The Trailer

My love affair with Card Manipulation (or Card Flourishing as some would prefer to call it), started back about 7 years ago. A spark of interest quickly grew into an obsession. I came to meet 3 other like-minded people and together we formed Virtuoso. 4 years and a lot of good times later, I decided it was time to rearrange my priorities. And this meant leaving Virtuoso to focus on my studies.
But I guess obsessions die hard, and the muggers die young. So here I am, obsessed again. As a way to document my original moves (and my youth) before medical school consumes my life, I will be producing a DVD titled DONT THINK ABOUT THE BOX for myself and those interested.

The beauty in the simplicity of classics such as the Charlier Cut and the Thumb Cut has never failed to inspire me. When I think of these moves, I think of notes on a musical score. It is with these single notes that endless melodies emerge. Throw in some dynamics - accentuate this, soften that, play it like a march, and you get character, style.

Over the years, I have attempted to reinvent some of these classics. Take the Thumb Cut (0:22) for instance. Instead of using the middle finger for the kick-off, I have used the index finger. This affords the move more flexibility and freedom. And with this modification plus a few other techniques, the classic Thumb Cut evolves into what I have called ‘The Shocker’ (0:23/0:24 for the double handed Shocker, 0:50 for the single handed Shocker). ‘The Shocker’ is one of my treasured moves and has changed the way I view and approach a classic. More importantly, it has opened my mind to a new realm of possibilities. Creations such as the ‘Rolling Shockers’ (0:21) and the ‘Whirl-Wind’ (0:35, 1:41) Now I play my cards with the freedom and flexibility of a yoyo.

The LePaul Spread (2:56-3:00) is another classic that I have discovered to be extremely versatile. I’ve always been attracted to the way the cards in the LePaul Spread look like they are connected by a string. I then wondered what it would be like if I could twist this string to bring the cards onto different planes at the same time. Some of my creations such as the ‘LePaul Armspread’ (3:11– 3:20) are based on this move.

This volume of DON’T THINK ABOUT THE BOX zooms in on One-Handed Cuts and the LePaul Spreads. The techniques featured will equip you with the skills required to take your moves to the next level. It will include step by step detailed instructions ranging from holding your deck, to more complex techniques such as using the concept of ‘Motions’ (hand/arm movements that accent your basic moves), choosing the correct angles and body positioning. Now you can freestyle with your cards like never before!
If there’s one thing I learnt when it comes to creating moves, it’s that thinking too much or trying to be different can be stifling. Just let your mind wander, allow your fingers to go crazy and... DON’T THINK ABOUT THE BOX!


Directed by: Elijah Cai

Filmed by: Elijah Cai and Benjamin Soh

Directed by: Elijah Cai

Edited by: Elijah Cai

Music ‘The Devil’s Highway’ by: StellaStory (oldschool)

Thank You: Benjamin Soh, David Liu, Robert Chua, Esther Yeap, Roger, Victor Van Dam, BluePrintRon, Liu ZhengHong, Monica Tan.


For updates and more information related to the production:

Be part of my mailing list by simply sending an email titled ‘Mailing List’ to ElijahCai@gmail.com

OR/AND

Join the ‘DON’T THINK ABOUT THE BOX’ Facebook group at:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=107284309321339&v=info&ref=ts