Movement and Magic

If you're going to be a magic performer either on stage or up close, I highly recommend practicing some sort of movement discipline.  I've been involved in Judo, Aikido, and Tai Chi for many years.  Tai Chi in particular is excellent for leaning well balanced movement that is essential to a foundation of performing magic.  Here's a really interesting Tai Chi video:

Goodbye to Dean

I just got the news that another friend and magic great passed away this past week.  Dean Dill was a prolific inventor and one of the most enthusiastic of magic lovers.  He was also a very talented stylist, and during the years that I lived in LA, he kept my hair looking good.  And of course it never failed that whenever I came for a haircut, he'd have one of his latest magical creations to show me.  I was always proud that he asked me to design his logo:

Real Magic

Are you bringing real magic into your performances? True to life magic is about creating transformation that transcends the laws of the material world.  When you can transform another human being's emotional state to that of joy, wonder, or even a moment of simple fun and enjoyment, that is real magic. It goes far beyond the simple physical attributes of a "magic trick" and goes to something much deeper.

Is that your purpose as a performer? Or are you "in it for yourself"? Do you do magic for your own self-aggrandizement? Or do you aspire to touch others in positive ways?

Herein lies to work of a true artist.