So, is there a balance?

[jazzhands1]

Since I do both flourishes and card magic, I thought I'd ask this question:

What's the balance between doing card flourishes and doing card magic?

Don't get me wrong and stuff, because I love both, but in other words, how much flourishing is appropriate in card magic?

It seems to me that if a magician does too many flourishes the spectators might start to get wrong ideas about him.

And my second question: If so, what wrong ideas could a spectator get about the magician?

 

[a.mingo]

flourishes are separate from magic, I don't mix them. The main argument for doing flourishes is it immediately establishes credibility but once you do your opener the flourishes should end.

The main point against it being that it shows that your not doing magic, just sleight of hand. So I do flourishes for myself and more or less something to do for fun waiting at the airport or listening to music. When I perform, I do magic.

 

[StevenLevitt]

I rarely use flourishes with my magic, unless it has a purpose. I use flourishing as an exercise for my fingers to improve dexterity and strength.

 

[dejavu05]

Here is a great article that was one of the cerca trova topics...
http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?t=6664&highlight=flourishing

 

[ninja]

i feel that flourishes a good for a preformance because from my point of view it does establish credibility and iw gives the spectaters a reason to be confident in your preformance it kind of builds them up for what going to happen. like oh S*** that was crazy what the hell is going to do next feel to it.

you just don't want to get carried away and pull out a J5 in the middle of your preformance just something short and flashy. as long as you can back it up with some damn good magic.

you don't want to bust out some crazy moves then do a bad medicore trick

 

[praetoritevong]

It really depends on who you are and how you present magic. Of course if you're more flourishing than magic, you might be more inclined to even make a flourish show and add a little magic instead. As it is, I don't really use flourishing in magic except for cred as ninja pointed above and to get attention also. So many conversations started by flourishing..

 

[Sam Hardy]

Watch Joel Pascall's "Thoughts On Working". Although just presentation for a trick, he raises a lot of valid points which are worth noting.

-Sam H

 

[JamesHarken]

...

I hate do flourishing and magic together.

As soon as I flourish or do something fancy with the cards or whatever I'm using, the illusion is broken that your doing, " magic ".

Your audience will immediately assume your just, " fast with your hands ", and that's how your achieving your magic.