The Effect
Copied from Davenports own website:
There are between 6 and 14 people on each course, with a minimum age of 14. We have a wide variety of people attending, and we find that they are all very enthusiastic at the end to go out and try what they have learnt!
The course will run over three Saturdays, and will be from 11.30 am to 3.30pm with an hour break for lunch. Course materials and notes will be supplied, but not lunch.
The course is aimed at those looking to gain a good working knowledge of the fundamentals of magic. We will be teaching the technical, presentation and misdirection techniques that are important for all types and levels of magic.
The course will include card, coin, rope, sponge plus the classics of cups & balls and stage manipulation, as well as other aspects of sleight-of-hand. The important aspects of presentation and misdirection will also be introduced and developed throughout the course.
Cost
£150 for all 3 weekends with an added benefit that: ‘the days on the course are transferable, so if you wished you could do the first day on one course, and the last two on the next for example.’ This also included all the necessary props & paraphernalia as well as detailed course notes.
Difficulty
(1=easy to do, 2=No sleights, but not so easy, 3=Some sleights used,
4=Advanced sleights used, 5=Suitable for experienced magicians only)
It’s a beginners course so I guess that would qualify as a 1 however you are taught a variety of elementary sleights meaning it could also be a 3.
Review
The course actual follows a slightly different outline to that on the Davenports website so here’s a breakdown of what was taught on each day (hopefully just naming what was taught won’t get me a slapping for exposure!)
Day 1: TT, sponge balls.
Cards: grips, breaks, overhand shuffle and DL, basic forces.
Day 2: Coins: Basic moves, basic routine, sources
Thread work - stripping, fixing, handling, and different types.
Cards: Swing cut, riffle force, multiple cut control.
Day 3: Cup & balls, basic rope magic.
Cards: overhand shuffle 2, glimpses, the glide, colour changes, key cards
Each day contained plenty on the presentation of effects along with misdirection, timing and other bits of theory.
Both of our instructors had a comprehensive knowledge of magic, comprising not just the sleight of hand but also theory and history which really fleshed out the lessons and gave a larger context to what we were learning.
Each sleight was taught from various angles so we could see what was happening and also how it should (or shouldn’t) appear from the audiences perspective and the instructors made sure everyone understood and had the sleight down before they moved on. If anyone had problems with it, they were happy to show them one to one whilst everyone else practiced it so at no point did it feel that anyone was left behind.
They were open to questions throughout giving detailed answers and were happy to carry on after 3.30 answering our queries and showing us more advanced techniques so we definitely got our money’s worth.
Overall
Although I had a working knowledge of the card sleights, other bits like coins and ropes I’d only dabbled with so was really good to find out about areas I’d never tried before and that was what attracted me to the course in the first place.
The main advantage tuition has over other ways of learning such as books and DVDs is that it’s very useful as a beginner to have someone with experience looking at what you’re doing and being able to tell you when you’re going wrong. Each piece we were taught came with detailed course notes which have been very useful in my private practice and they also included a few extra bits which hadn’t been covered in the days lesson- looking through my notes there is even a little ‘Mental Miracle’ which I’d previously overlooked. Also included is suggested further reading lists with the classics such as Bobo, Royal Road and Corinda so you go away with plenty of ideas to build on what you’ve learnt.
I was very happy with the course and I would thoroughly recommend it to any beginners with the time and money to spare. They’re also advertising an upcoming Intermediate course which I think I shall have to look into.
