Monday, May 01, 2006

"I am but a tool. We all have this gift.. some are just more full of it than others." - Harry Anderson (More or less)

Someone recently asked a good friend of mine (Who he is teaching magic to that asked him this by the way), "Why did you LEARN all of this stuff? Do you ever actually use it?"

His first response was no, but after a discussion we came to realize that yes.. as magicians we do use EVERY single move we ever learn. I don't mean we use them ina routine, or use them in our normal working routines... but we do use them. As what you ask? Coasters? Bookmarks? Profilactics? Nay.. as reference, teachings, and education.

There are a great many moves created daily by amateurs and sleight happy teens with nothing better to do cuz' they have free rent. Some are good... some really aren't. Sleights, color changes, controls, false cuts and shuffles. There are a ton of them. (Lee Asher has three I can show you right now along with about five of my own.) They all serve a special function at the right time. We use them (Read this next line three or four times. I'll try and talk slow.) When... we... need... to.

That's right. Whatever makes the most sense, uses the most moves, or is the most effective at that point in time for the effect to take place. To us the magic happens when we do the move. The magic REALLY happens to them 1-5 minutes down the line. Sleights and moves and controls and alla that are merely a vehicle to get us where we need to be.. They are NOT the destination or focus. (I hate those cars) All of these moves we learn are tools to create. Not magic. We make the magic ourselves.

I have always kicked around my standpoint on just how much you should learn in the way of sleights. After much deliberation I think I finally have my answer. Learn as much as you can. I don't mean learn 20 variants of the double lift *Cough*GrEg WiLsOn*cough*. Play with them and then do the one YOU like that fits YOU. However learn a bit of everything and don't go out looking for them. Let them come to you naturally. TO search out info will only drive you mad. It will come to you when you need it most much like some odd sleight of hand karma. (I once had my dogma get hit by someone's karma.)

Learn as much as is necessary... and if it can't be found.. make it up!! If you are not happy with what you find there is nothing wrong with creating something that works for you. Even if it's not a magician fooler, if it works on real people, that is all that matters.

It's your thang.. do what you wanna do.

Bizzaro.

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