Things only experience can teach.

I have a question to purpose. What do you think, is the most difficult to teach in a book or on a video that only experience can give you?

In my opinion a couple of things can be said, but I think the most obvious are crowd management and the shaking! When I first started shaking was the hardest for me! I'm really good at creating conversation and talking in general which gave me an easier move toward crowd management, but I was full of fear. My hands were shaking violently... Over time, I came to realize that I had confidence in my routines and that there's been nothing to be afraid of. Every time I get a new trick, however, I get some of the old feelings when I first perform it... I think it's really something that just takes real live experience.

What was hardest for you?
 
Aug 31, 2007
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Greg Wilson has a new product out called Freakey. It's on several sites, but that's not my point. Watch the demo of Freakey and you'll see just how well Greg manages a heckler.

Basically he keeps on going, talks over the heckler trying to reveal the secret, and finishes up the trick. At the end of the effect, the heckler laughs in amazement and I think he actually second guesses himself. He doesn't know exactly what happened.

Perfectly played. Keep cool under the situation. I know I probably would have messed up, but audience management is something you learn from experience.
 
I could go on for hours. I'll list some bullets and if anyone would like me to elaborate on anything, say the word!

  • Developing entertaining and fluid routines
  • Choosing spectators to perform to
  • Performing the routine differently every time, depending on the spectator
  • A natural flair for angles
  • Hat lines
  • Being truly individual
  • Confidence
  • etc.
I haven't had a whole lot of experience performing in public, but I've had much more than most people.
 
For me, it's been character development. It took me years to realize who I was as a performer and to finally stop feeling like I was aping the magicians I had seen on videos or TV.

Now I feel comfortable with what I present because it's an honest version of myself giving the performance. I was lucky to have a background in traditional theater that helped immensly, but I've found magicians to be more impressed with a new move than with thoughts on how to build a compelling character. Maybe this is because the latter is much harder and more time-consuming.

Also, most magicians aren't performers. They play more than they perform, and this is fine. (Anyone involved with a magic club will understand what I mean. Look at your group and count how many members actually perform for real people.) With this in mind, it's no wonder the material being put out is designed for trick junkies.

Having just watched Panic, I was happy to see Aaron's attention to detail that I was so fond of in The Paper Engine. I hope theory11 keeps this up, it's refreshing!

P.
 
I also have the "shaking hands" problem, especially when I perform for my girlfriend who often figures things out !
To me, the difference between the beginner and the seasonned magician is that the first shows magic tricks (and sometimes posts tutorials on Youtube...that's just a minority though ! :p ), and the second entertains. And that's smth experience teaches you, I'm not sure you can learn that in a DVD or a book
 
I had issues with the shaking hands thing for a while when I first started performing a lot in college. I learned that actors waiting to take the stage and indeed delivering their first few lines suffer from the same thing.

What I found was happening to me was the adrenaline dump my body would inevitably shoot through me when I was about to perform. Adrenaline is often mistaken for fear because the effects of the two on your body are similar.

If you're shaking but you're comfortable with your material, most likely you're more excited about performing than you are afraid to. Let the adrenaline in and then settle into it.

Think of the positive things that happen to you in this state (even while you're shaking): your vision is clearer, your hearing sharper, your senses are more alert and in tune with what's going on around you. If you put a positive mental spin on what's happening to you when you shake, your shakes will go away much more quickly.

I hope you try this if you have the shaking problem. It helps, I promise!

P.
 
Sep 1, 2007
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Calgary
There are so many things that only experience can teach, handling crowds (hecklers), shaking and sweating. Sweating was a big one for me when I started out, my hands would get all clammy so I couldn't handle cards to well.
 
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