Karel Bush and Company

I come from a family of magicians – and so when I was four years old I already stood on stage conjuring tricks. But this „artistic career“ of mine did not last long. Later I went on sport, especially cycling.
I began to think of returning on stage boards when I was studying at economy school in Brno, where I took the leaving examination. Most of that time I devoted myself to dance and, together with my first wife, I learnt to step. We joined a professional dancing group to work and perform with aside from our civic occupations.
I kept on dancing during my military service and began to practise an artistic discipline „balance with glass“. Soon after military service I passed qualifying examinations in step and balance with glass at a state firm of that time the Czechoslovak Circuses and Variety Shows. Because of our original trick, balance with glass became our main discipline soon.

Thank to our choreographic work and stress we put on selecting music and presentation, we differed from our colleagues soon. A trick we soon included into our programme – looping when balancing three swards on the tip of a knife – made us famous on an international level. This brought us contracts in many countries around Europe and also in the USA. We performed in lots of TV shows, for example „Alexandr Show, „Maxim Revue“, „Televarieté“ and many others. As the only Czechs, together with Karel Gott, we presented our programme on the occasion of reopening of Friedrichstadpalast in Berlin.

In 1985 I began to work and perform together with my contemporary wife, who came up with refreshing ideas. We took part in „Ein Kessel Buntes“ TV show twice, we performed in Hansa Theatre in Hamburg, etc., refining our programme continuously.
In 1989 we were offered to host in the theatre of Europa Park in Rust in West Germany. Here we presented our original „looping“ trick (in the meantime patented around the world as a trick and a requisite) on a 5.5 m high standard for the first time. Thank to other improvements in corporation with choreographers, visagistes, etc., our hosting was prolonged for three seasons, which did not happen to any other artists before us. In 1991 Hana presented her trick Hula-Hoop for the first time.

In 1992 we signed a contract with another theatre – in Hansa-Park this time – with an auditorium accomodating 2000 spectators. Here we were asked to extend our show. Therefore we reached into the field of magic and illusion. In combination with our artistic appearances and Berlin ballet, we managed to create a first-rate show. After a 5-year contract (the show was modified every year) we decide to leave Hansa-Park on our own request. In 1996 our show was rated as the best in Germany. In the same year we shot a 60-minute TV programme in the Czech Republic „Who is …Karel Bušina“.
We made many TV programmes in that time so that their number went up to 30. In 1997 we returned to Europa Park for a season. Afterwards we decided to go our own new way.

We had already been able to present our own hour show. We often performed with Berlin ballet. It was very important and prestigeous for us to host in a programme called „Stars of the Night“ in Kurhaus in Baden-Baden. (It was the first time I had been moderating the show myself.)

In 1998 we were nominated for „The artist of a year“ – we were awarded the prize in October of that year. We spent two following seasons (1999 and 2000) in the theatre in Holiday Park, presenting our own show already. In 2000 we gave rise to our own company named Spellbound & Co KG. This company has a status of an artistic agency and we founded it especially to arrange various permits for our colleagues and pay taxes by ourselves, which we found in the competition of Germany essential. In the same year we also established a branch of Spellbound in Brno and were awarded „Honour for merit in magical art development and representation“ by the Czech Magical Union.

In 2000 we prepared a complete magic show. Together with many pieces of world illusions and artistry we presented our own dancing group – „Bohemia dancers“ for the first time. All our dancers studied at coservatoire and are lead by prominent European choreographers.

In 2000 we finally achieved our aim – to present our own full-evening show. Among others we were awarded the appreciation „The best magician of a year“ by the Moravian-Slesian Magical Union and the prize of the Union of Czech Circuses and Variety Show Artists „The order of magical art of I. level“.

In 2001 we markedly extended our repertory, took part in many prestigeous shows abroad and also shot some TV programmes.
Morover, we produced a show for Holiday Park, where we engaged Czech artists. We shot a TV show with Petr Novotný in the Czech Republic. In the same year we were awarded an appreciation of the Foundation of Czech Literary Fund for merit in Czech magic and its representation.

In 2002 we were awarded the prize „The artist of a year“ in the field of magic in Germany for the second time. David Copperfield, Siegfied & Roy and from Czech artists Karel Gott, as a singer, have been awarded this prize once. Other production took place in Holiday Park. We also presented our own show in the theatre in Conny Land in Switzerland.

2003 – other production in Holidy Park and in the theatre in Conny Land.
Along with other new illusions, we have been presenting a car appearance since 17. March (we are also able to present a disappearance of car or other bigger-sized objects, for example various company products, etc.)