The Quintessential Experience

For a magician we spend so much time alone working to develop a certain sleight of hand move that remains invisible. Then you study how you will present your piece of magic. You begin to perform and slowly tweak little things here and there. Your aim is to share an experience with your audience that will give them an emotion. That emotion could range from excitement, awe, wonderment, thoughtfulness, a blank stare of unbelief...it's hard to say sometimes how people will respond to seeing something totally baffling that they cannot explain.

I have performed in many different venues for many different kinds of people. Some small intimate groups and other times for groups of 300 or more. In light of that, I have to say there is nothing like the experience I am about to share with you. There are few things in a performers work that can match the thrill of this happening.

I'm working close-up magic at the Ryan's restaurant in Mishawaka, IN. It's Friday night and I'm walking from table to table sharing my magic with the customers. I notice a group of 20 young guys, possibly high school boys. Come to find out, they were in town from Minnesota. They were a football league visiting Notre Dame.

Just approaching the table within seconds, I started getting a feel of their "space". I was on guard, they seemed a little louder then other groups that have come in in the past. I politely stepped to the front of the table. Because of the noise issue I spoke to the guys who were the closest to me. Surprisingly the word that there was a magician in their presence spread like wild-fire. Everyone stopped what they were doing and positioned themselves to see the show, whether that was on the floor, beside me, or standing on a chair to see above the huddled group.

I smiled and looked at everyone...such anticipation....anticipation. I should stop and say something about this. Again I'm writing this from a performers perspective. When you perform frequently, you run into many people that will watch your magic, but you can tell either they just don't care WHAT your doing, they've got too much on their mind, or maybe they are easily distracted. Either way, YOU CAN FEEL IT. And that effects HOW you relate to your audience. A performance IS a give-and-take with those chosen people at that specific time. So I can literally FEEL the excitement in the air.

I want to fast forward to the ending

I end with a trick which magicians will be familiar with called "Card-To-Wallet". I do a sleight of hand version. I use Eugene Burger's presentation and a Kaps wallet sans the fire. The premise to the trick is that I can predict what card a helper will take out of the deck. The helper takes the card out, signs it, and places it back into the deck. I bring out my wallet and tell them my prediction is in the zippered compartment that I placed there two days ago. I then ask for the name of the card, I look at the prediction myself. After a pause, I tell everyone that this did not turn out like I expected. I look down at the table...there is an awkward silence...then I look directly at the helper and say "not ONLY does this match your card...I believe this IS YOUR CARD". So now their signed card that they just saw being placed in the deck it NOW coming out this zippered compartment in my wallet. Now to explain on a 2-D format does not give what happened next justice. To tangibly feel this rumbling that escalated into a mammoth roar of approval from the audience will leave you electrified. All 21 guys with a powerful team spirit roar just went ballistic. I stood there as the noise blew through me like a monsoon. I stand there trying to hold my composure. I'm smiling looking right at the guy. After the cheers begin to die down, I take the card, sign it, thank them for their time and walk away.

Where is a camera when you need it.

Now another quick story.

Prior to this happening, I'm standing in the back of the restaurant beside of the prep team sipping on my favorite orange juice drink. A waiter comes in and says that I'm requested at a table. I look straight at the guy, take a deep breath and throw my drink as hard as I can against the wall...it splatters and goes everywhere! I grab the guy by the hair, shove his face in the mashed potatoes, and yell to the top of my lungs "WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO ME ON MY BREAK!!!!" Everyone scrambles to get cloth napkins to wipe the orange stain off of my tailored suit apologizing for the waiters rudeness. Someone quickly delivers me another drink and I continue my break.

OK...maybe it didn't happen... EXACTLY like that.

Let's start again...

The waiter says that I have been requested. I take one more sip of my juicy orange drink and briskly walk to the table. I am met by a a boy around 11 or 12, he is sitting in the left corner of the table. His mom is directly across from him and what I believe may have been the boys older sister-maybe in her early twenties-she is sitting on the left close to me. I introduce myself and mention about them being in the middle of their meal and that I could come back when they are done. The attractive young lady spoke up and said very emphatically "No, I want to see this right now". Now that statement took me by surprise. She then said that she doesn't believe in magic, but her brother had been going on and on about the magic he and his mom saw last week. Immediately I thought, "Oh know...this is going to be tough". I looked at her and said, "Don't worry, I don't believe in magic either." For me personally I like saying this. Contrary to what some people may expect, I am not there to PROVE or CHALLENGE people that I can do magic. I'm there to share, how's that...that's a nice word...share. So I hope this statement diffuses concepts people may have held in their own psyche about me trying to show off or PROVE something.

So she smiles at that statement, pushes her meal to the side and waits...yes...here it comes...waits in...anticipation. I see it all over her! But again, with the way she started the conversation, I don't really know how she is going to respond to the magic. I decided just to go for it and -in a performers terms- hit her right between the eyes. So I did a trick that I read in John Carney's book called 'wired'. It's a great trick and it fit me perfectly as soon as I read it. So I've been doing it for several weeks now. To share with those who are unfamiliar with this magical piece, I bring out a piece of paper stabled together, I talk about having a dream and a number, I get the person to name any number between 1 and 100. They do, I give them the paper, they open it up, and inside they read aloud the corresponding number. This effect worked. It shook her up. I thought I saw her eyes get watery...maybe not. Then I performed something her brother said she had to see. The trick was my version of David Roth's coins across. After this, she literally just stares at me. I look at her and smile. There is silence...then she says, "what are you doing...how are you doing this", and she says it with such sincerity now, not as a reflex to the trick, but a sincere heart felt perplexed question.

So I end with a card trick that I have tailored to my liking. The basic story is that she sees a card that she did not pick, I get her to place her hand right on top of that card. Then I go through the whole deck face down until I THINK I have found her card. I tell her the cards are going to switch. She has her hand on the indifferent card and I have my hand on the card I THINK is hers. After a little magic, I turn my card over, I'm holding her indifferent card, she turns her card over, she is holding my card which happens to be HER SELECTION. She then voiced her belief in magic and that I was for real. Why is it either one extreme or the other. What she wanted to believe I left up to her. But I knew this, she seemed DEEPLY entertained and mystified. I was happy.

Oh...the feeling, well I should say the KNOWING of walking away from an audience that has been moved emotionally. It is such a great feeling. I hope you as a magician get to feel and experience what I felt tonight and prior nights to this. It doesn't always happen, but oh when it does, it's so memorable. And I would think that this experience close-up would be so much better then stage, but maybe not. On stage I've had applause and shouts of approval but nothing as powerful as these stories just mentioned.

The Magic Structure

Are you free flowing or do you look for a pattern, a format, rules? After making a decision to study magic, I began looking for a format, some structure, some grand appointed 'head-honcho'. I did not find any of that. In fact I was a little disappointed. I looked for boundaries. I want routine. I may even be a little pendantic. So after many years of searching, here is what I have discovered. There is somewhat of a path to walk. It's a little vague. But for the most part it helps to guide.

In any pursuit seek out the professionals and see what they are saying. Now in magic, everyone with a business card is a so-called professional, so how do you determine this. The Bible says that every word is established by two or three witness. The theme being, if you see a reoccurring item in several places you can almost bank on it being a solid product. So as you research, you take note of the people that keep coming up as the experts. Now for me I discovered, Jamy Swiss, Roberto Giobbi, John Carney, Eugene Burger,Darwin Ortiz, Juan Tamariz, Richard Osterlind, Ken Weber. So I buy their products and LISTEN to what they have to say. And it's interesting the emphasis that each one puts on the past masters of this art form. So as they spoke I would listen and take their advie to heart. And it started to establish a structure for me. It gave me things to learn, study, and push towards.

The disappointing part of this, you want approval from your teachers. I realize your aim is to entertain the audience. But really a lot of audiences DON'T even know what they are looking at. I mean really. They don't care wether your using a svengali deck or a double lift that took you two years to master. From the peoples stand point it is the same, but to an artist it can mean everything!

Now there is a certain amount of achievment when you perform a routine in front of an audience and you hear their applause. But for me, I also would like to have the applause of my teachers. That is not always possible. So you keep this feeling of not fully meeting the goal, which is to do the tricks right and who else to tell you but your teachers.

So the stamp of approval is a little vague right now. But the structure is their. You have to look for it. There is a lot of minutia to push through. It wont happen overnight. It will take time. But it happened to me. I remember absolutely longing to know more about this magic art and it's past masters. I was saddened reading articles referrencing to great men of the past I knew nothing about. But, now I do! Come on, ask me a question?

The Beanery

I have been recently stepping out into new venues to perform my magic. I mainly perform for family audiences. It works well. The kids love the magic and the adults can appreciate the skill involved. But lately I've been wanting to do more adult shows. Now I have an adult show that I present to corporations. But, I'm wanting to improve and learn where my boundaries are. I love the subject of entertainment. There are many things that go into having a good show. Many psychological aspects to it as well. So the more shows you do the more you can pick up on the ebb and flow of an adult audience. You can tune into more of how THEY are responding and adjust accordingly. So I get invited to one place which is a "blues" restaurant/lounge/bar. As soon as I went in, I knew it was going to be tough. I have written about this experience in my private journals and may upload it soon. The bottom line, is that the magic did not go over, in fact I didn't even finish the little set that I had. So last night I performed at a hip cafe in Mishawaka, IN called "The Beanery". I was a little nervous, just from memories of the last attempt. Thank God, everything went well this time. The people were so receptive. The atmosphere was definetly adult, but just had a totally different vibe. I went on after a guitarist played some very ethereal sounding melodies. He helped gather a nice crowd. And so with tricks in bag and mic on head, I was ready to perform. A little note for all the speaking performers. Remeber this was a small cafe. I thought, oh I'll just use a strong voice I wont 'mic up'. At that time I remembered a book that I read that admonished the reader about the importance for your voice to be amped so EVERYONE could hear EVERYTHING that you said. I mic'ed up and WOW I was so glad that I did. Some of the performance would have been lost if I would not have done that. Chalk it up for reading books. It really helps when you read continually in your field of endeavor. So I liked the venue. It's a really cool atmosphere. I had several people afterwards tell me that they enjoyed the show. So it looks like this will open up to me again in the near future. Looking forward to it. I'll upload a video of some of the magic that night...

Motivate

Everyone needs to be motivated in some little way everyday. Here is a nice video to watch.

Dai Vernon Seminar by Roberto Giobbi

Roberto Giobbi Lecture – Chicago, IL 3/7/09 Roosevelt University

I met Simon Aronson, John Bannon, Benjamin Barnes, Eric (Bluefield, WV), David Kovac, and then of course the man of the hour Roberto Giobbi.

Before we start the lecture Roberto is beside of me speaking to a gentleman about how to take out the cards. Bending the flap back to break it in. Establishing eye contact first. Saying something of importance while you get the cards out into your hand THEN look at the cards, do a thumb fan, introduce the deck.
He was questioning the gentleman’s handling of the faro shuffle. Roberto asked was he left or right handed. Roberto said that this is a very important question regarding the sleight. And then he mentioned about a bread cutter. When you purchase, it comes for right handed people or left handed people.
I’m sitting there doing flips inside as Giobbi creates these wonderful life analogies. He went straight from the bread cutter to the Japanese sword. He said that you can’t see it unless your very close, but the swords are designed specifically for your strength, right hand or left.

Now the notes:

Japanese saying: In a small world there is a big world
Giobbi- 1982 sons were born
Dai Vernon, people produced info about him, Faucett Ross, Lewis Ganson, Stephen Minch, David Ben
Dai Vernon maybe the first magician to introduce a lecture to magicians as we know it today.
Learn from the masters. Study, Practice
Structure:
Method-Technical Execution
Dramatic- See and Hear
Psychological-an intelligent mind can’t penetrate
“I’m going to teach you” is so much better then saying I’m going to “show” you. Show you is exposing yourself…low, teaching…that’s when the fingers touch…the great painting of God and Adam.
Cups and Balls clear symbols in magic
Psychological construction
Great thinker of magic—Ascanio
Establish a Theme
Classics repeat a trick over and over, but they add something to enhance
Theatrical Challenge is accepted where as Physical challenge is not.
Perfection is in the details
Geniuses will identify problems
Pop Kreeger and Max Malini were the first to get the fruit out of the back pocket. Before then it was from a servant or belly pocket.
Be careful of the “word pictures” you create in someone’s mind. Don’t work against the magic but with it.
Fake fruit use it
Use the pendulum move for fruit production
Sherlock Holmes, “you look, but you don’t observe”
Don’t pause in between the fruit production, but once at the end let the audience assimilate. Quote “Wonderment is the first step of wisdom”
Get Dai Vernon video “Spirit of Magic”
Youtube Expose of Magic
Stars of Magic- 5 card mental-a beautiful psychological construction (push off move)
Vernon said, “box the double lift on the deck”
Argentina has the highest level of magic
Dan Garrett’s banana trick. Roberto does this for luggage inspectors. If they open his luggage, they are on top of everything. He sheepishly tries to place it in his pocket with no success; it repeatedly keeps coming back in his hand. Paul Potassy said” Put your promo photo on top of your cloths in your luggage and if checked, it helps with you getting through.
Roberto likes sophisticated looking pens
Masterpieces: slow-motion aces, triumph, all backs, cups and balls,linking rings.
Roberto “Please yourself first, so you have something to give your audience”
Mark of a genius is to be complete
Roberto “Juan Tamariz is a universal genius”
Tricks should have emotional appeal
“dead mans hand” Henry Christ
Beg. Establish Plot… define the character
Mid. Conflict
End. Resolution
Find the plot
Define the plots to your magic and how that relates to life
Vernon was a perfectionist
Roberto wanted to use a prism of university knowledge to look back to magic and how it was constructed
Max Maven said “Whatever Dai did it was NOT trivial”
Magic was his vocation
He made his living by cutting little silhouettes
Ball and Cone was designed for large crowds, where the cups and balls would not play well.
Dai Vernon said “ When problems come, adjust, and don’t worry”

South Bend Symphony Concert

Today (October 26th Sunday, 2008 @ 3:00pm)I performed two magic routines with the South Bend Symphony at Bethel College in Mishawaka, Indiana. They were holding their annual family series concert under the direction of Maestro Tsung Yeh.

This event was two years in the making for me. Why is that, you may ask. Well, a good friend of mine (Dawn V.)has connections with the Symphony. She introduced me to a director. We had a good meeting but did not hear anything back from them for that year. The following year I got a call about maybe doing something. Then as time got closer for the October Family Concert, they made the decision to put me in the 45 minute show with two quick routines.

So there I am standing in the wings, beside the thick curtain, in the dark. As I look out onto the stage I see the Orchestra positioned and ready. I see Maestro Yeh standing on his riser with baton in hand waiting for my arrival. The lights are shining bright with warmth. My heart beats faster as Michelle the host finishes her wonderful and humbling introduction for me. I step into the lights and am enveloped in the applause. I come out smiling looking directly at the audience. I get half way to my mark on the stage and I look at Maestro Tsung Yeh. I smile at him and nod my head. I stand on my mark, look back to nod that I am ready.

The music starts, the magic begins.

When I am done...I smile. Again I am washed with the sound of applause coming from the theatre. I bow humbly accepting their approval. I turn and look at Tsung Yeh, who is smiling, giving me an open gesture with his hands. I slightly bow towards him and then turn to walk off stage.

I walk back into the darkness. I breath deeply, thinking about what has just happened. I can say that those 3 minutes on that stage were the highlight of my performing career.

Magic is something that should bring you to a sense of awe, a wonderment, bordering on inspirational. Music meets that criteria for me. So to put the two art forms together is inevitable. Another characteristic that goes with these two art forms is beauty. Music is beautiful! I see Magic the same way. When DONE RIGHT! Both are beautiful! Both should be self-expressive, emotional, colorful, passionate, and somewhat cathartic.

It was a pleasure working with everyone from the South Bend Symphony. Everyone was very respectful and attentive to what was needed for the performance to go well.

Our Magic

Our Magic. This remarkable work was written by Nevil Maskelyne, of the world-famous "England's Home of Mystery," and David Devant, who was unquestionably the greatest of English magicians.
Professor Hoffmann makes this statement "It is not merely a book without which, in popular phrase, no conjuror's library is complete, but it deserves the place of honor on his shelves."
Ellis Stanyon said this,"Beyond doubt, the most important conjuring book ever written."
So...I got the book!
Paul Fleming in his preface made this powerful statement, "In this volume, one may read the most scholarly presentation of the theory of magic that has yet been written." WOW!
The book is seperated into three parts: The Art In Magic, The Theory Of Magic, and The Practice Of Magic
Here is Maskelyne's words "Our present object is to disclose these secrets-to explain the real basis of the magic art, and the principles upon which magical effects actually depend.
So, it's not an easy read. But one that should be set as a priority.
Whether you like it or not, let the words get in you. Try to think, absorb, and see what is being set before you.