Hey everyone, long time no post. I've only been consumed with magic for a little over a year now, and I've found that its completely permeated my life. My wife is driven crazy with my constant shuffling, card dropping, and the like.

Here's the thing....I'm not sure that I have any intention of using magic in a professional manner, ever. I enjoy the rich history, the artistry, and the dexterity involved, but I'm just not sure that my personality would lend itself to a performance setting.

Is anyone else practicing like crazy, buying every book out there, and only occasionally performing for a friend or family member?

This might come from fear, on account of every time I show my wife a trick, my hands tremble like crazy, and I shudder to think what I would do for a stranger in a restaurant....

I have noticed that performing for people to whom you are the closest is more difficult than performing for strangers, however paradoxal that might sound.

Andrei

Yes, yes, and yes again. I rarely perform because I'm in high school. If I do magic at every opportunity, then it loses its cool factor. However, if I do magic only on special occasions, then my friends and their friends know they're seeing something special. I hold the same philosophy John Bannon does in many respects.

I went thru the same phase as you when I began studying magic several years ago.
I desperately wanted to learn good magic but not necessarily go pro.
After a few years of buy a lot of books and props, performing impromptu type close up for friends, family and at community gathering places I stopped for a few years.

I recently regained an interest and have begun practicing and working on ideas.
For me it's the creative processes that I enjoy.
To date I've only bought a couple of items and nowhere near what I used to. I'm more selective now. I admit that I am curious about the many new things and performers who weren't so popular when I left the scene.

Family is the toughest audience. My nerves are a bit better with strangers who don't know me or know that I practice what I do.

For me it will always be a hobby but will still perform when a good situation arises.

From the title of the post I understand that the question is if there are people that love magic, card handling etc but they do not feel that strong willingness to perform for lay audiences. Is this right icicular?

Well, I have been in this situation for a long time and actually it took place when I started maturing on the issue of magic and was making many efforts and finetunings to create mystery, wonder, audience engagemnet etc etc and I suddenly realised that some people would take it in a rather light-hearted manner. This made me feel that I didn't achieve my goal (which may be true) and also discouraged me and made me feel "afraid" to try it again.

Then some period of fuzzy thinking came where I was thinking and rethinking what might have been wrong, how might I improve my performance, how to select the right routines for the right audiences, how to structure them in order to create a good impact (and not only seen to be doing some little naughty tricks...), how to be ready to perform in unusual places without being funny etc etc.

All this process is a pain-staking one but as with many other aspects of life I ended up with a clearer mind and some nice princliples learnt and understood. In other words, I was far more ready to "play" with audience's feelings and tastes. Also, in the meantime I had mastered some of my key sleights and then the whole experience gradually became much better as I performed for more and more friends and family members.

So, I believe it is mostly the fear that is involved in your case.

Of course, this is the way I expereinced it and what I can tell is that it wasnt very exciting expereince while being in this situation. Even the period of gradually seeing that I was much more capable of achieving my goal wasnt so exciting as someone would think (although I was happy seeing myself being closer to my goal).

To me, the truth is that Magic is very very difficult to make it have a strong impact on a continuous basis.

Regards,
aware

I performed a lot in my younger days, but in recent years, I'd say I enjoy practice more than performing. I don't really market myself as a magician anymore, too many other pursuits, but I spend hours practicing, playing with effects, trying to improve , combine or change them. Keeps me entertained without end. I honestly believe most expert manipulators begin this way. It takes a long time to master the more complex manipulations, and only those who care to practice more than perform seem to really master them.
I still "perform" an occassional effect to demonstrate a point in a class I'm teaching, something to entertain the young people at church during a dinner or the like, I do have a thing for entertaining waitresses and other patrons at the local coffee shop, they seem to look forward to it. Yet, it is hardly a performance, maybe color changing knives, or a tt efect, or a loop effect, occassionally a card or coin effect. I don't do it everytime I'm there, especially if they are busy. Magic can be enjoyed for its own sake, and certainlhy the practice for your own entertainment works, certainly does for me. And u'd think after 45+ years of practice I'd have a few of these effects down by now.

Thanks to everyone for the insight, I think there's a lot of "right on" stuff here.

I'm a musician, and there's a saying about good guitar playing..."Guitar music is for guitar players".

I think the same can sometime apply to the world of magic.

Practicing and learning magic is FUN. PERFORMING magic can be very stressfull.

WHY?..Fear of failure. Fear of being " caught". Fear of humiliation. These must all be overcome somewhat to really enjoy performing for others.

And the only way to overcome this is TO perform and get confidence.

The other thing that I have learned over the years is that when I am about to do a few tricks or mini show for anyone my attitude is one of I'm going to do some cool things so lets just have some fun. You must NEVER have that, I know something you don't know attitude.

And yes it seems performing for friends and family is wayyyyyyyyyyyyy harder then strangers.. It seems your frineds and family are more apt to talk, be grabby or even NOT follow directions during a trick.

In the end I have learned to just RELAX and have a good time and others will usually follow.

Also, has anyone noticed the addictive nature of magic?......YIKES

It can become a real obsession. And with the advent of the internet and videos
( + DVD'S ) magic seems to have exploded lately into a much bigger industry and hobby.

And its great that there are places like The Café to come and discuss this art that we all love.

I am in this category.
I very much enjoy the craft/hobby and especially enjoy entertaining the people whom I do perform to. But I don’t think I will ever consider marketing myself as a working magician.
That’s the catch, I enjoying entertaining people but will never put any effort into finding the people to perform to.
At the end of the day it is the personal satisfaction of learning and occasionally master effects and routines that keeps me hooked. Also the curiosity of "how the hell did he do that!"

I'm sure the majority of people on this Café have other full time jobs and do magic on the side.

I'm sure there are a lot of people on this Café that just like magic as a hobby and don't ever perform. It's like any other hobby whether it's tennis, reading, or woodworking.

But personnally I do like to perform, not for any kind of money, but simply because I enjoy it.

If you practice like mad than you'll be confident and ready on the day when you are call on to perform whether or not you have intention to perform. Follow your heart and follow your destiny.

To tell the truth the magic fraturnity is filled with guys in the same situation. The only reason I ever did magic was to eat and feed my family. But there is absolutly nothing wrong with enjoying the craft, the relaxing nature of practicing something till you perfect it, and never ever working for people.

I like to fish. I never fish for pay. Does this make me a bad fisherman? Of course not!... Many other things do, but THIS does not. So buy all the books you want, practice till your fingers cramp up, it helps the magic shops and the business of many people. Just stop feeling self conscious about enjoying a hobby. Just enjoy!

Good Luck

Danny

Yeh me but as Slim would say:

"The people who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music"

Tommy

I find that there are few venues today that I consider appropriate for the sort of magic that I practice. I was very inspired in the early 1960's by the close-up magic of Al Goshman and Don Alan. The magician sat, and the table was a theater: the audience sat several feet away in rows of chairs.

Strolling and tablehopping are the prevelant venues today, and, although I certainly do not look down on those magicians, that style is just not me. Can you imagine Dai Vernon tablehopping in a restaurant?

I also like to do standing platform magic in a small theater setting. I only get the chance to do this at an annual public show and, occasionally, I do a few routines for my students in a university lecture hall.

I am not a children's entertainer nor a gospel magician. I think that churches today are very frequently places where members perform magic and many forms of music. But, I have been a Buddhist for 50 years and I don't think that my local Tam Bao Temple is a place for entertaining.

I perform for magicians at the club as much as possible and I used to perform at conventions, but performing for laymen is far better. As someone mentioned, the absolutely most discouraging audience is your spouse and other family. Any strangers will respond better.

I love the study and practice of magic for the inherent satisfaction, but I find that those rare occasions to perform for lay audiences greatly inhance my delight in magic.

Best regards,
Glenn Godsey

JFYI, Dai Vernon did in his younger days..and don't forget Bert Allerton..
Also the term tablehopping didn't exist in those days, it actually was what they did..
It's also not quite correct how you describe the working conditions of Al Goshman and Don Alan..the specs didn't sit several feets away when they where performing, the specs actually did sit AROUND the same table mostly..remember Al Goshman too did *tablehopping* when he started up...

I have been doing magic for 4 years now, and done my first performance two months ago for an audition to get in to the Plymouth Magic Circle. I got in. but now I am practising my close-up and stage magic so I can start doing shows.

Lukas

Icicular,
I'm going to play devil's advocate here and throw out a theory. I don't think the reason you brought this up has anything to do with why or why not you choose to be a performer. I think this has to do with guilt. Maybe you feel guilty blowing your cash, possibly wasting your time and even causing a possible issue with your loved ones.
In fact, I think you're fishing here, looking for somebody to say, "Sure thing! I waste my time and money too!" That way, you can say, "See, honey? I'm not the only guy secretly trying to fulfill a childhood void!" And then, somehow, you will feel justified.
But just because somebody else does it your way as well, doesn't mean it's automatically justifiable. I'm not saying how you choose to do things is wrong. But don't b.s. yourself, here.

-Reis

Just to clarify......The Professor DID tablehop. Quite a bit. Don Alan actually worked at Schuliens in Chicago for many years. Eugene Burger seems to have no problem with it.

Tablehopping is not a BAD word, just people get confused on how it really works.

But the original question of practicing and not working my answer stands. Practice away and have fun with your hobby!

Good Luck

Danny

Danny, not to disagree with you, but Eugene Burger HATES the word 'tablehopping'! He writes that he feels the word demeans what he does, rather than elevate the art of magic.

Simon

I feel this way to a certain degree. I love practicing and talking about magic, but I don't really have much intention of performing. A few months ago though I realized that if I have the talent, why not share it? No one is forcing you to perform for friends, but it's still makes everything a lot more fun. I love the look on people's faces when they feel like their whole world has been turned over. I think it's important to perform, even if you don't want to for money. I just started doing a restaurant again, and it will only help me perfect my performing persona. By going out and performing you take the risk of messing up, but it's always fun when you don't.