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| A parent created this awesome sign that helped point attendees to my show. |
After Prom parties are a labor of love.
A group of dedicated parents invest hours of their free
time during the months leading up to the event on planning, logistics, coordination
and fundraising. And then there’s the
challenge of hosting and chaperoning a party that runs from midnight to the wee
hours of the morning.
All of this is for a group of teenagers who are in
the final stretch of their senior year and anxious about what the next phase of
their life may hold.
My 2014 After Prom season kicked off this weekend
with Springbrook High School. Hosted at
the pristine White
Oak Community Recreation Center, the event featured the typical
entertainment fare, including casino games, inflatables, billiards, DJ and temporary
tattoo artists.
I was assigned to a well sized room with an
appointment of comfortable chairs and couches.
The parents on-site then did an excellent job of promoting my show
through signage and regular announcements.
The result: a
wonderfully fun evening for the kids who attended the show, the volunteers and
me.
Here are a few observations:
--Although well promoted, it did take some time for
me to attract a sizeable audience. I was
scheduled to start at 1:30 AM, yet gave it a few extra minutes to allow for
about 40 kids to grab a seat. I
attribute much of this to the unfamiliarity with hypnosis, as many of the kids
reported they had never seen (or even heard) of a hypnosis show.
--For younger audiences who typically have a limited
attention span, I move more quickly through the pre-talk part of the show. However, I always make sure to take the time
to explain what hypnosis is and its applications for health, wellness, and athletic
and academic performance. I always want
someone to come out of my show intrigued about hypnosis, rather than viewing it
as some sort of parlor or circus trick.
--I had an amazing set of volunteers, eight of whom
achieved a deep level of hypnosis. Two
volunteers in particular went incredibly deep and acted on several creative
visualizations, including the American Idol competition skit.
--The instant re-induction always draws the biggest
gasps from a high school audience.
Seeing a friend or classmate drop back into hypnosis through the simple “sleep”
suggestion is what I like to refer to as a convincer. Maybe there is something to this hypnosis,
they conclude.
A special thanks to Karyn McCoy who hosted me and
all of the parents who organized Springbrook’s After Prom. You did an amazing job and I hope to be
included at next year’s event!
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UPDATE: Karyn was kind enough to provide me a quote for my Web site. Here is what she had to say about the Hypnotic Experience at Springbrook's After Prom party:
"Thanks so much for adding such a special event to our party. When I came
in at the end, it was great to hear the students' thoughtful questions
and their enthusiasm as they asked for a second show. Blessings to you
for offering your time and talent to our students!"
Karyn McCoy
After Prom Committee
Springbrook High School
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| Casino games, raffles, caricature artists, food, music...and me! Springbrook's After Prom had it all. |
