“Performing Magic For Teenagers”

(Part One)
By David Breth
©2009 MAGICTAINMENT

“If you ask me to describe teenagers - one definition which

comes into my mind is Confused in motion”. –David Breth

Fact is many magicians have an un-said “fear” of performing for teenagers.

Why?

The reasons can occupy pages of notes, but I will give a few - I often
observe.

You see most magicians, especially male magicians are ego driven… which
means we allow our ego to dictate how we perform vs. allowing our passion
for the art of magic to guide us. Yes, it starts for some as early as
kindergarten or elementary school where we “feel” we have to “impress” a
girl by getting in a fight and “acting” tough.

Only to learn later in life the girl you were trying to impress was simply
thinking to herself “What an idiot he is”. Well, for many this ego which drives
some … carries over into adulthood and can actually hinder those from
achieving their true passion… in this case becoming the best performer you
can be.

I realize some have a desire to perform for children, some pre-teens, some
teenagers, some early adult, some adult and others senior adult… but to
become the best entertainer (a master magician) one must learn to
discipline their ego so they too can be equipped to truly entertain for all
ages.

Note: I will say this ego thing can also have a dramatic impact on self-
esteem too (How you view yourself. Comparing yourself to others or
mentally not able to become the performer you desire to be because
you are so “worried” about how others view you as a person).

So let us get right into it.

 “Performing Magic For Teenagers”

One of the first elements to equip your-self with when setting a goal to
become a better magician with teenagers is this FACT…

“Enter into their world and they will enter yours”

You see one of the major draw backs many magicians have when performing
for teenagers is they are so disconnected with “reality” they are usually
speaking down to or way out in another universe and the teenagers are
simply looking at them and thinking “What is wrong with this person… they
have no clue”.

Lets cover a few.

1. “Kick’n Wit Tha Cool Lingo Baby”

I have personally observed many (well meaning) magicians try to hard to

“speak the teenage language”… look unless you are a teenager or this is
really you… STOP trying to talk like they talk. You should NOT try to use any
lingo which does not sound organic coming from your lips and this goes for
actions too!

Example:
I witnessed a magician performing a close-up card trick for teenagers and
one of the first things this magician did was go into a high-five swing and at
the same time saying “Whazzz uuuuup”.

Come on get real!!!

First of all the high-five swing with the phrase “Whazzz uuuuup” went out of
“style” in 1999 and if you are going to do this in a “cool” manner it has to be
at the right time in your set. If your opening is going into a high-five swing
and at the same time saying “Whazzz uuuuup” I know this is going to be a
terrible magic performance… oh, sure the magician may know how to do all
the “moves” to make the trick work, but the reality is this is ONLY HALF THE
BATTLE when performing for teenagers.

Note: DO NOT try to act "hip" or “down wit it”. Simply be yourself and HAVE
FUN (Teenagers are not looking for someone “trying” to act cool, they are
looking for someone who is real - - just themselves and to a teenager this
IS cool)!!!
2. This Is A Cool Trick (says you)

Another major fault I see magicians bring to the table when performing for
teenagers is they pre-determine a trick is ‘cool’ because they like it or they
saw a hip young magician performing it. If you want to “win” your teenage
audience (whether it is one or fifty of them) you better prepare by carefully
selecting the “right” trick / routine and be sure the trick also matches your
personality. What you view as cool is nothing more than a puzzle to try and
figure out to the teenager.

Again, almost nothing kills performing a magic trick for teenagers like
presenting what you consider to be a cool trick and for the teenager it is
nothing more than a puzzle to try and catch what you are doing.

Note: When I perform for teenagers I perform things you may

consider ‘so-so’ tricks, but it is the fact I take the trick and make it a
fun, mind-boggling experience for the teenager (more on this later).

3. I Have Lots Of “Important” Things To Say So Hear Me Loud And Clear

Warning. Warning. Warning. Magicians when you are preparing to perform

for teenagers stop and record (film or audio) what you are about to say “to”
them.

When performing for teenagers unless you have rehearsed your “patter”
over and again you BETTER REALLY, REALLY and I REALLY mean really go
extremely light on talking and extremely heavy on surprising “I am here to
mess with your head” magic!!!!

This is one of the elements many magicians miss when preparing and
actually performing for teenagers. They think they are going to “impart”
their great words of wisdom into the teenagers - - like “OK Kids Do Not
Smoke, Drink And Do Drugs”. Arrrrg, Hack!!! Well like I said earlier: “Enter
into their world and they will enter yours”.

The cold-blooded truth is your opening effect should be a direct, in your

face, and as solid, visually stunning and little if any talking as possible!!!!

In order to “Enter into their world and they will enter yours” you MUST,
MUST, MUST win them over FAST and FURIOUS.

Let them know straight out of the gate…

 “I am a REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good prestidigitator. Look I am one
“bad” magician; you think you have what it takes to “catch” me doing
the “tricky” part? Well you have met your match… you may have seen
other magicians who did little magic tricks for the kiddies, but right
here and right now I am going to perform some magic which will
mess with your mind. IF you can …I DARE YOU TO “TRY” and catch me
- - I bet you can not… you will only catch what I want you to see
– period!”

Yes, most of the time (99.9% of the time)… I do the strong magic right
away but MOST importantly I verbally say exactly what I have above
(verbatim)… for teenagers when they hear someone say something to them
like:

“I am a REALLY, REALLY, REALLY good prestidigitator. Look I am one

“bad” magician; you think you have what it takes to “catch” me doing
the “tricky” part? Well you have met your match… you may have seen
other magicians who did little magic tricks for the kiddies, but right
here and right now I am going to perform some magic which will
mess with your mind. IF you can …I DARE YOU TO “TRY” and catch me
- - I bet you can not… you will only catch what I want you to see
– period!”

Believe me a strong statement like this (“If you can”) gets even the most
cynical teenager on their feet… they are now ready for you (so they think)…
you see one piece of the psychology here is now they WILL overlook the
small things because I have “dared them to catch me and I will only allow
them to see what I want them to see”.

Yes, I realize you may say being this direct is not my persona… I fully
understand this may be the case… but in your own words and actions you
WANT to let them get this message … in whatever manner you present it.
The fact is now you have laid the bait of catch me IF you can … not only
does this light a fuse under them but this gets them so on edge you can now
go for the “kill” with less effort.

Example:

I will perform something like the card into orange which for many
teenagers is nothing more than “OK”… with their comment at the end
of you slipped the card in there when we were not looking or you put
the card in before the show.

So in this case…
You make sure they are on their toes by stating how powerful the effect they
are about to witness is. This trick is so powerful; I will take the secret to my
grave with me- - so do not even try and figure out how I do what you are
about to see.

I usually perform John Kaplan’s “Mind-Reading Orange” routine (Available

from www.DennyMagic.com – tell him David Breth said hello).

The “jokes” are so “bad”… but since I “act” as though they are funny by
starting to laugh… then as I look around the room noticing they are moaning
because the “jokes” are so “terrible” … I then make a straight face go back
into the ‘trick” but throughout the routine throwing in the “jokes” which of
course makes them want to boo me off the stage but because I “challenged”
them at the beginning of the trick that this was amazing they are intrigued
because after all they are “going to figure out what I did to make the trick
work” (not realizing they have “fallen” for the showmanship and are now not
really focused on “catching” me).

Now in John Kaplan’s routine he has a “secret” method of making the card
vanish before the audiences very eyes. When I do this “secret” move I make
SURE they see me do it slow and I make it “appear” I do not know they just
saw what I did to make the pieces vanish… I then begin to clap like I have
just performed some feat of magic so strong everyone should be on their
feet applauding… of course because this “secret” method was exposed they
are not impressed in the least bit… and in the middle of my personal
applause I slowly slow my clapping down which started as a fast hand clap
from clap, clap, clap, clap … to clap –clap-clap to clap---clap---clap--- and as
I do so I am scanning the audience with a half smile… because after all I
“now” realize they know the “secret” move that I used to make the pieces
disappear.

Little do the teenagers know I have just used some of the most powerful
psychology ‘on’ them and have set them up for a strong, mind-boggling
finish.

To sum this example up as I am cutting the orange I act as if this has

nothing to do with this trick… and unknown to me there is something inside…
as I have a teenager take the card out of the orange I state:

“(THEIR Name), Please remove the object from inside the middle of the
orange you just cut (I actually cut it, but this verbiage is important for them
later when they are recapping everything that transpired in front of them)
and tore (It was cut, but again this verbiage sets up the stage for them later
as they are attempting to know my “secret” methods) with your bare hands.

Now I do not want to touch it, so will you please slowly open it (as they are
opening the card I ask the teenager in the audience what card they “freely”
chose earlier in the routine without my influence in any way – again,
important the way I am saying this). What card did you extract from the
fresh, store bought orange you were holding throughout the whole show?”

They name the card.

I then make a strong point “I do not want to touch the card, I want you to
prove to yourselves what you just witnessed is real” and I then ask the other
teenager who is holding the piece to “make sure the piece in their hand is
not just a piece but the exact match - - does it match verbatim?” I ask
loudly.

4. Here Let Me Patronize All Of You With My Dialogue and Performance.

One of the fastest ways to “connect” with a teenage audience is to treat

them as your equal!!!! One of the fastest ways to “disconnect” with a
teenage audience is to treat them as lesser than you!!!!

Now I am not in any way suggesting you stop being the authority during or
after the show… but let them know without hesitation you respect them for
who they are.

Notice to the unwise magician: Teenagers can spot a fake quickly.

Teenagers have this “special” radar which warns them of someone
‘trying” to be who they are not. If you become the Frankenstein in the
room, they will quickly light their torches and you are finished… unless
you become genuine - - fast!

I have seen adults say to a teenagers face “I like your green hair” then turn
around and say “What a disgrace, if they were my child….”

Unknown to you, though the teenager may have not heard you verbally say
this they can sense this in you like a blood-hound on a piece of juicy steak.

If you do not like their choice of hair color… there are ways to let them know
you do not personally like it, without making them feel like you see them as
inferior to you. Just remember teenagers can spot a fake quickly.
 Performing for teenagers can be a lot of fun and rewarding. It
does not matter what personality type you are ANYONE can perform
for teenagers, but, but, but you must let them know you are there to
have lots of fun and they are going to have fun… “Enter Into Their
World they Will Enter Yours”.

Next time in part two…

“The Dynamic “Verbal” Hook I Use Which Is PROVEN

To Get Teens To Drop Their Cool Shield Quickly”

The author David Breth is a full-time magician with over

300 paid bookings every year. Along with his business partner Lindy
Scarborough they own the MAGICTAINMENT entertainment agency based
out of their home state - Maryland.

David is also the author of a fresh web site traffic system for magicians which
he has used very successfully in his business for several years.

Learn more here http://www.davidbreth.net/TrafficForMagicians.html