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kennyka New user 81 Posts 
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I don't know, but maybe it's me here. After spending another countless hours looking at the psychology, the effect, the moves and the sleights, I realized I had spent a lot of "alone time". Not that I am complaining, but to perfect a trick and work on improvements takes a lot of time alone. Until it's ready for show, you have to take a lot of time to work on it. The performance for one trick may take less than five minutes, but practice takes a lot of time...all worth it, and I am not saying otherwise. I just realized how self absorbed and alone you are to really work on the art of magic. Has ANYONE felt this way?
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Atom3339 Inner circle Spokane, WA 3242 Posts
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It's true. I teach the piano and tell my students it's an "isolated sport". One has to practice the piano ALONE to get really good at it. Many things are like that. Like an artist painting a picture. Or a novelist creating a book. A LOT of alone time.
What can help with learning Magic is SESSIONING with your fellow magi----because they feel alone too!
TH
Occupy Your Dream |
george1953 Inner circle Mallorca (Spain) 5941 Posts
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Another thing with magic is the fact you cant have a chat with your matesabout it, if you werelearning to play the guitar for example, you can chat to others doing the same thing, but magic by its very nature is about secrets and how often do you bump into another one, not often, especially where I am, on an island. If you are lucky enough to belong to a club then its different, but it is mainly a lonely pursuit.
By failing to prepare, we are preparing to fail.
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kennyka New user 81 Posts
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Thank you both for sharing your thoughts. More for the validation. I sincerely appreciate that. Wish I could "Session" with either of you. I'd learn. I am a student and never a master. It just hit me hard the other night and the secretive part made it completely lonely. It's odd that you both mentioned music, because I used to play guitar. I am a member of IBM and should probably pursue that further.
The art of magic is truly a solo and lonely pursuit, overall. You both are so right. Thank You. |
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Vick Inner circle It's taken me 10+ years to make 1120 Posts
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Being a good magician is a way of life. Being a professional performer isn't something you do it's what you live it's who you are it defines your very being.
We are creating art we are artist our art demands and deserves that investment
Unique, Thought Provoking & Amazing Magical Entertainment Experiences
Illusions By Vick Blog of a real world working magician Magic would be great, if not for magicians |
Macphail Regular user 167 Posts
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Quote:
On 2013-05-22 22:33, kennyka wrote: Yes, yes, yes...it does get lonely. And I've discovered that it's not only lonely rehearsing, but there is also a loneliness in performance. We know the secret, and we're not telling; which rather sets us apart. There have been times when I've felt deeply lonely after a successful show because of it. :bikes: |
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Pakar Ilusi Inner circle 5715 Posts
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True, a lonely art.
That's why we need beautiful assistants. 
Just sayin'...
"Dreams aren't a matter of Chance but a matter of Choice." -DC-
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Macphail Regular user 167 Posts
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Love it, Pakar!!!!!!
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Horatio New user 85 Posts
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It's a similar situation for lots of athletes too - the occasional moment of glory (or not!) and then back to the running track (or whatever it is for them). I guess at least a professional magician should get to enjoy the rewards of performance more frequently than the average long distance runner(and hopefully with far fewer people (other competitors) trying to get in the way of their success!).
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Macphail Regular user 167 Posts
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Agreed Horatio. I start training for my first 26.2 in July. Long runs can be pretty lonely.
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kennyka New user 81 Posts
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It's been awhile since I even thought to check this thread again, but was reminded when Ricky Jay mentioned his cards became his friends...thus...the 52 assistants. He also mentions cards as his way to relieve stress and something he needs to calm him down in his Deceptive Practice DVD.
It is true that the secrets as well, which aren't shared, make it all the more self absorbed and very unique as "alone". Macphail...you are right. That's where mentoring becomes so important. I actually just put two and two together on that. The investment is what it is, and I laughed about the beautiful assistants comment. It's still absolutely true, though. And, I mean no offense to Ricky Jay, but hope my only friends aren't the 52 playing cards in a deck at some point in my life. I look up to Ricky Jay, so I say that with a certain understanding. Kenny |
Vangel New user 26 Posts
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I don't mind learning solo but I've found that I learn a lot faster when practicing and sharing knowledge with other magicians. It's more like a two way private mentoring system where you can get tutored and feedback on your performances. It depends on how many magicians who are willing to trade secrets are in your areas but I would highly recommend others to try this method. Or as another option, an assistant, apprentice or a partner.
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kennyka New user 81 Posts
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Vangel,
It all depends on trust. But, still practicing is something most of those, even close to you, don't want to deal with as a part of your personality except for so long. For me, I have said "Let me show you this" to where it's tiring for them. I meant the lonely part of really practicing while alone, when the magician friends are gone and privately, when your loved one's have been long fast asleep and you still hold a deck of cards in your hand, or whatever the case. I do believe you're correct in that practicing with another person cures that. But, hopefully your Beaus are also magicians, which may very well be the case. Maybe that's where I've went wrong. I should be with a female magician. Hmmmm. I do understand your point, as well, within itself. And, it falls within what I said about mentoring. Just my thoughts. Kenny |
AKMan New user Spokane, WA 55 Posts
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Atom3339 hit the nail on the head. Magic, like music, is an "alone time" avocation/vocation. Even when you make it to the stage, whether it's 5,000 seat auditorium or the living room of the birthday child, you're still alone up there. That's why sessioning is really a "therapy". You're getting together with other practionioners of your craft to break up some of that isolation (and to see if some of the crazy ideas you came up with while alone are really any good).
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14062 Posts
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A lot of times my family will invite me out to lunch, and although I want to go, in the living situation I am in, those lunch hours are some of the few that I get alone to practice. So I turn them down. I feel like such a loner, and I sometimes think that I'm going to be sorry some day when they pass away, but what can I do?
There is only one road to mastery, and that is the pathway of the loner. When I was a small boy, I was an introvert and a loner, then magic helped me come out of the shell. Ironically, in order to be gregarious while sharing my "miracles" with others, I have to spend that time alone to achieve the skill level of mastery that will make my effects fit to present to everyone. The same holds true for my guitar playing. I think people who are artists of any persuasion have to experience and live through this phenomenon.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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Nemesus New user 5 Posts
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I would recommend you to join a Magic club, that way, you could practice and perform in front of other magicians, before you are ready to perform to a real audience. And you could still practice by yourself
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14062 Posts
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No magic clubs around this hick town! However I have done a few hundred shows for real people in my time.
Right now I'm just re-doing everything after a major loss in my life.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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ZachDavenport Inner circle Last time I posted I had one less than 1197 Posts
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Quote:
On May 22, 2013, kennyka wrote: That's one reason I like it! Great for an introvert like me.
Reality is a real killjoy.
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daffydoug Eternal Order Look mom! I've got 14062 Posts
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You are absolutely right!
Same thing applies to playing guitar. (or any musical instrument), drawing and painting, or any of the arts. Artists of ALL SORTS need that alone time.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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| The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » What happened, was this... » » Magic can be a lonely art (0 Likes) | |
Posted: May 22, 2013 09:33 pm 
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