Performance
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Taxonomies of Magic
The September 6, 2024 newsletter from Jeff Kowalk, the Erudite Magician and CFO of Vanishing Inc. discussed the evergreen taxonomy of magicians. He used the classifications of collector, family and friends performer, part-time professional, and full time professional to describe the community. The full time professional is at the top of hierarchy as they earn… Continue reading
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Revisiting: The Quarterly Issue 1
I can’t recall exactly how I learned of The Quarterly – probably from a friend who also loves small run magic magazines. No matter as I am grateful, it was a delightful publication. The Quarterly was the brainchild of the award winning magician, Helder Guimarães. It was edited by Dr. Will Houstoun who I was… Continue reading
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Details
The small details in magic make a huge difference to the experience we are providing our audience. I like to say, when talking about magic, that it is an art form that relies on carefully controlled, yet broken, communication. It must be carefully broken so that the audience receives the correctly constructed message for the… Continue reading
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Book Notes: Don’t Look Now
In the vast archives of magic literature, there’s much written about tricks, the sleights and the techniques to accomplish them. There’s a handful of books on presentation and scripting. However there are not many that cover misdirection. There’s some chapters or articles here and there. Dariel Fitzkee, Roberto Giobbi, Tom Stone, Juan Tameriz, Tommy Wonder,… Continue reading
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App Trap
While wandering through the IBM Dealers Room, I made eye contact with a dealer selling a few magic apps. He asked me if I had seen them. I said no and, in retrospect, should have said that I don’t like app magic. He proceeded to go through his pitch, asking me to do one thing… Continue reading
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Yoga of Conjuring – XIV
Samadhi The eighth and final limb is Samadhi. Samadhi has been described as bliss, nirvana, self-realization or union with Spirit or Source. It is the expanse of meditation. Magicians can think of it as the point where all of our work bears fruit in a performance that has the magic that we are looking to co-create… Continue reading
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Yoga of Conjuring – XIII
Samyama Patanjali brings together the final three limbs under Samyama. Samyama is Sanskrit for holding or tying together. It consists of the three inner practices of Dharana or concentration, Dhyana or absorption and Samadhi or union. These three limbs also tie together all of the previous limbs and are why the yogic meditator has worked… Continue reading