Two years ago their party featured a tarot card reader. Last year it was fortune teller. How about his year? They went with a hypnotist and I was fortunate to be the chosen one.
The Walters understand for a holiday party to be
truly memorable the entertainment must engaging, fun, appropriate and…yes…unexpected.
Here are a couple of observations from my
performance last Saturday of the Hypnotic Experience:
1. Entertaining in a person’s home demands a high
level of flexibility. The acoustics are
often a challenge. There is typically
little room to move around. And the environment
is loaded up with distractions. You have
to roll with it and make the best of the situation, which is something I pride
myself on.
2. The number one priority is to make sure the
guests have an enjoyable time. That’s
why the suggestions I incorporate in my hypnosis show are designed to
demonstrate creativity. Plus, you have
to sense the vibe in the crowd and know when to wrap it up.
The Walters’ party was attended by young
professionals who were long-standing friends and colleagues. For that reason, I kept the show at a crisp
45 minutes with plenty of funny anecdotes.
3. And finally, it is so important to celebrate the
unexpected. The Walters’ family dog was
quickly unnerved by my use of a microphone.
Rather than pushing it or requesting the dog be sequestered in a room, I
ditched the mic and made due. Again,
performing at a party is about the host and guests.
So, how did the show go?
Admittedly, the hypnosis was light as I only
had four volunteers. (One dropped
because she was distracted by the water pump in the fish tank behind her.) Yet, it was a success as indicated by the
nice note the hosts sent me the next day:
"Thank you again for your performance yesterday evening! David and I personally thought it was great and several of our guests gave us positive feedback as well. We loved the demonstration and the opportunity to learn a little more about hypnosis in general. Take care and we wish you all the best in your future gigs!"
Kristen and David Walters
I am now in the process of
scheduling holiday parties in December – both corporate and private I encourage
you to consider a hypnotist and contact me at m.russell.hausman at gmail.com.
I promise an unexpected good time!
