Hi and thank you for taking time to help and inspire us.

I am most interested in close up magic, mainly cards, coins and rubberbands. but to be able to perform for other than family and friends I have been hitting the streets more and more. I would love to perform for a crowd, but right now I only have routines for smaller groups. As an beginner street magician I find it hard to create crowd pleasing.

This leads to my questions:
* Should I be able to perform every effect surrounded by audience or should I choose to perform at a spot that forces the audience to be in front of me?
* How long should a routine be?
* What effects do you think is the best for street magic? What makes that effect so good?
* What close up effects/routines do you think translates best to street magic?

- moos

This leads to my questions:
* Should I be able to perform every effect surrounded by audience or should I choose to perform at a spot that forces the audience to be in front of me?


MOOS
Its best to be angler proof no matter where you perform.

* How long should a routine be?
MOOS,
In the beginning its best to have a short show and do it over and over. Eight to ten minutes I think is about right.Its much better to do 10 minutes of great material than 20 minutes of mediocre. Leave them wanting more/

* What effects do you think is the best for street magic? What makes that effect so good?
MOOS,
I think the best effects are ones that you can make entertaining. Its more important to be entertaining than to be magical BUT do what you do best. Pick 3 nice little pieces and go out and do them over and over. Your audiences will always tell you whats wrong with them. Be willing to be bad because you will be bad but work and work and work and you will be surprised how fast you get better. Cellini used to say "1 year on the streets is like 10 years any where else" He was right.

* What close up effects/routines do you think translates best to street magic?
MOOS
I think whatever you do well?

I guess I just need to gather the courage to seek out bigger audience and get out there and work then... Thank you!

You know you don't need a big audience to make big money. You can do close up....and do it for just 10 or 12 people ona table and make great money. Do short shows and pass your hat....

Look it...say you do 5 10 minute shows and you make $10 a show....thats 50 an hour.....go out and do 5 hours and you're doing ok right?.thats how it starts....

Or you can work a trickle and just do trick after trick.....and you have a can or hat out and just between each trick talk about donations.....never stop and keep working...lots of fun and it makes your magic so tight and so strong.

That is true and close up is what I love... Thank you for the advise.

Well do what you love and do it well....give it a go.....remember the hardest thing to do is to go back the net day after failure