Aza wrote:
Why is my style wrong?
I don't want them to come to me, i like approaching them and showing them something impossible then let their reactions of what the hell just happened?! occur!
It's not wrong so much as inefficient. If you chase people down and perform for small groups you're expending all the time and energy of a full performance for just those people, when you could instead use that performance to touch 20-40 people ( if you make enough noise and get enough applause ).
I don't know if you're passing a hat at the end yet (if you really are out there doing a 45 minute set as you said, you bloody well ought to be!) but when you do it seems a lot more amicable if they came to watch you. If you go to them, offer to show them magic, and then ask for money at the end, you'll look like some kind of conman.
Magic is a performance art and all art has one thing in common. You go to see it. It does not come after you. When was the last time a painter approached you in the street and asked if they could paint your portrait? Never, that's when. But plenty of cities have street corner caricaturists. In any situation the observer comes to the art. Even if you work a table hopping event , although you go to the tables, the audience came to the art by visiting the venue in the first place. This model doesn't stand up in public places, because they didn't come for the art, they were just there already.
It's also basic psychology if you've had to ask them to watch they feel like they're giving you an audience. They give to you because you asked. From that point on, psychologically no matter how much of a performance you give them, they will consider their observation of it to be their gift to you.
So like I said, it's not wrong, if you just want practise it's fine, but you could be getting (and giving) much more.
-Stacy
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