blending balloonist with magic

[Jewish_Illusion]

hey guys

I have been doing magic for quite a while and have always tried to incorporate some other aspect to my performance, like ventriloqism and the like, and i was wondering whether anybody had any feelings about combining magic and baloon twisting

I really was only bringing this up cuz recently i was at a carnival and there was this magician/baloon artist there that was also doing some closeup street magic like cups and balls and the pea shell game. i was pretty impressed becuz i thought that balloons and magic didnt mix, but now i realize that the 2 go hand in hand pretty nicely

please share your thoughts tips and ideas

btw, the the performer mentioned above was Chuck Flayhart,
in case u were interested in seeing what he does and how he works his magic

 

[RickEverhart]

I book TONS of shows because I can do both. I consider it an "add on" to my kids birthday party show and 9 times out of 10 it gets me booked over other magicians who do not know or do both, and gets me an additional $25.00 on top of my $100 half hour show. I only twist about 15 different items including a 3 foot tall braided hat but that is plenty to get booked.

I say if you want to do it, go for it.

 

[Jacob L]

Same here, I do balloons and magic at my restaurant. Balloons have also gotten me booked for some local fairs, and it's paid pretty well. I would say go for it, I currently have about 7 I do, but they get the job done. Balloons can be expensive though, I buy in bulk from Balloonfast.com, look under qualatex twisters tab.

 

[Josh Burch]

I know magicians that swear by it. There are some saweet balloon effects out there too! Rep-air, inverted, airtight, and pressure. All great effects that could be tied into a balloon tying act.

 

[RickEverhart]

Another thing that I do that goes over big is putting hi-bounce balls inside of a twisty balloon like a twirly toy thing. I know that sounds weird but kids love'em.

 

[William Draven]

High bounce balls? Really?! Crap! I knew I was doing something wrong. I've been doing razor blades, and poisoned apples.

 

[Jacob L]

Like actually inside the balloon? or "inside" the balloon? Also that must be expensive unless you buy them in bulk somewhere, right? (The bouce balls)

 

[RickEverhart]

Yes...I buy them in bulk. I buy most of my materials from www.tmyers.com or www.larocks.com

 

[Mat La Vore]

...i was pretty impressed becuz i thought that balloons and magic didnt mix, but now i realize that the 2 go hand in hand pretty nicely...

Depends on your style and audience. For kids--sure. Anything can really go together as long as kids enjoy it and are being entertained. For adults, though, if you want them to take your magic seriously (not that you have to necessarily be a very serious performer) then I think it's going to be a bit more of a challenge to incorporate balloon twisting into your act. There's a reason you've never seen David Copperfield, David Blaine, Criss Angel, Cyril Takayama, Derren Brown, any of the Vegas acts, etc. twisting balloons. It's clownish. Which in the audience's eyes, I believe, is how they'll most likely see your magic on the outset when you present it after having first been seen twisting some balloon animals. If you want that to be part of your style, though, then go for it. Clowns have their place in entertainment, and there are some good ones out there for sure. Whatever you decide, though, have a clear concept of who you are as a performer and make sure that whatever you do fits that frame when you present yourself and your brand of entertainment.

In short, what I'm saying is it's hard to go from balloon poodle to Stigmata, but balloon sword to spongeballs isn't much of a stretch. It's just a matter of knowing yourself and your audience.

Good luck.

 

[Jewish_Illusion]

thanks so much for the advice guys!
i think that ill give it a shot and see how it works out

you guys at theory11 are always so supportive and i appreciate that
ps this is my first thread so im pretty impressed it got so many replies so quickly

 

[Jacob L]

Depends on your style and audience. For kids--sure. Anything can really go together as long as kids enjoy it and are being entertained. For adults, though, if you want them to take your magic seriously (not that you have to necessarily be a very serious performer) then I think it's going to be a bit more of a challenge to incorporate balloon twisting into your act. There's a reason you've never seen David Copperfield, David Blaine, Criss Angel, Cyril Takayama, Derren Brown, any of the Vegas acts, etc. twisting balloons. It's clownish. Which in the audience's eyes, I believe, is how they'll most likely see your magic on the outset when you present it after having first been seen twisting some balloon animals. If you want that to be part of your style, though, then go for it. Clowns have their place in entertainment, and there are some good ones out there for sure. Whatever you decide, though, have a clear concept of who you are as a performer and make sure that whatever you do fits that frame when you present yourself and your brand of entertainment.

In short, what I'm saying is it's hard to go from balloon poodle to Stigmata, but balloon sword to spongeballs isn't much of a stretch. It's just a matter of knowing yourself and your audience.

Good luck.

Understood, however, when I go to a table to perform for adults, I do my regular set and they love it. Just because they've seen me twist balloons for little kids doesn't mean I can't shift gears for a different audience. I understand that what you are saying is probably more along the lines of within a single set, so it makes sense there. But a different table is a different environment, so it's more feasible if you are in a strolling setting in my opinion.

 

[Mat La Vore]

...Just because they've seen me twist balloons for little kids doesn't mean I can't shift gears for a different audience...

You can shift gears, but in my opinion it's more difficult for your audiences to make the change in their minds than it is for you. First impressions are strong and difficult to overcome. I'm sure your audiences love what you do and that you're great at your style of magic. Not doubting that. I personally just think that once they've seen you twisting balloons for children, trying to get adults to then take your magic seriously is an uphill battle at that point.* Not saying it can't be done, just that it's going to take more effort than it otherwise would have had your first impression been different.

*Just for the record: I don't have anything at all against balloon twisting and I respect it as its own artform.

 

[Jacob L]

You can shift gears, but in my opinion it's more difficult for your audiences to make the change in their minds than it is for you. First impressions are strong and difficult to overcome. I'm sure your audiences love what you do and that you're great at your style of magic. Not doubting that. I personally just think that once they've seen you twisting balloons for children, trying to get adults to then take your magic seriously is an uphill battle at that point. Not saying it can't be done, just that it's going to take more effort than it otherwise would have had your first impression been different.

Ok I gotcha. That did happen once when I asked a couple for some magic, and the guy replied with something about balloons. If they say no though, they are the one's missing out. But I do see what you are saying and I agree with you on the uphill battle point. In my experience it does happen, but not every time.