The idea for this blog post was actually inspired by a Facebook message I received from a very close friend of mine from college. Her son, now 4 years old, has expressed interest in learning magic. I caught the magic bug at a very young age, so the opportunity to connect with another young, future magician is always exciting.
“I’ve been showing these pictures to my son Nate, who has just taken up magic hat tricks. Nate is 4 and goes by Nate the Great when he’s in magician mode! He’s dying to meet a real magician.”
It made me think of some of the first magic tricks I learned. I can honestly say, the first time you see the reaction from a group of people genuinely entertained by your magic…you are hooked. Notice I say “entertained” and not “fooled.” Magic is an art, your goal should be to amaze your audience, not trick them. Fooling someone makes them feel like you are trying to make them look stupid. Instead, enjoy the experience of witnessing the impossible together.
So, you are thinking about learning magic, but you have no idea where to start. I started with books and VHS tapes (stop snickering, I’m not THAT old). Now, YouTube has placed an amazing assortment of magic education at your fingertips. With only a couple dollars, you can grab a deck of cards, a couple rubber bands, and some coins…watch some videos, and start having fun!
However, learning magic with everyday objects can be hard at first. One of the best magic props I would recommend for someone interested in magic is a stripper deck. They are fun, easy to learn, very inexpensive (around $10 on Amazon), and perfect for all ages. Whether you are my 4 year-old friend Nate or retired and looking for a hobby to impress people with magic, a stripper deck is a great place to start.
Another reason I recommend starting there, a lot of magic props are “one trick ponies.” In other words, you spend the money and can perform one trick, but that is it. If you get a stripper deck (which is more of a magicians tool that a trick)…there are countless tricks you can learn and perform within minutes. You can even make up your own tricks once you understand how the deck works. I personally recommend a bicycle brand stripper deck, it is one of the most common types of playing cards and a favorite among magicians.
So start there, leave a comment below if you are thinking about getting into magic, or you have a trick/prop you would like to discuss. In addition to performing magic at parties, I also do magic lessons for any age. On the website, I hope to make this a little series, help people get started on their magic journey.