorian house. It has porches all around the top and bottom floors. The property is very large, about 1840 square meters. Five rooms are used for teaching classes. Two other rooms are available for students to get extra help.
The building also has a courtyard. This is where the College's animals are kept. In the back garden, there are two large shipping containers. One holds a huge collection of stage illusions, magic props, and costumes. The other is a workshop for students. This workshop was made possible by a gift from the Old Mutual Foundation.
Other Exciting Programs
The College of Magic runs several other cool projects:
- Magic in the Community: This program helps young people from difficult backgrounds. They get free transport from their homes to the College for weekly magic lessons.
- Magic Classroom: This is a special field trip for schools. Students learn about science and magic in a fun way.
- Sponsor a Student: This program raises money. It helps pay for lessons, transport, equipment, clothes, and food for students. These are students whose families cannot afford the College fees.
The Siegfried & Roy Grant
In 1997, a special grant was created. It was called the Siegfried & Roy SARMOTI Grant. This grant helps young people who are less fortunate. It allows them to join the College of Magic and learn magic.
See also
- List of magic museums
