Black Hills State University students volunteered to be hypnotized by Steven Stone during a Campus Activity Board event at Woodburn Theatre Sept. 15.

Steven Stone is a hypnotist comedian who has entertained around the world. He had BHSU students dancing like fairy princesses and flirting with imaginary people on a tropical beach. They even mimicked the actions of Hypno Monkey, a sock monkey mascot given to Stone by his mentor.

Not everyone can be hypnotized. Each person had to agree to be put under before Stone proceeded with the performance. “No one can make you do anything you don’t want to do. You have to be willing,” Stone said.

Stone grew up in Oklahoma and started entertaining at a young age. His father encouraged him to become a magician but he found his passion in hypnotism. Each spring Stone creates a new theme for his tour but no two shows are the same.

“One hour of hypnotism is about eight hours of sleep,” Stone said, “because you go right into a REM cycle.”

BHSU freshman and volunteer Elizabeth Ferdinand confirmed that she felt like she had just had a good rest. “I felt like I was in a dream,” she said. She said she did not remember what happened but she felt really good.

Ferdinand, along with fourteen other students left the theatre well rested, and the audience left with smiles.