Dai Andrews

Fakir: One who practices extreme self-discipline in order to perform feats of magic & endurance.

“Modern Fakir” is Dai Andrews’ signature performance: an exciting, humorous and participatory journey through the colorful history of mind-over-body phenomenon presented by a living master of these ancient traditions. It examines the venerable sages who created these strange arts, the cultures from which they emerged, and explores what we can learn from them today.

This extreme performance presents new, strange and marvelous demonstrations you will never find anywhere else alongside re-imagined favorites, presented with humor and wit. Dai Andrews enthralls audiences with the mind bending exhibition of feats from Hindu Fakirs, Shaolin monks and beyond. Modern Fakir provides a unique glimpse into the potential of the human body.

“Modern Fakir” also features:

an

Original score by Ego Likeness

with

Additional music by Kevin MacLeod

and

Costume Design by Kat Marquet

Dai Andrews performances can be customized with different acts and performance lengths, from just a few minutes to a two hour full evening feature, according to the needs of the client or venue.

All Dai Andrews performances feature lots of comedy, audience participation and an original musical score.

His performances never contain any blue humor and are appropriate for all ages.

Dai always treats his audience and volunteers with respect.

World Records

Andrews holds four official Guinness world records for sword swallowing:

• Official Guinness World Record Largest Curve in a sword swallowed: On September 12, 2009 at Pimlico Race course in Baltimore, MD USA, Dai Andrews swallowed a sword that was curved 120 degrees from point to hilt. This record was certified as an official Guinness World Record in 2009.

• Official Guinness World Record Most Swords Swallowed Simultaneously: On Friday August 30, 2002 at the 2002 Sword Swallowers Convention in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania USA, 19 Sword Swallowers including Andrews, (who swallowed 11 at once) swallowed 50 swords simultaneously. This record was certified as an official Guinness World Record in 2004.

• Official Guinness World Record Most Sword Swallowers Swallowing Swords Simultaneously:  On Friday August 30, 2002 at the 2002 Sword Swallowers Convention in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania USA, 19 Sword Swallowers including Andrews, (who swallowed 11 at once) swallowed swords simultaneously. This record was certified as an official Guinness World Record in 2004.

• Official Guinness World Record Single Sword Swallowed by the Most Sword Swallowers: Made by Thomas Blackthorne in 1994 to symbolize solidarity between an otherwise solitary and disparate sword-swallower community, the sword known as “The Sword of Swords” was first swallowed in September 2002 at the first Sword Swallowers Association International international Sword Swallower’s Convention in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania USA, where Andrews along with 20 others swallowed the blade. Since then, the has since been swallowed by at least 24 others bringing the current total to 44. This record was certified as an official Guinness World Record in 2004.

• The Luxor Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas NV
• New York New York Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas NV
• Carnival Cruise Lines – More than 6 Years as a feature entertainer.
• World of Wonders – The last of the traditional Sideshows. Run by Ward Hall and Chris Christ.
• Dos Equis XX “Most interesting show in the world” featuring Jim Rose.
• Outlaw Jam 2010 – Opened for Blue Oyster Cult on the main stage for an audience of 10,000+
• M3 Rock Festival 2009
• Blue Thunder 2009 – Set a Guinness World Record by swallowing a sword curved 120 degrees.
• Labyrinth of Jareth 2008, Los Angeles CA
• “Commedia del Arte” with the Teatro del Pazzi theater company, Venice, Italy
• 9th & 10th Annual Inkin’ The Valley Tattoo Convention and Sideshow Gathering, Wilkes-Barre, Pa. (The world’s record mass sword swallow, 19 sword swallowers, swallowing 50 swords at once. Dai swallowed 11 of them)
• Artscape 2005 – The largest free arts festival in America, Baltimore MD.
• Burning Man Festival 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
• San Francisco Fire Arts Exposition 2006, 2008
• Riot Fest Tour 2015  – The largest independent music festival in North America.

And far too many more to list…

Medical Research:

• In 2007 Dai assisted physicians at Johns Hopkins University to study the techniques involved in sword swallowing for use in aiding the rehabilitation of patients who had suffered severe throat trauma.

Dai Andrews has studied with Yogis and Martial Artists, Magicians and Fakirs to learn and perfect their arts in order to bring his audience a performance of strange feats and unusual abilities unlike any previously witnessed.

A Fischer-Price magic set received on his fifth birthday would introduce Dai to a lifetime of mystery. Sleight-of-hand was only the beginning, as a teenager Andrews began practicing escape artistry and was driven by the desire to go beyond tricks & illusions. He would soon be performing acts of fire eating, sword swallowing and more. Dai began traveling the earth learning ancient and lost arts. He developed a thirst for secret knowledge driven by a passion to discover the limits of what the human body could achieve.

Dedication to the martial arts and more than twenty years of Kung Fu training has also helped motivate Andrews to push beyond his own limits. In July 2010, he was awarded the rank of Second Tuan (degree) by The World Kuoshu (Kung Fu) Federation.

Dai’s professional career began in 1994 at the age of seventeen in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. Just one year later he would find himself in Europe perfecting his craft under the most trying conditions. Met with great success, Dai appeared on television, was photographed for Time magazine, performed with the circus, and was invited to take part in Italy’s prestigious “Commedia del Atre”.

Since that time, Dai has performed all over the world, from Baltimore to Barcelona, Johannesburg to Tokyo giving demonstrations in more than thirty countries on five continents. He regularly appears on TV, and as a headline entertainer at festivals, colleges, cruise ships & Las Vegas casinos.