http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3AbjmYUroc

Bad copy of SHIMADA ending with a bad copy of the Gemini cage ...

I've no knowledge one way or the other, but Shimada has been teaching his act. Perhaps this is a student?

States on the video it was handed directly down from Shimada.

So he must practise again...

Genii Magazine, June 2007, Volume 70, Number 6. Page 49. Shimada Exclusive Magic Offer. Learn Shimada Famous Dove effects and Card routines, from his Dove Act.

Spend 5 days with Shimada and receive personal instruction form Shimada himself for $7000.00

On page 48, offering a 5 day training to teach his Parasol Act, includes his full costume and all props for $18,000.00.

There will never be another Shimada even from his students. I've watched the videos several times and overall, he's not that bad. Sure, his first dove flew away but we've all had that happen before. His steals are definitely those of Shimada and he needs to polish them up a bit but to a lay audience, they work OK.

I personally think it's great that the masters teach their acts but I think they should also stress the importance of being themselves. If you watch any student of Jeff McBride's, you'll see Jeff. Watching this performer, you see Shimada. The knowledge is fine but they should really try to develop themselves and not be a clone.

I see no problem to study the acts of the masters.

I'm more reserved about playing them in front of an audience.

Sorry Dave, but saying that "his steals for a lay audience work OK" is definitely not my thinking. With this kind of thinking there will be a lot of bad (and lazy) magicians and only one Shimada, Lance or Channing...

And you have to be even MORE perfect when you do another artist's act !

Arno, note I said the steals need to be worked on which is evident but I think too often we look at the performances from the magicians point of view and not that of the lay audience.

As a dove worker, I naturally look for steals and don't let the misdirection get in the way. A lay audience, for the most part isn't that critical. This topic is saying that this guy is copying Shimada's act. That's not entirely true. He copies many of the gestures that Shimada uses and that is because of the teaching, but the actual act is not being duplicated. Yes, Shimada does a dove from gloves and he does a routine with the appearing cane but the rest of the act isn't Shimada's. Shimada's teaching, yes, but not the effects.

I agree that one should study the acts and movements of the masters but originality when performing is important.

Yes dave... but even if the lay audience doesn't care about technique as magicians, note that when they watch Channing or Lance produce a dove, they have the feeling of real magic, even if they don't realise why. it's because the timing and technique is perfect.

Absolutely agree but I don't think the expectation is the same between paying $100 a ticket to see Lance Burton, Channing or Shimada and that of going to a show with a lessor name. That's no excuse however for the performer not to polish his act, improve his timing and technique.

I believe the lay audience is much more forgiving when watching a relatively unknown performer than when they go to see a Lance, Channing, or Shimada for example.

So, at risk of mentioning a sometimes controversial name, Darren Brown (who I think enjoys being controversial) had an interesting observation in a book of his I read. He basically contended that, with some knowledge of psychology, slights are all totally irrelevant. He illustrated, AIR, with a "card trick' that just came down to distracting the audience's attention for a moment and then lying to them, human memory being unbelievably fickle unless we are making a very conscious effort to remember something very specific.

His contention was that slights are for impressing other magicians, not for normal spectators. I don't *want* to believe that's true... but he made a pretty good argument...

Talking of bad copy, this performer in my personal view take the cake.

Why cos he combined many different performers trade mark routine into his

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rO8Cxu0P6Xs&feature=related

1) First effect, direct copy of James Dimmare's bird on cane while wiping with silk.

2) 2nd effect is a direct copy of Johhn Thompson's trademark bird from oven clear paper using mylar dove bag to reflect light

3) 3rd effect is a standard twin bird productions, colour silk theme similar to MARKO KARVO

4) 4th effect is a copy of Jonathan david bass's dove from balloon

5)5th effect is a clear cut copy from Joesph Gabriel trademark effect of pulling streamer from bunch of silk before produce macaw,/parrot

The props layout similar to Jason byrne & costume, theme of silk, opening mask heavily influence by MARKO KARVO.

With no disrepect to this performer, his skill is ok & he looks great....but he should have some original materials before he appears in LE PLUS GRAND CABARET DU MONDE.....if he were in any international stage contest, think he will score a flat 0 for originality.

As for the bad copy of Shimada, this performer are not wrong as Shimada taught them at a high fee & give them the props to use...a lady performer in my country who took the dove course under Shimada also uses the same opening act with mask.

Hope this helps
dove-boy