Go to Strolling Routine?

[obrienmagic]

Hello t11 Universe! I would love to know; What is your go to strolling routine and why?

*NOTE: We can all agree that sponge balls is prolly going to be the #1 answer so lets assume OTHER than Spongeballs... lol )

For me it has been for the last 6 years now, "Ninja Plus." It is in my opinion the BEST closeup linking rings effect out today. It is just a solid effect that you can literally use in hundreds of different ways. When I am bored I like to "Jazz" and just kinda make the routine up as I go! You can borrow items from the audience and use it in the routine and there is a moment when they think they know the trick and then you let go of the ring with the finger ring linked on and they are just stunned that there is no way to take the ring off. it is just the BEST!

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

As in I'm hired for a strolling gig?

I pretty much do the same three routines - One is with Dream Lock, one where I make them feel an imaginary object (then leverage that into other suggestion based effects), and one where they imagine an ESP symbol and I am able to name it and hand them a glow-in-the-dark version of it.

 

[tomer132]

I usually do mentalism, so I start with a simple effect where I show an ability I have to "read people". (Usually Life equation by Peter Turner)
Followed by an effect to show the spectator that he, and everyone else has that ability as well.
(Usually an effect involving the to*** force, or an ACAAN)

 

[Al e Cat Dabra]

It depends upon whether it is Situation (1) There is a table, bar or other working surface available or, Situation (2) They are standing around with no working surface available.

Situation (1): Either the Multiplying Rabbits (if females); otherwise the Chop Cup (using an ordinary coffee cup/mug, or an opaque plastic or cardboard cup, with olives, grapes, cherries or balled-up dollar bill for the little "ball"and 3-lemons as final loads.

Situation (2) Sponge Balls or Invisible Deck

 

[tomyleft]

First, Mr. O'brien, your Ninja-Plus routine (as seen on your video) is lovely. Nice finger-rolls with the ring as a start, especially since that establishes the personal ring as the focus and keeps it there... I, too, have been one of those guys who has avoided linking rings so far in my relatively short time in magic, but I like the routines with the 4-inch rings that you, Ogawa, and Messado do. I see the amount of work necessary to make rings look good, and see that it's worth the effort, too! I need to learn more...

My rules for strolling/impromptu:
extremely portable;
no angle issues;
truly close-up by Eugene Burger's definition--1-3 people at best;
quick/no reset;
short duration effect--one-step involvement with spectator (as in "Put your finger here, please." Boom--effect.);
one-prop category when appropriate (as in example below...)

Soooo, with those rules in mind, these days I'm doing rubber band effects (almost) exclusively: a few old famous ones, and then a few newer ones from Joe Rindfleisch. To do rubber band work, following Joe R.'s advice, I wear a black shirt to serve as background for the thin props; also, I wear a bunch of bands on my wrists. (Nitrile and synthetic bands are available for avoiding latex, by the way.) I keep my sleeves rolled up, or wear short sleeves.
I'm organizing my effects in groups of three, with the themes of either Mixed or Similar effects. For example, I will do three Jumping Band effects--all different, but in the Similar category; or a Mixed three, like a Jump, a Vanish, and a Penetration. Proper scripting follows the theme for each type, of course. And it is three and OUT (just like an old Warner Bros. cartoon: "That's all, folks!")

Ok, that took too long, but hey, I'm old...