I bought the book Modern Coin Magic by J.B. Bobo and it's great, but I have a question that the book has not answered so far: ¿Is it good to learn the movements with both hands? ¿Does the right hand (or the master hand) always make palms and difficult movements? In card magic, you always do the movements with the same hands and there is no need or advantage to know how to make the movement with small hands (except when the cards are palmed) As I am new to coin magic, I still do not know if it's not a good or bad thing.
Starting at coin magic
- Thread starter shiflix
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The way I see it is it never hurts to learn more ways to perform sleights. I think Eric jones talked about it in his metal collection.
Learning the sleights with both hands can open you up to more possibilities when performing. At the same time it's really down to preference. I learned some moves with both hands (my right iquite often is still far better at them) and other moves I won't even bother with. It all comes down to you really.
Learning the sleights with both hands can open you up to more possibilities when performing. At the same time it's really down to preference. I learned some moves with both hands (my right iquite often is still far better at them) and other moves I won't even bother with. It all comes down to you really.
Most of the sleights I already know, I only do left handed which kinda sucks. I've been trying to become ambidextrous with anything new I learn because, as @Stu-pendous said, it opens up more possibilities. So I say try to learn with both hands if you can but it's not required. Do whatever works best for you. 
A trick I learned from circus - learn the moves with your off-hand first. Your dominant hand will pick them right up after that.
For coins I would say it's best to learn everything ambidextrously. So many routines involve both hands, you are really going to have to be able to do it all with both hands.
For coins I would say it's best to learn everything ambidextrously. So many routines involve both hands, you are really going to have to be able to do it all with both hands.
I actually have a slightly different view...
It does hurt to waste time in learning sleights which will never be used by you. In that time, one could have learnt a new way of presenting some effect, improving some effect.
Instead of learning new sleights, and well...many magicians these days do so...they keep on learning the most difficult of sleights and at the end of the day, they have no idea where to use them. And even if they do, they have not developed showmanship or performance persona. So are they magicians? Are they not mere sleight-of-hand artists?
The sole reason for learning a sleight must be:-
a) performing an effect
b) improving the same
So, based on the same logic I say that the only reason for learning a sleight with both hands must be the two above reasons (not a RULE, just my opinion).
I have heard of people having different 'dominant' hands and different 'magic' hands. Meaning, they might be right-handed, but while doing magic, they become left-handed, or vice versa (more common). This approach is completely fine!
Are you asking if small hands are a disadvantage in coin magic?
Because, till now, I have not encountered a sleight like that. However, size of coins MAY be a problem.
Not really actually...
Limitations are self-created and self-destroyed.
Indeed. I've been in two different troupes - one I joined in Rhode Island, one I co-founded in Fresno, CA. Kind of in a third one now, as well, but it's more aerial oriented so I am mostly just a safety/performance consultant for them, called Renegade Collective, though I have done some walk around with them, and we've chatted about building a show blending magic and aerials.
It is. And also, when I talk about building a show, it's from experience, not just repeating what folks have said on random forums.