Hello,

I was invited for a magic performance around 30 mins for IMH Kids on this 23/12/09. May i know do you guys have any suggestions of what magic to perform? can I to engage some audience for participation?

As i understand that they might not under me, but i will like to bring a smile to them this CHRISTmas.

But i am afraid that the audience will run wild, how??? anyone do magic for IMH before, please advise me.

Thanks so much.

Cheers


M.A.D. B)

I would like not correct the wrongful opinion of the image of IMH. More likely than not, u would probably be interacting with kids who have gone thru major trauma. Not the sterotype you see on TV, they are just people like you and I. Personally, I've seen the wards and facilities in IMH and i think you should treat them as normal people.

However, if you were to perform, do note that they might be very withdrawn, thus u might like to work on tricks that are less participative in nature.

Why not one of these days, drop by IMH ward and get to know what kind of audience you are working with?

Cheers!

You are right Bryan. Thanks for bringing that up.

In fact, most of them are normal people (hence children). Some may be a bit more shy. But, with good control and children management, I do not believe that they will run wild.


Oh yes, in any case, for children, be sensitive, and don't embarrass them. Even the bold one will feel embarrassed if the kids are laugh at (as opposed to with) them.

All the best!

Well i volunteer at those places before, but that way quite a way back, about 4-5 years back. Anyway, they are quite nice to play with just like normal kids, just that some have a longer processing time then normal and also they vary from level to level.

Usually if you see them having a size of a normal 17-18 teenager, they are usually of a sec 1 or sec 2 mentality. Or that is how my old place classifieds them.

What Alexander and Bryan said is true, they are quite shy and mostly don't like to be engaged directly. Usually you need to gain their trust over a period of time before they get closer to you.

So personally maybe something less participation from the audiences? SO do check with the organizers first, or you can arrange to place the more daring and stable ones in front instead. Also check on if there is any extra special case around and such that you need to take note of, the staff usually know their students. :g:

For some info, back in sec 3 to sec 4, i was in NPCC and we did fancy drills for them, in general they are ok, they didn't disturb you, as in grab you or anything. They are just abit more noizy then usual kids. :g:

Hope this helps :!!:

Bryan, Alexander and o0oKIRAo0o,

Thank for the replies.

May i know do you guys have any suggestions of what magic to perform? and can I to engage some audience for participation?

According to friend of the SMC, Ha ha the Magician advise I should look into some "silence magic"

I thinking I might do the such as

a) Linking Rings;
B) Appearing pole;
c) Flower box;
d) Needle thur balloon; and
e) Colour changing Disc.

What to you "Magician" think.

M.A.D.B)

Well personally i feel Needle thur balloon will be abit hard for them to comprehend.

Maybe stuff like appearing dove or animals? :!!: Something visual and yet not that small, as some may have problem concentrating on small stuff a distance away. Point A and B sounds workable as well, for "silence magic" does it mean that you don't speak at all right? If its so, maybe it will work, maybe just some music for the background will do. Correct me if i am wrong cos I don't know what is "silence magic".

Back to the point, maybe levitation will work as well. :g: These are some that i think will catch and hold their attention till the end :g: :!!: hope it helps.

Hello, o0oKIRAo0o, you think I super star, ha...ha...I am in basic, you know?

a) Needle thur balloon will be good for it is visual.

B) Stuff like appearing dove or animals? too high for me, and i do not carry anmials

c) You are right for "silence magic" mean that don't speak but with some music for the background

d) Levitation will be good but i am out of IT.

Thanks.

M.A.D. B)

I notice the tricks u choose dont invovle feedback. These kids may be withdrawn, but from time to time, you tricks should also involve questions like "where did the dove go?", "where do you think the card is?". these questions lead them to follow the trick and therefore makes it more interesting. The thing about these is such that u need not get response, the kids just have to follow. Hope u get the drift

Hey guys,

Don't think it's really possible to perform to music for a whole 30 mins...that would bore the kids out if anything else.

Maybe a patter-less (music-only) act for 10 mins, then the other 20 mins or more can be used for effects involving patter and possibly a bit of audience participation.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks and keep coming, I will do my very best to bring the "Magic of Love" to them this Christmas.

Wow! I love the flowing in. It allow me to learn so much within the replies.

M.A.D. B)

Opps, sorry i just let my thinking run wild. :P

Hmmm out of IT, maybe rise yourself :P or maybe hovering card or humming bird card maybe?

Maybe appearing sponge balls?

Anyway good luck :g: abit brain dead from exams now.

Actually, i came to remember a time i was entertained as a kid. What do we really enjoyed most? (say 7-10years old) Do we understand what it meant if one could levitate? of the simple color changing bunny trick (sorry, i cant rmb the name of the trick). In my opinion, this kids could appreciate the 'clown' type magicians better. Needle thru balloons and levitation effect might entertain us lot, but what really entertain the kids?

I agree with with clown part, but i felt levitation will still hit them as its just blow their minds for kids 6-12 yrs. But below 6 they don't really think much, so yup.

Anyway i think those kids should be able to process stuff like levitation, and with a twist of clowning around, it will be great i guess.

I don't know the exact name of the trick, but you could do that jumbo deck 3 card monty one, it will be quite surprising for them, with a simple guess which card is the queen, and a bit of a lesson not to be tricked by people doing this. :!!:

Agreed. A twist of clowning with levitation is a mind blower for them. Although i still stand firm that kids below 10 may not contemplate levitation to its fullest. Just my opinion.

Hmmm ok personally i would say below 6-7, recently some 7-10 yrs old kids are smart, and i mean very smart :blink:

Anyway this is base on my working experience of been a lifeguard, every now and then i would just take out my hovering card by Ellusionist and show it to the kids learning swimming after their lessons; most are 7+ to 9+. And all just was so shock and started screaming and get over hype. I even make one cry :unsure: may he think i was possessed by the devil :P. But all in all most, if not all understand levitating.

Just my 2 cents :g:

thanks kira for correcting my wrongful opinion!

Hi!

Wow! never knew that the hovering card was such a mind blowing effect.

Anyways, back to the subject, levitation is really mind blowing. Actually, my little brother know what is

happening when someone levitates so children below 5 may not get thee effect anymore.

Anyways, just my opinion.

-blue_mode_1

Actually we should not view kids as a whole, as each individual is different. Their pass experience is also different, hence their knowledge, expression and movements will vary from person to person. But in general the skeleton is there here usually our routine is able to flow smoothly :g:

Lets take for example, there is 2 kids, A and B. A is a typical child raised under a normal household experience, so no problem there.

And child B has a parent or someone who the kids see on regular basis, and is a magician or been to alot of those stage show.

So let say you perform to both kid A and B, who will be more amaze? Chances are both, but there is also chances that kid B may have seen it so is abit more immune to that. we never know, as each and everyone of us are a different individual so we may not act the same.

Just like Asian and Caucasian, Asian are more Conservative while Caucasian are more open minded. Hence the reactions mostly vary, good example is by comparing any promo video by Ellusionist, Theory11, Dan and Dave and more with what expression we get locally. 1st difference is that SG people don't go jumping around or start OMFG and such, we only like like wow or such. The reaction is more tone down, while Caucasian mostly did what i mention earlier.

So blue, like you say, your little bro have seen it, so he won't be amaze right, that doesn't mean some other kid won't as well. So just go out there to perform, because we never know what audience we will get :!!: :g:

Love one of Ellusionist quote "7 days without magic makes one weak" so same go to "7 days without seeing magic make it easier for us to perform :P "

So take care guys, back to studying, another paper in less then 1hour. :wacko:

Ho...Ho..I wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

I am confirm with the undermention, hope that it work well.

a) Torn and Restore Heart;
Hello...hello
B) Disappearing Cash;
c) Dream gifts;
d) Bubbles; and
e) Kiki Snow.

Thanks for all the wonderful suugestion, hope to meet all of you one of the day.

M.A.D. B)

Hi David,

I look forward to seeing that!

ChiaWK,

Please come and support me and may be you want to show your card too, LET HAVE FUN.

M.A.D. B)

Yo bro, anyway good luck :D for your show.

Today YMCA came to my pool for some water event during their camp, well i think they most if not all understand what magic is :g: not just them even their volunteers all got blown away :g: with just fire wallet ;)

So i guess fear not, nothing will go wrong :!!:

Hello, the 23 Dec 09 have cancel, i was infm on 18.12.09, 5 days before the show, ha...ha... i already prepare the routine and apply my leave.

The reason given wasthe the perf I/C has decided to make do without a magician due to the small audience size.

Thanks for all the contribution ideas.

ha...ha....M.A.D. B)

Really sorry bro...

I was the one who enlisted your help but now this happened.. . I feel a little guilty myself :(

Anyway, hope you can still use the routine next time for a similar event, and thank you so much.

Sorry to hear that MAD.

But its nice that you've put so much effort in your routining. You should use it the next time!

hey ChiaWK,

Please don't felt bad, i am ok for that, agree with both you and Alexander i can still use the routine for another show, if it come by.

May God bless "Merry Christmas"

M.A.D. B)