Published 12/6/2006 in the Metro Section.

Copyright 2006,

The Oklahoma Publishing Company

Magic tricks defy logic, prognosis Sleight of hand bends dexterity, perception

By Carrie Coppernoll Staff Writer

Justin Teeman slips a metal box out of the cargo pocket of his jeans and slides a red deck of cards out of the silver case. His audience is larger than his normal crowd, so he's admittedly a little nervous.

He sits in front of dozens of magicians and their friends at the annual Oklahoma City Magic Club holiday party Monday. Teeman asks a volunteer to pick a card.

“Show it to everybody,” he says. “I won't look. I've already seen this trick.”

He flips, turns and shuffles the cards into a string of fast-paced tricks. He names the card — the five of clubs. His volunteer gasps; his audience claps.

That reaction was exactly what Teeman was looking for.

“For one brief moment, magic strips away all your layers,” he said. “You tend to forget about the problems you have at work or the fights you're having with your family. You're brought into the world of infinite possibilities.”

Teeman, 19, of Moore wasn't born into that world of possibilities. He was born with cerebral palsy, a group of brain disorders that affects movement and development. Doctors told Teeman's parents he wouldn't be able to do much of anything — no sitting upright, no walking, no talking. He wasn't supposed to be able to even hold objects.

The medical predictions didn't matter; Teeman accomplished much more. He graduated from high school in May and will attend Oklahoma City Community College in January. He hopes to be a Spanish teacher. Despite his accomplishments, he still struggles with his disease. He has trouble cutting a steak, and he can't tie a knot. But the same hands crippled by cerebral palsy can manipulate a deck of cards so fast even veteran magicians are impressed. Teeman's love of card tricks began five years ago, when one of his occupational therapists suggested he learn how to shuffle to improve his dexterity. His dad, David Teeman, is a lifelong magician, so Teeman's therapy project quickly turned into a hobby. Now he practices nonstop, in line at a store or in a waiting room.

The simplicity of cards is what Teeman loves. He doesn't need props or even a table, and he can use any deck, not just his own. His normal stage is his wheelchair, surrounded by onlookers.

“There are no elaborate sets,” he said.

“There are no beautiful showgirls. It's just me.”

He learns tricks from reading books about slight of hand, but he also reads about psychology.

Performing card tricks, Teeman said, is more than sleight of hand — it's showmanship.

“Without psychology and theater, there is no magic,” he said.

“To me, magic is a feeling. It's creating wonder.”

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