D. Angelo Ferri
#2 Ropes, Ribbons, Strings & Reels author
D. Angelo Ferri's aka Dennis Barlotta's interest in magic began with a gift from his father, a set of plastic cups and balls purchased from a novelty shop in Times Square. Years later, after military service, he discovered Tannen’s Magic Shop on Broadway and Al Flosso’s. He was drawn to close-up magic. One day he met a man at Tannen’s. He did a version of Slydini’s Coins Through the Table for Dennis. He suggested Dennis purchase The Magic of Slydini by Lewis Ganson, which he immediately did.
Dennis abandoned everything he had learned about magic and started over. He studied Slydini’s routines for one year, on his own; then sought him out for lessons.
His studio was on 341 West 45th Street in Manhattan; Apartment 111. Dennis remembers being very nervous as he knocked on his door. It swung open and there he was, dressed in a crisp white shirt and a blue tie. Dennis froze. He said “I bet you were expecting a taller man”. That made Dennis relax; a little.
They went into his living room and after a few minutes of small talk he asked Dennis if he could do any of his magic. Dennis told him he did his One Coin Routine. He said: “Really? Show me.” As Dennis worked his way through the routine he saw this look of horror cross his face. Finally he couldn’t take it anymore. He said: “OK that’s enough, let’s start.”
Dennis spent over eight years with him. after a couple of years he stopped charging Dennis for lessons. Being Italian himself, they had many things in common. It was like having a ‘magic grandfather’. Dennis was very lucky.
Dennis' manuscripts represent eight years of private lessons and thirty years of performance experience. They are based upon the thousands of questions Dennis asked him and his careful answers. He told Dennis: “I like you because you understand my magic”. Dennis' goal is to pass on his teaching as precisely as he is able. Dennis' dream is his magic continues to be performed as he intended it to be performed.
