Hi,
Anyone have any thoughts about what kind of magic a group of teenagers, say ages 14-17, would enjoy? Obviously Hip-Hop Rabbit effects are out! But I don't know that they have the same taste as adults. I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Thanks,
landmark
Woops, I see there's already a thread on that subject! Maybe we can discuss here specific effects that work well with teens in your experience, rather than the more general comments in the other thread.

I'm almost fourteen, and I love floating and levatating effects. But I see you are asking for specific effects, though I don't have it, Flight 204 looks really good.(I love effects with something that vanishes.)

SOHartist

My nearly normal strait jacket seems to play well.

Close up / strong "street magic/sleight of hand is also fun.

Be yourself and don't talk "down" to teens or any audience has been helpful for me.

Don't try to use their lingo unless you really are comfortable with it or are good at comedy and can poke fun at yourself while poking fun WITH them.

Harris

Well, i'm 15, so let me give it a try. For my peers they like anything that is visual and in their face. Basically, they like yelling "holy ****" and that always lets me know I'm doing a good job.

Just my 2 cents.

Evan

I've been doing lots of street magic effects and they love them, The trick with ashes on your arm where you predict a card or a name, the penny and dime trick works great, the levitating dollar and transposition card effects. let me know what you think

Hi,
the David Blain type stuff is what they like. In-your-face, fast.
As someone above said, treat them as equals- grown up equals.
Make them laugh.
Don't take yourself to serious

I treat then as aduls as that is how they feel.I do my adult show for them.

Lots of fire.

Ditto on the visual stuff.

Caveat on the fire.

I used to use it like "hot cakes."

I stopped using it long ago.

Just a personal decision.



Harris

My favorite show for teens was the time I got asked to do magic for a Bar Mitzvah for 3 different young men. That meant over 120 guests altogether.
I did a combination of closeup and stage stuff and it was a lot of fun.
I treated them like adults like everyone has suggested and that was best.
The best line I got to pull off...I asked the Rabbi if it was OK for me to be there.
This would be the first time they had Bacon at a Bar Mitzvah (My last name is Bacon)
Got the biggest laugh of the night.

Neale--

I hope you didn't ham it up!

landmark

Yeah--there is no reason to be PIGGY about it---------------cheers!---Jimeuax

Perhaps The web?

As a teenager myself,I know they most definitely do appreciate the "street magic" David Blaineish type of magic. I have found that they enjoy card flourishes and "freak stuff". Any mentalism seems to play awesome as well as stuff such as the ambitious card, etc.

Treat them like adults and they will act like adults

I'm sure that kids in this age range(which I my self am in) would really love Geek Magic type effects(atleast I would).

All the “teen” responders on this thread are not the best to answer this question becouse they clearly love doing magic and that changes (to some degree) their objectivity.

Doing school shows and party magic, I have found that the age group you are asking about, respond to all adult type magic. However, it should only be the short buildup and patter type.

Long and involved story lines and tricks with low visual impact are not on the top of their list.

They will be more apt to “test you” than an adult audience, so do things that are very clean finishing.

After spending lots of time in student lunch rooms after doing school shows and asking kids what they liked, I found:

They like anything “disgusting and/or scary like a bug appearing on the back of THEIR hand. A good finger chopper, Invisible Deck, Side Swiped is a trick that will confuse even the sharpest eyes.

And yes folks, hard as it is to say, any David Blaine type stuff.

Bob

I use thumbcuffs, cards, math mental stuff, sharpie through anything, I even use my d'lights and mmouth coil on occazsion and get the SURPRISED reaction.

Here are some suggestions:
An Arm Chopper: Kids love violence!
Levitating different objects including yourself
Many card effects like ACR and invisible deck! Most of these things were posted before but still here is some insurance!

I work afterproms and have found that they love gambling demonstrations (check out Sal's material for this, especially Vernon's poker deal revisited. It appears that you are teaching them a trick, and then you fry them). They have blackjack tables set up usually to work on. A lot of the guys ask me to teach them something, so I show them the one handed cut and let them try it, or perform the Las Vegas Vard Cheat routine. I usually get a loyal crowd that is really into it, and wants to learn something. I teach basic flourishes, how to make a napkin rose, and a key card effect. Nothing too revealing. I want them to like and respect me, so they don't heckle me. I leave my ego a the door. I try not to have that elitist (sp?) attitude that I know something that you don't. If they ask how something is done, I say, "If you'd like to learn some magic, I'd be happy to share some tricks with you." Of course I don't really share anything but some flourishes and a key card effect (that they can use to pick up girls), but they appreciate it.

I use fire effects and effects that just fry them with no explaination.

Jason