In a non-working / gig setting (a casual party or street magic application), how do you guys and gals introduce yourself and your magic? How do you pull in an audience?
Breaking The Ice
- Thread starter Mikkyo
- Start date
Hummer card is your best bet. But i usually just do some eye catching flourishes like Diving Board Double or LDS
i usally go up to someone and say something clever like
How much do polars bears weight
idn
enough to break the ice hi im Ryan
How much do polars bears weight
idn
enough to break the ice hi im Ryan
I start talking about what other people do as a hobby and a job and when it comes back to me I tell them I am a magician ... magicians are like 1 in a 1000 so they are inmediately intreged... they want to know more and thats when they ask you something like hey lets see a trick and I tell them something like " I just got here from a gig " great excuse for having your deck of cards 
and then I just go into my routine.
and then I just go into my routine.
pull out your cards and put them on the table. Someone will eventually ask why you have cards. \then you tell them
That's Awesome!
lol, I'm not sure if they'll get that right away, but it's still good.
Niice 1.
Effing awesome.
When I'm out with friends bar-hopping and having a good time, it's inevitable that some of them will introduce what I do for me. I recommend showing a few card tricks to some friends before going out; most likely, they'll publicize your talent and get rid of any awkward moments among strangers for you. Amusing suggestion, but it's true.
If you're solo at a party and just want to perform, bring out some cards and ask if people want to play a game. People associate cards with card games-- not magic. Once you have a small group, perform some flourishes and do some quick tricks. People will obviously express their interest and may want to see you do magic rather than play the game. If not-- so what? Play cards for a while and socialize; once people are tired of playing, offer to do some magic afterwards.
I think the best way to perform magic is to just let it happen naturally. As others have said, have fun talking and getting to know others. Be yourself, and let the coversation go where it wants. Forcing a performance at an inopportune time is the most awkward situation I've ever dealt with. I once intruded on a couple at a restaurant with a flaming wallet. They were in the middle of signing divorce papers. It's just... weird.
So long as you're not doing it professionally, there's no reason for you to purposely "work the crowd." So just hang back and enjoy the atmosphere and if magic presents itself-- take advantage of the opportunity.
RS.
Yeah, that also works for me. People introduce my card tricks for me. It's convenient and easy.
Wow...that sounds reaaaaallly awkward.
I usually slap them in the face and say " sorry my hand slipped... say, speaking of hands, do you want to see what I can do with them?'" and I start performing, and usually people forget about the slap in the face.
These are all excellent ideas, especially the polar bears one...i think i'm gona start using that in my show now in an audience chase sequence to get someone up on stage haha - brilliant dude
i actually never bring cards with me when i go out - this is just me so please dont' take offense to this - but i find cards to be expected and like stereotpyical. I usually bust out something like trash compactor, do a pulse stop, metal bending, or at the verrrry most i'll throw a loop or two around my wrist and do stuff with that - that is if I'm feeling frisky haha...but that's just me. I never ever hardly tell anybody i'm a magician because just my nature i have a severe fear of comign off as arrogant and i dont' want to be like that at all so i always tell people i'm an artist and talk about how i went to the institute of art in chicago on scholarship and oh what fun etc etc...and theeen when they ask about my "jooob" i come out with I'm a magician and do art on the side as my hobby and make a joke about how my parents are so proud that i became a magician full time and i have a real job as an artist as my solid career to fall back on - you other artists out there will appreciate that one haha feel free to use it - and then i bust out one of my "impromptu" reps listed above...
now this is just me, there's nothign wrong with bringing you cards with or your coins, etc... whatever works best for you
another great ice breaker is i have a tshirt that was made by joel brook that has a picture of a stick man on it sawed in half and under it says "ta' ****in' da" - always guaranteed to get questions about that one haha
i actually never bring cards with me when i go out - this is just me so please dont' take offense to this - but i find cards to be expected and like stereotpyical. I usually bust out something like trash compactor, do a pulse stop, metal bending, or at the verrrry most i'll throw a loop or two around my wrist and do stuff with that - that is if I'm feeling frisky haha...but that's just me. I never ever hardly tell anybody i'm a magician because just my nature i have a severe fear of comign off as arrogant and i dont' want to be like that at all so i always tell people i'm an artist and talk about how i went to the institute of art in chicago on scholarship and oh what fun etc etc...and theeen when they ask about my "jooob" i come out with I'm a magician and do art on the side as my hobby and make a joke about how my parents are so proud that i became a magician full time and i have a real job as an artist as my solid career to fall back on - you other artists out there will appreciate that one haha feel free to use it - and then i bust out one of my "impromptu" reps listed above...
now this is just me, there's nothign wrong with bringing you cards with or your coins, etc... whatever works best for you
another great ice breaker is i have a tshirt that was made by joel brook that has a picture of a stick man on it sawed in half and under it says "ta' ****in' da" - always guaranteed to get questions about that one haha
I say be direct, don't beat around the subject. When I perform I tell them I'm a magician, mentalist, etc. Whatever you have it. If they are into watching something they'll accept if not they won't. Nothing complicated about it.
That's just me though. I prefer to be more direct than anything.
Mitch
That's just me though. I prefer to be more direct than anything.
Mitch
dan use the polar bear one your audience will fall in love with you and good job with your new videos
I think I am going to have to use that polar bear line. That is hilarious. If I am getting paid, I tend to flick a card at my future spectator. They pick it up and say 'is this yours?' 'Yeah. Sorry that happens sometimes.'
Man, you guys all act as though you've never heard the polar bear line... Maybe it's just an American thing but you'd get slapped/scoffed at for such an appalling line down here which is most often used as a very bad pick-up line.
In Britain too my friend. They would be much scoffing.
Usually it's when I'm in college so friends can say something or someone might ask to see something, lil' bit of flourishing helps.
I like Dan's idea just let the conversation flow to it. I think some others said that too.
And romeo sierra as always good post.
At parties it just kind of happens, maybe I'll show a friend a trick and more people will come and see or they'll tell their friends.
-S♠
D
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Where I live, everyone loves watching me. So how do I introduce the subject of magic?
"Hey, wanna see some magic?"
"NO WAY! EVERYONE, DOUG IS ABOUT TO SHOW US MAGIC! COME HERE!"
*Crowd Gathers*
I kid you not. Where I live, people are so isolated from magic, they honestly don't even know what it is. I had a deck in my hands and I did a quick flourish (which I don't do anymore when performing magic) and some girl just said "Whoah! That was a cool trick Doug!" I'll then respond with "Thank you, but I haven't done any magic yet." That always gets a laugh. Its true though.
If your not in that type of situation though, you can just slowly go into the subject of magic and start a discussion. You can then say "Oh, wanna see some magic? I'm actually a magician." Something like that.
-Doug
"Hey, wanna see some magic?"
"NO WAY! EVERYONE, DOUG IS ABOUT TO SHOW US MAGIC! COME HERE!"
*Crowd Gathers*
I kid you not. Where I live, people are so isolated from magic, they honestly don't even know what it is.
I had a deck in my hands and I did a quick flourish (which I don't do anymore when performing magic) and some girl just said "Whoah! That was a cool trick Doug!" I'll then respond with "Thank you, but I haven't done any magic yet." That always gets a laugh. Its true though.If your not in that type of situation though, you can just slowly go into the subject of magic and start a discussion. You can then say "Oh, wanna see some magic? I'm actually a magician." Something like that.
-Doug
Wow. I'm definitely considering that polar bear line. Its amazing. I'm surprised that I've never heard it.
9/10 I am introduced by my friends, they have a habit of saying that I do magic or something along those lines.
If I'm out and about on my own (which I hardly ever am) I tend to do general talking about whatever.
I've also used Flourishing as a way to grab peoples attention.
If I do mentalism I will stop people and say something along the lines of "I know you're probably busy, but just a moment of your time please. Lets try an experiment."
From there I introduce myself. I've learned from sales techniques that showing people that you're aware they are busy/could be busy is a good method. They feel that you're concerned and are more willing to give you their time.
Anyone that has a chance to get into a short-term sales position or study sales along with the methods, I would do so. I have used my sales experience in my magic to help me gain peoples attention and maintain it.
If I'm out and about on my own (which I hardly ever am) I tend to do general talking about whatever.
I've also used Flourishing as a way to grab peoples attention.
If I do mentalism I will stop people and say something along the lines of "I know you're probably busy, but just a moment of your time please. Lets try an experiment."
From there I introduce myself. I've learned from sales techniques that showing people that you're aware they are busy/could be busy is a good method. They feel that you're concerned and are more willing to give you their time.
Anyone that has a chance to get into a short-term sales position or study sales along with the methods, I would do so. I have used my sales experience in my magic to help me gain peoples attention and maintain it.
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Weird. I would expect Dan Sperry to start doing Card Manipulations with a Crimson Custom deck.