23 graduates for the Imibala Trust and College of Magic’s rural community project, funded by the National Lotteries Commission 

Twenty-three of the Helderberg area’s brightest young learners have earned their first magic honours as they graduated from the College of Magic and Imibala Trust’s Juggling and Cards Skills course at the awards ceremony on Thursday 8 June 2017. 

The Juggling and Cards Skills Course, a six-week training programme which ran from Thursday 4 May to Thursday 8 June 2017 at the Imibala Trust’s charming Bright Street premises in bustling Somerset West , forms part of the College of Magic’s Hope in Flight rural community project, and is funded by the National Lotteries Commission (NLC). 

It’s been six weeks since the aspirant performers first picked up a deck of cards and juggling balls set and already their co-ordination skills have impressed their course instructor and programme coordinator, Olwethu Dyantyi. 

A renowned South African magician and the face of world-famous beverage brand Coca Cola’s global relaunch campaign,Dyantyi is ecstatic with his Helderberg students ‘progress: 

“Teaching juggling and card skills to learners with no previous experience in magic was an exciting challenge for me. To see how far they have come in just six weeks, and the confidence they have in their own skills has been very rewarding. I am so proud to have been a part of their introduction to the world of magic”. 

Two students who have mastered the gravity defying tricks of juggling and quick-fingered dexterity of card magic are Somerset West’s Qhamani Myolelo (11) and Atlehang Maqhanane (11). 

The dynamic duo passed their final evaluation which included performing their favourite card effect that they’d been taught during the course and juggling as many balls as they could, with flying wizardry colours. They proudly accepted their certificates at their graduation ceremony, with their happy family members looking on.  

“We can’t believe how much we’ve learnt in such a short time! We can’t wait to share our cool new tricks with our friends and family. We hope to attend the College of Magic’s weekly classes in Cape Town someday as there is just so much more to learn about magic”, says the excited new graduates. 

The College of Magic, now in its 37th year of teaching the magic theatrical performing arts and its allied arts (including juggling, puppetry, mime and clowning), with a social and life- skills component to children and adults, is a non-profit organisation, based in Cape Town, and the only one of its kind in the world.The Juggling and Card Skills course forms part of the College of Magic’s community training programme, the Hope in Flight project, funded with a grant of R500 000 from the National Lotteries Commission (NLC) which supports disadvantaged students. 

The ‘Hope in Flight’ community programme is an extension of the College’s successful Magic in the Community programme, which provides young people from poor communities with the opportunity to participate in an innovative performing arts training and development programme and promote a platform for the understanding and affirmation of South Africa’s cultural diversity. The College of Magic is thrilled with the programme’s success:

“We’ve been incredibly humbled by the enthusiastic response and uptake of the Juggling and Cards Skills course by the Helderberg community and seeing the realisation of dreams for a better future for these youngsters. We are thankful to our project partner The Imibala Trust for providing a safe and accessible venue for our aspirant magicians to train at and hope to continue this magical partnership in the future” says David Gore, director of the College of Magic. 

Noeki Gous of The Imibala Trust concurs:

“It’s been amazing to watch children from all backgrounds learn the art of magic and grow together in our centre, week after week. Our commitment to assisting the College of Magic in promoting diversity and unification through their teaching has been steadfast and we look forward to working with them again in the future” 

The NLC relies on funds from the proceeds of the National Lottery. The Lotteries Act guides the way in which NLC funding may be allocated. The intention of NLC funding is to make a difference to the lives of all South Africans, especially those more vulnerable and to improve the sustainability of the beneficiary organisations. Available funds are distributed to registered and qualifying non-profit organisations in the fields of charities; arts, culture and national heritage; and sport and recreation. By placing its emphasis on areas of greatest need and potential, the NLC contributes to South Africa’s development. Please visit the National Lotteries Commission website www.nlcsa.org.za to find out about the NLC mandate and other projects they fund. 

The next magical outreach course will be held in Piketberg and Franschhoek from Tuesday 15 August to Thursday 21 September 2017.   For more information about the College of Magic and its social outreach initiatives, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com.