Review by Webghost - Ulmen Trials Competitor
XB Volume 2. The wait is over, and you will not be disappointed. The 2 disc DVD set is graphic rich, contains superb teaching, and kicking beats. Each section is hosted by the talented and classy Angela Funovits, until you reach the "FUN" section. In this section you'll see Angela performing some XCM moves with the gracefulness only a ladies touch can produce.
Disc 1
Pen Spinning
I currently know only one pen spinning move and that's the thumb around. I decided to wait until XB2 came out to learn more moves. The beginner moves are taught in complete and crystal clear detail. If you've been struggling with pen spinning now is your chance to get a very clear understanding of how to perform the basic moves. If you're not going to learn how to do pen spinning watch the intro, basic combo,what's next, and the advanced combos...the moves are hypnotic and very fun to watch.I'll be watching those sections over and over...while learning pen spinning and beyond.
Card Throwing
I've been using a different technique for card throwing...never again! I used the technique taught on the DVD for the first time while sitting in a chair(no full body movements), and when the card hit the wall with more force then the other technique(which used body mechanics to help with power) I knew I'd never use my current technique again My family is going to need chain mail for our card wars. The clips showing Ricky Smith Jr. doing card throwing in a live performance was educational and funny. Do want to connect with your audience, get great laughs, and get them ready for more? Include card throwing in your act.
Basic Dice Stacking
Yeah baby! I've been waiting for this one. I could've bought existing DVDs and books before XB2, but I know that I'll have no problem learning anything if De`vo is teaching a move, plus ideas that others haven't come up with! De`vo covers everything you need to know about basic dice stacking including very clear real life demonstrations, what to use and what to avoid. The details are comparable to the same easy to understand instructions that are in De'ring. The learning curve is shortened by the intense detail. Included are demonstrations that show the physics of dice stacking using graphics (very cool, as are the CG dice that are between segments)
Disc 2
Ciappis Palm Back Fan
I was fortunate to meet Ciappi while I was in Ulmen a few years ago, and watching Ciappi perform anything in person is amazing. I love fanning, and the palm back fan is definitely one of my favorites, especially the Arena Display!I can assure you of one thing, the people who've been learning the palm back fan watching videos are missing a very important piece of information...if not more! Thank you for releasing the correct method of performing such a beautiful fan.
Jerry Cestkowski (The Flourishman)
So you think you've mastered the material on XB vol. 1? O.K. put the moves into a nice uncut flowing routine done in a professional manner that people actually want to see..tell you what ...don't include perching, Daryl's and Jeff McBrides material. Don't sweat it, Jerry will show you how it's done! That's right, an entire routine taught my the Flourishman himself. Deck twirls are visual pleasing and are a great way to transition your body and/or a great way to transition between moves. Get ready to learn a couple more.
Daniel Madison
Two handed cuts, and Daniel has a very nice selection. I like all the moves he has on the DVD, especially the full deck retentions. Wait..what, why? You don't do magic! No, but I have a fanning routine and the way I use the deck I need the deck to stay in order. Of course if you're into magic and want to include a cool way to keep the deck in order this section is for you as well.
De'vo
Ready to be stunned? Here's another reason why I waited to learn dice stacking. I can't guess what De'vo will next..who can? This section is nothing but surprises, and I really don't want to give anything away..... I'll be somewhat cryptic. Many people think elementals can't be used in a "real routine". Guess what? You're about to be blown away! The X stack, Untouchable, and if the entire section wasn't kick ass enough watch the credits. Trust me, I'm holding back on this section....you just have to see it for yourself. You'll be reversing the DVD more then a few times while thinking just I did see that!?
Fun
I love bloopers, and like XB1 you'll be cracking up at the bloopers on this DVD as well. The charlier challenge, I remember this one from Ulmen while jamming with De`vo.Yep it got me...lol! Don't worry if you can't do it at speed or at all, De` will set you straight. Yet another great way to get your audience involved!
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Lee Asher - "Stacking dice with a deck of cards is out of pricing Control!"
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Jerry Cestkowski's review:
I have the entire DVD. It rocks! The main thing that will strike you is the variety of material. Handlordz has consistently led the way in innovation, which means new concepts and new takes on the art of pure manipulation. I am not going to give away all the cool shit, but I will tell you a bunch of general stuff. The intros by Angela really give the DVD a rich, polished feel. She is veteran performer, and it shows with every line she delivers. The Rick Smith section will give you the real work on distance and power throwing. Rick does shows almost constantly, and provides loads of exclusive footage for this project. If you have ever wondered how to include or showcase card throwing in your paid gigs, you will wonder no more. Rick does it every day. The intro to the penspinning section by Robert blew me away, and I have to admit I was intimidated enough to think "Fuck that! No way can I ever learn that!" But then I got to the teaching section, and I'm like O.K., I can learn this. I always thought it was just something other people could master, but now anyone can learn everything from the basics to killer combos. I can't wait to apply what I learn from penspinning to cards. Madison's section is hotness, whether or not you are a Sybilaholic. The bicycle cut and all the various packet rotation techniques are for everyone, and the combos will keep you busy for a long time. my contribution is small by comparison: a short routine of moves from XBI. We wanted to demonstrate some of the elementary principles of flow, pace, arranging, etc. This very very basic, but since questions about how to make a routine are so prevalent, it is included. Ciappi's section is the only way to learn Palmback Fans. Ciappi, as anyone who has ever seen him at work knows, is in a league of his own. He invents tons of new material, so leave it to him to pioneer a revolutionary way of fanning. What makes the Palmback style fan so unusual and so pretty is the suddenness with which they appear and the visibility of the fans after formation. Seeing a perfect Giant circle just come out of nowhere always gets a reaction, every single time. My Palmback Fans were pseudo-learned from internet vids of Ciappi. Now I am scrapping my sorry methods for the real deal. Thank you Ciappi for clearly teaching this fabulous concept! The basic dice stacking is clearly taught, like no one else has ever taught it, I mean in the kind of detail where you will be able to do it unless you have no hands whatsoever. And it is merely the preamble to the centerpiece of the DVD, the Hybrid Manipulation. Laymen love it, magicians will love it, you will love it. Perfect compliment to cards and plenty of material for a whole table routine ready for you to learn and use. And De' is right, the trailer does not contain the wickedest dice/card hybrid moves. In fact, the finale move (I won't name it because that would give it away, but you will know it when you see it, because you will have an involuntary reaction of some sort, be it a gasp or a chuckle or an "Oh f**king Yeah!" ) De'vo has definitely done it again, and he is at the top of his form with the editing, titles and music, as always. I am keeping this short because I don't want to spoil all the surprises for you, but there are plenty. Enjoy!
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Review from XCMer Doctor D
INTRODUCTION
Finally the wait is over! De'vo vom Schattenreich and the Handlordz Team has finished the long awaited follow up to the acclaimed Xtreme Beginnerz vol.1 dvd set. This new 2 dvd set, Xtreme Beginnerz vol.2 has been surrounded with much secrecy, not much information has been let out to the public, but when the trailer was released, we all got to see that it was nothing like we had expected. This new dvd set took the manipulation world by surprise, it had both pen spinning and XCM/dice hybrid manipulation on it, besides card manipulation and card throwing. SO lets get on with the actual review shall we?
GENERAL
The dvd's come in a single case with two spots for the discs, it has great layout on both front and back. The back is awesome with small pictures and a little sentence on what to expect and learn in each section. Inside is a single page brochure with links to all the featured artists on the web plus advertising other HL products on the other side. also great layout here.
The dvd set is hosted by Angela Funovits, this means that Angela will give a short introduction to each disc, section and artist. It's a great way to introduce the different sections and it works surprisingly well. Each section also have an intro montage of the moves taught in the section. This is a great way to present the material you are about to learn.
DISC 1
Contains Pen spinning, card throwing and basic dice stacking. Also contains trailers for other products.
PEN SPINNING
Pen spinning is relatively new to me, I have watched it on the internet and always wanted to learn it, but never knew where to find good material. If you have had the same thoughts as I have, look no further. Robert Heim guides you through everything you need to know. The section is divided into 4 parts: basic moves, combos, what's next? and advanced combos. The basic moves are very well filmed, you see the moves form different angles and at different speed. The teaching is clear, with both text on the screen and easy to follow voice over instructions.
The combos, what's next and advanced combo's sections are not directly taught like in the basic moves section. It is shown in both normal and slow speed from different angles and repeated several times. This is a cool way to show what you can do with a bit of practice. And when you have the basic moves down, I'm sure it will be easy to learn the advanced things.
If it could have been taught like the basic moves section it would have made it impossible to get it all down on just two discs.
CARD THROWING
Rick Smith Jr. does a good job on teaching the right grip, release and power throw. Again as with penspinning, you get both guiding text on the screen and Ricks own words on how to grip, release and power throw. You also learn the Boomerang card technique. Again the moves are shot from different angles. This section gives you a great starting point if you want to master the art of card throwing. As a bonus you see clips from Ricks Live shows and his Guinness world record throw of 216 feet!
BASIC DICE STACKING
After the intro montage we have a Good to know section on what cups, dice and surfaces to choose. Great information that will help you get the most out of dice stacking. After this De'vo teaches you the grip, pick-up, shake/swing and stop motion. All shown several times and at different speeds. Also some cool graphic illustrations to show what happens inside the cup when stacking.
The teaching is clear and easy to follow, and as always when it comes to De'vo, no talk just text and visuals.
DISC 2
Contains Ciappi, The Flourishman, Daniel Madison, De'vo's XCM/Dice Hybrid manipulation, De'vo's Charlier challenge, Q bloopers #2 and the film segment "Out to eat."
CIAPPI
Since I first saw Ciappi do his amazing Palm back fans on Handlordz, I have always wanted to learn them. And I admit that I have studied his videos online for a chance to see how he does them. I have even met Ciappi at the Ulmen Jam Session and seen the fans live, and I still couldn't figure it out properly. Of course Ciappi wasn't about to share his knowledge just like that, when the XB dvd set was coming out, and now it is finally here!
You will learn the basic Palm back fan, giant palm back fan and the Arena Palm back fan display. The teaching is clear with lots shots from different angles and text to give you all the key points to make this fan possible. The arena display is awesome, very visual and impressing. Thank you to Ciappi and Handlordz for finally bringing this to the manipulation world!
FLOURISHMAN
Jerry Cestkowski has created an XCM routine with moves found and taught on XB vol.1. The teaching is a slow motion walk through of the routine two times. With every move you can see a text displaying where the move is found on the XB 1 discs. Great feature if you can't remember how to do a specific move.
Then Jerry shows to variations of his deck twirl. it is The Flipback Twirl and Flipback Twirl Separation. Great moves in my opinion. Looks great, are very visual, and are a nice variation to throw in a twirling sequence.
DANIEL MADISON
Now here are some serious two handed cuts for ya'! These cuts are very visual and high paced. The teaching is again without words but plenty of slow motion shots from different angles. This is some great material that will have you manipulation for a long time! I already have some favorites, it's the Turnover, Twisted Rain and Symphony Run 2. Some of the cuts retains the bottom card and others the entire order of the deck, useful for all you manipulation magicians out there ;)
DE'VO'S XCM/DICE HYBRID
Now we're talking! This is some serious hybrid manipulation. At first when De'vo revealed that there was going to be hybrid material on XB vol. 2 everyone assumed it was going to be coins and cards. But noooooo De'vo had something else up his cup! Yup Dice stacking with cards! You gotta see this to believe it is actually possible. Who have ever heard of stacking dice with the card box? two cards alone? The Untouchable sequence and the "X" stack alone are truly worth the price for the dvd set! Awesome is the best word I can find to describe this section.
FUN
De'vo's Charlier challenge - The Charlier Challenge is a great way to challenge other people that know the standard Charlier cut. Includes two variations on how to accomplish this challenge. I couldn't do the challenge on the first try, maybe I have to short fingers or maybe.... well you'll see when you get your copy ;)
Q bloopers #2 - Good to see Q again. Some new bloopers that I hadn't seen before. He's a funny guy....
Out to eat - De'vo, Q and Jerry go out to dinner... watch the amazing chef manipulate the food and other stuff in the kitchen. He has some amazing skills. The segment is spiced up with some of Jerry's funny comments.
VERDICT
The graphics, music, layout and overall quality of the dvd's are superb as always when it comes from De'vo's hand. The teaching is clear, easy to understand and easy to follow along on screen at home.
I give this dvd set my highest recommendation to anyone wanting to learn how to manipulate. There is something for everyone here. The only downside is where do I start?! Together with XB vol. 1. this is the COMPLETE manipulation starter package!
I give it a clean 10/10 points
Doctor D
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