High Definition Magic: Hayk Dilanyan Amazes Audiences with his One-On-One Magic Acts

Christina Der Sarkissian
Chrisdersark@ucla.edu

There is more to Hayk Dilanyan than his mysteriously enchanting charm. Dilanyan has redefined the way we perceive magic. He uses his unique style that combines psychological tactics, cerebral tricks, and unique charisma to produce spontaneous “REAL” magic. He performs often and reaches out to a diverse audience, setting a high standard for aspiring Armenian artists in all genres.

ArmenianChronicles: What kind of magic do you perform?
Hayk Dilanyan: I am a close-up magician, which means I perform one-on-one magic. This style is much more personal as opposed to stage magic. When you’re on stage watching someone get cut in half, you know it’s a technical thing and nobody’s really getting cut. I don’t claim that I have magical powers, but when I do magic tricks, people are amused. Most magicians talk about going away from reality and the magical world; I am the opposite. I say how about we go deeper into reality? What if this is what is real for you? It’s all about the perception. Go deeper into your reality.

AC: Do you consider magic an art?
HD: Magic IS an art. I have been drifting in the world of arts since a young age. I played saxophone Combos, done MC’ing for talent shows, and made music in the modern world, but the art of magic got my attention like a fat kid seeing a cake. You know when you were a kid waiting for Santa, and you got that feeling in your stomach? When you grow up, you start to lose that feeling. I don’t want anybody to stand up and clap for me; I want people to feel like a kid again.

AC: Do you make up your own tricks?
HD: I create my own presentation and my own little “tricks.” I take the basics of magic and make them more professional and complicated. I have my own character, and I try to make my personality shine through. I believe that 90 percent of magic is presentation.

AC: How often do you practice?
HD: Performing is practicing. I am constantly practicing, whether I have free time or going out. I also spend a great deal of time researching psychology to incorporate into my magic. There is a close-up branch of magic called mentalism. This is what I use on a daily basis--underground hypnosis along with Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP). For example, take the black mirror effect. Right now, I am mimicking you, but you don’t realize it. The effect is purely psychological. Subconsciously, it creates similarities between us, so the person in front of me likes me more. There are several black-Opps techniques (underground hypnosis tactics) I use, but never for evil. Again, 90 percent of it is presentation. I can do the same trick, but try it in different ways for different people according to their personalities. I don’t try to learn a million new tricks because it is better to perfect the routine that I have instead of trying to learn every trick in the book. I take what I have and work to make it better.

AC: Are you part of any magic organizations?
HD: I have been a part of Magic Castle for about two years now. Magic Castle is known as the world’s most famous private magicians club in Hollywood. I perform in the Junior Society and had to audition to be a member. This club is really exclusive. You can’t get in unless you know a member and have a guest pass. I have to re-audition to perform as a “Future Star” with the adults on regular days. As a Junior Society member, I go to several lectures and meetings with other young magicians. Through this club, I have had the opportunity to perform at places like the Queen Mary (Long Beach). I also perform at hookah lounges, clubs, birthdays, and charity parties like the Kids-Save Organization. On some weekends, I work at Cafe Fifties on Santa Monica Blvd, where I perform as a strolling magician, entertaining celebrities from table to table. I am also currently in the process of starting magic classes for underprivileged kids. With eight lessons a month, you can graduate from my class as a certified HDM (HD Magic) degree.

AC: Do you ever reveal your tricks?
HD: Never. I don’t know how they’re done. I just say, “I don’t know how it happened. I had 365 vitamin C tablets and was able to do the weirdest things from that day on.” Sometimes I say, “I got dropped a couple times as a kid.”

AC: Do your parents support what you do?
HD: I used to be a cinematographer and make movies all the time. I stumbled upon magic accidentally and immediately fell in love. The first couple of weeks, my parents thought I wanted to be a poker player. Well, which parent wouldn’t think that when their son is walking around with cards all day and shuffling like crazy. Close up magic requires expertise in cards sleight of hand. Nobody wants their son in cards. They thought I was into gambling, but it wasn’t-- it was magic. After a couple of weeks, they saw my passion and skill, and they support me to this day.

AC: Do you plan to pursue your hobby as a career?
HD: I currently am and always will be. No matter what, I know I want to be in the entertainment business. People around me are all in the business. Actually, I’m majoring in business at Glendale Community College. I don’t plan on transferring; it would be a waste of time. I’m going to school for the knowledge, I already know what I want to dedicate the rest of my life to, and school is not necessary for a magician even though I will pursue college and get a degree just so I can have it on the side. But Hayk says to stay in school and obey your parents and eat your veggies and take out the trash!

AC: What has your hobby help you discover about yourself?
HD: As a magician, I am constantly dealing with different types of people and many stage performances. I was never afraid to be on stage because I used to play saxophone, but doing magic has helped me open up. Maybe that’s why I got into magic; it comes naturally to me. In the beginning, I was looking for character. Am I a serious magician? I’m not a clown, I know that. As time went on, the character found me. It is being myself, but it is a slightly different character that comes out naturally. Especially in the technological age, magic evolves every day. You have to learn and catch up really fast. There is a lot of competition, but I don’t let that bother me. If I were to care about every person that might hurt my career, I would not be here today. I am the new generation. I do not wear a top hat and cape. I don’t take rabbits out of hats either. My goal is to make my audience smile and take them deeper into what they perceive as reality...
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