Vanish Magic Magazine Dangerfest SPECIAL EDITION | Page 3

VANISH MAGAZINE PUBLISHER Paul Romhany & Joomag EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & DESIGN LAYOUT WO D R FROM THE EDITOR SPECIAL EDITION Paul Romhany THANK YOU TO Chipper Lowell ASSOCIATE EDITOR / LAYOUT FEATURE Hal Meyers ASSOCIATE EDITOR Nick Lewin ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ben Robinson STAFF WRITERS Ben Robinson who put this edition together and atteneded Dangerfest. EDITORIAL SUPPORT EXECUTIVE Hal Meyers, Ben Robinson ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Paul Romhany & Sydnie Anderson CREATIVE DESIGNER & LAYOUT Paul Romhany VANISH CONVENTION DIRECTOR Steve Hocevar CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION Harry Morgan ADDRESS 1183 Blind Bogey Drive Qualicum Beach, BC. V9K1E6 CANADA When Ben Robinson pitched me about a special edition for VANISH on Dangerfest I was very excited. If you have watched any knife throwing experts on YouTube or seen them on television you will be aware of the incredible skill required. Knife throwing is an art, sport, combat skill, or variously an entertainment technique, involving an artist skilled in the art of throwing knives, the weapons thrown, and a target. Magicians will understand the similarities between spending years mastering skills needed to perform incredible manipulation magic and those of the knife thrower. As entertainers we can all learn a lot from each others art forms. The art and sport of knife throwing has been practiced throughout the history by many people, but only few historical documents are available. Most commonly known is perhaps the fact that soldiers in the American civil war trained knife throwing as a pastime (there is a famous painting of this scene). Quite some African tribes are also known to engage in knife throwing. But in most cases, these “Hunga munga” are too big and either used only to scare an enemy or for ritual functions. As a means of self defense, throwing a knife is not a good option, as you will give your opponent a weapon. And in a difficult situation, you will most likely not be able to throw the knife accurately enough to wound and not enrage your opponent. This is why most martial arts experts are opposed to using this option in a non-desperate situation. Today, knife throwing has of course followers in the circus arts who perform so called impalement acts, where they frame their assistant (mostly female, hence the term target girl) with knives or do other stunts. But the sport has become attractive to a larger audience, who throw knives as a pastime in their backyard, and even gather for conventions and competitions. Enjoy this amazing SPECIAL EDITION of VANISH MAGIC MAGAZINE and a very special thank you to Ben Robinson and the Dangerfest people who were very open to Ben interviewing and hanging out with them for Dangerfest. Paul Romhany GROUP EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SPECIAL | 2020 3