A thought I had...

[ThrallMind]

So I was at work today, and began thinking.

Would you rather listen to a magician who has very little technical knowledge about magic, but has been very successful in his performances

or

A magician who can do every sleight flawlessly, but has had very little experience performing.

If you wouldn't mind, I'd also like to know why you chose your answer. Thanks.

Please choose only one. No mixing, as it isn't point of my thought

-ThrallMind

 

[The Dark Angel]

This is a very challenging question... I think that if I had to choose, it would be from the magician with little experience performing.

I'll have to think on this...
TDA

 

[jcherry]

I'd rather deal with a conjurer who has a mixture of both. After all without the technical know how you can't perform anything worth watching and therefore aren't doing our art much good. And on the other hand, presentation is everything and if you can't create a bond or connection between you and your spectator then your magic falls flat and is brushed off as mere trickery. Every get the reaction, "Huh, that was neat"? That's case and point.

To quote a Red Stripe commercial, "Too much of one thing is never good, HORAY Moderation!"

Peace, John

 

[ThrallMind]

I'd rather deal with a conjurer who has a mixture of both. After all without the technical know how you can't perform anything worth watching and therefore aren't doing our art much good. And on the other hand, presentation is everything and if you can't create a bond or connection between you and your spectator then your magic falls flat and is brushed off as mere trickery. Every get the reaction, "Huh, that was neat"? That's case and point.

To quote a Red Stripe commercial, "Too much of one thing is never good, HORAY Moderation!"

Peace, John

Very nice answer, but that is what most people would choose

I'm interested if you were forced to make a choice.

-ThrallMind

 

[XxJamesxX]

Tough question for most, but for me I must say I'd rather talk to the technical one. Dont get me wrong I understand that Presentation is everything, its just that I personally beleive that my presentation skills are far superior to my technical knowledge( Eventhough its pretty great)=]

 

[tsarothpaco]

The answer would seem to be what you lack and they have. So if someone isn't great (or lacking) at performing (social skills, entertaing, non-sleight based aspects) would want to talk to the one who has been successful in performing, vice versa to the one who is weak in sleights to the one who does sleights flawlessly.

For me...I would probably pick the one successful in performing for the reason stated above.

~PaCo

 

[jcherry]

Oh, I don't think I would take kindly to someone forcing me to choose one or the other and I'd have a hard time not to silently curse them for putting me in such a situation , but I think I'd go with performance knowledge as you can be the best technician in the world but if you can't pull off a successful performance, ie... create an experience of magic, or moment of astonishment as PH would say, then you're about as entertaining as a rock. So, yeah, I'll go with performance knowledge.

John

 

[al3x:h]

I would talk to the technical one, because performance style is individual, while sleight of hand, technique wise, usually varies little.

 

[Jack The Magician]

Definitely an intriguing question, since it will likely elicit a different response from each person.

Personally, I would choose the magician, who has very little technical knowledge about magic, but has been very successful in his performances -- because, like many I'm sure, I judge my success based on my performances and their respective success or failure.

For me, while it is definitely key to know sleights and be able to perform them well, sometimes "selling" a simple double lift or force garners a response from spectators that is as great -- or even greater -- than by knowing how to do a triple Tenkai backpalm omni-double-lift shift.

ThallMind -- I'm interested as to which one would you choose.

Cheers,
JTM

 

[illusionist14]

I would rather listen to a magician who has very little technical knowledge about magic, but has been very successful in his performances. Mainly because I think that something as simple as forcing a card to someone can be VERY powerful with good showmanship therefore getting you huge reactions.

 

[mattjones]

Live performances teach lessons that can't be found in any book, DVD, or download, so I'd have to go with the magician with tons of performance success.

BUT- you'd have to have a really great routine and be able to execute it well (technical knowledge) to have tons of performance success.

So you really can't just have one without the other...

 

[shyguy567]

I would choose the magician who performed less. All you said is that he didn't perform often that doesn't make him a poor performer.

Loopholes aside. I would still choose the person with technical knowledge as thats who I think I would learn more from. It's hard to teach someone how to be social and connect with people. However, if it was who I would rather watch perform it would probably be the more social person as long as I didn't see how everything was done or maybe I'd want to see the rare underground talent of the other guy. Honestly I can't choose.

 

[frezzing aces]

depends on what you want to know. me personally, performance at the moment

 

[jimmah01]

i'd go with the magician with excellent sleight knowledge.. you can then apply what he knows to your knowledge of performing and possibly even help him with it if desired.

 

[Randomwrath]

I'd go with the performing one any day because I feel that we have too many slights but not enough people focus on the performing aspect.

...than by knowing how to do a triple Tenkai backpalm omni-double-lift shift.

JTM, is that actually a real slight or is it all part of some great big conspiracy that you're not telling me about?

 

[SHANE BLACK]

Thats an easy one for me. The one with the most performance experience seeing as I know a ton of mechanics and utility moves including sleights in which you can never know enough but to take these things and apply them to a real live audience thats priceless. I almost sounded like the commercial ad there sorry.

Shane

 

[neco]

im rooting for the one with the expirience performing...
magic is not just about your hands its about you..
not what you do but how you do it...


-neco

 

[Steerpike]

The one with performance experience. Robotic sleight monkeys are a dime a dozen.

Besides, I know for a fact that I'll never be a sleight of hand messiah. I'm so dominantly left-handed that there is an extremely noticeable size difference between my hands. For example, my left fingers are nearly half-an-inch longer than my right. Being so dramatically left-handed makes a lot of moves and sleights using both hands exponentially more difficult. It's not uncommon for my right hand to completely seize up during performances.

Rather than wasting my time trying to take a weakness to a level I can't naturally achieve, I'd rather spend the time developing the talent I do have to a virtuosic level.