So I've been doing magic for a little over a year now and this is what I love to do. I eat, sleep, dream, and never stop thinking about magic. So far, I've only performed for a few friends, pretty much my entire family (a lot) and a few strangers at the hospital. Now, I think it's time to start performing a bit more. I think performing at school will be perfect for practicing on performing more. Maybe even going to the mall and just bring about 3 tricks and only perform them to get better. Then change those 3 to another when I've got them down pretty good. But now that I'm in high school, I want to ask how to start performing for friends there. Many of them don't even know that I do magic, but I've given a few subtle hints such as pictures of 'magic' and doing art projects on magic or magicians. How should I start to perform there more? I heard someone else elsewhere that if you're at a new high school, that you should probably wait about a month or two so people can get to know you first instead of being magic kid during that time. They know who you are, and they know a bit about you, and then you can introduce them that you do magic. What are your thoughts?
Performing
- Thread starter JackofJokers
- Start date
I'm in the exact same situation. I'm a freshman, so my social life completely started over at zero a month ago, and so I haven't shown even one trick in school yet.
My plan was to show a trick here or there, and let my reputation as a magician spread on its own, rather than pushing my luck with it, that way people can think of me as a magician but also as just a regular kid.
My plan was to show a trick here or there, and let my reputation as a magician spread on its own, rather than pushing my luck with it, that way people can think of me as a magician but also as just a regular kid.
Hey guys i was in that situation last year. start out with your roomates. Never take anything they say seriously becasue they will be your biggest critics. also try to get somne solid tricks down before you show other people that way people are excitedto see magic jsut some advice take it how you want
Hmm...what effects would you reccomend? Some non-gimmicked stuff. I might only do things like Misled or Pen Thru Dollar as my only gimmicked effects. I want everything else to end clean or use borrowed objects.
Just do it. When you're at school, show one of your friends something. After doing that you shoudl get a reaction, and people might notice.
Then you've always got the ol' "Hi, Im _____, what's your name? Hi _____ would like to see something interesting?"
Something to that effect.
Ty
Then you've always got the ol' "Hi, Im _____, what's your name? Hi _____ would like to see something interesting?"
Something to that effect.
Ty
I love that position! Relish it! I'm in it too, (kind of)! It's my senior year of high school. I've been performing for my other High School forever, and I was in a little town of 6,000 people. Now, I'm in a town of 600,000 so it's a big jump for me. The way I thought of it was, 'wow, that was all practice. time to really see what i'm made of' and using magic as a way of meeting people is great! I love doing it to random people at the mall as well, but making friends at school is also a great possability
I wish I were still in that phase of my life haha. It's been a while. What you need to do (what I did at least) is just GET OUT THERE AND DO IT.
Beware that some shopping malls won't allow you to do things only because they think it causes a disturbance. Do it outside if anything, usually near the food court. Also if you plan on recording your performance, be sure (if you were to use it in a performance DVD you plan to sell) that you get legal documentation to get the participants to sign so they can't claim they never gave you permission to use them.
Most of all, have fun. Be able to approach total strangers. Say "wanna see something" if you want, but that's kind of creepy. Just walk up to them, politely tell them who you are, what you do, and ask if they would like to help you out for a minute or two. That should get them to stick around. Every now and again you get the busy mom or the old guy that doesn't enjoy anything.. just thank them for the time they did give you and wish them a good day. Who knows, if you're around long enough and gather a crowd, the person that originally said no will stop and watch.
That's what happened to me ^_^
Have fun!
Beware that some shopping malls won't allow you to do things only because they think it causes a disturbance. Do it outside if anything, usually near the food court. Also if you plan on recording your performance, be sure (if you were to use it in a performance DVD you plan to sell) that you get legal documentation to get the participants to sign so they can't claim they never gave you permission to use them.
Most of all, have fun. Be able to approach total strangers. Say "wanna see something" if you want, but that's kind of creepy. Just walk up to them, politely tell them who you are, what you do, and ask if they would like to help you out for a minute or two. That should get them to stick around. Every now and again you get the busy mom or the old guy that doesn't enjoy anything.. just thank them for the time they did give you and wish them a good day. Who knows, if you're around long enough and gather a crowd, the person that originally said no will stop and watch.
That's what happened to me ^_^
Have fun!
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I've always been of the mind that magic is much cooler when it's not forced on people. Telling people you're into magic or that you perform magic is much different than showing them. If you tell them about it, most likely they will ask to see something. That's when you go for it. But saying "hey, wanna see a trick?" or whatever without solicitation kinda sours my stomach. There are plenty of tactful ways to get them to inquire without being annoying or obnoxious.
when i was in college and tried to use magic to pick up women (keyword "tried"), i would never bring it up, but sometimes have a wingman buddy bring it up. that way i could pretend I didn't really want to do it, but then perform "reluctantly." dishonest? maybe. haha
when i was in college and tried to use magic to pick up women (keyword "tried"), i would never bring it up, but sometimes have a wingman buddy bring it up. that way i could pretend I didn't really want to do it, but then perform "reluctantly." dishonest? maybe. haha
if you have the nerves...just walk up to some kids in the hall before class...and show them some stuff...if not, next time you're just sitting around talking to your friends or w/e just whip out the deck, and do some flourishes, people will be interested, then show them a trick or 2!
first time i did a trick in college, we were at the student lounge, me and some buddies, getting some hot dogs and drinks
i did sinful...my buddies started screaming lol (i drank the pop instead of pouring it out)
i was just getting into magic my last few months of college, so i didnt perform a lot..now that i use loops and stuff, sometimes if im bored i go to the college during lunch and do stuff, talk to old buddies
i go to the sports things nightly, soccer etc, and usually perform a few trick after the sports
and next thursday their starting poker night, so
anyhoo i dont perform as much as id like...im aware that i just gotta get up and do it, but meh lol
i did sinful...my buddies started screaming lol (i drank the pop instead of pouring it out)
i was just getting into magic my last few months of college, so i didnt perform a lot..now that i use loops and stuff, sometimes if im bored i go to the college during lunch and do stuff, talk to old buddies
i go to the sports things nightly, soccer etc, and usually perform a few trick after the sports
and next thursday their starting poker night, so
anyhoo i dont perform as much as id like...im aware that i just gotta get up and do it, but meh lol
Start small. Show your friend a trick in class when there is a break or something. Chances are, other people will notice and close in to watch, and the crowd will keep growing. This happened my first week of high school in the boys locker room. I never dressed out for P.E. (i'm too cool.....LOL), so i'd just sit there and do flourishes and stuff, and somebody would start watching me, then I started busting an ACR, and the crowd grew.....and grew......and GREW. By the end of the performance, I had at least 50 guys crowded around me. I would only do simple stuff (ACR, Biddle trick, Waving the Aces, Stigmata, Triumph, etc.), and the reactions were awesome. Within a month, I was known around my school as "The Magic Kid". Word of mouth is the best advertisement. Soon I was doing magic in EVERY SINGLE class period. Especially lunch. Holy crap, I won't touch that subject right now. Now that i'm a sophmore and i'm a little more known, I have my own special on our school morning news where I perform an effect for a random kid in the hallway. But anyways, start small and work your way up.
Yesterday or the day before I started doing magic in school. None of my friends knew I did it, or anything, and then one day I brought a deck to school and in study hall I whipped out a deck and started flourishing. It's not hard to impress people, the only tricks I've done to people so far are the snap change, swiss made, and cardini snap change.
Study hall is like punishment for us. Detention. Not good. If I was to get busted in study hall, I'd get another.