Chinese Face Mask Changing - "bian lian" a dying art?

The "change face mask artist" is actually a magician who flips up different masks from his hat, costume, belt or shoe, with a blink, a nod or a handshake.  

This form of opera is only known to only a handful of practising masters in Sichuan province today.  

I managed to take a few photographs from among the 20 or more different masks by a performer specially invited for the occasion. From the side profile, I saw one of the "slower" transitions but not enough to find out the tricks employed. Surely, he would need a lot of practice before he's able to put up such an impressive show. 

The following video probably gives a better idea of the speed of change from a famous artiste.

变脸, 變臉, Biàn Liǎn more commonly known as face changing is a 300 year old tradition  ... 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwfGdJIzYZs

Musicians on Invisble Chairs at Closing Ceremony of Shanghai Expo - illusion or levitation

Amazing performance at the Shanghai Expo closing ceremony!

Does it make you wonder how the musicians are able to levitate in the cross legged position for the whole performance?

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=6HfDeTVpinU&vq=medium

Check this out :

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines captured the imagination of travelers when they hired magician Ramana to perform his famous trick at Skipol Airport in Amsterdam last December to advertise the benefits of the airline’s new economy comfort option.

The marketing stunt continued at Manchester Airport T2 in February where English passengers seen a guy sat on what appeared to be an invisible chair, legs crossed, casually reading a newspaper.

http://www.djmick.co.uk/travel/klm-economy-comfort-invisible-chair-illusion-video/

Another video clip in spanish :

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/3496870/invisible_chair/

It is possibly a "chair" resting on a slanted pole that is aligned to his shoes that runs up his pants to the buttocks.  What say you?

Invisible chair trick explained?

http://www.invisiblepr.com/search/klm%20invisible%20chair%20trick%20explained/

Inspiration for artistic ideas - invisible or disappearing legs of chairs.

http://cdn.dornob.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/invisible-disappearing-chair.jpg

http://dornob.com/invisible-chair-disappearing-designs-hidden-structures/