I am curious what the youngest age that fellow Café members have had successful hypnosis shows with? I know high school aged kids generally make great subjects but when are they too young?

I feel the two main elements for a successful hypnotist is credibility and experience. Most high school age kids will not have either. It's really a process that to me can possibly begin at this age but won't really exist on the pro level needed for at least several years after. I know many here will not agree with me but this is based on my own experiences. It's not like a DJ where anyone with an ipod or music collection and sound system can get away passing themselves off as an experienced professional. "Successful" was the key word in your statement. A "successful" show is much more than possibly hypnotizing a few friends. Just my two cents since you asked.

Someone's not listen/reading very well...

Yea I thought he meant the subjects more than the performer.

I think he meant subjects....
I do a gig that is all ages, from toddlers on up to 100.
I always invite high school and above to participate on stage.
Now I have had younger want to participate, and they actually do well for a while, but soon get too silly and hard to manage safely, or over-ham it and become an issue. Personally I would never do a show for an audience that had a large number of Jr high or lower, but a few in the crowd is OK, but onstage its high risk and poor entertainment.

I had a 14 year old once in an FFA banquet. The rest were high school to adult. He popped his head up a couple of times looking around, but by the end of the induction he was as under as the rest. I wouldn't want to do a show with all of them that age. Like Richard says too many management issues on stage.

Martin

Sorry, I guess I misunderstood what he was asking, my mistake. I have performed regularly for middle schools and have had some 10-12 year olds at different fair and festival shows. To me the hardest thing is their attention span as they get much younger than that. They get distracted and break focus quite easily. Again, sorry, didn't intend to derail this topic.

Thanks to everyone so far (and Mindpro, no harm done... ironically I did something similar recently to a thread that I believe was started by "suspectacts")

I think the question shouldn't be the age, but rather the individual and the situation.

High school kids may be great. However, if you have 50 high schoolers you run the risk of a couple wanting to be class clowns by screwing you up. A well-trained stage hypnotist should know how to deal with this, but in my experience, most stage hypnotists today don't have thorough training.

I agree that Middle School kids can be great, but if they're around high schoolers, some try to act older which can equal trying to screw you up.

And if you go middle school or younger, they are so used to going in and out of trance (thanks to Saturday cartoons and MTV) that they can easily pop out of trance during a show. I wouldn't use them. Plus, they are far more likely to get upset and start crying if people laugh at their antics.

I know LOTS of magicians who started by doing parties for children. Most of them won't do kid parties any more because young kids are difficult audiences. Personally, I don't do stage work with them.

Keir, I would respectfully suggest contacting one or more of the persons you trained with and ask what they advise.

Out of curiosity are there any legal limits around the age of consent?

I may be wrong but I am sure there is something in uk law that forbids hypnotising certain people under a certain age for shows?

I think 16 is the law in the UK.

Yes I think you might be right. Although Im sure you still need parents permission.

Im not totally sure. But usually with most things you do with anyone under 18 over here.

I think most hypnotists in the UK would be horrified to hear that kids of 10-12 yrs old are being hypnotised in shows in the US.
Understand I'm NOT saying there's anything wrong in that, rather merely pointing out the culture differences.

So whats your opinion Bobser? Don't sit on the fence you'l get piles. Youve told us what your not saying....so what ARE you saying.

I'm saying... "I'm not saying"

I started doing hypnosis from the age of 14 but I've been performing my show itself since I was 16...however with a background in acting and performing comedy magic I already had a head start.

Oh and in reply to MindPunisher's question.. it's illegal to hypnotize anyone under the age of 18 in a stage show in the UK.

Just to be sure always above 18

What if the've got a beard, tattoos and swear a lot (their husband as well)? can you zap them then?

Over 100 shows a year -mainly colleges & Uni's- Im Involved with

Never Hypnotised anyone under 16

18 is the norm min age-throw the rest off stage asap.

Watching kids with no life experience is not funny under Hypnosis
especially when over the top reactions occur naturally with adults & make the comedy natural!!!!!