Budding magician? Deddy's school's for you

Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

Instead of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, it is called the Pentagram School of Magic. Pentagram is identified by some as a symbol of magic.

Instead of a gigantic castle in the middle of nowhere, it is a five-by-five-meter room in a two-story house that is painted black and located in a residential complex in Bintaro, Tangerang, southwest of Jakarta.

Instead of Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Divination and Potions, the lessons are more likely to be The Art of Metal Bending, Pet Effect for Reading Inner Thoughts and the Secrets of the Psychics.

Welcome to Deddy Corbuzier's magic school, virtually the first magic school in the country where people of any age can learn about the world of magic.

Officially opened last week, the one and only classroom, which is painted black and yellow, looks more like a magic shop with books, props and VHS tapes placed neatly on shelves.

To give a magical atmosphere, skeletons and voodoo dolls are placed around the room and tarot cards are spread out on a table. A clock that looks like a regular one hangs on the wall, but the hands rotate counterclockwise.

"This place is just a small studio. Later on, lessons will also be held in a five-star hotel on Jl. Jend. Sudirman. A hotel offered me a place there for free," said Deddy, whose real name is Deddy Cahyadi Sundjojo, at a media conference.

As an illusionist, Deddy has been praised for bringing magic back to life in the country, and has taken magic out of the amateur field into the professional.

Known for his Emperor Ming style haircut and makeup, the 27 year old is a regular on stage and TV.

His trademark is metal bending, but he also likes to work his magic on the streets. Recently, with his eyes closed, he demonstrated his telepathic skills by driving through the capital to find a ring hidden in a gutter.

Despite his success and the emergence of new magicians, Deddy says that magic is still underrated here.

"You see leaflets glued on trees or poles on streets offering magician and clown performances, side by side with advertising for septic tank services. That's so sad, you know.

"On the other hand, I also want to help those who want to become magicians but can't afford to study abroad," said Deddy, who graduated from the International Brotherhood of Magician and Zizigy in New Orleans, Louisiana.

For that reason, Deddy decided to open a magic school, where classes are basically divided into those for professional magicians and for those learning as a hobby.

"There are no references from any magic school. I can't tell you yet about the fee either, because it has yet to be fixed. However, I'll offer full scholarships for talents who can't afford to pay the fees," he said.

Realizing that he would not be able to teach by himself, Deddy collaborated with fellow magicians, some of whom taught him magic back when he was little.

They are magicians Jack Doddy Agussalim who was half of the famous magic duo Jack & Linda back in the 1960s; Alex H. Sinyal and Bing Rahardja. Deddy refers to each of them as the best in classical magic.

There are also more junior magicians and Deddy's mates, Tony Pinto and hypnotist Romy Raphael.

"I actually just showed you magic by bringing these magicians together. Usually, if three magicians meet, there will be a fight. It's true! It's very difficult for magicians of my generation to sit together and talk," Deddy said.

The veteran magicians agreed at how competitive the magic world is nowadays.

According to Alex, there used to be a magician association that was very respected.

"Every magician would explain their act to the others before performing so that there would not be the same tricks.

"In the 1970s, Indonesian magicians were very respected, even in Asia. Foreign magicians who performed here first had to have a recommendation from the association," said Alex, who owns the biggest and most complete local magic shop.

So competitive is the magic world today that recently Deddy was accused by another magician of trying to reveal how the latter did a certain trick.

"That is not true. I've never disclosed in any way whatsoever anyone else's tricks on TV," Deddy said.

He added that teaching magic tricks at the school was different to revealing the tricks.

"Disclosing the way a trick is done would be highly unethical. The loss would be mainly to people and beginner magicians, because a professional magician can always find new tricks to perform," he said.

With his school, Deddy wants to emphasize that there is no such thing as supernatural powers involved in magic tricks.

"It's all psychological, technique and mind manipulation. Anyone can learn it. If you think that famous magicians who can make a building and other stuff disappear are using a genie or Satan or whatever, that's wrong. You just don't know the trick," he said.

At the end of the media conference, the magicians took turn to teach us, reporters, several simple magic tricks.

"But you have to swear not to reveal how they are done to anyone, OK? Only then you will find that magic is so much fun," Deddy said.

Interested in mastering magic? Just contact Deddy at his school at Jl. Perumahan Taman Bintaro A4, Bintaro, Tangerang, Tel. (021) 73692959.