Magic Tricks

magictricks-18

2009-05-28T03:30:00.001-07:00

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Magic Tricks - Black Art
Author: Edward Jellard
Black art is an old form of magic that is rarely used today in its original form. The effect black art produces is fantastic, it is as close to trick photography as you can get without a camera!

A magician practising black art will find a stage and dim the lights. While he and his assistants are wearing white, the audience can see them. The performers then command items to appear and move around. Versions of 'sawing a woman in half' are performed and you can see the two halves moving round the stage, only to be melted back together, or just vanish. The possibilities are endless, and all leave the audience feeling mystified.

The theory behind black art is that everything in black won't be seen against a black background. This means at the start of the performance, there can be many items on the stage covered in a black cloth and they won't be seen. The magician simply removes the cloth and voila, an item has appeared. Disembodied bodies can move around by wearing black trousers, or a black jumper. Assistants dressed completely in black can make objects, including people, fly around the stage.

This form of magic really allows the imagination to go wild. Many things are possible with a bit of creativity and a pot of black paint! Black art is truly the cleverest and easiest magic to perform.

Black art is often performed in silence as it is a mystical event to watch, however do not be afraid to talk - your voice will be very powerful coming from the darkness, heightening the illusion.

Although to you, the performer, nothing will seem like magic, to the audience, the whole performance will blow their minds away. It is highly recommended to make a video of the performance so you can see the show from the other side of the stage. From your side of the stage, everything is visible - you can see the props and assistants.

To improve the illusion, some artists have lights above, below and to the side of the stage gently shining at the audience to further reduce the amount they can see. In complete darkness, however, a very eerie performance can be achieved. Another option is to use 'black-light' (i.e. UV light), which makes white and several other colours come to life, leaving black in darkness.

To end the performance, the magician has many possibilities ranging from floating off the stage, to gradually being engulfed by darkness (to do this, use a large piece of black cloth that starts on the floor and is slowly lifted up by two assistants to block you from view).

In a nutshell, your imagination and creativity is the only limit to this fine art.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Edward Jellard has been performing professional magic for many years. His repertoire includes stage magic, children's entertaining and close-up table hopping.

For plenty of free magic tricks , please visit the Magic Hat website.

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magictricks-17

2009-04-28T01:52:00.001-07:00

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Performing Magic for Kids: Part II - How These Four Things Will Make Or Break Your Magic Show
Author: J.L. Siefers

Four Critical Keys to Performing Magic for Kids

Children don't understand many of the common cues in a live performance. Most children are raised in the age of television. Not a bad thing, except the laugh tracks prompt the children when to laugh. No laugh tracks and the children are left out in the cold. They are quick and will get up to speed in no time. But they need your help.

The same issue is even more problematic with applause. Children are not used to clapping. They don't understand applause cues. Those wonderfully timed applause cues will leave you and your audience with a lot of uncomfortable silence.

What can be done? Everything. One of your most important tasks as a children's magician is your opening. The beginning of your show must do four things:

Establish audience control
Teach the children to react to applause cues
Set the tone for the show
Introduce your performing personality

The audience needs to be warmed up prior to your magic show. It seems hokey and a waste of time, but it can make the difference between a great magic show and a horrible one.

Children love to have fun. Even in school children are taught to obey those in authority. For some reason, many magicians forget to establish authority early in the show. The result resembles a saloon brawl in the wild west.

When you step out for the start of your show, you have the perfect opportunity to establish the ground rules for the show. I don't mean that you should bring out a list of house rules for the show. Instead come out with confidence and warm up your audience.

After you welcome everyone to the show, look out over the audience and say, "This looks like a really great crowd. Let's see how loud you can clap. On the count of three ONE. . . TWO . . THREE . .Not bad! Let's try it again. On three . ." After some byplay conclude by saying, "What do we do when we like the magic? (pause) What do we do when we LOVE the magic?" (pause and react strongly to the crowd)

Four things are being done by that warm up. You have taught the children to clap when they like the magic. It also trains them to react to the applause cues in the rest of the show. The warm up establishes that you are in control for this show. Finally, it sets a fun tone for the show. This is the first time your audience gets a sense of your performing personality.

The next article explains how your performing personality can put your magic show over the top with the kids.

J.L. Siefers has been performing great magic for years. He has written extensively on many topics in magic. He has shown hundreds of people how to successfully learn to do great magic tricks.

Want to learn to do magic? Click now to get your FREE magic tricks! http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com " http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com

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magictricks-16

2009-03-29T01:52:00.001-07:00

So Your Kid Wants To Do Magic Tricks At A Talent Show Magic Tricks
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So Your Kid Wants To Do Magic Tricks At A Talent Show
Author: Louie Foxx
Every year thousands and thousands of kids across America display their talents at a school, church or community talent show. Most of the talents that these kids have is either singing or dancing, hardly any kids are doing a magic tricks.

If your kid wants to stand out in the pack of singers and dancers by doing magic tricks, I have some tips to help your kid's star shine brighter than the rest!

Tip Number 1: Give your kid plenty of time to practice!

When I used to run a magic shop, quite often parents would come in and ask me for some magic tricks or a magic kit for their kid's talent show. I would ask when the talent show was, and would be frequently shocked when the parent told me it was only two or three days away!

Learning magic tricks from a magic kit, magic book, or when you just get individual tricks takes time to practice and learn properly. Learning magic is just like learning any other talentyou wouldn't teach your kids a four minute dance routine on Wednesday and expect them to do it well on Fridaywould you?

With that in mind give your child at least a month's worth of practiceor more!

Tip Number 2: Make sure the tricks are big enough to be seen from the stage!

When selecting magic tricks for a talent show, make sure every trick you select is large enough to be seen from the stage. For example, if your kid does a coin trick, it will be very difficult for people in the middle or back rows to see it.

If you are getting a magic kit for your kid to select his talent show magic tricks from, make sure the magic kit has items that are larger and will be visible from the stage.

Tip Number 3: Have a script so your kid knows what to say!

One important part of performing magic tricks is knowing what to say when, and making what you say fun!

When you are shopping for your magic tricks for magic kit for your talent show make sure it includes the jokes for the kids to say.

Tip Number 4: Dress rehearsal at home!

A couple of nights before the talent show have a dress rehearsal at home. Maybe invite some aunts and uncles over for a little magic show. This will build your kids confidence in the magic tricks by getting to perform them in a safe place before the big talent show.

Now that you have those four tips, I'm sure your kid will knock 'em dead a their next talent show!

Louie Foxx

About the author:
Louie Foxx is a professional children's magician based out of Seattle. Louie does magic workshops where he teaches kids how to perform magic tricks and he also runs the website www.amazingmagickit.com that features magic kits for kids

copyright 2006 by Louie Foxx

This article is free to use as long as it is unchanged and all the links and bio are included.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Louie is a professional magician based out of Seattle and he runs the website www.amazingmagickit.com that sells kids magic kits

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magictricks-15

2009-02-26T17:46:00.001-08:00

Card Tricks
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History Behind The Hat: The Story Of The Magician
Author: Jim Kapowski -
The concept of magician as entertainer has its roots deep in human history, but mostly dates back to the sixteenth century. Prior to this time, those who practiced magic claimed to have supernatural powers. When this idea clashed with Christianity in the Western world, new magicians, who entertained audiences, emerged.

Chevalier Joseph Pinetti impressed audiences in the late 1700s with his tricks as an escapist and mentalist. Illusionists emerged in the nineteenth century, using devices to produce elaborate stage shows. One of the first magicians to use live animals was

"Hermann the Great," who performed disappearing acts and levitation tricks with the animals. Later, famous magicians Siegfried and Roy gained fame in part because of their elaborate show and tigers.

Harry Houdini, perhaps the most well known magician of all time, developed elaborate escape tricks including handcuffs and locked chambers in the early 1900s. His death on Halloween is now also known as "National Magic Day." Houdini also created grand illusions, some of which magician David Copperfield emulated. During Houdini's time, Vaudeville acts included and promoted magic tricks.

Over time, the interest in magic has come and gone, although it enjoyed a revival in the 1970s that continues today. Many magicians, similar to other performers, develop a unique style or focus on a particular type of illusion. David Copperfield makes large objects disappear. Lance Burton employs many birds, and Penn and Teller are known for their unique style. Most recently, David Blaine gained fame for his street magic and outrageous stunts.

Magicians of all sorts keep their secrets very secret. The appeal of magic is trying to figure out how magicians accomplish those amazing feats. For those interested in learning magic, many sources are available for the entry-level magician. Some well-known tricks are "out in the open," and beginning magic kits can help a beginner learn the tricks of the trade. Many books and other resources are available for card tricks as well. Many stores carry magical wares as well.

For those who are serious about the craft, two organizations are devoted entirely to magic, both with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. The Society of American Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians have chapters throughout the world, provide information, and hold conferences. For those
seeking information, these are good places to begin. Your local library is also a good place to find more information, as is the Internet. However, online sources in particular are varied in quality and information, so beginning with one of the organizations may be a better way to begin.

The allure of magic is very real. Throughout the past few decades, magicians have taken magic to a new level, with elaborate stunts and full-out entertainment spectacles. From amazing card tricks to large disappearing acts, magic will likely continue to enthrall audiences worldwide for years to come. It is a performance art unlike any other, and the mystery associated with magic adds a level of intrigue that does not exist with other performance arts.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Magic Magicians is an information site that contains articles, a directory and other Magician Resources . It can be found at: www.magicmagicians.com

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magictricks-14

2008-12-29T01:02:00.000-08:00

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Creators Of Magic Tricks -- A Brief History Of Magic Tricksters
Author: Sally Rogers -
We've all heard the term "magic." Some of us use it in our daily lives. But what really is magic? Well, the formal definition of magic is something like this: Magic is the performance of illusions meant to entertain, baffle and amaze. The purpose of magic is to give the illusion that the impossible or supernatural has been achieved. Although magic deals with the illusion of the supernatural, no ghostly beings or entities actually have any part in a magic act. Truly entertaining magic is always done by a skilled performer who knows how to use natural means to create the impression that something next to impossible has been done.

Early magic was most likely probably used for cheating in gambling games such as cards or in times of war like the use of the Trojan Horse. But during the 18th magic became less of a series of seemingly pointless deceptions and more of a respectable activity done by professional illusionists.

The earliest recorded modern practice of magic tricks was done by Jean Eugene Robert Houdin in the mid-1800s. In fact, many consider Houdin the father of modern magic. Houdin, originally a trained clock worker, switched to the practicing of magic when he opened a magic theater in Paris in the 1840s. Houdin's special magic trick of the time was creating small mechanical pieces that seemed to move and act as if they were alive.

After that the popularity of magic continued to grow. In 1873 two men, British performer J. N. Maskelyne and his partner Cooke established their own theatre, the Egyptian Hall in London England's Piccadilly. The magic tricks these two men were best known for performing were hiding special mechanisms in their stages to control audiences' points of view. So, the magic was in people and items suddenly disappearing and reappearing, or being distorted in some way.

The late 19th century brought on celebrity magic and celebrity musicians. This was the time of the world-famous Harry Houdini, whose real name was Erich Weiss. Houdini's magic tricks were based on the ability to escape impossible situations. Today this term is referred to as escapology.

Depending on whom you talk to today, magic is a trivial passtime for children, or magic can be a real source of entertainment. At least that was the common attitude towards magic in the 1980s and 1990s.

Today magic seems to be in vogue again. But most modern workers of magic follow a strict code of ethics. For example, those who perform on television don't use camera tricks and videotape editing to create the illusion of powerful magic. Magic workers today use only traditional forms of magic. This means they use the same forms of magic for television as they would for a live magic show.

The old saying about magic being smoke and mirrors is true. The art of magic tricks is all about fooling the audiences' eyes and getting them to think they are seeing something that really isn't happening. That's what true magic and the practice of good magic tricks is all about.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Magic Trick Facts is an information site that contains articles, a directory and other Magic Trick Resources . It can be found at: www.magictrickfacts.com

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magictricks-13

2008-11-29T00:19:00.000-08:00

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Abracadabra A Great Birthday With A Magician!
Author: Jim Kapowski -
Children's birthday parties have become outrageous showcases of food, gifts, and entertainment that are costing parents more and more each year. Instead of focusing on the child, parents are striving more and more to "keep up with the Joneses" and put on fantastic displays that involve a great deal of time and money for the planning and execution of the party. Instead of worrying about booking venues packed with activities, consider throwing your child an old fashioned bash in your own backyard. For a special touch, consider hiring a magician to entertain both children and adults for the party. A magician is a great way to entertain the crowd while maintaining a unique aspect for your child's party.

A magician is a classic way to entertain and enthrall the young and the young at heart when it comes to hosting a birthday party. If your child is interested in becoming the next Houdini, use magic as the theme for his or her party. If you are planning to hire a magician to provide entertainment for you child's birthday party, you may need to plan ahead and book the magician's services in advance to prevent any last minute cancellations or bookings.

If you have decided to include a magician in your child's birthday party, call around. Ask friends, family members, or coworkers for a referral of a specific magician they have hired or seen perform in the past. Also, consider contacting your local chamber of commerce or business organization to see if there is someone offering their entertainment services for hire. You will find that word of mouth is incredibly powerful; as you can be sure the magician you hire to perform at a birthday party or any event will provide age appropriate entertainment.

Before your hire a magician or any entertainment provider, be sure to get the agreement in writing. Also, you may need to pay an initial deposit to ensure the date for the party. Some questions to ask the magician include if their material is appropriate for children, how long they plan to perform, if they are willing include the birthday child in their act, and what will happen in the unfortunate event they are unable to attend or perform.

Once you have booked your magician, be sure not to change the date and time of the party. Doing so may cost you additional money or cause you to lose the magician due to previous commitments. A magician may book several parties or events on a given day, so his or her schedule is tight and unable to be changed.

Hiring a magician is an excellent way to entertain everyone present at the party. Many magicians include kid friendly magic tricks and may even teach the children a couple of tricks of their own. If this is the case, be sure to purchase any potential items necessary for the event for the children ahead of time. Also, consider giving away magic tricks as game prizes or party favors so the theme is continued throughout the party. Your child is sure to enjoy the fun filled tricks, jokes, and illusions that a professional magician can provide.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Magic Magicians is an information site that contains articles, a directory and other Magician Resources . It can be found at: www.magicmagicians.com

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magictricks-12

2008-10-23T01:32:00.001-07:00

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Teaching Your Child Magic Tricks
Author: Sally Rogers -
When it comes to fun family entertainment, consider teaching your child old fashioned magic tricks. This is a great way to kill time while waiting for an event to start or to stop those annoying questions of "are we there yet?" while driving in the car. Consider bringing clever magic tricks with you on vacation or camping trip so you children will have no complaints of being bored. You can find magic tricks at any specialty store or even your child's favorite toy store. Many magic tricks do not require any additional materials, besides the old standby of a handkerchief or a bright, shiny penny.

One fantastic option for individuals wishing to teach their kids magic tricks are the Klutz series of books. These books teach kids, "tweens," and teenagers all sorts of things, from different ways to braid hair to how to perform a variety of tricks using an old fashioned wooden yoyo. In addition to in depth instruction especially for the younger crowd, these books include several accessories that are necessary for performing the task. From their instruction book on magic tricks to their instruction book on card tricks, the Klutz series are perfect for any individual of any age looking to learn magic.

A quick trip to your favorite bookstore or local library will result in a plethora of books that will provide you with step by step instruction when it comes to teaching your child magic tricks. From classic tricks that are sure to elicit a chuckle to in depth slights of hand, magic tricks, and illusions that will wow all audiences, you are sure to find out how to perform each task with in depth step by step instructions that anyone will be able to flawlessly follow.

Consider bringing some necessary tools for teaching the specific magic tricks along on a long plane or train ride so your kids can do something more productive than mindlessly play video games or argue. This is a great idea if you are traveling to a city with a renowned magic shop, museum of magic, or show that features world class magicians. For instance, if you are traveling to Las Vegas to see the fantastic Lance Burton, teach your kids a few magic tricks along the way to make the show hit closer to home.

Magic tricks are great for school or club talent shows in which your child wishes to participate. Quite often, children are left at a loss when it comes to participating in talent shows and may feel left out if they cannot think of a talent that has not been chosen. Everyone sings or dances on stage at a talent show, but few children can don a magic hat and cape and perform astounding tricks of slight of hand or illusions. Learning magic can boost a child's self esteem, especially when he or she finally gets the gist of the trick and is able to flawlessly perform the trick in front of an audience. Who knows, your child may be the next great magician and they will only have you to thank for showing them basic magic tricks!

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Magic Trick Facts is an information site that contains articles, a directory and other Magic Trick Resources . It can be found at: www.magictrickfacts.com

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magictricks-11

2008-10-16T00:35:00.001-07:00

Card Tricks
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A To Z Of Well-Known Magicians
Author: Jim Kapowski -
There are many well-known, skilled magicians that you might not know about because even though they're well known, they haven't reached magician cult status. Most people know about the magician David Copperfield, but there are many more magicians equally skilled. So, take a moment to learn about other wizards of magic and expand your knowledge about magicians.

Curtis Adams: A magician who appeared at the age of 16 in the Young Magicians Showcase featured on Fox Television. He was born on October 12, 1984 and was one of the youngest magicians to perform in Reno, Nevada casinos.

Criss Angel: The only three-time magician winner of the Merlin Award from the International Society of Magicians. Angel is a skilled magician who did stunts like lying on a bed of nails while a Hummer drove over him.

Ed Balducci: A street magician who died in 1988 at the age of 82. He is a magician known for his gimmick-free trick of visibly rising several inches from the ground with his back turned to his audience.

Derren Brown: A British magician who practiced traditional close-up magic in the 1990s. Brown's claim as a magician is his "mind-reading" act. Brown claims aliens abducted him.

Cardini: Richard "Cardini" Pitchford was a magician with almost 50 years of performing tricks and illusions. He's one of the world's most imitated magicians, but no one to date has ever been able to completely duplicate his tricks. He was a magician known for his sleight of hand. Items were forever appearing and disappearing from his hands. He died in 1973.

Tommy Cooper: A magician and comedian known who was a member of the Magic Circle until his death in 1984. He collapsed while doing a live magician act that became his last.

Paul Daniels: A currently retired British magician who in 1983 became the first magician to ever receive the prestigious Magician of the Year Award by the Hollywood Academy of Magical Arts.

S.W. Erndase: A magician and author whose real identity has never been figured out. Erndase is a magician who wrote a book in 1902 about card playing tricks.

Ching Ling Foo: The first Asian magician to achieve fame. He was a magician who did tricks like breathing fire and pulling a fifteen-foot pole from his mouth. He died in 1922.

Lennart Green: A magician known for his close-up card tricks. In 1991 this magician became the world champion of in close-up card magic.

Paul Harris: A magician known for pulling coins from mirrors. Many claim he is a magician with skills like a combination of Copperfield and Henning.

Scott Interrante: An American magician specializing in escape-artist tricks. He won awards from the International Brotherhood of Magicians.

Ricky Jay: A magician listed in the Guinness Book of Records as throwing a playing card 190 feet at 90 miles per hour.

Fred Kaps: A Dutch magician who died in 1980. He is a magician known for making a saltshaker create an endless supply of salt.

Juan Tamariz: A Spanish magician who in 1971 founded a school that has trained generations of Spanish magicians.

Dia Vernon: This Canadian magician was born in 1894 as David Frederick Wingfield Verner. This magician, who died in 1992, is known for fooling Houdini with one of his card tricks.

Paul Zenon: A British street magician who also performed in the bars and pubs in the U.K. This magician has written three books about magic, the most recent published in 2005.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Magic Magicians is an information site that contains articles, a directory and other Magician Resources . It can be found at: www.magicmagicians.com

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magictricks-10

2008-10-09T00:11:00.001-07:00

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Setting Up Your Magic Shows: Part II - The Great Begining to a Great Magic Show
Author: J.L. Siefers

The last article described how to create a file for each magic trick that you might use in a magic show. This article will show you what kind of information you need to include in each and every magic trick file you create.

This is an important step, because having this information in a word processing file will be very useful for later steps in stting up your magic show.

Step 2

Each trick file needs to have these sections in this order:

Trick Name
Items Needed to Perform Trick
Setup Notes
Brief Description of Effect
Performance Script
Notes

Trick Name

This section needs little explanation. Use the trick's original name or a name you can easily remember.

Items Needed to Perform Trick

This is one of the most important sections of your file. You need to list in detail every item required to perform the trick. I usually separate out the consumables from the non-consumables. Consumables would include any item that is used up during the performance. For example flashpaper, paper money, and lemons are listed as consumables for my bill in lemon trick. Separating out the consumables means I am less likely to overlook them when packing up my show.

The non-consumables list is a great checklist to make sure you have everything you need to perform the magic trick.

Setup Notes

This section reminds you about any important points to remember when setting up your trick. As tricks come in and out of my performing repertoire, it is a nice reminder of key points I may have forgotten if I haven't performed the magic trick in a while.

Brief Description of Effect

You can use the description from the magic trick's ad or write a brief one yourself. I have found it useful to have a description handy if I am looking to add tricks for an upcoming show. You have a vague idea (or none at all) about what this trick is about.

Performance Script

This section contains the complete script that I use to perform the trick. I write out everything I do and say in the form of a script. This is the baseline for my performance of the trick. Once the script is mastered I am able to freely go on and off script during my performance.

Writing the script is a good way to study the intersection of this magic trick and your performing style. I work on the script all of the time. I view it as a work in progress. It is a good exercise to avoid just using the canned patter that comes with the trick. Try writing your own script out for a magic trick or two. You will be pleasantly surprised with the reactions you get from your audience.

Finally, the script is a nice refresher if you have not performed the trick in a while. I hated having developed a good routine for an effect only to have forgotten most of it because I had not used in a couple of years.

Notes

This section contains any of your thoughts and ideas for the magic trick. Put anything and everything you want to remember or try with the trick. This is a good place to record your insights about why the trick didn't play as well as you thought it would.

The next article explains how to create a very useful checklist for each magic show you do.

J.L. Siefers has been performing great magic for years. He has written extensively on many topics in magic. He has shown hundreds of people how to successfully learn to do great magic tricks.

Want to learn to do magic? Click now to get your FREE magic tricks! http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com " http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com

Sign up for The Magic Way newsletter! It's FREE: http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html " http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html

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magictricks-1

2008-10-01T21:41:00.001-07:00

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Performing Magic for Kids
Author: J.L. Siefers
You have just discovered the wonderful world of magic. Trip after trip to the magic shop has added to your ever growing arsenal of magic tricks. Thirty-three days later the credit card bills arrive to remind your wife that this IS an expensive hobby.

No problem! You will make back all of the money you've spent and more by becoming a part-time professional magician. Looking around for places to hone your craft, you suddenly remember that you niece has a seventh birthday coming up. You call you sister and offer your services in lieu of a gift.

Two weeks later the performance time arrives. You pack all of your "A" material into two large cardboard boxes. You start the show for sixteen first graders and all of your relatives. The show goes well. Everybody is laughing and having a good time. You take some theatrical pauses to build suspense as you search your boxes for the next great trick. Finally, your fifteen minute show concludes after fifty-three minutes. You never realized you had that much great magic. The kids cheer and applaud for your debut magic show. Even your sister, wiping the tears from her eyes, says, "I have never had more fun than I did watching your magic show. It was great. John got it all on tape."

This is how many part-time professional magicians attempt to begin their career. They look around and decided that doing kid shows is the best way to start. Performing magic for kids is one of the most difficult areas of magic to do well. This article explores some of the challenges of performing children's magic.

--You are training children--

Children don't understand many of the common cues in a live performance. Most children are raised in the age of television. Not a bad thing, except the laugh tracks prompt the children when to laugh. No laugh tracks and the children are left out in the cold. They are quick and will get up to speed in no time. But they need your help.

The same issue is even more problematic with applause. Children are not used to clapping. They don't understand applause cues. Those wonderfully timed applause cues will leave you and your audience with a lot of uncomfortable silence.

What can be done? Everything. One of your most important tasks as a children's magician is your opening. The beginning of your show must do four things:

Establish audience control
Teach the children to react to applause cues
Set the tone for the show
Introduce your performing personality

The audience needs to be warmed up prior to your magic show. It seems hokey and a waste of time, but it can make the difference between a great magic show and a horrible one.

Children love to have fun. Even in school children are taught to obey those in authority. For some reason, many magicians forget to establish authority early in the show. The result resembles a saloon brawl in the wild west.

When you step out for the start of your show, you have the perfect opportunity to establish the ground rules for the show. I don't mean that you should bring out a list of house rules for the show. Instead come out with confidence and warm up your audience.

After you welcome everyone to the show, look out over the audience and say, "This looks like a really great crowd. Let's see how loud you can clap. On the count of three ONE. . . TWO . . THREE . .Not bad! Let's try it again. On three . . ." After some byplay conclude by saying, "What do we do when we like the magic? (pause) What do we do when we LOVE the magic?" (pause and react strongly to the crowd)

Four things are being done by that warm up. You have taught the children to clap when they like the magic. It also trains them to react to the applause cues in the rest of the show. The warm up establishes that you are in control for this show. Finally, it sets a fun tone for the show. This is the first time your audience gets a sense of your performing personality.

--You are not performing for the kids--

You will learn quickly that the most difficult task facing the children's performer is to design the show to appeal to children and adults at the same time and at different levels. No I don't mean filling your performance with phrases that have sexual double meanings. Nothing is more pathetic and unprofessional than the performer that gets a child on stage and slyly eyes the adults in the crowd and says "Do I have a big magic wand or what? "

Children's cartoons provide the best examples of the point I am trying to make. Take Loony Toons or Spongebob Squarepants for example. These cartoons work for children and adults on different levels at the same time. This is what you must achieve to be a successful children's magician

This is very difficult thing to pull off. This is one of the main reasons that doing children's magic is so difficult. You must DESIGN your show for both audiences. One key to the show design is your performing personality.

--You are not yourself today--

When you perform magic for children, you must have a distinctive and appealing performing personality. Long gone are the days when the children's magician can come out on stage in a second hand tux and wow his audience with a formal magic show. Look at Silly Billy, one of the most successful children's magicians. His performing personality is fun and engaging. His show tone is fast paced and humorous.

Even beyond children's magic, examine the performing personalities of children's television. Captain Kangaroo, Mr. Rodgers, and Peewee Herman are examples of compelling performing personalities. Each one was successful, yet, had very different performing personalities. The common factor was that each performer engaged children through fun.

Your performing personality must engage you audience, children and adults, with fun and wonderment. You must draw your audience into the show by your performing personality, but you must wow them with a well designed show that delivers great magic. This is why doing children's magic is so tough.

If you want to start your career in magic as a children's magician, think again. Kids are brutally honest. There is nothing tougher or more satisfying than have a great children's magic show. Being a children's magician is not the best way to become a part-time professional magician.

Find out more about perfroming for kids at http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/more Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks

About the Author

------------------------------------------------------------
J.L. Siefers has been performing great magic for years.
He has shown hundreds of people how to successfully
learn to do great magic tricks.
http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com
Click now to get your FREE magic tricks!
------------------------------------------------------------

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magictricks-9

2008-09-17T20:10:00.001-07:00

Magic Tricks
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Why do magicians wear tuxes?
Author: J.L. Siefers
This wonderful question has rarely bothered magicians for decades. It should. Some possible answers might include:

He is getting married today.
He just got off work as a waiter.
He is going to the prom.

Wait! The man is about to do magic. Surely anyone doing great magic wears a tux. It logically follows that a person dressed in attire not worn generally by the public in nearly sixty years must be a well trained and entertaining artist.

I encounter responses such as:

"People won't know we're magicians if don't wear our uniform," bemoan penguin-like prestidigitators.

"Real magicians must wear tuxes," cries the part-time professional in his ill fitted and second hand attire.

The question of what magicians should wear has been around for more than a century. The correct answer has been around just as long. Unfortunately, many magicians don't get it.

Jean Robert-Houdin, the father of modern magic, looked around at how his fellow magicians dressed. The common uniform for a "real magician" was to dress up like a wizard complete with a conical hat. Robert-Houdin chose to view magic as an art. He devised many wonderful effects. He would go out on a bare stage to present his magic dressed in formal evening attire. The attire was appropriate and commonly worn for evening theatrical productions. Instead of dressing in way completely different from his audience, Robert-Houdin dressed just like his audience.

The point being made is simple. If you want magic to be viewed as a fine art, take your performance and dress seriously. Let the quality of your magic performance speak to the level of your magic artistry. If you want to be a magic clown, then dress like a penguin.

What about Lance Burton? Great question, thanks for asking. Lance's performing personality makes wearing a tuxedo appropriate for his performance. Mr. Burton consciously links back to magic's historical roots. Figuratively speaking, he wears the mantel of magic passed down through the ages. He portrays the great magician out of our past. Lance performs classical magic effects while donning the classical magical attire.

This is completely different from the approach of 99.998% of the other magicians wearing tuxes. Most part-time professional magicians wear a tux without regard to their performing personality. The key to what to wear is your performing personality. Begin with the assumption that a tux is not an option. Examine the key elements of your performing personality that you want to communicate to your audience. Tailor your dress to consciously communicate those key elements.

Another factor to consider is whether you want to stand out or blend with your audience. Let's say you want to blend with your audience. This is common approach for the restaurant or corporate magician. What will your audience be wearing? Try to dress a little above your audience. Let's say you want to stand out. Find ways to contrast with your audience that communicates positively to your performing personality. For example, assume your performing personality is that odd middle aged uncle that all the kids love but make parent roll their eyes. You know the type, every family has one. His style sense will be decades out of style but he will be clueless that he isn't the hippest guy around. If that is your chosen performing personality, then the performer's style will match the outfit. The point again is that the outfit chosen by the magician must relate to performing personality.

Let's get back to the original question. Why do magicians wear tuxes? Nobody knows including the magicians. Know your performing personality. Select your dress to complement your venue and performing personality. Treat your magic performance like the artistic performance you want it to be.

Read about more controversial issues at:
http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/more Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks

About the Author

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magictricks-8

2008-09-10T19:15:00.001-07:00

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To Be Or Not To Be A Professional Or An Amateur Magician
Author: Preston Houer -
An amateur magician is anyone who has a minimum amount of talent, skill and knowledge when it comes to performing magic tricks. He or she may be anyone who knows one magic trick or at least three magic tricks.

But basically, a more technical definition of an amateur magician is anyone who does not in any way practice magic as their trade, even if he or she knows four, five, six or more than a number of magic tricks. This is regardless of how good, better or excellent he or she may be in performing flourishes, sleight of hand or optical illusions.

However, there are those amateur magicians who try their very best to expand their current knowledge as well as repertoire and still practice magic as their primary source of income. People who do this are usually called hedge magicians. This is in order to differentiate them from authentic professional magicians who make practicing and performing magic as a trade and make an actual living doing so.

Meanwhile a professional magician is anyone who has a little bit more knowledge and talent compared to an amateur magician. These professional magicians know sufficient magic that makes it enough for them to use it as their primary source of trade and income, as well as not using magic to assist them in a trade other than magic.

So technically, even if a barber performs his job using magic and no matter how many tricks he or she knows and is capable of, that barber is still not considered as a professional magician because his primary trade is cutting hairs and not necessarily being a magician.
Another way to differentiate a professional magician from an amateur is by the way he or she does flourishes.

According to the Online Encylopedia of Magic, a flourish is any sleight that is performed for the purpose of entertaining an audience and does not in any way contain any moves that are hidden. Most sleights that are performed are done so in order to deceive a captive audience and to do something that can not be detected. Meanwhile, a flourish is any trick that is done to draw the audience's attention away from where an actual sleight is simultaneously being performed.

There are some magicians who consider the performance of a flourish as simply a finger exercise and not really actual pieces of performance. But those magicians who do put in and include flourishes in their act are considered by some of their fellow magicians as a seriously skilled performer.

If a performance consists of a card trick wherein the cards are spread out on the table and when a performer does a pressure card fan, the image that that performer projects is one of professionalism and experience. But a performer of magic who simply holds the cards and then spreads them slightly, may then be considered more as an amateur. Although this may or may not be true or this may not be considered as a hard fact, this is the perception and the impression that a performing magician usually gives to an audience.

Flourishes are done not just as a form of show-off to the audience, a flourish is also done for the purpose of presenting just how a performer is truly dedicated to the magic act. It also shows the degree of professionalism one has for the performance.

When a flourish is done, it makes it easier to know the difference between a magic trick performed by an expert magician and your friendly neighborhood Jim who is doing a card trick.

A skilled performer comes off as a natural and will ultimately receive more credit for his or her performance as well as recognition, not to mention that good old respect for the skills he or she has.

When a spectator is looking at a magic trick where the occasional flourish is done, that performer is also seen as more than a magician but a person who is passionate at what he or she is doing. It is therefore so much easier to hire a magician who has more skills and experience than one who needs to practice his or her craft more.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Preston Houer has been involved with the art of illusion and sleight of hand for over 30 years. Let Preston show you how to Have Fun With Magic. Visit His Site Today! www.have-fun-with-magic.com

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magictricks-7

2008-09-03T19:10:00.001-07:00

Magicians
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Agents For Magicians, Should They Stay Or Go Poof?
Author: Preston Houer -
Some magicians hate agents, while some like them. What is better: having an agent or not having one? Which is which? Believe it or not, the decision actually depends on you. For some, getting agents is a very touchy subject. Usually it is because some find it very hard to accept that their agents get more money and earn more than the actual performing magicians.

So some magicians can not help but think: it is a trick! To help you decide better about whether you should get an agent or not, the following are some details and information which could help you decide whether to have an agent or to get rid of the one you already have.

One thing good about having an agent is that you save yourself from the trouble of having to negotiate yourself. Usually, there are instances wherein you can get higher talent fees if it is not you who are doing the haggling. If there is an agent involved, he or she would usually say that your services could only be gotten if the fee is such and such. Doing so usually means you would not create for yourself an unfriendly image.

Also, every time an agent makes money, so do you! The many bookings an agent gets for you, the more money you would get from all those gigs. This and minus so much of the hassle of you having to schedule all your performances, collecting your talent fees, practicing for your act, etc.

When you have an agent, all you need to do is show up and give the best performance of your life.

Agents also invest money on advertisements that are all about you. So you also save on the expenses and the stress of having to think of where your name should be placed, what size should your marquee be and all that jazz.

Another advantage of having an agent is that you look and are considered more as a professional than if you do not have one. It is so convenient to just show up for your performance and let your agent do the dirty work.

Still confused? If you already have an agent and you are still considering dropping him like a bad habit, maybe the following details would assist you to better decide if you should do so or not.

It is best that you talk with your agent and make an agreement with him or her on how much you would want to receive for your particular performance or engagement. Do not rack your brain thinking how much your agent would get out of this. It is more productive to think how much you would get out of that gig. If your agent earns a little more than you do, so be it. As long as you are getting the fee you want, that is okay. A good gig is a good gig. Imagine who they will be getting in the future for any more gigs. If they think of your agent, it is just the same way that they will be probably thinking of you too.

It is also highly advisable for you to get a contract. A contract makes your relationship with your agent more efficient, straightforward and clear. Thanks to a contract, your agent will not be able to hide how much they are getting. Have your agent fax you a copy of the contract.

Let us face it, just like in any profession there are agents that are good in what they do and there are those that are bad in what they do. There are also those who are unethical. There have been instances where agents and agencies merely concentrate on money more than in anything else. Avoid having to do anything with them. An agent or agency that does not call you even if a client specifically requests for your services is bad news.

There are also agents that will get you to lower your price but then still charge a customer with a large fee. Do not let this happen to you. Stick with the price you think you deserve.

You should also try to avoid agents who give you various reasons and excuses about this client being unable to pay because of such and such reasons. This is a trick, and you as a magician should know this better than the others.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Preston Houer has been involved with the art of illusion and sleight of hand for over 30 years. Let Preston show you how to Have Fun With Magic. Visit His Site Today! www.have-fun-with-magic.com

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magictricks-6

2008-08-27T19:03:00.002-07:00

Magic Tricks
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Learning The Tricks: Hankerchief Tricks
Author: Preston Houer -
Magic tricks have been around for centuries and are practiced in every society. They are among the most popular past times both for children and adult.

Tricks may make use of materials or objects such as coins, cards, tables, game cards, and number tricks but the one that remains to be the most popular among children and the one that is first learned by a beginner is the handkerchief.

Linen or Silk?

Tricks using a handkerchief can be either performed in whatever material it was made of. However, the type of tricks to be performed determines the type of handkerchief you are to use.

For knots and similar activities, a silk handkerchief is chiefly used because they slide quickly in the process of tying up. Other magic tricks using a handkerchief requires a hard material like linen as in the case of bringing about a hypnotized effect on a handkerchief.

Below are just some of the most common magic tricks that involve the use of handkerchief together with explanations on how magic works.

- Standing Handkerchief This type of magic trick makes use of a hemmed linen handkerchief which is ironed to make it even more stiff. This very same stiffness determines the success for this performance.

The handkerchief is taken folded from somewhere and spread on the table. The magician picks it up on the centerfold and raises it up in the air until it takes the shape of a small tent.

He will do the usual mystic hand pass while putting the handkerchief in an upright position. The hanky will stay upright as predicted as if it was put on a spell.

- Detachable Thumb In this trick, you will need both a hanky and a piece of carrot. The carrot should be cut in a way that resembles your thumb. It should be as small and has the same thickness as your finger.

Partly cover your hand and parts of your thumb finger with the hanky. You will need both sleight of hand and dexterity in this kind of activity. Quickness is the rule of the game in order not to spoil the trick.

Place the carrot in the same position as your thumb showing only that portion while covered with handkerchief. Patter a little bit with your audience describing how you have been feeling about your finger since you accidentally hurt it.

Ask one to participate to do the inspection and possible massaging for them. The moment they hold the carrot, release it and act like you were surprised.

- Handkerchief That Changes Color Apparently, this is one of the simplest magic trick usually done by magicians in terms of minimal effect on the audience but one of the most difficult when it comes to preparation and production.

The magician will show the audience a hanky and toss it around, up and down, right and left, and changes color along the way. The hanky does not actually changes its color since the magician is holding not one, but two hankie!

As the hankie is tossed up and down, he makes it a point to reverse the position of the topmost hankie so that the one in the bottom with a different color is showed up and the hankie apparently changes color.

This quite a difficult thing to do for many suspecting audience are trying to find out if you got several hankie at hand. This requires swiftness in the movement of your hand and making sure that the hankies you are holding do not move independently of one another.

Tips on Performing Handkerchief Tricks

- Be swift Try to be mindful of astute members of the audience at all times. Even the most seemingly attentive spectator are keen enough even the most slightest mistake made along the process of performing your tricks thereby spoiling it.

- Mouth Shut Secrecy is the basic rule that magicians should keep in mind. Blabbing about the secret of your tricks makes it even less appealing to onlookers. Allow the audience to make their own guesses and find it out in their own way. In short, keep them mystified.

- Practice! Although practice may not help you master all the skills needed for a certain trick, constant and intense practice helps and keep you on the right track.

Additionally, convey a feeling of excitement and enthusiasm in what you are doing for it helps you connect with the audience and infect them with your attitude along the way.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Preston Houer has been involved with the art of illusion and sleight of hand for over 30 years. Let Preston show you how to Have Fun With Magic. Visit His Site Today! www.have-fun-with-magic.com

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magictricks-6

2008-08-27T19:03:00.001-07:00

Magic Tricks
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Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Preston Houer has been involved with the art of illusion and sleight of hand for over 30 years. Let Preston show you how to Have Fun With Magic. Visit His Site Today! www.have-fun-with-magic.com

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magictricks-5

2008-08-20T18:51:00.002-07:00

Magic Tricks
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How Did They Do That? Types Of Magic Tricks
Author: Sally Rogers -
There are many kinds of magic tricks, but most fall into one of a few categories. Oftentimes, a magician will specialize in one or a few areas. For those who employ a range of techniques, they will often develop some type of persona or specialty act to differentiate themselves from other performers. Just as other entertainers often find a niche, so too do magicians.

While no type of magic is particularly easy, some types are common for beginning magicians, such as learning sleight of hand tricks. Most magicians know a core base of tricks, and then develop their particular repertoire from there.

Magic is based on illusion and mystery, and all types of magic tricks employ this mystery. This is what is so alluring about magic! Secrecy is of course another major element of magic. Practicing magicians are very selective about who they share their secrets with. People who work with magicians are often required to sign contracts stating they will not share the magician's secrets with anyone else.

What types of tricks do magicians perform? The following list is a basic overview of magic tricks that are commonly associated with the practice of magic.

Sleight of hand tricks are those that involve skilled hand movements where objects seem to appear and disappear in the hands of the performer. One of the oldest sleight of hand tricks originated in Ancient Egypt. In this trick, the performer hides balls under turned-over cups. As the performer moves the cups around, the balls change positions under the cups. The observers try to watch and guess where the balls will appear, but the magician fools them every time!

Sleight of hand tricks are used with a variety of objects, including card, coins, balls, and other objects. Some magicians have even used live animals. A magician skilled in sleight of hand can perform magic almost anytime, anywhere.

Illusions are those where the seemingly impossible becomes possible. Some of the better known illusion tricks include those where a woman is sawed in half and levitation tricks. Other illusions involve making people, animals, or objects reappear. David Copperfield, a modern-day magician, has made such large objects as the Statue of Liberty and a jet airplane disappear in front of live audiences.

Escape magic is just as it sounds. The most famous escape artist was Harry Houdini, who performed a number of daring escapes in front of large audiences in exotic locations. Suspended high in the air, Houdini would be handcuffed and placed inside locked or otherwise sealed containers and emerge moments later. Escape magic is intriguing not only because of the amazing feat, but also because of the danger involved.

Mentalists are another form of magicians who appear to read the minds of strangers. In front of live audiences, mentalists will recreate drawings done by audience members that are unseen to the magician, but visible to the audience. They will also read the minds of strangers and perform an array of amazing mental tricks. The mystery of the mentalist lies in the performance in front of a live audience. Some mentalists in modern times have even created tricks for television where they seem to read the minds of viewers!

How and where magicians perform varies a great deal as well. Street magic, close-up magic, and stage magic all offer amazing performances in vastly different settings. Street magic is as it sounds, performed outside and in the spur of the moment. Street magic often includes sleight of hand tricks, although a variety of magic is performed this way. One of the most famous current-day street magicians is David Blaine, who performs a wide range of card tricks, disappearing acts, and even levitation on the street.

Close-up magic is performed indoors or out, and often involves such things as card or coin tricks. It is performed just as it sounds--in close range. The audience is small, and the magician sits or stands in the middle, which adds to the allure--when people surround the magician, he or she has little room to "hide" anything. Additionally, when the audience is so close, one might assume the observers could easily see the magician's tricks--but this isn't the case!

Finally, stage magic is just as it sounds--magic performed onstage. These magic tricks date back in history to the 1700s, and are often very elaborate performances. Stage magicians offer an extensive range of tricks from sleight of hand to making large objects float or disappear. Oftentimes large animals are involved. There are a number of present-day famous stage magicians, including Siegfried and Roy, David Copperfield, and Penn and Teller.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Magic Trick Facts is an information site that contains articles, a directory and other Magic Trick Resources . It can be found at: www.magictrickfacts.com

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magictricks-5

2008-08-20T18:51:00.001-07:00

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Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Magic Trick Facts is an information site that contains articles, a directory and other Magic Trick Resources . It can be found at: www.magictrickfacts.com

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magictricks-47

2008-08-13T18:38:00.002-07:00

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Performing Magic for Kids: Part I - The Secret Most Magicians Don't Know About Kid Shows
Author: J.L. Siefers

You have just discovered the wonderful world of magic. Trip after trip to the magic shop has added to your ever growing arsenal of magic tricks. Thirty-three days later the credit card bills arrive to remind your wife that this IS an expensive hobby.

No problem! You will make back all of the money you've spent and more by becoming a part-time professional magician. Looking around for places to hone your craft, you suddenly remember that you niece has a seventh birthday coming up. You call you sister and offer your services in lieu of a gift.

Two weeks later the performance time arrives. You pack all of your ace material into two large cardboard boxes. You start the show for sixteen first graders and all of your relatives. The show goes well. Everybody is laughing and having a good time. You take some theatrical pauses to build suspense as you search your boxes for the next great trick. Finally, your fifteen minute show concludes after fifty-three minutes. You never realized you had that much great magic. The kids cheer and applaud for your debut magic show. Even your sister, wiping the tears from her eyes, says, "I have never had more fun than I did watching your magic show. It was great. John got it all on tape."

This is how many part-time professional magicians attempt to begin their career. They look around and decided that doing kid shows is the best way to start. Performing magic for kids is one of the most difficult areas of magic to do well. This series of articles explore some of the challenges of performing children's magic.

The next article explains the four most important things you must do when perfroming magic for children.

J.L. Siefers has been performing great magic for years. He has written extensively on many topics in magic. He has shown hundreds of people how to successfully learn to do great magic tricks.

Want to learn to do magic? Click now to get your FREE magic tricks! http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com " http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com

Sign up for The Magic Way newsletter! It's FREE: http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html " http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html

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magictricks-47

2008-08-13T18:38:00.001-07:00

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Performing Magic for Kids: Part I - The Secret Most Magicians Don't Know About Kid Shows
Author: J.L. Siefers

The next article explains the four most important things you must do when perfroming magic for children.

J.L. Siefers has been performing great magic for years. He has written extensively on many topics in magic. He has shown hundreds of people how to successfully learn to do great magic tricks.

Want to learn to do magic? Click now to get your FREE magic tricks! http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com " http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com

Sign up for The Magic Way newsletter! It's FREE: http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html " http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html

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magictricks-46

2008-08-06T18:32:00.001-07:00

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Setting Up Your Magic Shows: Part III - The Most Important Step To Setting Up Your Magic Show
Author: J.L. Siefers

Step 3

You have created individual magic trick files for all of the effects in your performing repertoire. A customer calls you on the phone and books you to perform at their next event. When you are ready to design a show for a customer here's what to do:

Create a folder called "Customers."
Within the "Customers folder create a subfolder using the customer's name. I don't use a date with the folder because I expect to have several shows over many years in this folder. For example Barb Jones calls me up and books me to perform at her son's birthday party. I create a subfolder called "Barb Jones" in my "Customers" folder.
Create a word processing file (called a "show file") using the following naming format:

Customer-Month-Day-Year In the above example, I might create a file called Barb Jones-01-15-2005.doc. This file would contain the show I performed for Barb Jones on January 11, 2005. This record is great to have when she rebooks you for a show. You have a permanent record of all of your shows.

The show file has the following format:

I. Details of the show including time and place.

II. Opening - including any music or other setups

III. Trick 1 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick
Setup Notes

IV. Trick 2 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick
Setup Notes

V. Trick 3 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick
Setup Notes

VI. Trick 4 - Trick Name

Items Needed to Perform Trick
Setup Notes

VII. Closing - including any music or other setups

I create the show file by going back to my magic trick files and cutting and pasting the first three sections into the show file. Using the order suggested in Step 2 makes this faster. All of your hard work in the prior step makes this step really quick. What you end up with is a detailed checklist customized for each show.

The next article shows the most important and final step in setting up your magic show.

J.L. Siefers has been performing great magic for years. He has written extensively on many topics in magic. He has shown hundreds of people how to successfully learn to do great magic tricks.

Want to learn to do magic? Click now to get your FREE magic tricks! http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com " http://www.Learn-Great-Magic-Tricks.com

Sign up for The Magic Way newsletter! It's FREE: http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html " http://www.learn-great-magic-tricks.com/magic-newsletter.html

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magictricks-45

2008-07-30T18:20:00.001-07:00

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Magic Tricks - Children's Entertaining
Author: Edward Jellard
Children's entertaining is one area of magic available to us all whether you are a parent performing to your child at a birthday party, or a professional magician hoping to expand your repertoire, children's entertaining is a rewarding and enjoyable branch of magic.

Kid's magic is very different from close-up magic or sleight of hand - it is nearer to stage magic, with visual illusions to keep your audience attentive.

When planning your children's magic shows, it is essential to bear in mind that children have a relatively small attention span, so you need to keep them on their toes by using visual props (such as magic wands, colourful tricks etc.), funny jokes and a lot of audience participation. The magic illusions should be varied, exciting and most importantly, entertaining for the children.

The tricks you choose for the magic show are very important - you should pick tricks for children that are suitable for their age and sex. A patter about football wouldn't go down too well at an all-girls birthday party!

Before you perform a show, watch a little children's television and see how the presenters act. They smile, laugh and appear to be enjoying themselves a very important part of being successful! Try to also remember some of the characters names you can (temporarily) rename your pet rabbit to a 'Teletubby', for example.

To be (almost) as successful as famous magicians, you need to enjoy performing magic, the kids will know you are enjoying it, and your positive feelings will help to make them enjoy your magic show - there's nothing worse than watching magic performed by a bored magician!

Improve your chances of repeat performances by rewarding the children with merchandise. A skilfully crafted balloon model is great, but once it pops, you're forgotten. If you can afford some promotional material with your contact details to give to the children along with the balloon, then the parents will have a way of calling you for their child's next party.

To sum up, try to create a fast-paced, varied and exciting magic show to keep the children entertained. Reward participation with merchandise, and word of mouth will be your main source of income.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Edward Jellard has been a professional magician for many years, and finds Children's Entertaining to be the most enjoyable aspect.

For more advice as well as free magic tricks, please visit Magic Hat - Free Magic Tricks . Why not sign up to the Monthly Magic Hat newsletter to be kept up to date with the new tricks on the site?

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magictricks-44

2008-07-23T18:10:00.001-07:00

Magic Tricks
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Magic Tricks, The Life Of The Party
Author: Boyd Troublerr -
Have you ever been to a party that is totally dead? And did you wish that someone would come in the room and save the day? Did you maybe daydream that you could be that person and be an instant hero in a room full of beautiful babies? Well here's an idea that may just fulfill this fantasy for you at that next bomb of a party--why not try magic tricks?

That's right magic tricks! I'm not talking about the huge David Copperfield type illusions and shows. No just several amazing tricks that I have put together that can be done with household items (or items lying around at a party) that require no extra space or props or prep time.

When you think about it these are the most powerful kind of magic tricks anyway right? I mean you are instantly skeptical when you see magician Copperfield on TV doing his thing because its on TV and it is done with all sorts of special equipment and special camera angles. A total production that allows for so much to go on behind the scenes that it really doesn't have to be magical at all. More like special effects on a movie really.

On the other hand if you were to say pick up a deck of cards and quickly do 2 or 3 magic tricks without any prep or specially prepared deck then you would truly be magical wouldn't you. And I'm not talking about the 4 jacks in a house that's on fire or the 9 stacks of cards with the chosen card specially placed to come out on top. These are lame. I'm talking about cards levitating and disappearing and reappearing. That sounds magical and amazing and hero creating now doesn't it.

The cool part about these magic tricks is that they don't require anything more than several hours of practice perfecting techniques and more importantly the knowledge that makes selling the trick easy. This after all is the true skill of a magician. Making the unbelievable seem very ordinary and matter of fact for you.

This knowledge needs to cost something too when you think about it. If it were free than everyone would know how to do the magic tricks and they wouldn't be very magical anymore would they. So I don't feel bad for charging for my expertise. It both protects my livelihood and protects the art of magic.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Boyd Troublerr started doing magic tricks when he was 12 years old. Now a master magician he loves to teach magic for the preservation of the art. Go to www.learnmagictricks.info.

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magictricks-43

2008-07-16T18:07:00.001-07:00

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A Bit Of The History Of Magic
Author: Preston Houer -
One could enjoy watching magicians perform their amazing tricks. Whether they are in a circus, in a school program, a friend's birthday celebration, or in a favorite television show, magicians are among today's top entertainers.

Here are a few of the top magicians in their times:

The history of using magic as a form of entertainment may have begun with magician Chevalier Joseph Pinetti. More than three centuries ago, Chevalier Joseph Pinetti, wowed his audiences worldwide with his bag of magic tricks. And that was in 1782!

Among his tricks was the ability to produce an orange tree blossoming on stage that bore fruit. Pinetti's wife even acted as an assistant, helping the magician to do his mentalist and escape tricks. Known as the "Professor of Natural Magic," he was known for his great magic tricks, tricks that belonged clearly to the modern era of magic.

Come the nineteenth century. The said century welcomed the use of technical-assisted magic, with some of the magicians developing various devices that would aid or help in their illusions. Using optical aids or devices, electromagnets, as well as various stage lighting forms, these magicians were able to amaze audiences from time to time with their very elaborate and dazzling tricks.

One known magician in the nineteenth century was the magician Hermann the Great. Alexander Herrmann was his real name, and this German magician did his tricks with all of the kinds of stage magic he had known, even from super close-up productions to fill-stage events. An American rival, Harry Kellar, took over Herrmann's popularity for some time and became the most prominent magician for more than 10 years.

Other magicians in the nineteenth century included T. Nelson Downs and Howard Thurston. Downs is originally a vaudevillian by trade, but had become great and famous in his magic tricks that he became known as "King of Koins."

Thurston, on the other hand, invested much of his money in building an extravaganza, which is a show on magic. It reigned over the American entertainment magic scene for over twenty-five years.

Probably one of the more known magicians in recent times was Harry Houdini. Known as one of the best American magicians, he was known for his great escape acts, including his own famous creation, the "Chinese Water Torture Cell."

Another famous American magician is David Copperfield, who until recently performed numerous magic acts in shows and TV programs.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Preston Houer has been involved with the art of illusion and slight of hand for over 30 years. Let Preston show you how to Have Fun With Magic. Visit His Site Today! www.have-fun-with-magic.com

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magictricks-42

2008-07-09T17:53:00.001-07:00

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A Magician's Oath
Author: Preston Houer -
A magic trick is created to amuse and mesmerize an audience who comes to the show knowing that all the tricks are not real and have fun because they can't figure out how the magic was done. You won't see a magician exposing magic mainly because telling how a magic was done is to kill the thrill and fun in watching them.

Magicians wanting to join a group of other magicians are required to give an oath to that effect. Never tell anyone who is not a magician the reason behind a trick and to never show a trick to anyone when you haven't fully mastered it.

Once you gave your oath as a magician, it is expected that you will live up to your promise. Once you tell somebody and the organization found out about it, you may find yourself not receiving new tricks or that no one is teaching you how another trick is done.

Note though that you can tell it to somebody who is really willing to learn on how to be a magician. In fact you can see instruction videos and detailed instructions on sale in many shops. This is to help budding magicians into starting their careers or hobbies. Some of the tricks included in these instruction videos are common tricks and very easy to learn.

Some magicians also tell their tricks to misdirect others and help them appreciate a new trick that they have done. Old tricks seem to bore adult audiences that they tend to 'bungle up' the old tricks in preparation for their new tricks which proves more astonishing.

Magic tricks, once shown how they are done, may be posed with risk of becoming stale. Sometimes it is because you are disappointed at how easy it actually is or maybe because you found out that the trick requires a lot of props to accomplish. This is the reason no magician in his right mind will tell an audience how a trick is done. A magic told is a magic lost. Secrecy is the key and the magic is in keeping those secrets within you.

Magic is a living art, new illusions are propping up and new ways are introduced. Yes, you will see magicians telling their tricks but true magicians will always find their way around it. They will devise new illusions from old illusions and they will get more creative in how they show those illusions.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Preston Houer has been involved with the art of illusion and sleight of hand for over 30 years. Let Preston show you how to Have Fun With Magic. Visit His Site Today! www.have-fun-with-magic.com

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magictricks-41

2008-07-02T17:50:00.001-07:00

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The Art Of Magic Tricks
Author: Man2BMagic
Magic tricks are enjoyed by people from all over the world. It is something that seems to be a universal language that entertains both young and old.

Many people attempt to become amateur magicians as a way of entertaining family and friends. If someone wants to become a good magician, it would be helpful to know the different varieties of magic tricks before performing them.

The first type that most people are familiar with is stage magic. This is the most difficult type of magic trick and is often associated with famous magicians such as David Copperfield, Lance Burton, and David Blaine. These types of magic tricks require a great deal of skill to perform and usually involve grand schemes like making a large landmark disappear or walking through walls.

The next type is called platform magic and is done on a somewhat smaller scale. These type of magic tricks are quite a bit easier to perform than most stage magic tricks and involve tricks such as sawing a person in half or levitating.

And finally, the last type of magic trick is called close up magic. This type requires the least amount of skill and can be learned with a little effort. These type of magic tricks include magic card tricks, coin tricks, cigarette through quarter, pencil through bill etc.

There are many different tricks that can be learned by just about anyone willing to practice. The secret to remember is to never reveal how you do your magic tricks to your audience.

The quickest path to acheiving your status as a master magician is to be able to perform magic tricks at a moments notice using a wide variety of borrowed objects. If you are handed a pencil, a coin, a handkerchief, or a dollar bill, you should be able to perform at least one magic trick with any of these objects. Another key thing to remember is that only a tiny fraction of the magic is what you do, and the rest is how you do it. If speaking candidly, many magicians would tell you that most of the tricks they perform are very easy, but to the audience, they are spectacular! It is all about how you present yourself to the audience: your timing, your sense of humor and your ability to distract are very important. So remember, with a little practice and showmanship, you can learn to be the life of the party by performing simple magic tricks.

Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com

Man2BMagic is the author and webmaster of the Online Magic Trick blog. This site focuses on learning magic tricks, magic card tricks, free magic tricks, and easy magic tricks. online-magic-trick.blogspot.com

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