talkmagic.co.uk

monker59 wrote:Whenever someone defines performer and conversationalist separately I feel like they are splitting hairs. In my opinion, there's not much difference. If someone is talkative on stage but not off, they just might be one of those people who wants all the attention focused on them.

And of course talking alone (I mean "only talking", not talking to yourself which is clearly mental but also a habit of mine) doesn't make you a good performer. Teller, anyone?

Pro / amateur is just about money, though, right?

Skimmed / semi-skimmed is based on reactions and the number of people who pass out during each performance.

I thought that skimmed and semi-skimmed were different coloured milk cartons

Whenever someone defines performer and conversationalist separately I feel like they are splitting hairs. In my opinion, there's not much difference

There's a world of difference and they mean different things. Just because you use patter and use it well, it doesn't make you a conversationist. If you can talk the hind legs off a donkey then chances are that you will be considered a good conversationist but would detract from the magic and would ruin a performance.

If someone is talkative on stage but not off, they just might be one of those people who wants all the attention focused on them.

Isn't the whole point of performing to have all of the attention focused on you? If you get up on stage and say "I'm just going to perform a few tricks so please talk amongst yourselves whilst I do so" then that would be strange.

What you've written is akin to saying that it's splitting hairs to say that David Copperfield and David Blaine have different styles

I think theres a diffrence like people have said in technical skill and performance skill. i think mine are both pretty good (in my opinion) but being able to do an invisible pass does not make you a master card magician, what if you could make a blatent pass under the cover of cutting and shuffling? they then dont see anymove at all not even a brief covering of the pack. maybe this isnt a great way of doing it but it works for me covered with a legitimate reason. or something to that effect

I was actually wondering this earlier today; at what point do I cease to be an eager newbie and "graduate", as it were, to the status of amateur hobbyist?

There is a difference but in reality they are all labels and people just love labels, whether they are applying labels to themselves or others.

Labels can give an indication to people where they think they are in life and where they want to reach but in the main, people generally get hung up when others don't label them, as they label themselves. For instance, people may not like being referred to as an amateur or hobbyist and instead, refer to themselves as semi-professional or skilled. Is there that much difference in what each label is describing and does it matter?

My view is that there isn't much difference at all and that it doesn't matter. Label yourself as you will but it won't necessarily improve the way that others view you. What you should be trying to achive instead of the next label up is respect.