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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
Just a quick question. I do restaurant magic, street busking and kid's shows. n I really want to add my cups and balls routine to the kids show. However, my wife thinks that the kids just would not follow it and be confused. I know when I drop the melon as my final load on the street there is a stunned silence and then the crowd goes wild with applause. Do you think it would work in kids shows? Or is my wife correct (again?)
Peter |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
They would understand the ending as that is a visual change of impact, hweover they would not fully get the meaning of the cups and balls. Now it can be done if the routine you are doing is changed from the normal way I see cups and balls performed.
By this I mean that you make the journey of the cups and balls better and more enjoyable then the actual effect itself. Kids like the journey of a trick more then the final effect ina lot of cases. Instead of it just being a cup and a ball and here is te magic, you change it to give the ball a name or character and the cups become something else. Let them use their imagination and tell a story with the routine you are portraying. Now all of a sudden they can relate to a funny martian who likes to hide and make mischief. You then add in comedy and funny bits through out and the kids will get into it and have fun with it. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Danny Hustle Inner circle Boston, MA USA 2393 Posts |
Paddy,
It needs to be very short if you want the kids to hang with you. In my kid show I do a sponge ball routine and close with a coconut under the hat. I cut out the cups completely and just do the hat load. It gets a big reaction. My friend Dave does the cups and balls in his kid show for 5 and up but it is a condensed version. Basically the first vanish and reappearance under the cups and then right in to the loading sequence of "I put this one away but it comes back" load your lemon. Young kids will have a tough time with the repetition unless you really shorten it and or break it up. If you were doing say the Gazzo routine each section of that routine can stand along and has pause points built into it so that a bit can be added and the trick "milked" to draw a bigger crowd. You could use the same to break up the repetition in a kid's show by adding a bit with a helper between each section. A breakaway wand, nest of wands, really anything, could fit during the natural pause points between sequences. Me, I just go shorter, ditch the cups, and stick with the hat load. Best, Dan- "MT is one of the reasons we started this board! I’m so sick of posts being deleted without any reason given, and by unknown people at that." - Steve Brooks Sep 7, 2001 8:38pm ©1999-2014 Daniel Denney all rights reserved. |
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Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
Danny & Kyle are on track with this. Keep it short, watch your timing and tell an interactive story. For seven and under I use pink balls marked to look like pigs. The story, of course is "The Three Little Pigs" with the child filling the role of the Big Bad Wolf with all the huffing and puffing. The pigs then vanish from one house and reappear in the next. For the final load, I have three large pink balls decorated like pigs in full karate gear. They're tired of the wolf picking on them and now they're gonna go piggy on him! It's fun, they are a part of it and it makes sense. Older kids seem to recognize the effect for what it is.
All of my magic for six & under kids is more comedy based, magician-in-trouble, How-did-THAT-happen kind of stuff than magic. Up to the age of six EVERYTHING is magic and that's NORMAL! Microwaves, TV's, Video games, Computers...For these kids, it really isn't about the vanishing, restoration or changing of an object. As Kyle said...it's the journey. :o) Skip
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
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Kent Wong Inner circle Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 2458 Posts |
I have performed the cups and balls for kids with great success, BUT I only perform it for the older age groups. The routine itself is simply a series of transpositions leading to an incongruent climax. As an effect in itself, it is not hard to understand. But, the routine usually last about 5 minutes. That is where the problem comes in. Younger children are more inclined to lose interest and attention over that period of time.
So, if you are intent on trying out the routine for younger kids, I would suggest the following: 1. Don't use your traditional cups and balls set. This doesn't have a lot of the flash appeal that may be necessary to keep the younger kids' attention. Instead, use something like those big, yellow happy-face plastic cups that you can find in the seasonal department of most housewares stores. 2. Use balls with character. This doesn't just apply to the type of balls used. Actually imbed the balls with character and personality. Give them names and apply characteristics to them in your patter. 3. Change the patter to make it more involving or interesting. Use a story line that the kids can relate to and understand. For instance, try adapting the three little pigs, using the cups as each of the homes. The kids can be the big bad wolf and "blow" to make the magic happen. 4. Keep the routine as short and direct as possible. No matter what you do, you can't avoid the reality that the younger kids will not be able to focus their attention for long. If any sequence is not absolutely necessary to your story, cut it out. Hope that helps. Kent
"Believing is Seeing"
<BR>______________________ <BR> <BR>www.kentwongmagic.com |
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Skip Way Inner circle 3771 Posts |
ER...is there an echo in here?
:O/ Skip
How you leave others feeling after an Experience with you becomes your Trademark.
Magic Youth Raleigh - RaleighMagicClub.org |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Hehehe excellent advice. I think we are all saying and agreeing on the same thing. That you can do cups and balls for kids but you have to be willing to change the routine and the presentation around so that you make it "kid-friendly". Create moments of silliness, compell them with a storyline, get them using their imaginations. All of this can help you create a journey in which they will love.
Now that we all agree, what ideas and creative routines do people have or can think of for doing just this? Put on your thinking caps and come up with creative ideas and storylines and patter that could change the cups and balls into a fun routine for children. Call this my challenge to you all. =) hehe See what we can come up with. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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harris Inner circle Harris Deutsch 8812 Posts |
At 5'5" I am always short.
Maybe the height maybe the A.D.H.D. (My wife calls it Adult Deficit Husband Disorder) This week was great! Gardening and NO Shows. Lately I have been doing coins and cup. (with a styrofoam cup) A nearly normal version of Dean Dills Diswasher Trick...(Cascade) Sometimes, in honor of 3 Fly, I use plastic flies. Be safe, well and end up with the same number of hands as you had before the fireworks. (For our U.S. of A. Café Members) I am guessing kids(big and small) would love Run around Sue by Tim E. (Nigel and I did) Harris (3 days and a Wake up till Boston) Deutsch
Harris Deutsch aka dr laugh
drlaugh4u@gmail.com music, magic and marvelous toys http://magician.org/member/drlaugh4u |
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Jaz Inner circle NJ, U.S. 6111 Posts |
I think kids can follow quite a bit of some C&B routines but others will not.
If the groups are smallish I suggest some interaction such as having a volunteer touch one of the cups and ask them how many balls, what color, etc, are under it. This will help clarify the situation and allow the other kids to follow the routine better. I also agree to keep it short and well defined so the youngest age group can understand. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
I think when doing cups and balls for kids, you really must remember what kids love and what they react to. In a way you have to "kid-ize" the effect/ By this, I mean you have to change the effect and add in elements so that the kids will have fun with it. Kids love the journey you take them on so make this journey fun and interesting for them.
As Jaz pointed out, one way is to get them involved in the fun by using magic wands etc. Make the magic happen because they caused it to happen. Give the balls personality and the cups can become something else as well. Have fun with it. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Mark Tripp Regular user 148 Posts |
Well....
..before the earth cooled and dinosaurs roamed the earth... Captain Kangaroo did it on his show, silent to music, white gloves, no loads, just the balls thru the cups... ...blew my doors off. |
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Alan Munro Inner circle Kentwood, Michigan, USA 5952 Posts |
I performed Chop Cup for kids. The response was tremendous!
Chop Cup may be a better bet, because it doesn't repeat itself as much. |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
And it is much simpler for the kids to follow. Alan, did you change your presentation of the chop cup to make it more geared towards kids? If so, how did you change it to get the kids to laugh and enjoy the journey?
Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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chris mcbrien Inner circle Chicago 1235 Posts |
I think I actually remember Captain Kangaroo doing this! Wow, what a memory! I am really glad this was posted. Cups and Balls is great as long as it's presented the right way (exciting) and kept pretty short and quick. I won't go into mine, but it's really, really to the point! Kids always like it and I've had people come up and say it's nice to see it performed again!
Chris |
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Paddy Inner circle Milford OH 1571 Posts |
Thanks guys, OK I love the cups and balls but my wife was right again (as usual.) Well my show will continue as is until I write a quick routine for the cups. Thanks for the advice.
Peter |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Peter: Not a problem at all. Let us all know if we can be of further help to you as you work on this routine. A lot fo folks gave sopme great ideas and ways in which to adapt your cups and balls into an effect children will like to watch and become involved in.
Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Mark Tripp Regular user 148 Posts |
It was all black, standard ss adams cups, white gloves, and just did the first part of the standard routine where the balls went through the cups. Killed me.
Then of course, there is the classic "rub a dub dub" routine for the cups. |
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Whiterabbit Loyal user Kevin Mc Lean 278 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-07-02 10:33, Paddy wrote: Peter, one thing that I have found is that with a certain age group (threes for example) silent doesn't necessarily mean that they're not amused: sometimes they're just awed and thinking about what you've done (quite common for a three year old and let's face it if they're all sitting there at that age and not wandering off you're almost certainly doing a good job). The applause usually comes a year later ((not literally, when they're four plus) you do get applause from the really young age though, but you've got to work harder and keep it very direct). I've played the cups and balls to a variety of age groups and loaded with sponge rabbits. It does work, but the real littlies are sometimes blown away more by pulling a streamer from their shirt tag and twisting a balloon behind your back. But yes, the C&B can play and from five on, people think it's cool.
May your fingers never lose their deftness,
May your tongue always lead them down the garden path... Regards, Whiterabbit |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Quote:
I've played the cups and balls to a variety of age groups and loaded with sponge rabbits. It does work, but the real littlies are sometimes blown away more by pulling a streamer from their shirt tag and twisting a balloon behind your back. I find this to be the case because for children at that age, they like the journey you take them on and the visual fun and funny business more then the actual effect itself. If you do the C&B learn to apply these same principles and develop a routine that is kid-friendly. Just because they are the cups and balls, does not mean it has to be performed as you would for an adult crowd. If you remember that it is just a mere effect of which a routine can easily be changed around and adapted to it, then you have a valuable tool to use for any trick you have. Kyle
Kyle Peron
http://www.kylekellymagic.com Entertainers Product Site http://kpmagicproducts.com Join Our Facebook Fan Page at http://facebook.com/perondesign |
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Gideon Sylvan Special user Deerfield, IL 541 Posts |
I would do this at ages over 10 without any fear. In fact I have, and it goes great.
You know you are a magician when you have boxes full of lecture notes you have never read, but still are excited about going out and buying more.
www.gideonsylvan.com |
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