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danaruns Special user The City of Angels 808 Posts |
I'm always curious about the "New to Magic" folks: Do you perform magic? Do you want to? Or do you just like to practice and maybe show a trick or two to friends or family, and have no goals beyond that. If you want to perform, do you want to turn pro? What kind of performances do you want to do: stage, parties, close-up, clowning, street magic, busking, strolling, restaurant, corporate, or what?
What are your plans, goals, hopes and dreams? What is standing in your way of achieving them? What are you doing to get there? And how old are you?
"Dana Douglas is the greatest magician alive. Plus, I'm drunk." -- Foster Brooks
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garys New user Hertfordshire, UK 60 Posts |
Hi Danaruns,
Good question. My plan is to move towards becoming a pro. My full-time job is a Radio presenter. At the weekends I work as a mobile DJ. I love both of my jobs. At the age of 53 the question how much longer can I continue as a Mobile DJ? Will clients look at me and think I look too old? The kit is heavy to carry in and set up. Magic is my way to continue to perform. While I am not new to magic, I have been practising for more than 20years. It has only been about the last 5years that I have moved towards stepping up my game. I am never going be someone that does sleighs to impress. Yesterday I was in Davenports (London) All of the guys in there were doing flourishes with packs of cards. While it looks brilliant I can't ever see myself doing that. I tend to do tricks that use presentation skill. I need to build up my confidence. One of the hardest things is to call myself a magician rather than a DJ that knows a few tricks. I am getting there. |
SvenSigma Regular user Germany 151 Posts |
I picked up magic again in my mid-fourties. It lay dormant since my teen-days.
My motivation when I did that was maybe somehow nostalgic, triggered by a visit to Hamley's in London. Now my motivation is: - Having fun together with others (including my inner child) - Connecting to audiences (something I lost during my non-magic career because of changing job requirements) - Personal growth (yes, even at my age) - Keeping my dexterity from deteriorating (not yet an issue, but you never know) - Doing small DIY projects (only fixing the plumbing at home and mowing the lawn is not that fulfilling) Not intending to turn pro (or part-time pro), but I would love to do regular small party shows. The first one I did was so much fun, and I'm into preparing the next. What I do to get there? - Reading tons of books about magic. Mostly theory, because just adding one trick badly performed after another to my repertoire will not improve my magic. Understanding what I do for a carefully selected small set of effects is much better - I use rather strict training plans. Aim is to practice and rehearse one show per quarter, keeping up to 6 effects from the last, practicing up to 12 in total and cutting down to the best 9 for the show. - And then find an excuse to perform that show for friends and family And one interesting experience finally: I got into magic again with cards, but since I do other things (e.g. ropes) reactions are much better. So I do card magic for my own and practice other stuff for the audience.
It takes a baby in the belly six months to learn how to put the thumb in the mouth.
The rest of life is essentially the same problem. |
gomerel Elite user 458 Posts |
Started getting seriously interested in magic about 6 years ago. (Now 74.) I was playing a jester at ren faires so having a few tricks seem logical. Now I do some magic at gold rush era events, and do some tricks for grand kids when I can get them away from their electronics.
I've discovered that what I really like is teaching magic. I teach a class in easy magic tricks for grandparents and I love to teach tricks to kids. |
Arnaud M New user France 10 Posts |
The big problem I have with magic is that when you perform a lot it quickly starts to define your life and personally I don't really enjoy the image of the 'magic guy'. When people enjoy you for your magic I find our personal identity disappear for the profit of your magical character. Also, I try to not connect with people's through magic (I mean peoples I might see back street audiences doesn't count) but just make it something more to my identity. So I guess I don't really have any goals, but enjoy the travel .
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P.L.Green New user Asturias (SPAIN) 59 Posts |
My only goal is to have fun, improve my skills and entertain others, in this order. Once (if) I even get to a decent level I will volunteer at hospitals /nursing facilities, otherwise I will keep it to family and friends.
Can you keep a secret?.....So can I ;o)
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d3kker New user 2 Posts |
For me its just practice, keeping my hands in movement (sometimes my left arm/hand go's nun/sleeping.)
Sometimes for the kids from friends. And learning new stuff.
Need more card's
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Card_Flips New user 37 Posts |
I actually don't really have any goals
I would like to build an actual routine that I could run through |
Signet Loyal user 257 Posts |
I am an LPN. That's Licensed Practical Nurse. I currently work private duty, but I used to work in nursing homes. My goal is to get good enough at magic to go back to those same homes and put on a show for the residents. I would love to make them forget about where they are for a little while.
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SvenSigma Regular user Germany 151 Posts |
Quote:
On Sep 10, 2017, Arnaud M wrote: That's an interesting thought. Frankly, it should not be really an issue or special about magic. Most people develop a "professional deformation", meaning that that job spills over into their character or at least their perception by others. The same is true for any hobby. If you take your hobby seriously, it starts to define you. Let's say you collect beer mats. At some point in time, you will become the "beer mat guy" for the people around you. So the question is this: is magic special enough for me, that I want to become the "magic guy" in the eye of others? Because, if not I will never develop great skills or will not use them.
It takes a baby in the belly six months to learn how to put the thumb in the mouth.
The rest of life is essentially the same problem. |
RyanWhiteside Regular user 121 Posts |
While I no longer consider myself a beginner, when I was my main goal was to be able to create any effect, for example look at a pack of card with an idea in mind then continue to bring that effect to life.
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MudMedic New user Calgary, Alberta, Canada 41 Posts |
I got back into magic basically for the personal enjoyment it brings me. As a kid I used to like to take things apart to see how they worked (small motors, music boxes, radios, our pet parakeet) to the chagrin of my family. I had aspirations of performing on stage a few years back, but my regular job delayed me, along with a couple of injuries. I still wanted to find out as much as I could about the mechanics of the art, along with killer presentations.
Lately though, I have found the time to get back to doing what I enjoy. I have also found working with cards has greatly improved what I thought would be a permanent injury to my right hand...the dexterity is back! Maybe one day I will reconsider public performances, but for now I use magic to "take the edge off" after a day with the gang in the mountains. |
Jeff M New user Canada 2 Posts |
Up until very recently I was only interested in learning 'about' magic specifically how it applies to my trade as a lighting technician and stage hand. Thanks to a couple of recent experiences with magic and after reading a fair amount on the subject I have decided to take the time to try my hand at some of the skills. My study however is primarily to make me a better technician not magician.
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Joeni New user Germany 73 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 5, 2017, Jeff M wrote: That sounds very interesting. Could you explain this a little further? |
Jeff M New user Canada 2 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 5, 2017, Joeni wrote: Absolutely. After working on a couple of magic shows as a tech I realised that many of the core elements in big stage illusions were the same things set builders have been using for hundreds if not thousands of years. So initially my plan was to study magic to take these more refined versions of some very old illusions and apply them back to stage craft, moving actors and props around the stage etc. I have found the most valuable thing so far has been the psychology and use of distraction that magicians have seemed to have mastered and I think that these skills can be applied to many different applications. |
Joeni New user Germany 73 Posts |
Quote:
On Oct 6, 2017, Jeff M wrote: Great! Could you give us some practical examples? |
smike New user 14 Posts |
That's a great question @danaruns and one I haven't really considered. I've just been practising magic and trying to get better.
So... what do I want out of it...? I guess it has three stages: 1. Be able to competently entertain family and colleagues for 10 minutes (without screwing up)! 2. Be able to hold my own in conversation and talent at a local magic club 3. Ultimately start creating my own ideas and effects From where I am now, step 1 is a couple of years away, but I'm stubborn and aim to get there. |
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