When you perform (if you do) Cups and Balls, how many cups do you use? 2 or 3? Just like the DVD Table Hopping Cups and Balls, he says 3 is too many and 2 is just perfect. Does table hopping with cups and balls include 2 or 3 cups? I have a 3 cup routine. But I'm asking whether I should get the Table Hopping for a 2 cup routine?

The DVD "Table Hopping Cups and Balls" does not come with any cups. You will have to supply your own. The routine taught uses two cups.

I'm not a pro, but personally I think even two cups is a bit too much in terms of table space. Just my opinion, though.

Carl also has a book called "Magic from Maui" (sold here)
that has a chop cup type routine using one cup and three balls. It might be better suited for table-hopping (and the props are much easier to carry around). It also includes his handling for the cups and balls routine on the DVD. Since you already have a 3 cup routine, you should know most of the moves involved; I doubt you'll have a problem picking it up from the book.

Only other thing I'll say is that, for my money, the best 2 cup routine is David Williamson's, which can be found on his DVD "Sleight of Dave."

No doubt that cups and balls and chop cup is amazing but just give magus capsul a chance.

Is this better than doing cups and balls for restaurant walkaround?

Stay away from tricks using their table space.


-MagicTay

I'm asking people that already do restaurant magic:

Do you perform cups and balls?

If so, 1-cup-routine (chop cup?) or a 2-cup-routine?

I'm wondering whether I should stay away from cups and balls in restaurants, because I shouldn't use up table space...what do you think?

That's not always the case. Using a little table space doesn't hurt. Carl Andrew is a professional, and he uses a little table space. Many professionals use a little table space. It also depends on what type of restaurant you are doing.

Jon- I have no problem using a little table space. Especially at more up scale restaurants, where they have large tables, I feel more comfortable doing so. As for doing cups and balls in a restaurant, I do on occasion. I use two cups, because of Carl Andrews version of the effect. I've based my routine (for restaurants) off of his. And it works very well. But I only do so at more up scale restaurants.

Great. Thanks! that's just what i needed to hear. So I'll pick up the DVD.

The DVD is well worth the money. Plus you get a very entertaining sponge ball routine. You will enjoy it.

Is the sponge ball routine kinda like a bonus to the DVD?

You get into the sponge ball routine, just as you finish your final loads, of the cups and balls, right?

thanks, fallingblood!

Yeah, it is a bonus to the DVD. Carl's final loads are sponge balls, which then leads into his sponge ball routine.

That's a really nice transition! I'm definately going to get that!

i got table hopping cups and balls for free as a part of a bonus, not a huge fan of it,
i seems to me he focuses more on the sponge balls than the cups and balls.t

also if you already have a cups and balls routine, you won't learn anything relitive to cups and balls. he teaches you a two cup routine, but i make my own routines any way, i am not dissing the DVD, but if i didn't get it for free, and a knew what was on it, i personolly wouldn't have bought it

Fair enough if you don't like the DVD, but I'm not sure where you're getting this impression from. I just watched the DVD again and while Carl does explain the sponge routine thoroughly, the cups and balls receive the majority of the attention. I actually bought this DVD (didn't receive it as a promo) and felt that I got my money's worth, although truthfully I wasn't all that familiar with cup and ball routines when I purchased it.

I will say this though: personally I don't like combining the cups and balls with the sponge ball routine. Carl's basic structure for the cup routine is solid and straightforward, but I think sponge balls make weak final loads. I know Carl addresses this on the DVD, arguing that it's the appearance of a different object under the cup that the audience reacts to and not the nature of the object itself, but if you compare the reactions Carl's loads get in the performance section to a performance with, say, fruits as the load, you'll see that the latter plays much stronger.

Also, I think the production of the sponges undercuts the magic of the sponge routine itself. You produce three at the end of the cup routine, then go into a routine using only two of the sponge balls. The climax is the appearance of a third ball in the spectator's hand, but since there were three balls on the table before you started the routine, it undercuts the sense of "Hey, where did that one come from?" for the audience. Carl does the sponge routine by itself on his "No Jacket Required" DVD and I think it gets better reactions on its own. Besides, if you do the cups and balls well, shouldn't that be strong enough to close on anyway?

I admit that using sponge balls for final loads is more convenient for table hopping because of pocket space, and having the sponge balls there makes for a convenient segue into the sponge routine, but convenience isn't everything, especially when it undercuts the astonishment potential of what you're doing. As I've said I'm not a worker, but if I were, given the time and table space required I would not do cups and balls for every table. I would probably save it for special tables and do it as a bonus after the meal. That way you could keep the props in the back and go get them just before you need them. You won't need to have bulging pockets all night, and the special tables really do get to see something special. Everybody wins.

Just my opinions, though. You draw your own conclusions.

Thanks guys. I do think though that I'd use his cups and balls routine + the sponge ball routine for the restaurant walkaround sake. I have a few DVDs on 3 cup routines for other closeup shows. But I'll probably just use Carl's routine + sponge ball load and routine just for the walkaround. Just because people might see me loading fruits or objects behind me, whereas sponge balls, are a lot easier to load and palm.

I still think it'll do me some good.
Thanks a lot.