Hi guys!

It's been a long time since I posted anything here. It's really rare nowadays that I voice out anything with regards to magic and all. Work. Work. Work. Oh well, so much for being a working class adult now.

Anyway... back to topic. I saw this youtube link posted by Mabas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKUI9Obk-wU

So magic has been reduced to this nowadays eh? Please discuss. I would love to hear your views.

Kenneth

PS. Nothing against the group of beautiful Japanese ladies. I think its cool marketing. It's just that there's something in magic... I think they call it... erm... ah yes, mystery and astonishment (I hope I am right about this, God knows what magic has become since Tamariz, Vernon, Ascanio, Slydini and the other greats), that has been watered down to such grotesque proportions with such so-called "performances".

I wonder, is there magic?

I more attracted to the mini skirt sexy dance than the magic. Can't even remember what they did.

I guess it's the way the producer thinks that cause all these problems.

Remember when there is juggling and then in later days, combine juggling with dance.

Same goes to a lot of other busker skills that is combined with other elements to make it unique. But the thing is, not everything can be combine to be good. A good example is this video, you can't have pretty girls hopping around while trying to show a piece of magic, it's distraction to the max. I prefer they stand there and do a 3 girl linking ring, standing and not hopping.

Magic have better use but it's because of those " creative" minds that will tarnish the art thinking just adding any element will be good. In short, you cannot shit while you are eating, it just smells bad no matter what food you are eating.

From what I perceive, I think they were trying to make a Pop Magic Idol Group akin to The Wonder Girls and the other Idol Groups. Just that their Gimmick would be Magic.

Actually, I find it rather interesting and a different way of viewing it. The Japanese people have always made things a bit different and unique. I think that they are actually refreshing.

Anyway, the Linking Rings might be a bad example. I find another of the performance better. This one:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYxOZT5QzV8&feature=related

But what is Magic? Magic is just another form of entertainment and I think this is quite entertaining. The linking rings one might be baddddddddddd. But this one I think is kinda cool. In a kawaii way.

Entertainment is one thing. Sure. However, if entertainment is the main goal, I'd rather tell jokes, play guitar, dance or sing.

What is the main focus here? We are magicians (I hope). We present a very unique art form that very few can excel. We present an alter reality so close to the audience, connecting them to a mysterious and amazing world through our performance.

To use other things (eg. Music, dance, theatre, even flourishes) to accent our magic is fine. The only problem is when we use magic to accent other things. Magic loses it's focus. Magic just becomes another gimmick in which we enhance those other things. What takes precedence here? Something so powerful, astonishng and mystifying like magic becomes the secondary focus? What a waste!

It's like feeding steak from Lawry's to swine. How unfortunate is the state of magic nowadays, I'm afraid...

Thank God we still have Liu Qian eh? :P