Illusionist Aref Ghafouri who came to prominence with the talent show TV program Yetenek Sizsiniz in 2011 made his mark on the 23rd EMU Spring Festival. Aref performed at the Rauf Raif Denktaş Culture and Congress Hall on Friday, the 19th of May 2017 in front of a capacity crowd comprised of members of the EMU community and the general public.
Prediction based demonstrations were at the forefront of Aref’s performance. Revealing 4 boxes, Aref told the audience that one of the boxes contained 3 thousand dollars. Aref then selected three members of the audience and brought them up on to the stage to try and find which box contained the money. Aref stated that he would give the person who finds the money the three thousand dollars also noting that they would not be able to find it. During his performance Aref ensured that all three of the individuals opened empty boxes rather than the box with the three thousand dollars, leaving them empty handed. At the end of the performance Aref received a standing ovation. Aref also brought another audience member on stage making the individual lie on a table and then rise off the ground without being tied to anywhere. The moment when he divided a woman in half was one of the moments when he received the loudest applause.
At the end of the performance also watched by EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Necdet Osam and his wife, EMU Faculty of Education Dean Prof. Dr. Ülker Vancı Osam, Aref was presented a plaque of appreciation by the Rector Prof. Dr. Osam.
