Im not sure...but I think...I THINK- were different people.
I wont even be taking that 'advice' into consideration anyway.
I wont even be taking that 'advice' into consideration anyway.
Failed Performance
- Thread starter darosa.justin
- Start date
I'm sure many of us magi have been down a similar road that you just went down. I know that I have. Last year, I was asked to perform at my girlfriend's cousins 7th birthday. I brought cards, coins, chop cup, silks, sponge balls, D'lites, and rope. I started with the cards (Biddle Trick to be exact) and when I saw that there was no reaction (plus the kid forgot his card!) I quickly ended my first card trick and moved on to silks. Weird transition, yes, but I was able to recapture the kids' attention and keep my show going. I pretty much just had to re-position my whole routine as I went along since I kind of took it out of order and it was pretty tough, but nevertheless I got through with it and everyone had a great time. It wasn't exactly like your situation, but it started like it and I was able to recover from doing some complicated card tricks (to kids it's complicated) to being able to perform a good show.
Here's some advice. It's up to you if you want to take it or not. I don't a think that you should quit on children because many children still believe that magic is real, so you know that they'll appreciate it when you perform. Plus children are also a way to judge how your performance is. After all, knowing how children have a rather short attention span. If you can keep their attention AND keep them entertained with your magic, then you know that you're a good performer...I forgot where I read that (I think it was on the cafe). Also, I think that you should expand your repertoire (sponge balls, coins, ropes, silks, cups and balls) if all you're doing is cards, that way you'll always have something fresh and different. Plus you won't get the "oh I've seen this before" comment from people who have seen you perform before whenever you pull out a deck of cards. Plus if your audience doesn't react to your tricks, then you'll be able to pull out something different and hopefully recover from there.
Anyway, everything else I want to say has been said on previous posts and it's some pretty good advice that these people are offering. But like I said before, it's up to you if you want to take it or not. If you choose not to take it now, then just hope that this thread doesn't get deleted or lost later on in the future if ever you want to look back at it. Good luck with your magic.
Here's some advice. It's up to you if you want to take it or not. I don't a think that you should quit on children because many children still believe that magic is real, so you know that they'll appreciate it when you perform. Plus children are also a way to judge how your performance is. After all, knowing how children have a rather short attention span. If you can keep their attention AND keep them entertained with your magic, then you know that you're a good performer...I forgot where I read that (I think it was on the cafe). Also, I think that you should expand your repertoire (sponge balls, coins, ropes, silks, cups and balls) if all you're doing is cards, that way you'll always have something fresh and different. Plus you won't get the "oh I've seen this before" comment from people who have seen you perform before whenever you pull out a deck of cards. Plus if your audience doesn't react to your tricks, then you'll be able to pull out something different and hopefully recover from there.
Anyway, everything else I want to say has been said on previous posts and it's some pretty good advice that these people are offering. But like I said before, it's up to you if you want to take it or not. If you choose not to take it now, then just hope that this thread doesn't get deleted or lost later on in the future if ever you want to look back at it. Good luck with your magic.
Don't do card magic, that wont empress them! Do something easy and fun like kids props if you are doing stage, or sponge ball magic!
Best of luck,
BrianKilledYou,
Brian
Best of luck,
BrianKilledYou,
Brian
Thanks for the great advice. Ill definately use it.
However, it's I'm not really giving up on kid's magic, but they're not really the auidence i like performing too.
I would say keep giving it a shot at least until you are fully convinced that performing for kids just doesn't suit your style or your direction in magic. Kids are very hard to perform for and more likely to catch you doing something much faster than an adult. That being said they are great measuring sticks for the simple and easy to follow effects. One card effect that I have found almost every kid between the ages of 7-10 loved was an effect from Royal Road to Card Magic called "Designed for Laughter". It is very, very easy to follow, involves minimal participation from the audience, and ALWAYS gets a great laugh when they think they are smarter than you and reach for where they think their card is. Works great on adults also. This is just an example of something I have found in my experience that works, at least the way I am presenting it, for kids and adults alike.
I would honestly suggest you try to avoid alienating a specific age group because of a bad experience. Take what happened as a learning experience and try something different for the kids next time.
Cheers,
Jim