From guessing your first kiss to playing tricks on the mind, Kevin Li entertained and amused students with his magic and mentalism performance. The acts were a classic take on magic, but also spun a unique twist.
Li is a professional magician based out of Los Angeles who was booked by the Loper Programming and Activities Council.
The discovery of Li and his performance was made in February when LPAC members attended the National Association of Campus Activities in Napa, Kentucky. This event allowed colleges from across the country to see showcased talent and entertainment broken down into different categories.
“In the past, we have had lots of different entertainers, but Li caught our eye for several reasons,” said Renae Zimmer, director of student engagement. “He was very dynamic and we loved his act, so right after we contacted his booking agent.”
Li is 26 years old and considered one of the youngest professional magicians to connect to audiences at events and through social media. He has performed tricks with many celebrities, actors and athletes and well-known brands such as Google, Netflix and Spotify. More recently, he performed in front of one of the biggest audiences, America’s Got Talent, which helped build up on his distinguished early career.
“We got kind of lucky,” Zimmer said. “Little did we know he was really starting to become fairly prominent. We had no idea back in February how much his talent was going to explode in the national spotlight.”
Li’s performance on campus encompassed a wide array of magic tricks. He emphasized the trick of the eye and mind when performing these acts. Students witnessed him read into their minds. It was an interactive evening where students were called from the crowd or pulled up onto the stage to help participate in these tricks.
Members of LPAC assisted in the planning of the event for Li and his crew members to help make it a successful night. Teamwork was key in preparing to hold this event.
“There is a lot of preparation that goes into every event, especially when it’s a bigger talent coming in,” said Carolyn Zamora, co-president of LPAC. “With the help of our advisor, Renae, it goes very smoothly because we all work together really well.”
Zamora emphasized LPAC’s objective for the event to provide activities for students to look forward to attending.
“Our goal overall is student engagement,” Zamora said. “We want to provide a space for students to just relax and have fun.”
Some upcoming events LPAC is hosting include a gingerbread house competition and Christmas trivia night in December. Discussion has also begun about the spring concert and figuring out what students and the community will enjoy.
