Fluidity and Smoothness

[Angathorion]

A cardist/flourisher has to know how to flourish, true. But if he/she only knows how to flourish, but then looks like a clumsy fool holding the cards, handling the cards, spreading the cards, then he/she is no more than just a person who knows a few card stunts.

Doubtlessly everyone should have realised this. What distinguishes an amateur from a professional isn't just how well a flourish is done; it's also about how well the person handles the cards during ordinary situations.

Given that I'm only 6 months into the flourishing scene, I wonder, do any of you have ideas on how to present yourself as someone more than just a layman who knows a few card stunts?

Classy ways of flipping over a top card, of revealing a card, all that. The actual flourishes are covered pretty well by the DVDs on the market, such as the Trilogy, the System, etc, I know. But these subtle things; are such presentation ideas available anywhere?

 

[Ben Long]

A cardist/flourisher has to know how to flourish, true. But if he/she only knows how to flourish, but then looks like a clumsy fool holding the cards, handling the cards, spreading the cards, then he/she is no more than just a person who knows a few card stunts.

Doubtlessly everyone should have realised this. What distinguishes an amateur from a professional isn't just how well a flourish is done; it's also about how well the person handles the cards during ordinary situations.

Given that I'm only 6 months into the flourishing scene, I wonder, do any of you have ideas on how to present yourself as someone more than just a layman who knows a few card stunts?

Classy ways of flipping over a top card, of revealing a card, all that. The actual flourishes are covered pretty well by the DVDs on the market, such as the Trilogy, the System, etc, I know. But these subtle things; are such presentation ideas available anywhere?

I' have only been performing flourishes for a short time and am not that great. However, I've been handling cards for quite some time and have found that siomple things like gestures to present a card and snapping fingers is a nice convincer to others of my dexterity. One "move" that I like to do when changing a card (in fact, it my bread and butter magical gesture) is doing a fluid finger spread over the cards. I start with all of my fingertips touching several inches above the cars. I pull back and then change direction quickly. As I go down, I quickly spread my fingers, letting them blossom over the cards. Small touches like these really help the performance.

 

[Angathorion]

That's what I'm talking about. I haven't been handling cards for all that long, so there certainly are pointers I could take. The snapping of fingers and the blossoming of the fingers as you say, are indeed quite effective. Thanks.

Any more pointers anybody would like to share?

 

[mousquebiere]

The deck spin done by one of the Buck twins (I don't know which one, sorry !) during the theory11 preview is a killer. You can casually do this while talking, or when everybody's staring at the deck, anyway you'll look like a real pro !

If you own the Trilogy (if not, what are you waiting for ? ORDER NOW !!!), it's in the 3rd DVD, everythingelse.

 

[Vinnie C.]

I personally refer to this as "grace". A simple showmanship and professionalism that is shown even when one is simply handling the cards, even in a non-impressive manner. It's just the way he/she uses the cards that is so impressive, and then when you combine that with skill and the ability to do the moves, you have something amazing.

There are only a handful out there who are masters of grace.

Tips? Well, watch yourself in a mirror or record yourself, study how you move and how you handle the cards, then simply improve upon what you see.

-Vince

 

[trashmanf]

The deck spin done by one of the Buck twins (I don't know which one, sorry !) during the theory11 preview is a killer. You can casually do this while talking, or when everybody's staring at the deck, anyway you'll look like a real pro !

If you own the Trilogy (if not, what are you waiting for ? ORDER NOW !!!), it's in the 3rd DVD, everythingelse.

It's T.G Murphy's "deck flip" from his great book Imagication. cool move.

also, practice practice practice your springs. this move is unlike any other because the cards are taking flight individually! it's really a display of skill that will immediately give you "cred", Jerry C. describes it as proving to the observers that you "put out" hehe