I say, "very well." They then learn the ambiguity of the question in which they have asked.
"what you just saw is a product of my flawless Elite prestidigitation"
If I choose I just tell them that I did it with my superior hands.
My personal favorite line to say would be. "Can you keep a secret?" "Of course!" "So can I." It's a little mean, but gets a laugh quite often and a priceless reaction every time.
...at which moment your audiences think you're jerks for having understood their genuine question of curiosity in what you do and chosen to blow them off by giving them a smartass answer instead of a genuine reply.
The canned hack lines don't work--they're just cheap lowbrow outs. When you're performing you should be building a relationship. All hack lines like these do is create distance.
How do you respond if someone says "How do you do that?". Sometime I say it was magic, and other times I just ignore them. Is this the correct way to approach it? I just wanted to hear other people's thoughts.
Adam,
I do not suggest you answer that it was magic. This is a pandering response, especially for adults. First consider why your audience is asking in the first place, which more than not is because it is a response of bewilderment, not that they actually expect you to explain what you did to them. They're just thinking out loud. Most of the time they don't expect you to actually answer the question (although they do expect you to address their question), so saying something like, "That's crazy, isn't it?" will often satisfy their their "how did you do that?" response. You have to say it in a way that matches their tone and energy though. If they're stunned quiet, you don't want to say a line like that with an arrogant wink and flashing smile then turn away to carry on with another trick. Take the moment to let the magic sink in. You can be genuine and still make it known that you're holding something back.
They're just trying to relate to you when they ask how you did something. All they usually want is some sort of acknowledgement to their question--it doesn't have to be a direct answer. So if the person asking is not the person you just did an effect for, just directing your attention toward them and saying, "Would you like to try something?" will usually satisfy them. They're asking because they're interested in what you're doing, so doing an effect them (something interactive) is more-or-less what they're looking for.
Sometimes someone will come along that will actually not stop asking how did something. This should be a very rare case, but if it does happen Mike Skutt has a reply I have always loved, which is to take them aside or lower your voice so the conversation drops to just between you and the curious spectator and say, "I'll point you in the right direction--the question isn't so much
how I did as it is
why." Let the line hang for just a moment then politely leave them to ponder it. And say it like you mean it, not like you're pandering to them--like you are truly doing them a favor by giving them a real clue to sink their teeth into--and it will give them what they wanted: a new lead to follow in their curiosity, and a deeper mystery to try and unravel.
Happy Magic