talkmagic.co.uk

Hi everyone! This is just a quick hello from me!

I'm 24, and live in the south of England. I was interested in magic since about the age of 5 (where I purchased the dynamic coins using all £10 of my pocket money!) and started learning properly when I was 14.

I'd love to branch out into card stuff more for fun than anything else, though at this point in time specialise in Mind Reading (more from a strong influence of watching Derren Brown on TV back when he was filming Mind Control).

I get a good few weird looks because I'm a female magician, but like to think that I have added that extra bit of femininity to my performance that you rarely see in magic nowadays. I've noticed there are 2-3 women on this forum so would be good to talk about what you do as well!

I think that is just about everything really - I'm not sure what else to do! The only other forum I've been on was a cooking one back in my University days, and even that was only temporarily before I realised I was a lost cause!

So any tips as to what to do and how to act is welcome!

Welcome to Talk Magic.

Hello!

I'm not a pro and really have only ever performed small close up effects for colleagues in my office so I'm not really sure what advice I can give, but I've already started asking the kinds of questions you might like to read the answers to... I hope that made sense.

I'm having similar issues of finding a style and a persona (they say be yourself but my self isn't exactly outgoing, likable or interesting). I think most magicians have a sort of role model that they work towards, and there are less female magician (magicienne?) role models out there.

I'm not talking about outright copying but I think a lot of guys start out wanting to be the next Penn & Teller, David Blaine, or Derren Brown, and along the way veer off into their own unique style. We don't really get to do that as much because there's no heavily established style for us yet.

On the other hand, it does give us a marvellous opportunity to start out unique and define a style of our own. It's a harder starting position with a better destination. Having started younger and indeed still being younger, you've already got a head start on me!

-Stacy

Hi Kitty Kat, welcome to TM

Hello there

Amazing how many people were hooked by the dynamic coins, still brings back memories of impressing at school!

Why not use the fact you're a women to your advantage?

Enjoy the forum, its good fun!

Alfred Borden wrote:Why not use the fact you're a women to your advantage?

Would that be using it to our advantage by pandering to male fantasies?

Seriously, I don't want to take over Kitty Kat's introduction thread, but seriously? She's trying to find a style and that's your advice? Is there any field women can compete in where our success doesn't get tied into being eye candy?

-Stacy

The4thCircle wrote:

Alfred Borden wrote:Why not use the fact you're a women to your advantage?

Would that be using it to our advantage by pandering to male fantasies?

I don't think that was suggested for a moment. There are more possibilities to using the fact you're female than performing parlour tricks in a bikini.

Hey and thanks for the welcome!

Thanks Stacy - it's always good to meet (albeit not in person!) another female magician!

Don't worry guys about Alfred - I think I understand what he means, and it isn't being sexist! I, when back in my Uni days, would quite often make use of an impromptu topit for smaller objects!

I think there must be pros and cons to being a performer of either gender if I am honest!

Though I have never liked the performing style from a female perspective of using suggestive remarks - it is of my opinion that that kind of performing style covers what would be a bad performance otherwise.....then again, I may be wrong!

Hello and welcome.

Ste.

The4thCircle wrote:

Alfred Borden wrote:Why not use the fact you're a women to your advantage?

Would that be using it to our advantage by pandering to male fantasies?

Seriously, I don't want to take over Kitty Kat's introduction thread, but seriously? She's trying to find a style and that's your advice? Is there any field women can compete in where our success doesn't get tied into being eye candy?

-Stacy

Interesting, no, in fact fascinating you would think I was being at all sexist in my comment

Given your comments in other threads, you seem somewhat obsessed with your looks and the looks of others, but don't judge people by your own standards, my advice was meant as in, the majority of magicians are male and it is a refreshing change to have female performers, and I would like to think that most people in this day and age are not sexist

Your comments about the young boy that performed on Penn and Teller, and what he was wearing I found odd, but this is a whole new level. I think I can speak for the majority when I say that the looks of a performer are really quite unimportant, its the act that will win people over

Good luck with everything Kitty Kat and thanks for not taking offence for, what I assumed was an innocent comment

You're right. This has come up a few times, though I'm not sure what my comment on Jack had to do with it. As far as I can tell a lot of people were laying into his style and I was trying to defend it in a positive light.

I'm going to go start a new thread about this, get it discussed properly and in context, rather than leaping on it where it happens to come up.

-Stacy

The4thCircle wrote:You're right. This has come up a few times, though I'm not sure what my comment on Jack had to do with it. As far as I can tell a lot of people were laying into his style and I was trying to defend it in a positive light.

I'm going to go start a new thread about this, get it discussed properly and in context, rather than leaping on it where it happens to come up.

-Stacy

I felt you were a little harsh on what Jack was wearing, I can't remember your comments off the top of my head, but I remember feeling sorry for him, did you mention his jacket didn't go well with his outfit or something?

Didn't realise you were defending him...sorry for misinterpreting that

I did mention that not just has jacket but specifically the wallet he was using (for a card to wallet, not on the show but another time I'd seen him) was very out of place and screamed "I am a prop" but that's hardly his fault. A lot of people went on about how he was acting too grown up for his age, but I pointed out that he'll be well practised for it when he's older.

-Stacy

The4thCircle wrote:I did mention that not just has jacket but specifically the wallet he was using (for a card to wallet, not on the show but another time I'd seen him) was very out of place and screamed "I am a prop" but that's hardly his fault. A lot of people went on about how he was acting too grown up for his age, but I pointed out that he'll be well practised for it when he's older.

-Stacy

The4thCircle wrote:For what it's worth, I've seen Jack perform before.

I went to a Magic Circle Summer of Sorcery event in London and he went along too, performed a trick for a few of the higher ranking members who were milling around at the end after the show. It was a card to wallet and the wallet itself just screamed "I am a prop" simply because it was the type of wallet no one his age would have and it contained things no one his age would have.

Additionally his professional magician's jacket didn't go so well with the blue T-shirt and jeans.

However, whilst we may see this as him acting all grown up, in 10 years or so he'll actually be an adult and unlike most of the rest of us, he'll have had a lot of practice.

-Stacy

Yeah, apologies, my bad

I just assumed you were commenting on his fashion sense and not his card to wallet routine

I am not really a professional and extremely only have ever carried out small close-up effects for co-workers during my office so I am not necessarily sure what advice I'm able to give, but I have already began asking the sorts of questions you may want to browse the solutions to... Hopefully made sense.

I am getting similar issues of getting a style along with a persona (they are saying be genuine but my self is not exactly outgoing, pleasant or interesting). I believe most masters of magic possess a kind of role model they work at, and you will find less female magician (magicienne?) heroines available.

I am not speaking about outright copying however i think lots of men begin attempting to function as the next Penn & Teller, David Blaine, or Derren Brown, and on the way veer off into their own style. We do not really get to achieve that just as much due to there being no heavily established style for all of us yet.

However, it will provide us with a wonderful chance to begin unique and define a method in our own. It is a harder beginning position having a better destination. Getting began more youthful and even still being more youthful, you've already got a jump on me!
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