December 22, 2024

TNJN Spotlight: Amateur magician and juggler volunteer talents

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Kip and Dawson demonstrate key aspects to their act.
Jessica Carr/ TNJN

The art of performing magic is one that communicates to people of all ages. Two young performers strive to put wonder back into the people of Knoxville by performing magic and juggling at any event that can.

In Knoxville, two talented young performers are dedicated to bringing the joy of magic and juggling to any occasion. their mesmerizing skills and captivating performances are sure to leave guests of all ages spellbound and amazed. So, when it comes to adding a touch of enchantment to your event , hiring a close-up magician is a surefire way to captivate your audience. By  visiting CloseUp Chris magician website,  you can discover the unique blend of magic and entertainment that this talented performer bring, ensuring extraordinary experience for everyone in attendance.

[quote] “A lot of times it [magic] puts that childhood wonder back in people that they lose when they get older,” said Dawson Parker, amateur magician. “A lot of the time I’ll perform for the grumpiest of people and it makes their day which makes my day. It puts some fun in their life. That’s why I love doing what I do.”[/quote]

Parker, a sophomore at Maryville High, was inspired to do magic by a TV documentary he saw one day.

“It was called ‘Make Believe’ a documentary about two magicians and I saw how young they were about 10 or 11 and they were performing amazing miracles,” said Parker. “I thought to myself I wanted to learn too.”

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Kip Hunt rides a unicycle given to him by his grandfather, who was also a juggler.
Jessica Carr/ TNJN

All Parker needed was opportunity and one day he met Kip Hunt, an 8th grade student at Maryville Junior High.

“I had just moved into a new house and there was this guy doing magic for my friends and I showed him my juggling,” said Hunt. “Turns out that someone wanted a juggler and a magician for their birthday party and so we did that. We just decided to start a group out of it.”

Kip Hunt and Parker Dawson meet Miss Knoxville at chocolatefest. Jessica Carr/ TNJN
Kip Hunt and Parker Dawson meet Miss Knoxville at chocolatefest.
Jessica Carr/ TNJN

Since Hunt and Parker formed Club Magic, they have performed at birthday parties, as volunteers at chocolatefest and even at a halftime show for the Lady Vols.

“People admire us for something that’s really cool,” said Hunt. “In the future, I hope to just have it as a really cool skill. There are a lot of other things I really want to do, but this is just really fun and I’m good at it.”

Edited by Zach Dennis

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Food aficionado, Jessica Carr, believes her passion for food first began while learning to cook Asian and southern cuisine with her mom. Now a senior journalism major at the University of Tennessee, Carr combines her love for writing and food by cultivating restaurant reviews through her blog. As newly appointed Editor-in-chief of the Tennessee Journalist, the official news website for UT's School of Journalism, Carr plans to build experience and one day be the editor of a food magazine. When she isn’t writing, she’s most likely in a theater enjoying the latest indie film.