|
|
Go to page 1~2 [Next] | ||||||||||
david12345 Special user 714 Posts |
After a performance and I should add I generally only perform for adults a mother who was at shoe with 9 year old reaches out to me the next day...."my son was floored..can you point me to resources or would you teach him?" I said a lot of what I do can't be taught in one day and relies a lot on life experience etc...she asked me to teach her son.
What would you do, obviously compensation is involved. Thanks in advance. |
|||||||||
Ever Elizalde New user 50 Posts |
Interesting situation.
Following. |
|||||||||
david12345 Special user 714 Posts |
If I agree I am thinking to start with ma*****n choice, equivoke basics, maybe forcing a card and working on some level of presentation
|
|||||||||
Senor Fabuloso Inner circle 1243 Posts |
Not sure what the question is? Are you asking if it's ethical to teach mentalism, like magicians teach magic? Or are you asking what kind of things to teach, to an inspiring mentalist child?
No matter how many times you say the wrong thing, it will NEVER be right.
If I'm not responding to you? It's because you're a TROLL! |
|||||||||
david12345 Special user 714 Posts |
Both really, more of the latter
|
|||||||||
Senor Fabuloso Inner circle 1243 Posts |
I'm not sure unless your going to have the child be some kind of wiz kid with powers he was born with, how plausible his performing mentalism would be? But given the fact that many beginner magic sets have some mentalism items in them, I think it's fine ethically.
Crazy Dice Mental Choice Age Cards Color cube Things like that. And I think you instinct to teach presentation and showmanship is a good. Mind you, I have never taught mentalism and was told by the old timers, that mentalism was to adult for children but the wind has shifted, on this kind of thinking.
No matter how many times you say the wrong thing, it will NEVER be right.
If I'm not responding to you? It's because you're a TROLL! |
|||||||||
0pus Inner circle New Jersey 1739 Posts |
If you are interested in just making a buck, teach a bunch of "mental magic," where the props do the work.
If you are interested in doing something that might be helpful/valuable to the child, you should talk to him or her. After all, the child is nine years old. There is not a lot of mentalism that is tailored for one so young. Is the child really interested in mentalism as a performing art? Or is the child just interested in some "cool tricks?" Where would the child perform? A formal show, or just something casual? For friends or for a mixed crowd (with adults)? What would be your goal in undertaking the project? |
|||||||||
Mr. Woolery Inner circle Fairbanks, AK 2149 Posts |
Do you actually want to teach this kid? Is it the money talking, the ego boost of being asked, or do you think this kid has potential to be a mentalist? Before looking at what you could teach him, is it even something you want to do?
What will the kid do with the skills? YouTube exposure? Performances for friends and family? I have kids. I can’t really imagine one of them being able to perform at age 9. I’ve met two kids in that range who were any good at amateur dramatics. One had a parent who is an avid actor, the other was part of a theater group. Both had adult mentors who fostered their acting skills. Are you expected to train a kid to be a mentalist or just teach a few tricks? If this were an adult asking you for lessons, what would you answer? Patrick |
|||||||||
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
Quote:
On Dec 6, 2018, david12345 wrote: I would go back and review my show because, clearly, I am doing something wrong if a mother thinks what I do is something a child can be taught. |
|||||||||
Meng Regular user Somewhere in Germany I wrote 128 Posts |
Remember what Dunninger used to state?
"Any child of ten could do what I do... ...with 20 years of experience." To be brutally honest (sorry for that), if a spectator can get the impression that a 9 year old kid can do your job you are doing something wrong. Maybe you should overthink your stage persona. No matter how funny or light-hearted your act may be, as a Mentalist you should subtly convey the idea that you are more knowledgable, skilled and clever than anybody else in the room. Even the funniest and wackiest pros in business have these subtle aura of genius. If it's missing you are doomed to be a trickster. The question isn't if you should teach this boy (answer is: No! Very bad for the business. It would apparently prove that mentalism isn't more than a mere bunch of magic tricks), the question is: What did you do wrong to create the impression that your artful and skillful work isn't more than a childish hobby. PS: Do you think the same mother would have asked Kreskin, Derren Brown or Richard Osterlind to teach her boy? |
|||||||||
Senor Fabuloso Inner circle 1243 Posts |
To first say that a performance persona is key to mentalism and then to state, how the performance should be with out being aware of the persona, doesn't make sense. Perhaps David is a psychic clown? Or maybe he just doesn't take himself to seriously? Idk but I'm not going to judge his performance, without even seeing it. The idea that ANY performer under ANY circumstances SHOULD exalt himself above his audience imo shows a lack of understand of people and what makes them tick. Better imo and for me, to have an audience IDENTIFY with the performer than to try aggrandizing over them.
No matter how many times you say the wrong thing, it will NEVER be right.
If I'm not responding to you? It's because you're a TROLL! |
|||||||||
Shadow Art New user 56 Posts |
I will decline this offer and say that I can't.
OP, why you need to teach anybody? |
|||||||||
scalito Regular user 141 Posts |
Guys....The answer here is quite obvious since SHE reached out to HIM the next day and 'compensation' is involved! Really people. Stop thinking like mentalists!!! LOL!!!
Scalito |
|||||||||
John C Eternal Order I THINK therefore I wrote 12945 Posts |
Point her to the library. If he really wants to learn he will spend the time.
Seek and he shall find. |
|||||||||
StephenRoy New user 62 Posts |
You could try the "take away close." Tell her you're not sure it's a good idea, as the boy is too young for mentalism. If she's serious, she'll come back. Let her convince you why you should do it. It sounds like a whimsical decision on her part. Put up some barriers for her to get through. If she keeps coming back, then she's serious about it. If she's easily deterred and just goes away, then it was just a passing fancy of an idea and don't have to waste your time.
For the record, that's probably not what I would do in this situation. I tend to agree with many of the others on here in asking what it is that makes her think you can just teach this stuff to a 9 year old or that he'd be any good at it other than he said once that he wanted to be able to do those things... |
|||||||||
0pus Inner circle New Jersey 1739 Posts |
David12345 -
What do you want to do? Is this a one-off profit opportunity for you? Is it a new line of business - teaching mentalism? Is it a "give back to the art" endeavor? Are you thinking of a mentorship opportunity (and are you ready to mentor a new performer)? Really, what is your intention? A lot of the answers here are given by those who want to "protect" the "art" - those people are concerned with exposure, etc., and their posts are very negative. I think that they believe that teaching a nine year old mentalism will damage their own performing franchise. But I don't want to "read in" a lot of negativism that may not be here. So, how about providing some insight into what you are thinking? |
|||||||||
Tom Cutts Staff Northern CA 5925 Posts |
Quote:
On Dec 7, 2018, Senor Fabuloso wrote: You are correct, you don't know! If you cared to, you would have gone to his site, watched his trailer, and seen for yourself. |
|||||||||
aligator Inner circle Canada 2044 Posts |
This is a tough one. I don't want to be judgemental not having seen the performance of the OP, but with the info we do have at hand, and considering the OP has asked for opinions, I can only say what I would do and that would be to decline the offer or as John C has suggested provide a book list and leave it at that.
|
|||||||||
Magical Dimensions Inner circle 5001 Posts |
Dude, she is hitting on you and using her kid to spin her web of delights......
Ray |
|||||||||
Mindpro Eternal Order 10587 Posts |
First off, did the OP say this was a mentalism performance? Or is that just being assumed? Secondly what a mentalist has should be a gift, something special, not something easily taught to others. If it is easily taught to others its just tricks (magic) or learnable abilities. At best this is mental magic.
|
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » Penny for your thoughts » » New one for me... (1 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.02 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |