practicing on airplanes

Hey all,

At the end of the month of flying to China. Including getting to airports and layovers it's about a 18 hour trip. 13 of which are on the actual planes. i figure practicing some card skills will be a good way to pass the time. but i'd really prefer not to drop cards on the people sitting next to me.

so my question is do you have any sleight/ book of sleights (preferably not to big) suggestions for practicing in close quarters without a big risk of dropping cards?

Thanks and much appreciated
-Anthony
 
Nov 9, 2012
76
0
England, UK
Just be careful, I was on a plane not so long ago and managed to only drop them once and on the floor not anybody. Also the little tables aren't big enough for practicing with cards on, and the material means its hard to do spreads etc. So I've decided to buy a card mat and cut it down to size, I roll it up and can take it anywhere, use it on a coach, train or a plane. I don't know any techniques other than being catious, but don't do springs or waterfalls the cafds will go everywhere ;)
 

RickEverhart

forum moderator / t11
Elite Member
Sep 14, 2008
3,637
471
46
Louisville, OH
Deck is correct in that you might want a small close up pad on the flip down tray if you are doing spreads and such but if you are just practicing sleights over it, it helps any falling cards somewhat. Also, the air port is a great place to try some new strolling material as you will never see these people again in your life. I've done it before when trying / testing out some new routines. It kills time before your flight or if you have a layover.
 
Aug 17, 2012
66
0
What I do is take cards that I wouldn't mind ruining/loosing. Although I only use standards anyway, they are a cheap option compared to all the jazzy decks nowadays and I'm sure you wouldn't mind loosing them as they only cost $2 a deck.
 
Aug 31, 2007
799
1
Easy, just don't drop the cards.

Kidding - agree with the guys above - strolling magic at airports is great because most people are bored and would love entertainment - though some are also experiencing hangovers and jetlag, so don't be offended if they want nothing to do with you.

Putting down the tray can help cards from falling, but I personally practice in this so they don't drop. Also, be ready for your seat-mate to ask you to see lots of tricks, and ask about your life story. Good luck ;)
 
Thanks for all the suggestions, but i meant more along the lines of what sleights should i practice not how to practice. (i settled on getting by forces unseen for the flight) last time i just laid my coat over my lap and legs as a makeshift table. it worked pretty well.

as for doing walk-a-round, most of the people of the in the same area as me will be chinese (at least if it's the same as last time) and unfortunately they didn't teach "pick a card any card!" in chinese 1.


P.S. I don't know what that is zach, but i'm going to have nightmares about it forever.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
Anything that can be done in a smaller space.

Off the top of my head, I'd say passes, DPS, 3P by Allan Rorrison, false deals (just put the card right back to the bottom or top of the deck), double lifts/turnovers, my version of the Graduate, any number of card controls that don't use a table ... I doubt I'd bring a book specifically to practice only because I don't want to be learning things in front of people.
 
Aug 17, 2008
473
13
Ann Arbor, MI
Easy, just don't drop the cards.

Kidding - agree with the guys above - strolling magic at airports is great because most people are bored and would love entertainment - though some are also experiencing hangovers and jetlag, so don't be offended if they want nothing to do with you.

Putting down the tray can help cards from falling, but I personally practice in this so they don't drop. Also, be ready for your seat-mate to ask you to see lots of tricks, and ask about your life story. Good luck ;)

Though that looks like a torture device, I am sure it is damn comfortable.

Oh, yeah. You were asking if we had any advice or techniques. Well, all the good ones have been taken. So go with some of those and I am sure you will be fine.

Blake
 
Aug 31, 2007
799
1
As far as actual moves to practice, I suppose that's up to your personal taste. Although a deck of cards for 18 hours may drive you insane, look how Andrei turned out. Bring some audiobooks so you don't lose your sanity.
 

gavinross

Elite Member
Dec 6, 2008
66
0
39
toledo, ohio
Ostrich pillow! Love it. You know Ostriches don't actually bury their heads in the sand. They would suffocate as they inhale sand. Just one of the many things we hear and therefor repeat without thinking.
To stay on topic, bring a variety of things. Books, DVDs, and a deck or 3.
 
Nov 21, 2012
66
0
United States
Anything works really. It's basically just the same as magic on the street because you are just walking around meeting people and showing them tricks.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
What card tricks would you guys recommend performing while walking around an airport?

Well, I would recommend not bothering people.

You'll want to focus on tricks that don't need tables as you have no idea if you'll have any kind of surface to use. You'll also want quick tricks which routine well together, because people have a tendency to be rushing off to get their flights. You'll want very modular routines which can end at any point and still be awesome.
 

CalvinTan

Elite Member
I travel a lot and recently got back from a trip to Singapore/Hong Kong/Thailand/Malaysia. A couple things I would recommend:

1. Bring cards that have a plastic or ivory finish, such as Aladdins, Steamboats, or Blue/Red Ace Fultons. The recycled air, especially on long plane rides will bow and bend your regular deck of cards. The cards listed above will hold up better with the air conditions. If they check your carry-on bag, you may be asked to open your deck of card(s) to show them you really have only cards inside. This may be a pain if you decide to carry-on 4 or more decks.

2. If you're right handed, best place to sit is the left window seat. This is the least disruptive place for you to practice sleight of hand, and your angles are better in case you perform for people next to you. You don't have to worry about elbowing anyone on one side, or elbowing someone walking by.

3. If you sit in the isle seat, and decide to practice "flashy" moves, such as color changes and a variety of cuts, you may get asked to show someone a magic trick. If you do decide to show one person a magic trick, you may end up performing for multiple people around your seat. This may get awkward for you, if you decide you just want to relax and practice, as traveling does take the energy out of you. If you don't want to be bothered, I would recommend not doing anything flashy.

4. I wouldn't recommend going around performing at an airport, as most people's minds are preoccupied with their bags, catching their flight, their passports/boarding tickets, or standing in line as soon as their boarding groups are announced. If you get asked, go ahead, but I wouldn't recommend going around looking for an audience.

5. If you do perform, visual magic will speak for itself, so you don't have to worry about language barriers.

6. Good luck, have fun, and safe travels!
 
Aug 31, 2007
799
1
Nice tips, Calvin! Airplanes and airports are also a good place to try and get creative due to the limitations of what's around you. See what you can come up with playing with snack pretzels, or tomato juice, or in the cinnabon line.

Damn. Now I want a cinnabon.
 
5. If you do perform, visual magic will speak for itself, so you don't have to worry about language barriers.

That's a good point. im wondering what type of tricks would work without any patter. simple things like color changes to their card and having their card jump out of the deck are obvious. But things like biddle trick and ambitious card would lose a lot of their impact. Some tricks wouldn't work at all.

so my question is, Has anyone been in a situation of not being able to communicate with your audience? and if so how did you handle it?


Damn. Now I want a cinnabon.

Come to LAX on thursday, I'll treat you ;)
 

Bryson G.

Elite Member
Jun 13, 2013
47
19
Look at Teller, he does magic without communicating with language at all. Sure Penn is there most of the time, but in a few episodes of Fool Us, it is just Teller, and it works fine. I once went to Romania, where they don't speak English, and one thing I learned is to watch the spectator's eyes and you should be fine. Make sure they see whatever it is, before you move on. The Ambitious Card even works well doing this, depending on your routine, as long as they see the card going inside. Another thing about performing to people that speak a different language is to keep the plot simple. Complicated plots will not work, obviously, because they can't follow it without words. A simple plot also works for people that are tired or something like that, si they don't have to "work" so hard to follow along.
 
Sep 1, 2007
723
2
As far as actual moves to practice, I suppose that's up to your personal taste. Although a deck of cards for 18 hours may drive you insane, look how Andrei turned out. Bring some audiobooks so you don't lose your sanity.

Andrei does seem to have mild schizophrenia with cards. He doesn't give them voices, but he does imitate their noises...I wonder if he talks to them.

so my question is, Has anyone been in a situation of not being able to communicate with your audience? and if so how did you handle it?

Yes, I've performed close up magic for people that don't speak English, and if they're from a different culture, not even body language will help you much.

I've actually developed a three routine set for a situation like this; A card flurry, a wildcard (sorta) and a triumph. The Cultural Exchange dvd's are entirely based on this premise.


I tend to do creative/thought experiments when I'm on a flight. I'll just bring my notebook, some magic props, and a pen. I'll bring a book, audio book or have a video on my iPad that can kind of start me in a direction. It's a good place for silence and forced physical inactivity.
 
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