Sounds like you have the dice but not the dexterity.

Agreeing with Mr. Tougas-

We should not be concerned about the pristine magic-only presentations, the audience doesn't really know or care which is which.

From backstage, the only difference between a magician and a juggler is that our juggling is hidden from the audience, and a juggler's juggling is shown to them. From frontstage,to become a magician, we need to be proficient in many areas and fields, and with many disciplines and skills.

Learning a bit of juggling would fit in with learning a bit of Vent work, a bit of science, a bit of this or that, all the subjects magicians study. I think showing a bit of these alternate skills to an audience is interesting to most people and flies well IF you don't insult their intelligence and claim Magic Powers for juggling feats. IMHO.

Stack away!

I saw routine of dice stacking performed by Pepe Carrol, a great Spanish magician (he passed away last monday).It´s pure magic.

In the beginning just dice stacking, after stack one pile with each hand, one of white dice other with red, then one red changes place with one white.
A cork travel from his hand to the middle of the stack under the cup.
It happens a lot of productions under the cups : little glasses with scotch, bigger die, mini scotch bottle.
Very, very good.

Juan

Senator Crandall (who was not really a senator) had a pamphlet or two about dice stacking that could possibly be floating around in magic shops somewhere. Although I never saw him perform I understand he was a very colorful personality. Also, a past senator from West Virginia named Walt Rollins (who I think really was a senator) once did a lecture in which he stacked four lumps of coal using a Campbell's Pork and Beans can.

Clark "The Senator" Crandall, was a very well known magician with a delightfully gruff sense of humor. One of the real colorful characters of magic.

You are right, though he is gone now, his booklet lives on and is titled "How to Stack Dice for Fun and No $" He wrote and illustrated it himself and is a wonderful piece of magic to have.

But who do you think is better, Gerry, Todd Strong or Jim Zac?

I mean in terms of thier routine, style and teaching.

The issues mentioned above; juggling, personality, surprise and routining are what make the thing work for an audience.

The juggling feat is itself not much more than an open demonstration of skill.

I cut up my yatzee (sp) set to make my first cylinder for another trick.

Somehow the basic look of the trick just cries out for a pick-em-up -> reveal stack -> topple as one item all glued together moment.

A great routine that makes a lot of sense is Camilo's, which earned him first prize at FISM in Paris, in 1973. He leads you into it by making you believe that 2 die stack accidentally, as if such a thing didn't exist. He'll be performing it during Spanish week at the Magic Castle Feb 9-15.

Gary Ouellet has a chapter in his book Close up Illusions and on the companion videotape (available from the Camirand Academy). Definitely worth reviewing since Ouellet was a master of performance, entertainment and communication.

Zack's tape is an excellent teaching tool as well.

It's also possible that Mike Rogers might have included this in one of his tapes, but I'm not certain. If anyone knows the answer to this, please send me the source. In any event, Mike was a wonderful coach in all areas of magic and securing his works is worth the effort and expense. As was mentioned in this thread, Mike sold a great leather cup (gaffed and ungaffed) Formica board, and razor sharp die. Although I have one complete set, I would appreciate knowing if Mike's product line for dice stacking is still available on the market and if so, what are the contact points?

Both Mike and Gary are sorely missed.

Like most good entertaining routines you need a start, a middle, and finale. I agree that just stacking dice a few time is just juggling, but like when Dennis Loomis does juggling in his Micro Chop Cup routine it adds a change of pace and excitement.
I like to start dice stacking with the rolling dice game mentioned above, where dice that happen to land on top of another don't count, going for low score. After the spectator rolls a high score I put the dice in the cup and shake out one or two dice stacked. Then build by saying the professional dice players have developed the skill to get the lowest score possible, a one. And they will not even stop to grab the dice by hand just picking them up directly with the cup. Build more by picking up two at a time, then all four in one sweep,( and two shakes). If you can you can wind up by picking one at a time off the stack leading to your final load(s). I also add bits of business like Pete said. I haven't gone to color changes, or a glued stack, because my routine is long enough and the fewer props the better, but they are great enhancements for the routine.

I remember that I was chosen to assist Mike Rogers in his stacking routine. Every time he stacked he made a deal out of lifting the cup. Well he stacked again and told me to lift the cup off, but to be careful. Of course I knew I'd knock them over and look like an idiot. But there were no dice under the cup. It was interesting to hear the “Ooohhhs” from the audience.

Rafael: Camillo's dice stack routine (at the Castle) was awesome. He made it the most magical of any I have ever seen.

He certainly had the gang buzzing with his great presentation and especially his signed card in bottle of whisky. Fooled all the experts (and me too)!!

I found the stacking to come quite easily and I learned from the Todd Strong video.

Once you learn it, however, then they start not stacking for some reason.
That's when the practice comes in.

I also think it's also easier with a smaller diameter cup. I just had 2.5" cups created for exactly that reason (easy to stack with) and you can see what I came up with here:
http://www.theambitiouscard.com/

Frank

So where did you get the idea to make the 2.5 inch cups? Have you tried the 2.75 cups?

Kirk

I like the slightly conical cups (I got a few from Italy that are really classy looking--and chopped too).

You don't need straight-sided cups to stack.

Now if I could just get rid of the arthritic wrist pain.

I used to do all kinds of crazy productions, little bottles, dice glued together, spinning dice, even a stack of about 40 nickels.


Posted: Feb 23, 2004 2:08pm
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Make a little paper tube to hold a stack of dice. Put a magnet at the top. Load it in alongside the dice you are stacking.

When you lift the cup you will have two stacks of dice showing. The tube stays in the cup.

You can also glue a stack of marbles together.


Posted: Feb 23, 2004 2:09pm
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Anyone that doesn't think there are MAGICAL things you can do with a dice stacking routine has NOT thought about this at all.

I wanted to make a 2.5" cup because it's a popular size. Nothing yet on the 2.75" cup.

I have been wondering about the conical cup for dice stacking. Glad to know it's doable.

Bill Your story about the bottomless glass and the initials BB sounds about right. I think it is whom you are asking about. I had heard part of the story before but not the bottomless glass part.
From what I know of and about BB it has to be him.

As mentioned before Paul Gertner's routines are great.
Jackie McClements from Scotland does a routine where he misses one of the dice. He picks it up off the floor and causes it to vanish. It then vanishes and is found under the cup, stacked with all the others!
owen

Ok, ok, here is one of the great bits. Have an extra die palmed. You do the stack and let the die in your hand drop from palm to the table surface. The audience HEARS a die drop, figuring you blew the stack. But when you lift the cup all four are stacked.

Send cash for use of this idea to me please.

Paul zennon did a nice dice stacking routine. forgive me if this has already been stated.

think he stackls 6 dice? however many, it doesn't matter, he fills the cup. as everyone is usually amazied with this piece of skill, it is a great piece of misdirection. as everyone is applauding, wow-ing, laughing, screaming, woteva they do, load a much LARGER dice into the cup. then say "what amazes me is how that happens, when <clunk> that is in there."

they will be blown away. don't have to load larger dice, works just as well with sponges, I saw a chap do it with a small field mouse?