A question often asked by magicians is ‘How do you learn magic?’ Magic is a secret art, and magicians are forbidden to expose their tricks. The Magic Circle, the world’s most famous group of Virtual Magician, bans members who reveal their magical secrets.
So what about the person learning the magic trick in the first place? The idea behind the secret isn’t to make magic learning impossible, but a way to get beginners serious about learning magic. With the necessary study and practice, students treat magic with the respect it deserves. When you learn magic, you are receiving knowledge that other magicians have developed over the years and honed through thousands of performances. Secrets of magic are gems that you will have to work hard to discover.
And it’s well worth the effort to learn magic. Magic can serve as a mood breaker when you meet someone new, you can use it to improve your presentation skills at work, and you can impress the girl or boy you like. Magic has allowed many exciting things to be done. I have performed at exclusive clubs and parties and entertained royalty, politicians and heads of the world’s largest corporations at corporate events.
learn magic tricks from books
The best way to learn is from books. You can find magical books at your local library or bookstore or online. A good beginner’s book of magic will teach you a wide range of tricks. Not only will it help you learn the tricks, but it will also show you different styles of magic so you can decide what kind of magician you want. Do you want to practice close-up magic like magician David Blaine? Or do you prefer the more psychological style of performers like Derren Brown? Or maybe you want to perform on stage or at a children’s party. There are many forms of magic and no style is better than another. It’s up to the individual to find what works best for them.
take magic lessons
You can learn by attending classes in your area. Local councils sometimes have courses where you can learn magic as part of your higher education program, and City Lit is no different.
Find the magic shop where you live. London is home to Davenports, the world’s oldest family-run magic business. Tell the people behind the counter that you’re a beginner and they may be able to recommend some good tricks to help you get started. Davenports also runs courses that teach magic.
There are other magic shops you can visit in London like International Magic and Magic Cave, which have stalls in Covent Garden. They will be able to give you tips on how to learn magic tricks.
Magic clubs are also great places to learn tricks. Check the Internet for Magic Clubs in your area.
If you’re just starting out learning magic, it’s a good idea to see a professional magician perform it. Not for you to copy them – you have to develop your own style – but to learn what good magic looks like. You will begin to understand all the elements that go into a strong performance: script, timing, speech, movement, posture.
Check out your local shows on the internet and in newspapers. London’s Magic Night is a twice-monthly magic show at Madame JoJo’s cabaret club in Soho. There you can see some of Britain’s best magicians in action. Covent Garden is world famous for its street performances, and Magic Corner sees magicians from all over the world.
Learning magic requires the same effort as playing an instrument or learning a foreign language. But it’s incredibly rewarding, so practice hard and have fun!