Joanie Spina
Encyclopedia
Joanie Spina is an American magician
, dancer, choreographer and director who achieved prominence through her work with the famous illusionist, David Copperfield
.
, near Boston, Massachusetts. She first began dancing seriously as a child but gave up when she was aged 11. Later, at the age of 26, while working in a bar job, she returned to dance as a means to lose weight. Taking ballet
and jazz classes helped her decide that her vocation lay in performing arts. She then began acting and voice classes as well. Although told she was too old to be attempting to begin a career as a performer she persevered on the basis that she could at least teach. In the following two years she danced with a few local companies in the Boston area and then moved to New York.
television specials and his Broadway show Dreams and Nightmares. Among the well-known routines Spina contributed to were Copperfield's "Water levitation" and his signature "Flying" illusion.
Spina eventually left Copperfield's team and developed her own solo magic act, which she performed in locations including Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and the Bahamas. In 2000, she withdrew from performing and began to concentrate on a directing career. Her clients in this role have included Mark Kalin & Jinger
, Princess Tenko
, Tim Kole, Melinda Saxe
, Jeff Hobson, Juliana Chen
, The Spencers, Dirk Arthur, and Lawrence & Priscilla.
Spina currently lives in Las Vegas but travels extensively to work on various projects. In addition to her directing work she has launched a video-making business.
Spina also pens a column for the periodical MAGIC Magazine in which she demonstrates techniques for magicians to improve their choreography and staging. Since January 2011 her columns have also appeared as video lessons on the iPad edition of the magazine.
Magic (illusion)
Magic is a performing art that entertains audiences by staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats using natural means...
, dancer, choreographer and director who achieved prominence through her work with the famous illusionist, David Copperfield
David Copperfield (illusionist)
David Copperfield is an Emmy Award-winning American illusionist, and was described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history. Copperfield's network specials have been nominated for 38 Emmy Awards and won a total of 21 Emmys...
.
Early life and beginnings of career
Spina grew up in the town of WoburnWoburn, Massachusetts
Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :...
, near Boston, Massachusetts. She first began dancing seriously as a child but gave up when she was aged 11. Later, at the age of 26, while working in a bar job, she returned to dance as a means to lose weight. Taking ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
and jazz classes helped her decide that her vocation lay in performing arts. She then began acting and voice classes as well. Although told she was too old to be attempting to begin a career as a performer she persevered on the basis that she could at least teach. In the following two years she danced with a few local companies in the Boston area and then moved to New York.
Magic career
In January 1985, while looking for the next step in her career, Spina answered an advert for a dancer in a show with "an international stage and television star". The star turned out to be magician David Copperfield and he hired her. She worked for Copperfield for the next 11 years, spending eight and a half of them as his lead assistant. She also became his choreographer and co-director. Her work included choreographing ten of Coppefield’s CBSCBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television specials and his Broadway show Dreams and Nightmares. Among the well-known routines Spina contributed to were Copperfield's "Water levitation" and his signature "Flying" illusion.
Spina eventually left Copperfield's team and developed her own solo magic act, which she performed in locations including Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and the Bahamas. In 2000, she withdrew from performing and began to concentrate on a directing career. Her clients in this role have included Mark Kalin & Jinger
Mark Kalin and Jinger
Mark Kalin and Jinger Leigh are an award-winning American magic couple known for large-scale stage shows and for appearances on network television specials.Jinger is both an on-stage assistant and business partner to husband Kalin...
, Princess Tenko
Princess Tenko
Princess Tenko is the stage name of , a pop singer turned magician specialising in grand illusions. Her name is taken from , a male Japanese magician who was managed by the same person as Mariko and to whom Mariko was apprenticed in 1976. The older Tenko passed his mantle to her before he died at...
, Tim Kole, Melinda Saxe
Melinda Saxe
Melinda Saxe is a magician from Las Vegas, Nevada, best known for network television performances and Las Vegas stage shows in which she was billed as "The First Lady of Magic". She is often associated with the "Drill of Death" illusion which was a signature trick developed for her by Andre Kole...
, Jeff Hobson, Juliana Chen
Juliana Chen
Juliana Chen is a Chinese magician, who was born in the Hunan province of China. She has appeared on the cover of The Linking Ring, published by the International Brotherhood of Magicians.-Early Life:...
, The Spencers, Dirk Arthur, and Lawrence & Priscilla.
Spina currently lives in Las Vegas but travels extensively to work on various projects. In addition to her directing work she has launched a video-making business.
Spina also pens a column for the periodical MAGIC Magazine in which she demonstrates techniques for magicians to improve their choreography and staging. Since January 2011 her columns have also appeared as video lessons on the iPad edition of the magazine.