Several threads, one in particular, have in the course of the topic touched on proficiency of an enterainers ablitity to perform the tricks/effects they are offering their audiences in their shows....

This made me curious:

There are tons of working entertainers here...Magicians, Jugglers, Clowns, Mentalists...on and on.

So, how much time do you spend perfecting your Art? I'm curious about this for several reasons...A nice average, a mean, of how much time is spent would be a good baseline for the beginners amoung us; it's always motivational when someone hears how much time performer "A" is spening versus themselves (which may hopefully give them drive to put in some more time); and finally...I'm just a nosy s.o.b. and these kind of things interest me.

I'll get the ball rolling, so to speak.

Magic: 10 hours a week minimum (Right now Sleights and Cups and Balls)
Juggling: 25+ hours a week (as it is my mainstay, this is deserved...Working on 5b currently)
Ventriloquism: Roughly 10 hours a week, sometimes more, sometimes less (I practice this a lot while driving...Singing along with the radio with no lip movement)
Writing: 3-4 hours a week...I do a lot of 'thinking' as opposed to actually writing.

So, how's bout you? What is your practice schedule like?

Prof. Piper
:juggle:

P.S. I realize I've listed a LOT of hours here. Keep in mind I work in a chain of Magic shops...When it's slow I get to practice (juggling and Magic) to my hearts content...Also, I'm an insomniac...I refuse to waste the hours I can't sleep by sitting around doing nothing...Happy posting!

I get in as much of it as I can possibly do, considering that sometimes when I come home from work my butt AND my mind is dragging the floor. Then there is my wife's needs, and the kids need this and that....sometime's life just gets in the way, but yes, I honestly DO try to get in several hours a week.

Explore new ideas and routines, about 7 hrs. a week.
Rehearse and work with routines I already know, about 2-4 hrs. on weekends.

Daffy...

I hear ya loud and clear on that bud...It's hard to rehearse when you have the job/family to contend with...Although I'm fortunate and can actually concentrate on my show while at work (working in a magic shop helps!!), we're deluged at home too...We have 8 Malamute/Huskey mixes that we rescued that demand a LOT of time...

I think the fact that effort is put into it is commendable enough!

Jaz...

Thanks for the input...I know a lot of entertainers (especially around here) that really don't work on material that they think they have down-pat...and it shows when you see them perform, sadly.

Sincerely,

Prof. Piper
:juggle:

I single out one trick/routine that I need to learn and focus all energy on learning it to a point where it is a natural reaction without conscious effort. At that point it becomes like riding a bike, I will always know how too do it solid every time, even after ten years without performance.

When I first played darts I was rubbish at it, after much development of my throwing style I would hit treble twenties on a regular basis. Thus the same was true with my shuffle and pass and so on.

So the answer is I practise in very short but intense bursts whenever the need arises.