Geoff Akins ~ Click here to visit his website.
Geoff was also on TV, for National Bubble week 2006, click here to see the video... I'm sorry it's low quality, it was the best I could get.
Lake in the Hills Countryside (IL)
November 10, 2005
Children are experimenting with magic tricks, thanks in part to the Harry Potter craze.
And Lake in the Hills Parks and Recreation Department is helping them hone their abilities.
Professional magician Geoff Akins, of Barrington, led a workshop last month sponsored by the village that taught basic magic tricks to eager children. Akins will be back in Lake in the Hills Nov. 17 to teach children the art of juggling at the LaBahn-Hain House, 149 Hilltop Drive. Children will start by juggling scarves and balls before moving on to more challenging forms of juggling.
Akins, who also started learning magic tricks when he was young, looked just as excited to teach the children in the workshop as they were to be there.
"When I was a little kid, I saw a magician, and I was totally captivated," he said.
Akins started with a card trick. Akins first demonstrated the trick, then taught the children how to execute it without giving away the secret.
Rule No. 1 one in the magic world, Akins said, "is never reveal your secrets."
The children learned a variety of card and rope tricks, such as making a card rise with just a piece of hair and tying a knot in a piece of rope just by dropping it. After each lesson, volunteers were able to perform the tricks for each other.
Akins explained, during the first student demonstration that the third rule of magic is to "practice, practice, practice."
The timing of a good trick is everything, Akins said, and added that rule two: "Never do the same trick twice," keeps the audience guessing as to what the magician will do next.
Most of the children in the workshop attributed their interest in magic to their fascinations with Harry Potter.
"I just really like magic," said Zoe Detlaf, 9, of Huntley.
Detlaf said she asked her mom to sign her up for the class because she wanted to learn magic after she read the first Harry Potter book.
Detlaf's neighbors, Menley Urban, 8, and Marie Bachhausen, 8, both of Huntley, also came to the workshop.
"My dad likes magic, and I want to show him (my) magic," Urban said.
In addition to teaching young magic students, Akins takes his talents to the stage during the summer months, performing at venues such as the Bristol Renaissance Fair and Six Flags, Great America. During the fall and winter, Akins teaches classes at park districts in his other two loves: juggling and blowing elaborate bubbles.
Akins remains a student of his craft, learning new tricks as he comes across them.
"If there's something that makes me go 'Whoa!,' something that makes me wonder, I have to learn it," he said.
Suburban and Chicago News
Lake County bubbleologist wins scholarship Geoff Akins, 42, of Barrington recently won a scholarship from the University of Illinois Chicago's college of education. Upon completion of the two-year program he will earn a master's degree in special education and entitlement to the Learning Behavior Specialist type 1 Illinois teaching certificate.
For the last four years Akins has worked as a teacher's assistant for SEDOL (Special Education District of Lake County). Akins said he sees the scholarship as the next step in his career as an educator. His co-workers have dubbed him "The Bubbleman" because of his passion for performing a variety of fascinating tricks with ordinary soap bubbles both in and out of the classroom. "Bubbleology is the art and science of soap bubbles." explains Akins.
He has been performing professionally ever since he was 15 and bubbleology is the latest addition to his ever-growing repertoire which also includes magic, puppetry, storytelling and something called contact juggling which involves crystal balls that roll all over his hands and arms and appears to float in the air above his fingertips.
Akins has showcased his various talents at the Bristol Renaissance Fair, Navy Pier, Six Flags Great America amusement park and countless conventions, school functions, libraries and private gatherings such as birthdays and festivals. "That's the beauty of being being an educator. I have my summers and weekends free to perform," he said. He had won numerous awards for his writing, poetry, 3-D photography, and film and video work before being "called" to the field of education.
Since his Waldorf days, Akins has continued to be inspired by the likes of Rudolf Steiner and other educators who advocate a Whole Child approach with an emphasis on body, mind and spirit. His love of teaching, performing and inspiring others, combined with his gentle nature and undeniable gift of rapport with children, has developed into a personal philosophy he calls, The Art of Wonder.
"This is where my passion for performing and my passion for teaching come together. I believe that in order to reach children my heart and mind have to be at the same level as theirs. Children have an intense desire to be seen and it's easier to do this when you can look them in the eyes. One element of my appeal is my ability to walk my talk in this regard. In my experience few adults interact with children on this level."
So when a child meets someone who approaches them in this fashion the child's reaction is primarily curiosity and delight. Add to that an adult who brings to this meeting a sense of humor and some small mastery of uncommon miracles such as magic, juggling, bubbleology, etc and you have instant acceptance and attention. I appeal to their sense of wonder and the results are awesome, they're ready to learn something new."
He will appear next at Robert Crown Elementary School's "Enter the Kingdom of Reading" Book Fair at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday (Nov. 16) in Wauconda. It will be a meaningful reunion for Akins who worked as a special ed teacher's assistant at Robert Crown during the last two school years before being reassigned to Vernon Hills High School this year.
Akins can be contacted through his Web site at www.TheArtOfWonder.org or by email at geoffakins@hotmail.com or by phone (847) 668-2808.
