by: Chris Lloyd

Being successful as a magician relies just as much on your

stage persona and your ability to be engaging as it does on

the tricks you choose to perform or the technical skills

you possess.

The reason for this is because tricks in and of themselves

can fall flat if not presented in the right way. A sleight

of hand that dazzles when performed by an engaging magician

can leave an audience yawning when in the less capable

hands of an under-whelming performer.

So if you want your tricks to go over well, you've got to

learn how to sell them to your audience.

That means you've got to work on your showmanship just as

much as you have to work on the tricks themselves. Learn

how to get the audience eating out of the palm of your hand!

If you are not sure how to do this, don't worry.

Showmanship is something you can easily learn and improve

upon with practice. It's not necessary an inborn trait that

you either have or don't have-it's a learned skill that

even the best magicians are constantly honing and

perfecting.

Here's how to make good showmanship part of your magic

routine:

Build a Bridge to the Audience

Whether you are onstage in front of ten people or ten

thousand, your success is directly related to how much your

audience feels inclined to trust you and suspend their

disbelief for you.

To win them over, talk directly to them. Make eye contact.

Make use of volunteers. Don't confine your show to the

stage. Invite audience members up, or go down to mingle

with them.

Don't Wait to Warm Up-Be "On" Right from the Start!

Don't wait to "warm up"-you've got to be "on" right from

the start! Most magic shows last only about an hour or

less, so make it a point to create your relationship with

the audience quickly.

Cultivate a Stage Persona

Ideally, magic tricks should bring about a sense of wonder

and excitement, not a sense of being tricked or fooled. And

you as a magician should therefore aim to be mystical and

wise, not hokey.

Of course, there are many ways to be entertaining. Some of

the most successful magicians in the biz are very serious

in terms of their demeanor. Others, however, are jocular

and love to crack jokes during their shows.

Your "stage persona" is really up to you. If you're

naturally inclined toward being chatty and making jokes, go

for it on stage.

If you're naturally more reserved and quiet, you can think

about adopting a more "David Blaine-like" character when

you're performing.

The trick (pun intended!) is just to make sure you

approach it as a role or a performance. Give the audience

the dazzling entertainment they want and you will always be

a hit.

Just Believe

Believe in what you are doing and suspend your disbelief

as much as you can. The illusions work best when you truly

trust in your abilities and honestly belief that you are

creating miracles! In reality you know that they are

tricks, but if you act like they're just fakes or frauds

then you'll never win over your viewers. Put it this way:

if you don't believe in yourself, why on earth should your

audience?

The article is extracted from 'Discover The Magic Trick Secrets You're Not Supposed To Know'. For more details please visit http://www.discovermagictricks.com.