theory11 — Magic Tricks & the World's Finest Playing Cards

Flourish - Time filler or something more?

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negativ4ik

Sep 5, 2008
22
0
UK
Having spend my last two years of practice time on flourishing i noticed one thing. Flourishing is not appreciated by audience as i expected it to be. For example: i can show first dvd dan-and-dave staff and some new multi cuts. The coments i get are "Its looks the same" "wow thats a fancy manner to cut the cards" and so on.

How much do YOU use flourishing in your routines? WHat do YOU use them for?
 
Flourishes can be a way to show that you know your way around a deck of cards. I usually do a false cut, an in the hands shuffle and an ace production to start my close up set. This sets you apart from a run of the mill hobbiest. Other than that I use flourishes to accentuate my magic, things like color changes, Daryl's hot shot and the boomerang card all help to make your magic a bit more visual and interesting.
 
It's so funny that you post this, because there was a 6-page discussion going on about exactly this topic here:

http://forums.theory11.com/showthread.php?38842-Strong-as-an-oak

We got into the nature of manipulation as an art, the issues with stand-alone manipulation as it exists right now, how to improve it, what you can do to stand out as a manipulator with your spectators and on video, etc.

It turned out to be a fun and interesting thread - worth a read!

Best,
Vince
 
negativ4ik said:
Having spend my last two years of practice time on flourishing i noticed one thing. Flourishing is not appreciated by audience as i expected it to be. For example: i can show first dvd dan-and-dave staff and some new multi cuts. The coments i get are "Its looks the same" "wow thats a fancy manner to cut the cards" and so on.

How much do YOU use flourishing in your routines? WHat do YOU use them for?
Click to expand...

I don't use them. I'm firmly of the school of thought that flourishes detract from the feeling of magic when the two are mixed.

The other thread that Vinnie linked to is full of my thoughts already, so I'll just sum up: Flourishing is esoteric. People who are not schooled in flourishing will not understand the differences in the complicated moves because they can't follow them.
 
ChristopherT said:
I don't use them. I'm firmly of the school of thought that flourishes detract from the feeling of magic when the two are mixed.
Click to expand...

There are, of course, examples of very successful presentations that mix the two - such as Cardini, Jeff McBride, and others. This depends entirely, however, on your persona and the presentation of your show. If you're going for something more purely mystical - flourishing typically doesn't fit in well.

ChristopherT said:
The other thread that Vinnie linked to is full of my thoughts already, so I'll just sum up: Flourishing is esoteric. People who are not schooled in flourishing will not understand the differences in the complicated moves because they can't follow them.
Click to expand...

Which is why a good manipulation show isn't just move after similar move. It combines elements of plot, music, choreography and has a consistent "narrative" as far as the individual moves performed are concerned.

Of course, we discussed this at length in the other thread. :)

Best,
Vince
 
I don't use them in tricks ever, but I do a simple Sybil or the Werm just for fun while sitting down or waiting for something and it often attracts attention to start doing a card effect. I am not big into it though, and don't know a lot of the advanced moves.
 
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