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simon israel New user 4 Posts |
Hi everybody I've just started busking.
I have a regular spot where I'm preforming every Friday. and I need advise!! I do 1 3 shall 2 rope routine 3 cups and balls (Nick Nikolas gazzo stile) since I'm preforming et the same time at the same day at the same spot. Thar's "regular" children theta already saw the tricks and feel the Oreg telling the ending to everybody. and often I fined myself sounded with kids doing sponge balls. I need sum help with how to mange the "regular" kids and what god basking routines effects should I do apishly for kids |
FunTimeAl Special user 987 Posts |
Hey man,
I had a 5 month contract very similar to that last season. I feel for ya. It can drive you nuts. I got through my resorting to my restaurant/table hopping routines. I had (3) 20-minute sidewalk shows that I'd do and then fill time inbetween them with the table hopping stuff for small groups. As for effect selection..."whatever you already know how to do" is the best advice I can offer. Play around with tight routining and good pocket management. Use this time as a reason to routine, routine, routine. If you are good with rope, do a 3 phase rope routine. If you are good with cups, do a 1 cup routine. If you are good with coins, do a 3 phase coin routine. etc... This is also the reason I began mixing balloon art & magic. Making the balloon & then performing a bit of magic in the interim keeps you from being "the balloon guy" but it also allows you to slow done your pace of effects. I dunno, maybe that's a crutch. Probably is. I did it though! |
solrak29 Special user NY Metro 936 Posts |
I believe I heard Celini say this on one of his tapes uh..dvds...
A venue can only support you for so long depending on the type of traffic it has through out the day, week after week. If this is a tourist location you shouldn't have to worry about the "regular" kids. If this is spot where the town comes week after week, then your busking act will only last so long. Unless your act is THAT good, you will have to change it or travel to another venue. Make a small circuit for yourself, and come back to that venue when things are fresh... Or based on your post, I would do my 3 shell routine one week, then my rope routine the following week, then my cups and balls the third week...then start the cycle again. What do you think?
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Mr. Pitts Inner circle David Pitts 1058 Posts |
Treat the kids with respect and be straight with them. Tell them you're working, this is your job, and that it's ok for them to watch and learn, but it messes up the surprise for the people who haven't seen it when they shout out what's coming up next. Tell them that if they watch enough, they are likely to figure out how some of it's done, so tell them about the magician's code. Also make it clear that this is YOUR spot and they are not to perform or practice in the area. Regular kids like this can mess up a gig, and they're not going to pay you anything, so you have to gain their respect and treat them as allies, but NOT as friends. You are the adult pro, maybe even in a teacher kind of a position, but don't get too friendly or they'll be in the way of you entertaining your audience. Also, don't perform for the kids who are around, wait for a new audience, make it clear you are not there for the amusement of children hanging around unattended.
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MagiCol Special user Dargaville, New Zealand 929 Posts |
Hi, Simon. Welcome to the busking world. Yes, it takes a bit of wising up about what to do with kids and teenagers. I used to have the odd one ask outright for $1 "for the bus", "for some food". The first few times [when I was new on the street] I gave them money. But soon figured that if they didn't take responsibility for their own affairs when they came to town, then that wasn't for me to give money to them. "I'm keeping it for myself," I tell them now. Around that change of approach to them I had a couple of pretty teenage girls ask me for money for food, and I told them, "I'm going for an ice-cream. Come with me and I'll buy you one each." A few seconds pause before one girl replied "Oh, no. It doesn't matter." Duh, a 65 year old turned down by a couple of pretty girls, hah, hah.
How you interact with the children you have problems with depends on the children's behaviour. All the best in finding a workable solution.
The presentation makes the magic.
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ray raymond Veteran user 329 Posts |
Don't work for kids they don't have money to tip anyways. they will hang around, hindering efforts to build a new crowd. If they see your show a few times they will start callin out the ending prematurly. being shrter they are looking up to see you which is a horrible performance angle. DO NOT CATER TO KIDS it will affect your hats.
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
While I was catering to the kids at the local playground, their parents were putting money in my bucket because they like watching their little ones up on stage! I wasn't aware of it, but one father kept putting dollar bills in my bucket every time I used his kids in a trick... and I used them like three of four times just because they had a lot of energy!
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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ray raymond Veteran user 329 Posts |
Ed Not catering to kids is a rule I live by. I have found though there are exceptions to every rule. If that worked for you great. You are already out there doin it, that is a lot more than a lot of people on here can say.
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
I understand your point as well, one evening on Thayer St. I got some kid who was supposed to be raising money for his school group by selling candy. He spent almost an hour watching me and basically began to seriously get on my nerves! I finally "suggested" that he wasn't going to get his candy sold standing around watching me. He took the hint.
In the park, I had three kids with no parents around who just wanted to talk on a constant basis. They finally went home, but it was exhausting!
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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ed rhodes Inner circle Rhode Island 2885 Posts |
Let me re-phrase that I "cater to the kids" when their parents are around because I'm more likely to get good tips from the parents who are watching me entertain their kids! (Got my first $10 last week! Woo-hoo!)
"...and if you're too afraid of goin' astray, you won't go anywhere." - Granny Weatherwax
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funsway Inner circle old things in new ways - new things in old ways 9981 Posts |
When I was doing strolling work in Parks just for fun (and practice) I'd carry some simple package tricks to give them to go and learn somewhere else. -- like Adair's Growing Caterpiller. I wouldn't take tips, but did always have some Magic Kits in the car to sell if a parent became excited about their kid's sudden interest.
"the more one pretends at magic, the more awe and wonder will be found in real life." Arnold Furst
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Dynamike Eternal Order FullTimer 24148 Posts |
When I started sidewalk performance I found out the line "Want a balloon?" is the number one line that stops parents with their kids when walking pass me. I saw many times the child tell the parent he/she wants a balloon and turns back around to receive a 260 balloon and watch magic. When others sees the child with that balloon around the corner, or down the street, or in a store, they ask the parent where they get the balloon from. It helps draws more spectators to my location. At times the child's balloon pops while they are away. The come back for another balloon, leaving another tip.
Simon, if the kid is with an adult, try one of the following: 1. Professors Nightmare 2. A cut and restored rope trick. 3. Glorpy or Hyrum if it is not windy. 4. A coin trick If the child(ren) is/are not with any adult, you might want to practice a trick on a child. If there are others walking nearby, it can help draw a crowd if you start with the kids. If you feel uncomfortable with a kid, tell the child something like "Would you like me at your birthday party? Great. Well take my business card home to mom and dad and tell them about me. It is best to do it now because there is only a limited time I can do this. Do it now before it is too late. You be good now, bye-bye." Simon, there are other ways it can be handled too. I can understand you asking because you are new with it. Keep it up and you will be making your own discretion on all occasions. That is what happened with me. A few members are jealous that I am learning so fast without their advise. |
jakeg Inner circle 1741 Posts |
I carry a supply of the giant bills with me. (You know the ones. They have your ad on one side, and instructions to do some easy magic ticks on the other.) I sometimes strike a bargain and give these to the kids which keep them happy.
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
If the kids that are a problem for you like balloon animals, then you can always promise that if they behave themselves, you will give them a balloon animal.
While it's not necessary to cater to kids, it is necessary to establish your relationship with the pitch and the fact that it's YOUR pitch. Sometimes you can find the kid that's the biggest troublemaker and "deputize" him to help control the other kids. If you make the kids like you, though, they will respect you. If you mistreat them, they will ruin your show.
"The Swatter"
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