This Saturday Cirque du Soleil returned to Andorra. We can relive again the magic of cirque with the new show that was created exclusively for Andorra (it will run until 31 July 31). When we go to the circus, we want to experience new emotions and be surprised. We love the circus because its performances have been designed from an emotional perspective and captivate and excite the audience. But what is magic? How to create it? The mathematician, illusionist, magician, engineer and neuropsychologist, Jorge Luengo has answered these questions.
Jorge Luengo was born on February 18, 1984. Since he was a child, he thought, designed and created his illusions. This capacity led him to achieve the World Prize for Invention in Beijing (2009).
He started his first shows when he was 15 years old. At 18 he started the first of the three engineering degrees he has. Later he studied psychology at the UNED and Humanities at the University of Extremadura. At the age of 20, he was invited to visit places all over Europe: Louvre Museum in Paris, Center de Congrès Pierre Baudis in Toulouse and the O2 Arena in Prague.
At 23, his passion for teaching and communicating led him to combine his artistic career with that of a math teacher for three years, until he decided to put this vocation aside to dedicate himself entirely to moving others.
In 2014 he finished his studies as a neuropsychologist at the International University of La Rioja.
He has had a white eyebrow since his third year of college, since then it has become his brand.
Interview: Irina Rybalchenko
Are you an inherited magician?
My father is a fan of magic, but he is a doctor. He helps people, but he doesn’t make magic. I don’t think he has any special abilities.
And what about you? Do you have any special abilities?
I have a real passion for my job. I am excited to connect with people. It makes me move and achieve results.
Your passion for magic culminated in you taking first prize in the Invention category at the 2009 World Magic Championships. How was it?
The World Magic Championships were amazing! It’s something like the World Olympics in athletics, where athletes from all over the world participate, with the only difference being magicians coming together from all over the world.
It was an exceptionally beautiful place that brought together people who share a common passion – the passion to create magic.
For me, magic is especially important. This is an art that has given me everything I have in life.
Is it true that you hypnotized Marc Marquez (Marc Márquez Alentà is a Spanish professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and the most successful Spanish rider in MotoGP)?
Indeed! A meeting with someone like Marc Marquez is a wonderful experience. I can’t help but be delighted to have this experience in my life. I admire Marc not only as a professional but also as a person. He has many valuable qualities. But in addition to this, this is training, effort, hard work, and a lot of passion.
Can everyone be hypnotized?
Napoleon once said: “I can’t say that everyone is corrupt, because I don’t know everyone.” Likewise, I can’t say that everyone can be hypnotized because I don’t know everyone.
Sometimes it takes more time to achieve results. But the reality is that if I and other persons are given enough time and the right environment, I can hypnotize them. So, based on my experience, I would say yes.
Do you have any patents or inventions?
Magic tricks are not easy to patent. It is very difficult. I´d say that it is almost impossible.
You probably know that the world’s first magic patent belongs to a well-known person, the king of Pop, Michael Jackson. It is no secret that Michael was well acquainted with and collaborated with many of the world’s most famous illusionists.
He was extremely organically able to compile all sorts of magic tricks in his performances along with brilliant choreography and vocal component, thus raising the level of the show to an unattainable height.
Michael said that one of the main purposes of his concerts was to captivate the audience into a fabulous, fantastic world of illusions, to make them forget about all their troubles and sufferings for at least a couple of hours and stop thinking about their daily routine.
You are also a mathematician and a neuropsychologist. What is the relationship between these activities?
Magic and math come together much more than you can imagine. Magic takes advantage of what we would say are black dots. I am talking about blind spots. To construct the black dot illusion, white discs are superimposed on the intersections of orthogonal gray bars on a black background. Dark dots seem to appear and disappear rapidly at random intersections, hence the label “scintillating.” When a person keeps his or her eyes directly on a single intersection, the dark dot does not appear.
The attention can be controlled. The world of neuroscience teaches how to get attention, how to control it and how to use it. Some people say it’s manipulation. I call it influence. This sounds much better to me. This is where the magician makes the magic happen!
Let’s continue the topic of attention control. You are the author of many workshops, including public speaking. Any advice on how to get the public’s attention? And how does one feel free to speak in public?
This depends on your audience. Ask yourself before public speaking – what do all these people expect from you? And let me recommend that you start your presentation with the main word: “thank you!” because people have already noticed you. Then you should briefly explain why you are here. This introduction will help you relax, you will stop being nervous, and your presentation will be much easier.
Another tip is to drink water before public speaking. This will help you feel freer.
There are also several breathing techniques. We must learn to oxygenate our blood. When you can do this, you will feel a significant difference.
You are also the author of the Mental Challenge TV program. What is it about? What is its purpose?
This is a great show we did for the Discovery Channel. It can be watched in many countries. Working on a channel like DMAX or the Discovery Channel is a great privilege. It is a real honor to have a program where you tell the world how the mind works, how to use it, and how your mind can make amazing things from a neurobiological point of view.
The extrasensory perception is the reading of information. Can extrasensory be taught?
Of course! We can learn to recognize the non-verbal information that our interlocutors send us. There are many books on body language, but I won’t recommend any one. Although I have mine (“Supertrucos mentales para la vida diaria: Descubre de lo que eres capaz”), which is not only about body language.
Pick up any book about body language you like and spend a couple of hours learning about non-verbal communication. Of course, you will not become an expert. But you will know what to pay attention to, for example, during the next negotiations.
Are there any ways to develop intuition? What is the connection between intuition and attention?
Intuition allows us to be in the right place at the right time. The key point is that it’s particularly important to teach ourselves intuition. I would recommend reading Blink’s “The Power of Thinking Without Thinking” or Paul O’Brien’s “Intuitive Intelligence”.
What affects the fate of a person more: stars and the universe, genetics or magic?
Nothing out of this. We always have a chance to change something. Because, in the end, our life depends on us. And I want to change my life, this is only my decision. I prefer to think that I am the only one who writes my destiny.
Magic is the use of energy for a specific work. How many types of energy are there? How to learn to manage energy and how it would help in our everyday life?
My background in psychology and neuropsychology will help me answer this question. There are positive people and people who steal our energy. My recommendation – stay away from people who can steal your energy! Do not share your emotions with such people.
What are your hobbies (books, movies, sports)?
I love all books which make my mind work. I love books about adventures as well. I love table games with my friends. As for films, I would mention a film by Roberto Venini ¨La vie est belle¨. And as for sport, I love swimming. I love every sport-related to water.
Do you have your place of power?
This is my home. Home is great if you have a true home with your family, with people you love, people who make you happy, and make you feel relaxed.
