I love good magic but I often feel that many entertainers get distracted from there true purpose.

What are we about?
I just come back from Blackpoll Magic Convention and it is full of folk getting into the latest fad in magic they are wanting to be the best, nothing wrong there. Other than some times more often than not they think by having a great effect will make there show. It is a trap we all so easily can fall into and it is not true. If you want to be a street performer you have to over come this quickly because we are first an entertainer then a magician.

I have used this example before, I go to juggerling conventions hear you will see some TOP class skill but when you talk to these guys about there shows more often than not they don’t perform “why not” I will screech out. I have heard this first hand many times “because I am not good enough yet”. On the other hand you go and watch a street show where a guy can just hold on to three fire clubs but he can hold a crowd of 400+. He has learned the art of entertainment he is not there to impress the crowds he is there to entertain them, born to perform. The same thing happens in the magic world.

It is great to learn new things and stuff never stop but remind your self what you are about. What is your objective in learning, is it about you or the trick?
Don’t be the entertainer that hides behind the trick.

If you have never looked at magic this way before well the next time you go to your club keep this in mind. You will begin to see the real entertainers. They are not the ones that are all ways trying to impress every one with latest trick they have learned all bought. You know the ones they wont shut up they go on and on about what they can do. I don’t believe for a minute that good entertainment is about what you can do but rather who you are and the way you do it.

Mario

Mario, you are the man!

Well said, mate.

Best,

Dan-

I understand your point, and it's true, but understand as well, most people in magic clubs have no dreams of being performers. They are there because magic is a hobby for them, not part of a method to advance their entertainment dreams.

I know loads of people who are extremely talented, but have no desire to perform for money. Throw me into that batch. I love magic, I love the buzz of it all, I love the old stuff and love seeing the new stuff (if there is such a thing), but I have zero desire to perform for money.

Blackpool's full of people just like me, love the magic, no desire to perform for money.

I'd perform for a children's hospital tomorrow, but take my stuff, head out for performing for a living, not my bag. I'm happy in the shadows, watching, learning, and practicing.

Well said, Mario!

Some of the best performers that I have ever seen have done almost nothing, but they have done it with great conviction. Avner the Eccentric comes to mind.

I try to perform material that I really believe in, even if it wouldn't get me a lot of respect from the guys in the magic club. I learned a great deal from showing the Feejee Mermaid. All I do is talk in front of some banners, then take their money and uncover it. I am learning to let my audiences train me.

Yours,

Paul

Thanks Guys
Mario
PS Magicpitch I agree with you that is why I made it clear at the beginning of the thread "many ENTERTAINERS get distracted from there true purpose." In the same breath, there are some folk in magic clubs that want to learn to entertain but get swamped by hobyeast and it takes them a long time to realize who and what they should learn from. Some thing we all have to learn from.

There is nothing wrong with magic as a hobby or doing it for just fun of it (mind you I do have other thoughts on that but that is not the point hear.) For a new kid on the block that joins his local club he can end up putting the wrong folk on pedestals for while, if entertaining is what he wants to do.

I totally agree. I have seen kids who want to perform get hooked into the hard core sleights and go down the road that is all about the magic and little about the entertainment. We had a cups and balls night and a working professional showed up at the meeting as a guest. I took photos of all the people doing their routines. My eyes popped out as I reviewed them. The hobby magicians were all looking down at the cups, their body language was very passive, hunched over forward, and the one working professional's photos showed him always looking out at us, hands extended, projecting.

I think there are so few hard core working professionals that come to club meetings, a lot of times, we have no one there to teach us what it's supposed to look like.I'd love to see more pro's come to meetings and help us all out.