Hi guys, I was wondering if anyone could recommend a cups and balls routine that I could learn for shows or even recommend a few tricks to learn. Thanks.

Michael Ammar's Complete Cups and Balls is a great place to start. Good investment!

What are people's thoughts on cups and balls for children's shows? Can they get into it? What routine ideas or "takes" on it would make this classic more accessible to the little ones. Does anyone do it at their kids' shows?

I love doing my cups and balls, and would like to feel I could do this for the kids. But I don't want the syndrome where I'm doing what I like instead of what they like.

Thanks.

Jim in Los Angeles

Hi,

Personaly I would not bother. Most cups and balls routines (like sponge ball routines) go on way too long for adults, never mind kids.

If you really want to, though. keep it short and hit them with the climax.

Phillip

Aged about twelve, I saw Dick Richard's from Cardiff perform at Butlin's in Ireland (a holiday camp).

He was the children's entertainer and on the Friday night he did a stage show in the Playhouse Theatre, seating appx 800.

As part of his show he did cups and balls. It must have lasted ten minutes. The balls changed colour, they grew and became multi-coloured. It was amazing. I heard later that he had won the manipulation prize at a British ring convention with this effect.

He also did the most amazing ball vanish I have ever seen. He just held it at his fingertips and it vanished. No cover. Repeatedly.

However if you are performing at a child's party I would agree with Phillip. The routine (with business) does not have to be short but what happens to the balls should be kept to a minimum.

I don't use cups and balls for kids shows, but I often use a sponge ball routine.

Phillip makes a good point, too. Don't let the routine drag. A sponge ball routine is something that impresses the parents and the kids. That is something you need to do at every kid show. Remember, keep it fast and fun!

There is a good routine for kids called Rub-A-Dub and was posted in the Geni Magazine some time ago. It is a rhyme patter which matches the movements. Use the little, coloured plastic cups and pom-poms. I'm learning the routine, so I can give any info re: the effect as of yet.

I agree, the routine needs to be short and sweet but packed with magic.

Aldo Columbini has a routine that uses three different coloured balls that pass through cups (first one ball passes through, then 2, then 3 all at the same time). The balls travel from your pocket, vanish completely and then a load is revealed. It is rather quick, colourful and magical. You can find it on one of his videos. I'm not near my magic stuff, so I can tell you the name.

cheers,

John

Guardian,

About your comment about sponge ball routines being a must at kids shows. I must admit I've never done sponge balls. But it's basically billiard balls right? Could I substitute rubber golf balls instead? What's the difference between the two effects?

Thanks.

Jim in LA

"It is a rhyme patter which matches the movements. Use the little, coloured plastic cups and pom-poms"


OH BOY!

If you where to use rhyming patter for kids over 5 here in the UK you stand the chance of getting linched! Deservedly so in my opinion. Could it not be coverted into a rap?
that would likely go down a little better.

Phillip

"OH BOY!
If you where to use rhyming patter for kids over 5 here in the UK you stand the chance of getting linched! Deservedly so in my opinion. Could it not be coverted into a RAP?"

Absolutely. Rhyme is really rap in my mind, so if you present with an upbeat tempo, I'm sure all will go over well.

Also, age is a factor. In the routine, the magic happens on the key words that rhyme.

Some of the patter is as follows:

"Rub a dub dub, 3 men in a tub,
went sailing out to sea,
the second in tub 2,
the third in tub number 3.

"Tub #2 was old,
but the captain was bold
and rain to go.

"He jumped on the deck,
fell through the wreck,
and ended up down here below."
___

Add a few hand actions and a couple of "yo's" and "homey" words and all will be fine in the rap world.

cheers,

john

Does anyone know anything about producing a small glass filled with liquid as the final production? Is it a special glass? If so, where it can be gotten. Thanks.

Jim

Do your cups and balls trick, I use it and have for years, and I have never had another than excited reaction to it. It's one trick that you can let them examine. They love it.

Steve
zzz

Sponge balls aren't the same as billiard balls, but they are a great trick.

Definitely get a set and a good book/video to go with them. The first time you see a kid's face when you put one sponge ball in his hand and two spongeballs are there when he opens it, all the practice will be worth it.

Steve
zzz

I do a cups and balls routine with small baseballs. I use a miniature bat for a wand and even a miniature glove when the child pitches the invisible balls to me.

The routine ends with a production of larger baseballs and my wand unravelled turns into a Bluejays banner. I actually sing Take me out to the ball game as I produce the giant baseballs. A routine with music, colour, audience involvement, a minimum of moves will work with any audience.

Darryl the Wizard

Phillip Jones says, of rhyming patter for the cups and balls: "Could it not be coverted into a RAP?"

Probably, but there are a couple of points to remember.

Some time back, Greek fishermen's caps were all the rage. And then someone pointed out that there were two things necessary to wear one:

1: You had to be Greek; and 2: you had to be a fisherman.

Same with rap. If you are going to do rap patter (at least, on this side of the pond), you had better be:

1: Under 25 years old; and 2: black (yeah, yeah, I know Eminem gets away with it, but Tiger Woods plays golf, too!).

If you're 50 and white, it just isn't going to fly!

cheers,
Peter Marucci
showtimecol@aol.com

I do a quick straightforward cups and balls routine where the balls appear one at a time under a cup until all three have gone under the cup. I then say it sometimes is confusing to watch the three cups and three balls, so we'll use one cup and one ball. I then go into a simple chop cup routine where the ball goes in my pocket and still appears under the cup. I put the ball in my pocket again and make a large lemon appear under the cup. It is probably only 2 minutes, but is fun and magical when the lemon appears.

Bill

I have twin 4 year olds. They are constantly requesting that I do the cups & Balls for them. I do it for older kids and adults as well. For children, I use colorful plastic cups. The children get to pick the cups that will do the magic and I always congratulate them for picking correctly so that the magic could happen. I pretty much do the Mark Wilson routine, dressed up a touch. It is short and fun.

I also learned a combo cup routine which is more complex, but the kids don't like it as much (In fact the adults don't either now that I think about it).

The Cups & Balls have entertained people of all ages for centuries. I suspect you can get some good reactions out of them even today.

Enjoy!!

Mike

Daryl, your routine sounds like a very good one for kids.

For the most part, though, I'd steer clear of cups and balls for kids because of what Phillip said and also because the kids will scream "I know that one!" I'd say that almost ALL magic sets include a cups and balls set. Even if they don't know how YOUR routine works, they'll continue to shout and proclaim their vast knowledge.

Cups & Balls are fine for kids as long as you don't make the trick "drone on and on". Remember the C&B are included in almost every kids magic set sold. Thus
they have all been exposed to the "gallup" move - although most won't remember, but large loads, and balls moving from cup to cup - they'll love it.

I'd do something simple like the routine from the Wilson Course.

I have also had very good response from kids doing a Benson Bowl type routine as well as a short - very short- Chop Cup.

I perform cups & balls at kids shows. I introduce it as a very small trick and ask them to come up very close. Then I tell then to put fingers on the cups and even slow down the routines. It works great.

I do Rub-a-dub-dub, Bill Malone's version, for all ages, and they freakin' love it! It's all in your performance!

Sir Richard.