Belgian illusionist Laurent Piron won the title of 'World Magic Champion' with a ball of paper that surprisingly came to life.?
The man wanted to secure his mega title and competed in the World Championship of Magic, which is held every three years - this time round in Quebec City. The magician?spent several years refining Paper Ball to recapture the story-telling skills of an earlier era.
"Many older magicians came up to me after my act to say that they had been taken back into their childhood and had forgotten the techniques," Piron told AFP."That's what we wanted to do with this paper ball. We don't care about the trickery -- the goal is to create magical emotion."
Piron is the son of a sound engineer and he started doing magic at the age of 18, learning basic techniques with a friend.?He moved to Vancouver, Canada, when he was 22 years old, where he became involved with local street magicians.
"The street gave me professional knowledge and a relationship with the public. If the audience doesn't like you, they go on their way," he said."You have to have enough energy, catchphrases, jokes, and catch the eye. The street taught me to develop my character to attract the crowd."
After several years of travelling around Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe, Piron returned to Belgium in search of a place on stage. "I have always liked theatrical magic, a narrative that brings in visuals - not just glitter boxes or a rabbit out of a hat," he said.
The man has had official training at the CNAC (French national centre for circus arts) in France and is currently a key figure in the Alogique theatre ensemble.
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