Being successful as a magician relies just as much on your stage persona and your ability to be engaging as it does on the tricks you choose to perform or the technical skills you possess. The reason for this is because tricks in and of themselves can fall flat if not presented in the right way. A sleight of hand that dazzles when performed by an engaging magician can leave an audience yawning when in the less capable hands of an under-whelming performer. So if you want your tricks to go over well, you've got to learn how to sell them to your audience. That means you've got to work on your showmanship just as much as you have to work on the tricks themselves. Learn how to get the audience eating out of the palm of your hand! If you are not sure how to do this, don't worry. Showmanship is something you can easily learn and improve upon with practice. It's not necessary an inborn trait that you either have or don't have-it's a learned skill that even the best magicians are constantly honing and perfecting. Here's how to make good showmanship part of your magic routine: Build a Bridge to the Audience Whether you are onstage in front of ten people or ten thousand, your success is directly related to how much your audience feels inclined to trust you and suspend their disbelief for you. To win them over, talk directly to them. Make eye contact. Make use of volunteers. Don't confine your show to the stage. Invite audience members up, or go down to mingle with them. Don't Wait to Warm Up-Be "On" Right from the Start! Don't wait to "warm up"-you've got to be "on" right from the start! Most magic shows last only about an hour or less, so make it a point to create your relationship with the audience quickly. Cultivate a Stage Persona Ideally, magic tricks should bring about a sense of wonder and excitement, not a sense of being tricked or fooled. And you as a magician should therefore aim to be mystical and wise, not hokey. Of course, there are many ways to be entertaining. Some of the most successful magicians in the biz are very serious in terms of their demeanor. Others, however, are jocular and love to crack jokes during their shows. Your "stage persona" is really up to you. If you're naturally inclined toward being chatty and making jokes, go for it on stage. If you're naturally more reserved and quiet, you can think about adopting a more "David Blaine-like" character when you're performing. The trick (pun intended!) is just to make sure you approach it as a role or a performance. Give the audience the dazzling entertainment they want and you will always be a hit. Just Believe Believe in what you are doing and suspend your disbelief as much as you can. The illusions work best when you truly trust in your abilities and honestly belief that you are creating miracles! In reality you know that they are tricks, but if you act like they're just fakes or frauds then you'll never win over your viewers. Put it this way: if you don't believe in yourself, why on earth should your audience? |
