Geoff Akins-Hannah forms a bubble around a child during a performance at the Okanagan Science Centre.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

VERNON - These aren’t your average soap suds boys and girls.

From clouds of little bubble clusters to huge shimmering orbs to square bubbles, Geoff Akins-Hannah, of Lumby, can make them all.

“I make a living playing with bubbles,” he says.

The self-taught bubble master turned the passion into a full time career ten years ago.

“That’s when I left my full time job teaching special education to do this,” he says. “I took a leap of faith, and left my job with two weeks notice and have not looked back since.”

Geoff Akins-Hannah delighting children at Polson Park.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

He got the idea from a student.

“Years ago, working in special education, I had this little encounter where I found a bottle of bubbles and opened it up. After a moment this young boy on the autism spectrum was watching,” he says. “He had broken his routine to come over and see what I was doing with the bubbles. Afterwards, all I could wonder about was what else could I have done with the bubbles after he allowed me into his world like that. Answering that question has turned into a full time calling.”

Akins-Hannah had dozens of Vernon and area kids — and grownups — spellbound with a show at the Okanagan Science Centre Tuesday, Aug. 22, followed by a performance in Polson Park.

“A lot of people have dreams or career ideas that might not even exist. I like to stand in front of them and tell them anything is possible,” he says.

The show isn’t just about bubbles — it’s about life, learning and making mistakes and following your dreams, Akins-Hannah says.

“I can do the tricks in my sleep. Now it’s about how do you want to use it to impact someone’s life?” he says.

You can find out more about his Bubble Wonders show here.

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

(CHARLOTTE HELSTON / iNFOnews.ca)

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