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BIlly James
Special user
991 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 4:29am
Hi folks,
I started performing magic seriously when I was 25, I'm 41 now, and I started performing full time when I was in my late 20's. Over the years I've performed in all sorts of situations, large and small (I even had the privilege of performing for Chelsea Clinton and some of the American athletes during the Sydney Olympics)so performing is really second nature to me.
However, the other day my sister (who I hardly ever see) was in town and so over lunch I decided to do a couple of tricks for her...but here's the thing, my hands were shaking like I was a nervous cat!!!
Was I nervous...no! So why the heck were my hands shaking all of a sudden??
Have any of you guys experienced anything like this, or should I just go ahead and book myself into a sanitarium.
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Paul Sherman
Inner circle
Washington, DC
1511 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 4:38am
You're not crazy. I think it's because you have a different emotional investment in what your sister thinks of your magic than what a stranger thinks (even if that stranger is the President's daughter).
Looking foolish (by messing up a trick) in front of a stranger is different than looking foolish in front of a family member or someone else you respect. I had this happen recently when I had a lesson with a prominent magician. He had me do a few effects for him and on one of them my hands were shaking so badly that I had to stop several times throughout.
My best advice is to relax (because looking messing up a trick isn't such a big deal) and to start out with effects that are either self-working or that you feel so confident with that you know you can't mess them up. Beyond that, just have faith in your skills and the strength of the effect.
"The finished card expert considers nothing too trivial that in any way contributes to his success..." Erdnase
some youtube videos
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Samuel
Special user
Norway
831 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 7:02am
Paul is right... I too can perform for strangers with no problem, but when I perform for people I respect (especially other, more proficient magicians), my hands starts to shake and they become moist.
I just have to "shake" it away, and perform some easy starters. Then it goes away, at least usually 
Samuel
Magic is everywhere
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KidMagic87
Regular user
184 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 8:42am
My problem is the other way around...For strangers, I don't want to make a bad first impression. So this anxiety causes my hands to shake. I'm perfectly fine around those I know, because they'll think of me the same no matter what.
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KidCrenshaw
Special user
USA
538 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 8:47am
Quote:
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On 2005-06-20 04:38, Paul Sherman wrote:
and to start out with effects that are self-working... so you build confidence |
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That's the money line there. Great advice, I'm not sure that I've heard that before, and I like it.
Sure, I edited it a bit, but it's still the same thing.
"Put your faith in Providence, but always cut the cards"
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bishthemagish
Inner circle
5578 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 11:26am
Here is another thread talking about the same thing.
http://www.themagiccafe.com/forums/viewtopic.php?topic=121124&forum=27&4
Just a few thoughts and opinion.
Glenn Bishop - Bish The Magish!
Magician, Card Sharp and Master Hypnotist.
http://glennbishopmagicandcards.blogspot.com
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Stanyon
Inner circle
Landrum, S.C. by way of Chicago
2885 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 11:29am
Kinda' like "Flop sweat"! I always ask myself, "What am I sweating for? I already have the job!"
FWIW
Cheers!
Stanyon
aka Steve Taylor
"Every move a move!"
"If you've enjoyed my performance half as much as I've enjoyed performing for you, then you've enjoyed it twice as much as me!"
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eryanic
Special user
683 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 3:07pm
Don't mean to freak you out, but since you're 41, it COULD be a nerve problem...
just an opinion...no scientific evidence or anything
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Jonathan Townsend
Eternal Order
Ossining, NY
25252 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 3:20pm
Agreed about performing when you have emotional issues at the time.
When you are not one hundred percent there to DO MAGIC, watch out. Especially if you want to communicate feelings at the time.
The word "congruence" comes to mind here, and since it's a goal, I won't discuss how to get around the issue.
If you want to focus on the magic... try imagining that every time you miss a beat or mess up a move, somewhere a fairy dies screaming your name as its last words. You don't want to kill all the fairies do you? Quit clapping your hands, that only works for muggles. You gotta do the magic for them.
...to all the coins I've dropped here
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tommy
Eternal Order
Devil’s Island
13329 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 3:44pm
At the card table a Shaking Hand is a tell of a powerful poker hand. The guy is not nervous but excited at the prospect of winning. The more they try to hide the fact that they are holding a strong hand the worse it gets. It is very hard to control. I do not know how that relates to magic but it is not being fearful that is always the foundation of shaking.
If there is a single truth about Magic, it is that nothing on earth so efficiently evades it.
Tommy
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weapon
Special user
And One Handsome Magician
991 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 4:33pm
Quote:
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On 2005-06-20 04:38, Paul Sherman wrote:
You're not crazy. I think it's because you have a different emotional investment in what your sister thinks of your magic than what a stranger thinks (even if that stranger is the President's daughter).
Looking foolish (by messing up a trick) in front of a stranger is different than looking foolish in front of a family member or someone else you respect. I had this happen recently when I had a lesson with a prominent magician. He had me do a few effects for him and on one of them my hands were shaking so badly that I had to stop several times throughout.
My best advice is to relax (because looking messing up a trick isn't such a big deal) and to start out with effects that are either self-working or that you feel so confident with that you know you can't mess them up. Beyond that, just have faith in your skills and the strength of the effect.
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I agree with paul, I do tricks for my fiance, and she knows all my slieghts..so it makes me nervous and makes me feel like she is gonna see my dirty work..so it kinda messes with my head a little bit and I tend to fumble or shake..lol
Fool your friends! Learn the Shinobi Control right here! 
http://www.theory11.com/1on1/#artist:25
!The more you burn my hands , The more i burn your brain! -weapon 12:21
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Amir
Loyal user
New York.
296 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 4:40pm
Quote:
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On 2005-06-20 15:44, tommy wrote:
At the card table a Shaking Hand is a tell of a powerful poker hand. The guy is not nervous but excited at the prospect of winning. The more they try to hide the fact that they are holding a strong hand the worse it gets. It is very hard to control. I do not know how that relates to magic but it is not being fearful that is always the foundation of shaking.
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Thanks for the tip. That ought to come in handy this friday night.
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/9537/batmanlw4xp.swf
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Paul Sherman
Inner circle
Washington, DC
1511 Posts
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Posted: Jun 20, 2005 4:44pm
That's straight out of Caro's Book of Poker Tells...which includes dozens of other tips you might find helpful.
"The finished card expert considers nothing too trivial that in any way contributes to his success..." Erdnase
some youtube videos
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HusssKarson
Loyal user
Ca, US
217 Posts
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Posted: Jan 8, 2009 1:14am
Well.. I had that before.. To my wife only. Maybe I got scared of her. LOL
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yutszfung
New user
23 Posts
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Posted: Jan 12, 2009 1:32am
If I havent performed for a period of time, I have done same problem too, it's ok, you are not the only one.
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invisible
New user
80 Posts
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Posted: Mar 6, 2009 6:18pm
I have always had shaky hands when I am holding something
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JRob
Veteran user
Central South Carolina
391 Posts
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Posted: Mar 23, 2009 6:16pm
Quote:
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On 2005-06-20 15:07, eryanic wrote:
Don't mean to freak you out, but since you're 41, it COULD be a nerve problem...
just an opinion...no scientific evidence or anything
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I would wait and see if it happens again under dissimilar circumstances (like rehearsal) before seeking referrals.
"Jim Roberts, AKA: Professor Jay Rob "
The Professor's Facebook Page
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Benjamin Dove
New user
Los Angeles, California
56 Posts
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Posted: Apr 2, 2009 12:30am
When I get nervous I tend to shake too. It's nothing out of the ordinary.
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Lawrence O
Inner circle
Paris France
6269 Posts
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Posted: Oct 25, 2009 7:36am
It only happens to me when I do tricks for magicians, not for lay people. Fear? Excitement? I don't know but it bothers me. Fortunately it doesn't last more than 30 seconds to a minute. So I start with a script that talks about a magician who had a Parkinson and would fool the heck out me, with his gesture becoming stable exactly at the right moments...
Magic is not a performing art where people don't know how situations are reached, it's the art of showing parallel dimensions that can't be reached
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Mary Mowder
Inner circle
2002 Posts
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Posted: Nov 3, 2009 2:29pm
When I started I was very shaky and while it has gotten better I still shake at times (in front of Magicians, close friends and in contests) I have dumped knacky flourishes last moment if I was too nervous at the time.
It really helps to break the ice with easy and fun material. A good laugh can really help. I think it's about the diaphragm.
If it comes on unexpectedly, touching something, like resting your hand or the cards on the table top can steady the shake. Also larger movements can mask a little ("big movement small movement").
It may help to know that sometimes the shake is much more noticeable to you.
- Mary Mowder
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jgazmen
New user
12 Posts
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Posted: Aug 23, 2010 7:26am
Many years ago I brought up that problem with the great Al Cohen of Al's Magic in Washington, DC. He told me to just tell them a story about the fact that you just got off the plane from Alaska, and that you are still recovering..........
Enjoy
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Mr. Mystoffelees
Inner circle
I haven't changed anyone's opinion in
3358 Posts
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Posted: Aug 28, 2010 2:02pm
If it fits, maybe a "Don Knotts" routine could work...
As I felt the soft, cool mud squish between my toes, I thought "Man, these are not very good shoes" Jack Handey
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guitarmagic
Regular user
Baton Rouge, LA
137 Posts
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Posted: Oct 19, 2010 1:55pm
Lawrence O . . . thanks for the useful and great ideas of interjecting the Parkinson scenario for those moments of involuntary shakes secondary to passing nervousness.
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crochow
Regular user
Youngstown, Ohio
129 Posts
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Posted: Nov 19, 2010 12:31am
I agree that it was just a tense/emotional moment with your sister. Relax...you'll be fine! Actually, a little nervousness is good as it will give you an 'edge' to perform better. Little is the key word there.
Magically,
Chris Rochow
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aaronharp88
New user
68 Posts
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Posted: Nov 28, 2010 1:31am
Being nervous is always best.... If your real calm on stage and comfortable that's when your known to mess up..... I hate performing in front of my uncle because he was my mentor. so when I perform infront of him I feel that I have to be amazing and blow him away and the entire show I'm worried about what he thinks when I should be worrying about the audiences views
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Stonewick
New user
82 Posts
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Posted: Dec 3, 2010 2:26pm
Strangers only know us through the characters we present.
It's almost like a mask.
With friends and family the mask is off.
They know who the man (or woman) behind the curtain is.
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daffydoug
Eternal Order
Daff could give a rats butt that he has
11224 Posts
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Posted: Jul 16, 2011 10:40pm
Oh what memories! I remember very vividly the first payed show I did. My hands were shaking like a proverbial leaf! I made Don Knots look calm and cool.
But it went away. Shaking is a thing of the past, now.
The difficult must become easy, the easy beautiful and the beautiful magical.
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wizardpa
Special user
The New Orleans area
737 Posts
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Posted: Nov 16, 2011 6:55am
Golly, I'm glad you posted this. I have done hundreds of shows and I swear, I'm not nervous especially the several tricks that make it look like I am. I do a diminishing card trick that's super easy to do. It's mostly a funny trick as opposed to being; "How does he do that?" When I get to the last couple of small card packets my hand is slightly shaking, and a few times I have trouble holding the smallest packet because of this.
Other tricks I notice my shaking are 2 of the easiest tricks in the world to do, In the News, and The Water Suspension Trick, as I'm pouring the liquid, I notice my hand shaking. What the heck, is this, I wonder to myself.
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MaxfieldsMagic
Inner circle
Instead of practicing, I made
1964 Posts
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Posted: Feb 2, 2012 11:24pm
Try drinking a few shots before you perform. No shakes, and you won't care or even realize that you're probably messing up every trick.
I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
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Jim Sparx
Inner circle
Far Out, Texas
1125 Posts
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Posted: Feb 29, 2012 7:50pm
Wives are the easiest to fool. I know, I've had a bunch of them.
Instead of putting a negative spin on shaking (ie it's bad) think of it as excitement (therefore positive). Trying to think yourself to relax just makes you more nervous because it does not always work.
Spartacus died for your sloth
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