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trix_the_clown New user Australia 13 Posts |
I've noticed that my usual crowd of followers (aged 3-10) are becoming bored with the usual sponge balls and coloring book and am looking for some mentalism pieces to spice things up a bit.
Can someone recommend a good booktest, or something with tarot cards?
I love your kids!!
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ekozuch Veteran user argentina 329 Posts |
Watch "color cube demonstration", you may like it.
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Patrick Redford Inner circle Michigan 1751 Posts |
A book test for children? Try going back to your coloring book.
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trix_the_clown New user Australia 13 Posts |
But the coloring book isn't mentalism... is it?
I love your kids!!
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Jim Reynolds Elite user Special Guest 431 Posts |
Tarot cards with kids? I don't think that will go over well many parents. Too "cult".
As a kid performer, you are probably aware that kids want entertainment before tricks. So if they are getting bored with sponge balls and coloring book, you may need to rethink how you are entertaining them - as opposed to focusing on the effects. Nonetheless, pick up the March issue of Magic magazine. David Kaye has written a great piece on performing mentalism for kids. Not only what to perform, but how. Check it out. jr |
ivan7 Regular user 146 Posts |
Good mentalism probably wouldn't work on 3 to 10 year olds. It's more of an adult sort of entertainment. I don't think they would understand what is happening.
Also, depending on where you live, a lot of children probably can't read very well, so a book test would just confuse or anger them. |
trix_the_clown New user Australia 13 Posts |
Hmm, you raise some valid points, but I don't see what integral calculus has to do with tarot cards. If anyone's interested, here's my routine so far:
Linking rings (the one where the kid can never link the rings, but I always can) Self-reversing cards (a must) Finding Nemo (i painted my hopping halves set with Nemo and his Dad) I would like to add a mentalism piece to slow down the kids who continue to run around during my show. Don't they understand that I am an artist and should be treated as such? Even worse are the parents... lousy good-for-nothings who have the nerve to complain after I've worked my darndest to 'work the crowd'.
I love your kids!!
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Lee Marelli Special user Aurora, Colorado 876 Posts |
Hi Trix: The age group you are talking about really are not suitable for mentalism effects. In your case, they are 1) expecting a clown, not a mentalist and 2) expecting a magician, not a mentalist.
If you feel your act is stale,and want some good material, contact Mark Strivings at markyapril@aol.com. Tell him I suggested you contact him. He successfully works day care centers and has an excellent book out on the subject. Mark has a couple of effects that are mental magic and work well with kids.
"Mentalism is a state of mind." Marelli
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Samuel Catoe Inner circle South Carolina 1268 Posts |
I was going to suggest the very same thing Lee.
Author of Illusions of Influence, a treatise on Equivoque.
PM me for details and availability. |
Cornelius Loyal user Canada 213 Posts |
There are o fcourse, Mr. Marelli, exceptions to that rule.
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Lee Marelli Special user Aurora, Colorado 876 Posts |
As with anything, there are exceptions; however, I and my associate for charity have played to kids with a version of our Mental Wizardry show. It is our experience that the 10 or older children respond better to mentalism than those that are younger.
I am sure you are aware that the success of most mentalism routines with audiences is based on beliefs of the audience that are normally developed over years. That is why many mentalists prefer adult to child audiences.
"Mentalism is a state of mind." Marelli
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Turk Inner circle Portland, OR 3546 Posts |
I suppose that "Ashes on the Palm" combined with a "Voodoo Doll and Hat Pins" are also out. DARN!!
Seriously, Mark Strivings has some excellent magic for kids. I think he has put together one or two books on the subject--although I'm not certain how much of the effects and routines are mentalism related. I think that he has a killer hand puppet routine and also a routienwhere five kids from the audience wear five different face masks or hats and there is a lot of interplay between the kids and the magician during the routine. Perhaps a fresh non-mentalism routine is in order. Lee Marelli is not leading you down the wrong path on this one. You can contact Mark directly. He is a frequent contributor to the Café and, as Lee has previously mentioned, his personal email is: MarkyApril@aol.com. Hope this helps. Mike P.S. Although you probably already know about David Ginn, in the event that you don't, you might want to check out some of his material. He has some excellent kid magic material.
Magic is a vanishing Art.
This must not be Kansas anymore, Toto. Eschew obfuscation. |
Lee Marelli Special user Aurora, Colorado 876 Posts |
Thanks for the complement Turk. I can assure you that Mark's mask routine, "Mask-erade" works well with the kids, particularly because of Harry Potter.
In our Mental Wizardry show, we have turned Mark's routine into a two person routine which has us seeking an apprentice Mental Wizard. When we have a few young persons in our audience, we pick an aspiring wizard and put them throuh a test with the masks. After successfully completing the test, the "Wizard" is rewarded with a Novice Wizard's Certificate, signed by us. Very stong with both the older children and their parents. Get the original from Mark, you will not regret it. By the way, we have done it several times with adults. It plays very strong with them also. Hope this helps.
"Mentalism is a state of mind." Marelli
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