ayala
AYALA is considered the most famous Latin American illusionist of all time.
The dream of a young boy who was born in Mexico City began when he was only 7 years old. Joaquin AYALA witnessed a magician making a bird appear from his bare hands and at that moment he decided to become a magician.
At age 8, he started performing magic on stages in downtown Mexico, being the youngest magician to win an award at the Aztec Club of Prestidigitators at age 11. The following years, Joaquin appeared on every TV show and the media started to talk about the young “Mexican Magician”. In 1984, AYALA was chosen to perform at the Landmark Hotel in Las Vegas for the “World Magic Olympics” directed by Jerry Shafer and produced by the NHK Network in Japan.
In 1985, Joaquin AYALA was hired to perform at the famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, The Hunter College Auditorium on Broadway, The Browns Hotel at the Catskills in New York, Teatro Plaza Santa Cecilia, Teatro Blanquita, El Follis and Fru-Fru Theater for a version of the Crazy Horse in Mexico City. A year later he headlined the show called “Magia y Comedia” at the Marrakesh showroom at the Zona Rosa in Mexico.
biography
AYALA the former star of Spellbound at Harrah’s Las Vegas, mystified audiences from Sky City in New Zealand, Reno, Atlantic City and Lake Tahoe where he also headlined the big production show called “Mystique” with his former partner Lilia.
Touring around the world they performed on stages like the Namba Grand Kagetsu in Japan, The Metropolitan and the Sports Arena in Mexico City, La Castellana Theater in Bogota, The Principal Theater in Cali, The Fundadores Theater in Medellin, The Convention Center in Cartagena Colombia, Carpa Maxi’s in Caracas Venezuela, Casino Estoril in Portugal and Palacio de Congresos in Madrid Spain.
After being in Las Vegas the headliner of “Spellbound” for 6 years, AYALA appeared on almost every major TV show in the USA. He gained international acclaim by the worldwide airing of the NBC TV Special “World Greatest Magic”.
Later on Univision Network aired a 30 min. TV Special called “Ayala in Control”, and while he was performing in Las Vegas, he produced two important projects: A TV pilot entitled “Ayala The Aztec God of Magic” and his own TV Special “Ayala The Time is now” filmed at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and Casino Du Liban in Beirut Lebanon where he also performed a full month run.
AYALA has been a regular guest in TV shows for Telemundo, Univision, Galavision and Televisa Networks.
In 2000 the Academy of Magical Arts of Hollywood awarded AYALA “Magician of the Year”, The International Magicians Society awarded him “Entertainer of the Year and Best Performer on Stage”, The World Magic Awards awarded him “ Best Stage Magic” and The Latin America Performers Association awarded him “Magician of the Decade.
In 2001 AYALA performed a successful 6 months run at Harrah’s Laughlin with their new show “Magical Passion“ and later at Casino Arizona in Scottsdale.
AYALA'S name was on the marquee of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for their run at the famous Magical Empire. After performing at The Ritmo Latino Music Awards with singer Celia Cruz at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, he toured in France where he was awarded in Paris with The Mandrake D’Or Award (Mandrake of Gold), France’s highest magical honor.
In 2002, AYALA tour with a version of “Magical Passion” throughout Spain performing at important venues like Casino Kursaal in San Sebastian, and Teatro Principal Antzokia in Vitoria Spain. Back in United States he performed at The Carousel Theater in Ohio on a revue called "Wow!"
In 2003, France called him again to perform at the famous event “Colombe D’Or” in Cote D’Azur in Antibes (French Riviera), Chinese producers brought AYALA to Shenzhen China to perform at Happy Kingdom Magic Festival, Amazing Jonathan invited him to be part of his new show at The Flamingo Hilton and producer David Saxe invited him to be part of the Las Vegas production show “V” at the Venetian.
In 2004 after AYALA tour in Hong Kong they also were given “Illusionist of the Year” by Pouso Alegre Conframagic in Brazil and “Illusionist of the Decade“ by South America Magicians Association and in February, Ayala started his radio show in Las Vegas called “AYALA talking about sex” for 6 months. Later on AYALA returned to Shenyang China with his live show: "Magical Passion “. In Beijing Ayala performed on a TV Special for CCTV (Central China TV Network).
Back in USA AYALA performed at Hollywood’s Magic Castle, filmed the TV Special “Magic Planet Mexico“ and started planning for the new Broadway play called “The Return of Houdini” in which besides being one of the main actors Ayala’s new company “Ayala EFX” designed and built the special effects for the play. “The Return of Houdini” opened in Iceland in March of 2005. By the summer, AYALA started consulting for the new TV Series for A&E Network in USA “Mindfreak” with celebrity illusionist Criss Angel and took his show “Magical Passion” to the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo. Later on he performed in Mexico at Tihany Music Hall Spectacular. Ends the 2006 with performances in Nicosia Cyprus.
In 2009 Ayala performs and lectures for Japanese audiences at the Biwako Resort in Shiba Japan. Another important projects for the 2009 are the filming of 2 documentaries:” AYALA Rising the Hope” in which he shows how he motivates, directs and helps young talent on how to become a big star and “Make Believe” the story of rising celebrity magic stars in the world of magic.
Ayala opened the doors of new venues by directing new shows like: The Smith Center of the performing Arts in Las Vegas, Happy Valley Theater in Chengdu China, Vitoria Spain and Circus Vargas new magical production called “Magikaria 2012”. Also toured several months with the show ‘Masters of Illusion live” across USA, Manila Philippines and Singapore. At the end of the year, Ayala headline his special effects at Miss Hong Kong 2012 with Cyril Takayama and award winning actor Andy Lau.
In 2013 Ayala join forces with famous illusionist Franz Harary to be a special guest at City of Dreams in Macau, at his return to Las Vegas opens his new offices, shop and studio “AYALA EFX Inc Las Vegas”. In the summer, celebrity magic star Cyril hired Ayala as his consultant, magic creator and special effects designer for the Magic TV series "Magiculous" filmed in Rio de Janeiro Brazil. The series aired world wide later in the fall.
In January 2014 Ayala designs, directs and builds 2 magic spectaculars; ” Hiroki Hara “World of Magic” in Japan and ‘Magikaria Extreme 2014 tour” in USA. By the spring AYALA EFX designs and builds “Burned Alive” an feature special effect for the new “House of Magic “at Casino Studio City in Macau.
In October Ayala’s new show opens at the Center of the Performing Arts in Reno Nevada called ”AYALA SOLO”… a show that combines live special effects, puppetry and his original magical concepts.By March 2015 Ayala flies to Tokyo to work in conjunction with Hiroki Hara and Kazu Zano (Harry Potter’s computer designer) in creating, write and direct “IBUKI”…a short magical film that features for first time the combination of live special effects , an hologram and computer graphics.
At the beginning of September Ayala builds a special effect for rapper singer Missy Elliot and traveled to New York and London to setting up the concert. “Ayala Solo” the show, opens at Happy Valley Shanghai from September 23rd throughout December 2015.In March 2016. Ayala was invited for 2nd time to perform at Domingao Do Faustao in Sao Paulo Brazil, his TV appearance went viral all over the world.
By the end of 2016 Ayala creates an escape stunt called ‘The Mine” based on the concept of getting inside of an “ocean mine” and escape before explodes. The House of Magic in Macau experienced Ayala performances for space of 7 months between 2016-2017 at Studio City.
In the mean time he consulted and directed magician Raul Alegria for the Big stunts at Festival Europeo de la magia y lo Visual in Santander Spain. At the end of 2017 Ayala created 2 new illusions “ The Crucifixion” and the “On the Table vanish”. On November he featured on “People Magazine” as one of the most successful Latinos in the USA.
By December 2017 with Director/magician and photographer Nicolas Galat finished “Ayala 2018 Promo”.
Stay tuned for the new documentary / book:
“Las Carpas de Mexico y sus Leyendas….”