well u see, I've been practising magic, for like.. 2yrs now.
that's the problem, I've only been practising, instead of performing.
i get nervous when I'm able to perform and well, screws up the trick sometimes.
i really like magic and really wanna go out and perform, but i think i lack that courage?
help anyone?

Post edited, please use proper English to post. Thanks.

"Go out to perform" as in getting paid?

nope.
as in, "perform cause i like magic" that kinda perform.

You just have to do it more.

Get some trusted frenz that you know they wont burn a hole in you and say "you su*ks". And then do some magic with them. Get used to doing with them before going out to do.

Then once you feel at eased, do some hardcore magic with them, hardcore magic requires more concentration, so get their responses and ask them whats wrong with you. From there, you know how a layman feel and then you slowly advance.

To get you off into performing outside, first you must have the guts to make mistake. Ya, no one starts performing like Huron or David Copperfield. Everyone makes mistake and from there you learn. Things to take note is, there are 3 million people in Singapore, you do mistake to an average 30 person per day, which means around 10 effects per day, and I feel within a week, your courage will be up alot.

So in short, do more.

hi larry~!!!

I am a rookie with regards to magic as i have just started a month ago. The only people i've performed to are my sister and parents. Even when i'm performing to them, i feel a certain nervousness and uneasiness because i'm afraid i might accidentally reveal the trick due to inadequate practice in doing things like DL and TL. You might be having the same worries as me (afraid of screwing up and revealing the secret), and your previous screw ups in your performances might have left a deeper scar in your confidence.

BUT... you are different from me dude. You have had 2 years of practice for whatever tricks or routines in your repertoire. Its time to show people what you've been practicing hard for. If you're still not confident of new stuff you have learnt, start off with showing your old stuff that you have been continously practicing over the two years. You've got to have more confidence in them rite? Then start building up your confidence from those, and i believe in no time, your confidence, and magician's ego will flare.

I hope i don't sound like i think highly of myself to you. But these are things that i have learnt as a performer myself before i learnt magic. I was with my school's guitar ensemble, and i was okay during practices. The problem came when we had to perform on stage. Even when my presence was masked with a with a bunch of over 20 other people, i still shivered during performances and couldn't really play along properly. I was often being held back by stage fright, and i still do now, but much better than before.

Therefore, i understand your plight. This is something we will all have to overcome as performers. Some people are just born with stage fright, other just seem to have confidence oozing out even if its their first time. Its something psycological, and that is not something that can be treated overnight. So those without that natural confidence (like you and me) just have to build them up gradually. Its not impossible.

I would like to sum up this post with something i've learnt from an anime called Naruto (how anti climax... i know... hahah). It's a quote that made an impact on me and i wish it'll do to you as well. it goes like this, "Working hard is useless, if you don't believe in yourself".

Good luck in your performances. See you around~!!! ;)

haha, thanks larry and reddeck.
Yeap, i shall go and perform more often.
lets hope i can overcome that stupid fear^_^

p.s. i watch naruto too!

Oppps... i suddenly realised that i addressed the wrong person. Sorry about that.

haha, its ok^^

Torn, I want to enlist your help in upgrading the standard of written English in Singapore. Know what I mean? ;)

Meaning..?
Please elaborate, is it my way of typing.?

Torn,

You may want to pinpoint the exact problem first.

Are you comfortable with the execution of sleights and the whole flow of the routine? If not, then you may have to practise more.

Or is it the audience - the whole 'stage fright' thing? Then you may need to rehearse more by practising performing for an imaginary audience first.

I think 1 tip I can give is to try to make eye contact with the audience and slow down, take your time doing it. Many tend to rush through the performance, without bothering about the audience, and while this may be an effect of their nervousness, I believe it causes more nervousness as well.

Finally, you may want to attend some of the SMC meetings which take place once in a while. It'll be a good place to share/learn/practice.

Good luck!

I suggest you get Nique's Working with Crowd. Its a good book. Good suggestions and tips inside.

Hi Gordon,

I think that i'm quite comfortable with whatever sleight i can do so i suppose my problem, would be always rushing through the performance.
So the next time i perform, i'll keep it slow and steady and maintain eye contact.
Thanks for for advise.

Thanks to Larry for introducing the book as well, will look it up when i have the chance.

^_^

Something important to take note of is your breathing. If you feel nervous, regulate your breathing. Breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds and breathe out your mouth for 10 seconds. It keeps you calm. You'll be able to perform better.

Now that you mention, the breathing thing, is quite true when you get nervous for whatever reasons.
Thanks for your pointers! Though the breathing in for 5seconds and breathing out is really quite hard when you are already nervous and trying to get a trick to work. <_<