Hi Eric,
I first saw you work many many years ago (actually the only time I've seen you live) and to this day you were the highlight of the entire convention. It was an IBM (I think?! or was it SAM?!). It must have been at least 12-15 years ago! There are a few moments in my magic career where somebody did something that has stuck in my mind and given me that 'real' magic feeling. One time was when Kevin James took my ten dollar note and did his floating rose routine .. this was way before he released the routine. The other real 'magic' moment for me was at this convention when you performed your 'cups and balls routine'. What sticks in my mind (well over 12 years later) was your final production of a full glass bottle (I think from memory it was a Perrier bottle). Just wanted to know if you have ever printed your routine.
I want to thank you for giving me that real 'magic' feeling ...

All the best
Paul Romhany

P.S. You still have the BEST ring on string routine out there today and it's been a staple of my close-up for at least 10 years!!

Hi Paul:

Wow I guess I sure left an impression and I take that as quite a compliment, thank you. I am glad that the routine affected you so profoundly. The routine is not published it is a staple in my parlor show and I really love doing it.

I am happy that I gave you that “magic” feeling. It is rare when it happens but when it does it is a wonderful feeling.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It proves that my effort was not in vain.

Best,

Eric DeCamps

Hey again Eric,
Most of the tricks you do give me that “magic” feeling. I experience it more when I see you perform for others. You make a personal connection with the audience that few entertainers do (i.e. looking people in the eyes, smiling, projecting genuineness, being approachable). Also, I've been with you watching others perform and you're a good audience member. What is your definition of entertainment from both the perspectives of performer and spectator? Have you always been outgoing and confident? If not, what helped you get there?
Bobby

Hey Bob:

In the early 1980’s Jeff Busby published the first translation of Juan Tamariz’, “The Five Points of Magic”. Reading that book changed the way I performed my magic. I cannot recommend this book highly enough as seminal reading and as a good foundation for any magic performer who really wants to establish and maintain a connection with their audiences.

Also it really helps that a performer genuinely likes people. Trust me an audience can by and large sense if you like them or not. Remember as a rule of thumb, if the audience likes the performer and the magic is performed competently, they will more than likely enjoy the performer’s magic.

As a spectator I enjoy magic that is done well. I really do not have much patience for magic that is done incompetently. I love and respect this art form too much for that.

The only way to become confident in what you do is to do it. Do it over and over again. You also need to give yourself permission to fail. You need to develop the mind set that it is OK to fail as long as you analyze what you did wrong and correct it the next time. As Rene Lavand once told me “You must round out a routine. You chip away at all of the rough spots until you have a nice rounded routine”.


Eric DeCamps

Probably not the correct place for this but in the interest of responding to Eric's comment and offering a guide to anyone interested, Juan Tamariz’ “The Five Points in Magic” and "Sonata" are definitely worth studying. Both are now on ebay for anyone looking to change the way you perform magic. No specific date on the reprints we've been hearing about for the last two years so get them while you can.
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Bob;

BTW, I forgot to mention that the Tamariz' books are scheduled to be republished by Hermetic Press and that “The Five Points” is tentatively set to be released early next year.

Knowing Stephen Minch the new publication will be wonderful. I am sure that people that already have the original Editorial Frakson book will want to add this new publication to their collections.

Best,

Eric DeCamps

Thank Eric. As I said in my post above, we've been hearing about the reprints for over two years. "Early next year" could be anytime before December. You can get The Five Points and Sonata right now on ebay and they're SIGNED copies.
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