Zingmaster has a love of magic

In the early 1900s, a magician quipped that he could make an elephant disappear. But he never did it.

On Thursday, Zingmaster Alex Ramon of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will do just that — make a four-ton elephant, Asia, disappear in "Zing Zang Zoom."

"Some of our elephants can respond to over 40 different commands in different languages," Ramon said in a phone interview, "They're very smart. And Asia has been doing this a long time. She's a pro."

Of course, a magician can never reveal his secrets, but the illusion is one that has been years in the making.

"They'd been working on it two years prior to launching the show," Ramon said. "That goes to show you how long it takes."

With the help of master illusionist Jim Steinmeyer, Ramon performs "an illusion that has never been done before by a magician in history."

"Not only that, but we're performing in a 360-degree stage, in front of 11,000-12,000 people. From a magic standpoint, that's hard to do."

Needless to say, Ringling is up to the challenge, and so is Ramon who, at 24, is one of the youngest people ever hired as a ringmaster. "I'm the first magician to star in a Ringling Circus, and they've been around for 139 years."

Ramon's love of magic began 10 years ago. "My dad's co-worker showed me some card tricks, and I was amazed." His dad gave him a magic book for Christmas and "it started out as a hobby, but it's the only job I've ever had."

After working alongside Mickey Mouse in "Disney Live! Mickey's Magic Show" for 2 ½ years, Ramon joined Ringling.

After the requisite joke about running off to join the circus, Ramon said, "I've had such supportive parents — because my sister is in the show, too!"

"Leah had been a dancer and cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders, and when I was with Disney, she started training at the San Francisco Circus Center."

She fell in love with it and now joins Ramon on the road as a trapeze artist. "She also rides elephants, and when I come into the ring, she's in an aerial harness spinning around."

As a side note, Ramon's older brother is a Harvard- and Oxford-educated sociology professor. "He's the brains of the family," Ramon said, laughing.

"To be honest, I never saw a circus growing up, and now that I'm part of it, I get to see the faces of these kids, and their parents and grandparents, their faces light up every single show."

Ringling is pulling out all the stops: 99 performers, 82 animals including Asian elephants, Bengal tigers, and Arabian and Friesena horses, human cannonballs, tight-rope walkers and more. "This is the first circus to combine so much magic."

And his heavy co-stars are ready for it. "The elephants know when it's show time," he added. "They smile and wave their trunks. They love it."

If you go …

What: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's "Zing Zang Zoom."

Where: EnergySolutions Arena, 301 W. South Temple

When: Sept. 24-27, times vary

How much: $11-$82

Phone: 1-801-325-7328

Web: www.ticketmaster.com

e-mail: ehansen@desnews.com