projoke1 said:
So I have seen this happen a couple of times to me. But, yesterday I went to a party and brought my cards (obviously). I wanted to perform some effects but i couldnt because everytime I tried I was surrounded 360 degrees.
Let me start off my third-ing Aaron. Audience control is key here, and really, you're going to have to start learning it eventually if you want to further your magic. These principles will help you not only to positively impact your performance conditions, but will also aid in your misdirection, rapport building and even reduce the chance that people will start heckling you.
Especially if you're at a party, and you haven't yet shown any effects that evening, you should really have the advantage here. For example, rather then approaching a group of people with a deck in your hand and finding you're suddenly surrounded 360 degrees, try something different. Put the deck away in your pocket, approach a group of people, and start making small talk. Just socialize, and in the process, try to naturaly move around and position yourself in a good spot. From there, steer the conversation to magic, or better, find a natural bridge to whatever your patter is about. Only then, after you have established rapport with your spectators, are in a favorable position and hopefully having aroused some interest in your magic, take out your cards.
projoke1 said:
So I just decided to do a bunch of flourishes, since laymen dont know the difference.
NEVER, EVER, be disrespectful to your audience, not even in your own head. In particular, do not think of them as dumb people who are just there to fool. Most people you will perform for will likely be just as intelligent as you are yourself, especially since you seem to be rather young and performing in your own social circles and school.
Most people will be able to differentiate between a juggler and a magician. That is not to say that cardistry cannot be entertaining, provided it is performed and presented well, but it is NOT magic, and noone will view it as such.
This is particularly important if you wish to establish yourself as a magician. YOU may know that you'd rather do magic effects, but your audience will not. Exposing your audience repeatedly to flourishing will establish you as a flourisher, not a magician. Of course, if I misunderstood and this is actually your goal, then there is nothing wrong with that.
projoke1 said:
The day before that I was in school and did not have my deck. So I was given a borrowed deck, to my unfortunate luck it was a deck of red Bees. And i was also surrounded 360. So I just flourished and they liked it.
The easy solution here is to simply not perform under sub-optimal conditions. If you don't have your deck on you, don't perform. If you do not have the training required to pull off some effects with ANY borrowed deck, do not ask for one.
Again, remember that flourishing makes you a flourisher, in the eyes of the audience at least. If you cannot, under certain circumstances, give your audience everything you want to give them, simply wait until you can. Do not ever feel forced to perform, or show things that don't align with the image you want to create.
It can only ultimately work to the detriment of both the audience's entertainment and your percieved image.
projoke1 said:
So my question is: What effects are there that can be done with bad borowed decks and completely surrounded?
If you are really looking for effects that fit those conditions, there are a lot of good, self-working tricks out there that would fit your requirements. I suggest looking at books, since a lot of the DVD/video tutorials you find online are offering effects with heavy sleight of hand in them.
For example, Scarne on Card Tricks comes well-recommended. If you search the forums, I'm sure you'll find other things if you try hard enough.
projoke1 said:
Also, no mathematical effects, they get no reaction at all.
This is a blatant over-generalization that will get you nowhere. Noone is advocating to do the 21 card trick, but have you actually tried some of them for a live audience? If so, and be honest to yourself here, have you spend as much time working on your presentation as you would for other tricks?
Remember, the method itself is just that. It is only when focussed through your presentation and character that it becomes magical.