Is it possible to judge a possible spectator whether they will be more intrigued by coin magic or card magic? Or is it simply a judgement that is made during the performance through trial and error?
Judging the Spectators
- Thread starter TheYoungPoet
- Start date
I tend to be able to gauge first, whether they will or won't be interested in what I have to show them, when I initially approach them. Were I to do more coin magic, I would perform an effect involving both cards and coins in their own separate magical moments. Whichever one gets the more positive reaction of the two is probably the one the spectator will find more intriguing. That way, they experience a bit of both worlds, and you can stop right there, or continue on in a certain theme. Personally, I wouldn't stress over which form of magic the spectator finds more interesting. Rather, I would create a routine based around my personal style, incorporating the effects that have been tested on their own and have been found to get great reactions. This way, I play to my strengths, while performing a routine guaranteed to get positive reactions.
I've never really tried to gauge if they'd like a certain type of magic over another, but more so if they'd like/be receptive to me. I've gotten pretty good at judging people but you should definitely be careful. I've avoided groups before that I misjudged and they came up to me later upset that they didn't see anything. No bueno.
I'd agree with this, I think it's more important to be able to tell if they'd like to see you perform or not. You shouldn't ever go up to a group and immediately start performing, first introduce yourself, ask how they are doing, get to know them. Then explain you are a performer and ask whether they would like to see you perform. You should also remember that you have the right to deny service if they seem like they would be a disruptive audience.
Best of luck!
Your personality in the end is that wins them over. You can perform with a rock and a piece of string, but if you are a good performer they will love it! haha
In my opinion, you'll never know if someone prefers coin to card before you ask them. However, if they have a preference at all it is very clear they enjoy magic. Once you've got a hook in someone, whether with a trick or a smile, it's very easy to just ask what they want to see next. That does give some of the control of your performance to the spectators, so be prepared with numerous tricks with card and coin. Your charisma is as important as your magic if you want to work close and random. Hope this helped
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