The Spanish School Of Magic

[MohanaMisra]

Can somebody please link good sources of websites or articles or ANYTHING online and free and readable or watchable, about the Spanish School of Magic and its intricacies?

Also, what is meant by a 'school' of magic? I'm assuming it means a way of thinking about and performing magic, but I'd rather play the absolute neophyte here...

So what *is* a school of magic in the first place?

And what is the difference between just 'A DISTINCTIVE STYLE OF PERFORMING' and an entire 'SCHOOL OF MAGIC'?

(is it just the number of people involved that is required to make a style a school?)

 

[RealityOne]

It is actually the Escuela Magica De Madrid which translates as the Madrid School Of Magic.

I'm assuming it means a way of thinking about and performing magic

See definition - https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/school

"a group of persons who hold a common doctrine or follow the same teacher (as in philosophy, theology, or medicine)" and "a group of artists under a common influence"
​

The artists that make up the Madrid School include Arturo De Ascanio, Juan Tamariz, Roberto Giobbi, Rene Lavand, Rafael Benatar, and many others. The "doctrine" can be found in in Ascanio's books Structural Conception of Magic and Structure of Card Magic (both books), Tamariz's books and Giobbi's Card College series.

From reading the above works, the "Spanish" school emphasizes naturalness (as close as possible to the action being simulated), appropriate cover (providing justification for cover moves), simplicity (not to be confused with difficulty) and structure (in terms of plot, sleights and audience attention).

 

[Gabriel Z.]

It is actually the Escuela Magica De Madrid which translates as the Madrid School Of Magic.



See definition - https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/school

"a group of persons who hold a common doctrine or follow the same teacher (as in philosophy, theology, or medicine)" and "a group of artists under a common influence"
​

The artists that make up the Madrid School include Arturo De Ascanio, Juan Tamariz, Roberto Giobbi, Rene Lavand, Rafael Benatar, and many others. The "doctrine" can be found in in Ascanio's books Structural Conception of Magic and Structure of Card Magic (both books), Tamariz's books and Giobbi's Card College series.

From reading the above works, the "Spanish" school emphasizes naturalness (as close as possible to the action being simulated), appropriate cover (providing justification for cover moves), simplicity (not to be confused with difficulty) and structure (in terms of plot, sleights and audience attention).

I'm always learning from this guy.

 

[kennethcmerrill]

From reading the above works, the "Spanish" school emphasizes naturalness (as close as possible to the action being simulated), appropriate cover (providing justification for cover moves), simplicity (not to be confused with difficulty) and structure (in terms of plot, sleights and audience attention).

Does this really differ from anyone else's approach to magic? Seems like the only way to achieve a magical effect with an audience is to act naturally, use justified covers, and make sure the story is simple and easy to follow. But maybe you can point me to other performers with different theories or styles? Just curious.

 

[MohanaMisra]

But maybe you can point me to other performers with different theories or styles?

There is an ''American School Of Magic'' as I discovered.

Check out this...it's a podcast though...

http://discourseinmagic.com/being-conscious-about-your-magic-with-manuel-llaser/

 

[MohanaMisra]

It is actually the Escuela Magica De Madrid which translates as the Madrid School Of Magic.



See definition - https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/school

"a group of persons who hold a common doctrine or follow the same teacher (as in philosophy, theology, or medicine)" and "a group of artists under a common influence"
​

The artists that make up the Madrid School include Arturo De Ascanio, Juan Tamariz, Roberto Giobbi, Rene Lavand, Rafael Benatar, and many others. The "doctrine" can be found in in Ascanio's books Structural Conception of Magic and Structure of Card Magic (both books), Tamariz's books and Giobbi's Card College series.

From reading the above works, the "Spanish" school emphasizes naturalness (as close as possible to the action being simulated), appropriate cover (providing justification for cover moves), simplicity (not to be confused with difficulty) and structure (in terms of plot, sleights and audience attention).

Is there any online article available about the Spanish School?

 

[Josh Burch]

Does this really differ from anyone else's approach to magic?

Yes, it does differ from many approaches. The Spanish School has a distinct style. It has bled into other styles but there is still a distinctly Spanish flavor to the magic.

Seems like the only way to achieve a magical effect with an audience is to act naturally, use justified covers, and make sure the story is simple and easy to follow.

This isn't the only way to achieve deception and the depth and complexity of "naturalness", the "simplicity", and the "justified covers" all can be varied.

But maybe you can point me to other performers with different theories or styles? Just curious.

One thing that you'll hear many American magicians say is this, "I need to do something with a prop beside coins or cards." Or, they complain that there are, "Too many card tricks!" In the Spanish School, this isn't a worry. Magicians like Tamariz, Woody Aragon, and Dani Daortiz all deal nearly exclusively with cards and they vary their acts in other ways.

When we talk about naturalness they really take it to another level. Look at Woody's double lift at 1:28

Americans and English performers look to have their magic refined a bit more. The Spanish school looks to be so natural it looks messy. Most magicians work with a squared deck, a Spanish magician might work with the deck spread or scattered on the table.

There's a boldness and an improvisational nature in the Spanish School. Look at this example from Dani Daortiz:

Also you'll notice that everything is relaxed and flowing. It is less of, "Watch as I do miracles," and more, "Magic happens around me, come and experience it!"

One thing is for sure, it's difficult to capture much of this on camera. The examples I give on video don't necessarily represent the entirety of the Spanish School. It is better to experience it live.

 

[Luis Vega]

I personally dislike the spanish school of magic, at least what I have seen so far... for some reason, he magicians here in mexico LOVES that magic... maybe because most of them don´t speak english...

1.- they focus to much on card magic..way too much... while the card magic itself is pretty amazing... if you want to have a more broad repertoire of magic (like with other objects, mentalism, etc) this school is not the way to go..

2.- I don´t like that they "focus" on naturalness.. then why are you carrying a mat everywhere... I always find that very impractical and weird... i have met some magicians doing table hoping and carrying their mat to the customers table and arriving and asking the costumers to move their food and drinks to make space for their mat... da hell are you doing?

3.- the patterns or stories are just way to corny or kind of "childish" for me...

 

[Josh Burch]

I personally dislike the spanish school of magic, at least what I have seen so far... for some reason, he magicians here in mexico LOVES that magic... maybe because most of them don´t speak english...

1.- they focus to much on card magic..way too much... while the card magic itself is pretty amazing... if you want to have a more broad repertoire of magic (like with other objects, mentalism, etc) this school is not the way to go..

2.- I don´t like that they "focus" on naturalness.. then why are you carrying a mat everywhere... I always find that very impractical and weird... i have met some magicians doing table hoping and carrying their mat to the customers table and arriving and asking the costumers to move their food and drinks to make space for their mat... da hell are you doing?

3.- the patterns or stories are just way to corny or kind of "childish" for me...

The Spanish School also tends to be a little too messy for my tastes. I like the effect to be a little cleaner than most Spanish magic.

 

[Scodischarge]

Whether or not we like their style (I for one enjoyed the performances posted above a lot), I think we can learn some things from this school. I don't see the need to commit to one school, and one school only. As with many things, a mixture may be best. To quote St. Paul: "Test them all; hold on to what is good."

 

[MohanaMisra]

True...I mean, it's not like we have to choose...
(Unlike the above vote, which pains my heart...there haff veen no votes for Krum's school! XD)

 

[RealityOne]

Does this really differ from anyone else's approach to magic? Seems like the only way to achieve a magical effect with an audience is to act naturally, use justified covers, and make sure the story is simple and easy to follow. But maybe you can point me to other performers with different theories or styles? Just curious.

I think the difference is the level of emphasis. A lot of books tell you how to do the move, but if you look at Card College it provides how to do the move (with the least movement), how to make the move look natural and how to cover the move. Another example is the theory in Tamariz's Five Points of Magic which is about how to use your body (eyes, hands, etc.) to provide misdirection and cover. With structure, there is a dislike of kicker endings - which distract from and diminish the main effect. I think there also is an attitude toward magic that is summed up in Tamariz's Seven Vails:

There is an ''American School Of Magic'' as I discovered.

I'm not sure that there is a single pervasive school of thought in American magic. I think that American magic is strongly influenced by Paul Harris's idea of a eye-candy moment of impossibility school, but there are also other camps like the Burger/McBride/Haas/Neale "magic and meaning" school, the more traditionalist school of Regal, Steinmeyer, Levant, DeSouza and the card handling school of England, Carney, Turner, Jay, etc. Although none of these are actual schools, the performers are similar in style and approach. There also is the influence of the greats like Vernon, Marlo, Garcia, etc. - all of which had their own styles.

"Too many card tricks!" In the Spanish School, this isn't a worry. Magicians like Tamariz, Woody Aragon, and Dani Daortiz all deal nearly exclusively with cards and they vary their acts in other ways.

There are exceptions to this, but I agree they are rare. However, much of the tricks become tricks with cards, rather than card tricks.

Look at Woody's double lift at 1:28

"My long lost brother!" Inside joke... I'll have to post the picture of me and Woody taken after he said that.

It is better to experience it live.

Agreed. Having seen Woody, Christian Engbloom and Danny DaOrtiz (all Tamariz students) lecture, workshop and perform, you just get a sense of how they are different.

I personally dislike the spanish school of magic, at least what I have seen so far... for some reason, he magicians here in mexico LOVES that magic... maybe because most of them don´t speak english...

1.- they focus to much on card magic..way too much... while the card magic itself is pretty amazing... if you want to have a more broad repertoire of magic (like with other objects, mentalism, etc) this school is not the way to go..

2.- I don´t like that they "focus" on naturalness.. then why are you carrying a mat everywhere...

3.- the patterns or stories are just way to corny or kind of "childish" for me...

@Luis Vega - you've seen a poor imitation of the Spanish School.

As for card tricks, Woody's finding your other half and blessed poker are amazing effects from his "A Book in English." Tamariz's "Paradise Found" is what I use as one of my closers. They go beyond the typical pick a card, find a card tricks. There is other magic out there - Giobbi has a routine with a letter and a cups and balls routine in Confidences.

I've never seen the focus being on the use of a mat or it being necessary to perform any of the effects I've read. It sounds like the magicians you are talking about just use the mat to give themselves a sense of being special.

I've not seen any story-type presentations by the "real" Spanish School magicians (although it could be that they don't use them because they don't translate well). None of the books have presentations that are anything like that.

 

[Luis Vega]

@RealityOne

I actually had the chance to meet Dani Daortiz in person in his workshop in Estepona, Spain.. he is a great guy and do awesome card magic.. one of the best I have seen... while I agree that in mexico is a poor imitation, I still feel the core principles are there... like sometimes very monotonous and boring... Dani Daortiz can give a great presentation and a good show... but as for the rest of the magicians I saw there in spain (even some students) were boring AF... same here in Mexico..

Maybe it´s just me and I prefer other kinds of magic and presentations... and as for the mat... yeah, I agree that they want to look special, but they came across as arrogant... while also being extremely impractical...

 

[kennethcmerrill]

This has been a highly enlightening discussion. Thank you for all the resources and info!

 

[JonB1]

@RealityOne

I actually had the chance to meet Dani Daortiz in person in his workshop in Estepona, Spain.. he is a great guy and do awesome card magic.. one of the best I have seen... while I agree that in mexico is a poor imitation, I still feel the core principles are there... like sometimes very monotonous and boring... Dani Daortiz can give a great presentation and a good show... but as for the rest of the magicians I saw there in spain (even some students) were boring AF... same here in Mexico..

Maybe it´s just me and I prefer other kinds of magic and presentations... and as for the mat... yeah, I agree that they want to look special, but they came across as arrogant... while also being extremely impractical...

Hi Luis, magic is supposed to give joy, happiness and pleasure. Your comments seem to be out of place from the perspective of your words "...coming across as arrogant, boring AF" it does seem that you are evaluating this from a higher and over the shoulder position but that´s ok, is ok to differ, is ok not to like the style. But the worst part of your comments isn´t that, is that upon reading them as a Spanish magician, is not making you look great.

I am Dani DaOrtiz´s student, part of the first "Generation DaOrtiz 2020" alumni and there is so much into this way of understanding the magic that it can´t be resumed or dispatched with a couple of sentences. All I suggest is read the work, study that to form an opinion otherwise it only proofs the lack of knowledge on the matter.
Another one of my masters is Juan Tamariz, Lennart Green, Gabi Pareras (RIP) and a few others. Is hard to understand what the Spanish School of Magic is without having grown up in Spain. Where there is a lot of magic to be seen, shows everywhere, even magic on tv for decades in a row thanks to Tamariz´s work in tv, the vibrant magic community there where no matter what city you are in you can always go to the local magic club and meet new people and always be welcomed, the Magialdia in the Basque Country where I'm originally from, the Congreso Nacional (national magic convention), the Jornadas del Escorial (Wrongly mistaken as the Spanish School of Magic) Memorial de Ascanio, Jornadas Gamberras, and so many more things.
Thant environment, in a culture of sharing knowledge, not like other countries I lived in where it wasn´t the case, has fostered the creation of the DaOrtiz´s, Aragon´s, Tamariz´s, Gea, Piedrahita, Benitez, Blas and so many more Great Swords in magic.

I lived in London for quite a few years and I´ve been to the Magic Circle and even though I made very close friends
there, it isn´t anything compared to what it is in Spain but I had a lot of fun and learned a lot.
I now live in Canada, and what I thought about the magic in Northamerica (USA-CANADA-MEXICO) was like, had nothing to do with the reality of it. Magic is almost non-existent. The level of intestinal wars between clubs is abhorrent to watch, and the magic level quality is beyond poor. Ego fights everywhere, pissing competition to who has the most amount of cheap shows a year, etc etc.
I don´t know what it is, but I can tell you that at least the Spanish Magic School is none of that.

It is always very interesting to hear though what foreigners think the Spanish Magic School

 

[Dragonfly]

Dani Daortiz