The term "street magic" is a misnomer. What was once called street magic, is in fact busking. What we now call street magic, is in fact ambush magic.

If what I'm saying is valid? Then when ambushing a prospective spectator the idea would be to immediately grab their interest. Something like "you have nice eyes" "can brighten them even more by showing you something" is appropriate. The same tools work for walk around magic but aren't as important.

Just my 3 cents for what it's worth?

I usually try to adapt to the setting.

At the bar, I will sit next to the victim with a soda can or whatever and do the "a b c d" thing with the tab in a normal voice so that they can hear me. But I don't remove the tab, I pull a spare one that I have hidden in the finger holding the can. Then I casually ask "what's your name?", they tell me and as I probably failed I say oh ok, let me try again (usually I fail again at getting their first letter). But they are so confused thinking "what... I just saw you pull the tab and you left it on the table..." Then I go on with more.

In the street sometimes I disguise as one of those guys performing a poll or whatever. Ask them their name and I perform the One Ahead on them.

Just holding up a sponge ball or sponge bunny is usually enough to get one or two people to stop. And once you get into your routine, others will stop, too. Whenever I go busking, sponges are my big money-maker.

My costume/ clothes imply magic and I make a bee line for families with kids. I ask the parents if the kid could help me out with something, and launch into the tricks from there.

"Could I borrow this ?" produce a silver morgan and start the one coin routine, especially good for terraces, pubs etc...

I remember learning the Balducci levitation as a young teenager, which was bitter sweet, since it confirmed my suspicion that David Blaine was mixing street video with camera tricks.

I approached some random kid at a Walmart in the electronics department, where bored teenagers would meet to play the N64. I asked the kid if I could show him a trick, and he reluctantly agreed.

I performed the levitation, turned around, and the look of sheer confusion on his face is burned into my memory to this day. I still don't know if it was a look of confused amazement or if my performance was so poor that he was confused if I was being serious or funny.

I actually think that was the last time I performed the Balducci levitation.

I busked in the pedestrian mall in Ottawa once (Spark's St.?), and man, I did not have the chops to build and hold a crowd of people who had someplace else to be. I mean, I'd done busking festivals where there were thousands of people wandering around looking for an act... this was a totally different game. But, it came down to, stop 6 people, you could usually manage that with balloon animals, and get one of them to put me into my strait jacket... normally my set's finish. Do the jacket, pass the hat, repeat. It was a grind.

In case that wasn't clear, someone getting tied up in a strait jacket was strong enough to draw and hold a crowd, but man, they vanished once I got out.

Here are some of the things that I am aware of:

1. LOOK APPROACHABLE
We’ve all seen people walking down a hall with their head down or sitting at a table engrossed with their phone. Body language speaks volumes, and they’re sending signals that they don’t want to be bothered. Instead, get interested in the people around you, "A smile shows that you’re open to a conversation,”.

2. SAY HELLO
It sounds simple, but a quick “hello” will break the ice. Marriott Hotels has a “15-5 rule” for its employees. Whenever an employee comes within 15 feet of anyone in the hotel, they must acknowledge the guest with eye contact or a friendly nod. If the person comes within five feet, then the employee must smile and say hello. Robinett suggests that you take on the Marriott rule for yourself.

“Try it with people in the grocery line or wherever you have a captive audience.”

3. ASSUME THE OTHER PERSON IS SHY
Seventy percent of people proclaim they’re shy, Knowing this puts you in the same boat.

“You don’t have to be an extrovert to talk to a stranger,” “We’re all so worried what other people might think about us. The truth is that no one cares because they’re worried about themselves.”

Instead, take the focus off of you and put it onto the other person. “The best connectors I know will tell you they’re shy, but that doesn’t stop them from creating powerful networks,” “They simply know that it takes other people to get to their goals and they come out of their comfort zone.”

Hey! you got a minute?

"Hi, my job is to interrupt people when they're talking. Care to see something cool?"

"Want to see something interesting?"