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ericsharp New user 66 Posts |
While various performers were discussing why they would not entertain two year olds, it also became clear many will not entertain eight to fourteen year olds. Here again, it is not a problem with us, so what is your problem? Perhaps we can guide you in the right direction, and we don't mean back out through the door. Like two-year olds fees for eight to fourteen year olds can be higher for less time involved.
Eric and Muriel |
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Joseph_Then Special user 747 Posts |
I don't know about you, but 14 years old are considered teenagers.
But I would really like to hear what you have to share with the group. |
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Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
Hi Eric
I have worked in very very bad areas of the Northwest. I have tried all methods of entertaining the older ones, as I do a lot of summer fetes in these areas. You get ages 2-19 and usually very few adults. The only thing they seem to be entertained by is telling their friends that they made the balloon dog, even thought I did! I am intrested on your ideas Matt |
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AragorntheMagician Veteran user Metro-Atlanta 304 Posts |
I do all age groups. For the 8-14 set, I basically do what I would do for adults without some of the adult innuendo material. Any good sleight-of-hand (coins, card, rope, whatever) I have found works very well, and they find fascinating.
Yours, Aragorn TM aka: I used to be BOB (it's Cellini's fault)
aka: I used to be BOB (It's Cellini's fault)
"All Right, Who's Volunteering to be Turned into a Frog???" www.aragornthemagician.com |
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Emazdad Inner circle Plymouth UK 1954 Posts |
Why don't I entertain this age group, because I don't need to.
I get more than enough work in the 4-9 years age range, 25-30 two-hour birthday parties a month, plus seasons at holiday camps and Adventure parks. I turn away more work than I can actually do as it is. Any more and it would seriously interfere with my golf and leisure time. After all you should work to live, not live to work. As it is, Billy and I often have to tee off at the crack of yesterday to get a round in and have enough time afterwards to get home and changed in time for a show.
Yours Funfully
Clive "Emazdad" Hemsley www.emazdad.com "Magic is a secret, without the secret there is no magic" Remember there are only 3 types of people in the world, those that can count and those that can't. |
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what Special user Lehi, UT, USA 643 Posts |
I'm not a full-time pro, but the 8-11(last four years of elementary school) year olds is the primary group that I perform for. The 12-14 year olds don't provide as many opportunities for me.
I like this group because they appreciate the kind of magic that I love to practice. I do silk magic, sponge balls, 1 card revelation, cups and balls, mostly classics. Perhaps the biggest reason I like this group is because of my background in cub scouting. I seem to look for routines and bits of business that will go over well with this age group. Mike
Magic is fun!!!
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Rupert Bair Inner circle ? 2179 Posts |
<<<After all you should work to live, not live to work. >>>
That's one of the meanings of life. Matt |
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Cheshire Cat Special user Wilmslow, UK 941 Posts |
Oh, simple answer Eric, - don't want to.
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NJJ Inner circle 6437 Posts |
I really enjoy those show and don't need to.
I have a style of show which, with sliegh adjustment is suitable for 3-10 year olds. Over that age and they become young adults who require a DIFFERENT style of performance all together. These shows are HARD word and I don't need the work that bad. |
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Billy Whizz Special user Plymouth, UK 576 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-01-19 17:44, Nicholas J. Johnson wrote: These shows are HARD word and I don't need the work that bad. that's my feeling too. I do this job because I enjoy it and the lifestyle. I aim my shows at 4 to 8 year olds. I earn a FANTASTIC amount of money every year giving me a great lifestyle. I don't see the point in doing shows that can be hard work. Quote:
On 2005-01-19 10:15, ericsharp wrote: Here again not a problem with us, so what is your problem, perhaps we can guide you in the right direction, Who said we have a problem Eric. It sounds to me like YOU have the problem. You come accross quite arrogant if someone doesn't agree with your point of view. Just my opinion. |
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Andy Wonder Special user Auckland, New Zealand 747 Posts |
Quote:
On 2005-01-19 10:15, ericsharp wrote: Quote:
On 2005-01-19 18:21, Billy Whizz wrote: Give Eric a break. His intention is clearly to be helpful & assist other entertainers. Anyone with 50 years experience performing magic for children with all their own acclaimed unique routines must have a goldmine of wisdom to share. I have a question for you Eric. A lot of times older children will have a preconceived notion that magic shows are just for little kids. Perhaps they have seen magic shows that were beneath them before or they just want to prove their maturity. How do you break the expectations of this group, particularly if there are younger children at the same show?
Andy Wonder, Auckland, New Zealand
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TomBoleware Inner circle Hattiesburg, Ms 3163 Posts |
I agree with Andy, I think Eric is only trying to be helpful. Im sure he could share much with us.
You never know who may show up at a party, and it would be nice to know how to handle all the ages. It’s not that odd for a few 14 year olds to happen to be at a party for a 9 year old. So I guess my question to Eric, is the same as Andy’s. How do you handle the ones that feel too old for magic? Tom
The Daycare Magician Book
https://www.vanishingincmagic.com/amazekids/the-daycare-magician/ My Blog - https://boleware.blogspot.com/ |
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
I usually aim my b-day shows for ages 4-9ish. That seems to be perfect for my brand and my style of b-day party performance. Over the years I have really learned a lot about who I am and who I can not be as a performer. I do not try to be a jack of all trades as I just know some areas of magic are just not suited for me.
I do, however, put more into my festival shows so that they are what I call Family-friendly shows where there is something for everyone to grab ahold of and enjoy through out the performance. 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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Andy Wonder Special user Auckland, New Zealand 747 Posts |
Kyle, did you have something to add? a question for Mr Sharp? or do you just post on every single forum?
Andy Wonder, Auckland, New Zealand
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magic4u02 Eternal Order Philadelphia, PA 15110 Posts |
Andy,
I apologize if I might have offended you, but I am not sure where you are coming from. The original topic of this thread is.."Entertaining the 8 to 14 year olds and why don't you." My response was simply an answer to that question that Mr Sharp posted originally. I think most childrens performers stick with what best suits their own personal performance style and that is why a lot choose not to do this age range. I hope this clarifys things a bit better. 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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Joseph_Then Special user 747 Posts |
Kyle, I hope you would realised that Andy is just making a little joke because we seem to see at least one post of yours in every topic we see in this area.
But, they are mostly quality posts... Keep it up man. Anyway, I would love to hear what Eric have to say. If you guys remember some topics away, I do face a party where they suppose to invite 15 kids but only 2-3 kids (4-9 yrs old) turned up and the rest are teenagers and adults. While you may not perform for teenagers, it would be nice to know a bit more from the experienced so that JUST IN CASE you face this situation. |
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BIlly James Special user 991 Posts |
I've done shows in Primary schools and high schools and here is what I have found -
If you get your show to a level that really works for the 4-9 age group (something that most of you guys have done) you tend to find that it ALWAYS works. However, if you have a great show for 10 - 14 year olds, it can go over REALLY well for one audience and fall flat for the next audience. I don't know why, but there just seems to be an inconsistency in the corporate mindset of kids this age. At least this has been the case in my experience, but I suspect that most of you guys have found the same thing. The other thing is kids like to be cool and in my part of the world it is cool for early teenagers to be full of attitude (I mean this in a nice way) and to not overly show emotion, especially that kind of emotion that we love to receive as magicians. This (along with all the reasons suggested in the above posts) is why I prefer not to work for that age group. On top of that I really LOVE working for the 4-9ers. Cheers Billy |
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p.b.jones Inner circle Milford Haven. Pembrokeshire wales U.K. 2642 Posts |
HI,
Like you Eric I really don't have any problems entertaining this age group Phillip |
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andrew martin Veteran user 394 Posts |
The older ones I perform close-up.
I did a girls 16 birthday party before I did any magic I some very cool balloons for them. To win them over. |
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ericsharp New user 66 Posts |
Well Muriel and I thank you for your response, what a response. Lets make it clear we are not interested in those that have so many shows they don’t want anymore, but simply the silent majority out there who would like advice on entertaining certain age groups,. We get e-mails from them thanking us. For if you do out-door functions you meet all ages as you will at many birthday parties without being told before hand there will be older children included’ so would it not be nice to have the experience and something ready for such occasions . Muriel and I always worked together, and we would commence to entertain say five year olds but as soon as we started we would sometimes realise that it was a YOUNG age five group or and Older age five group of children. One glance from me and Muriel would substitute one or more tricks which would solve that situation. Sometimes older children would join the party after we had commenced entertaining, no problem, one glance at Muriel would confirm she had already done the necessary.
Now when you have older children say eight, nine or ten years old amongst the five year old you are entertaining’ we found that it was necessary to stop these older ones saying ‘That’s kids stuff.’ by including early on in the programme, (preferably second) a trick that would cause them to say, ‘That was brilliant, how did he do that?’ and from then on they will watch and enjoy what you are doing for fear of missing something. A prop which we always carried for such occasions, a trick which most magicians look down on because of the thickness of the tray is ‘Magic Welding.’ When you have completed the trick all they want to do is to examine the chain, tug at it as hard as they can. No one say’s ‘Oh what a thick tray.’ Before our first book came out Magic Welding could be purchased for one of two pounds second hand, ever since they have become very scarce. We used one inch chrome chain link instead of the pathetic chain usually supplied with it. Now let’s waste a bit of space answering the statement made that we are very forceful in our writings. Of course we are, we make it as brief as possible and hard hitting otherwise we will be wasting valuable space. Also, we know that well established magicians do not like changing their programmes and so we press hard knowing that if they take notice their lives will become much easier using our routines etc.,. For example. The Waldo’s of Worcester winners of the British I.B.M. Shield and originality prize, who were already using our routines would not do our Demon Wonder Box Routine although we were adamant they would never leave it out of their programme once they had performed it. They wanted us to write a routine for another trick and we said ‘No! not until you do the our Wonder Box Routine.’ Eventually they gave in and they said it was one of the best routines they had, They never left it out after that and even mentioned at their lectures how grateful they were we insisted on them doing the trick. So if we persuade others that what we say or recommend it the correct way, we have done our job. For we know that we have made entertaining children easier for them. Back again shortly. Eric and Muriel |
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