It's been really quiet around the kid show division of the forum and I was hoping that it meant everyone was busy working on their new routines or reading a good magic book? How about just checking in and letting us all know what you've been up to lately!

~ Kristen

Well I don't do kid shows but I do perform at my church for the little brats every once in a while so I want to get the coloring book prop but I want to wait to see if I can get one for my birthday so I don't have to pay for it. XD

I want to learn linking rings; are they good for kids' shows?

Linking rings is classic magic. If it is done right, it can represent the beauty of the art of magic. On the flip side, if it is done poorly--- well, you just cringe and everyone feels the pain.

You might take a look at Shoot Ogawa's ring work and then the comedy ring work that Whit Haydn does. They each possess their own talent in their handling on the rings and how they present them.

As for children's shows-- it isn't something that I myself would put into a show, but that is just me personally. I am sure a lot of professional magicians use it in their act quite successfully.

Should you decide to learn the rings please keep us up to date on your progress and I wish you well!

Kristen

So what would you recommend as a closer for kids?

I close with a dove pan routine.

Booking my halloween and Christmas schedule - does that count as "stuff I'm working on"?

I'm also trying to develope a few routines. A children's version of bank night, a giant chop cup, and a decent kid's version of 21century silks.

Well i just ordered my business cards a week ago, and im going to hopefully get them in a day or so

If i get time ill scan one and send you what they look like kristen just so you can see if they are okay and the design is good enough to get past for the mean time. . .

Also today i ripped up my whole restraunt routine and am going over the whole thing again and am trying to incorperate new effects and make the old effects stronger, the only reason im doing this really is because i have 2 weeks off working in the restraunt as i got my wisdom teeth out on Tuesday and its painfull to talk for long periods of time so i cant see myself doing table hopping for 3 hours with my mouth so i got 2 weeks off work to revise everything

orcishorde, revising your routine is some that you should be doing every day. I have been performing full time for 12 years now and I still work on my routine daily.rehearsing old effects and learning new ones to add to my act.

Right now I am working on a new rope routine with the idea of performing a sidewalk show with just rope, That way I go out, set up my pitch and busk with no table and just some rope in my pocket. BTW I use the old stage rule of practice for 1 hour for every minute of the act, then rehearse for the same length of time. Yep means 30 hours for 15 minutes.

I do revise my routine daily and add new lines, just i dont clear out my rotuine and dump some of the weaker effects often and recreate everything, i try to do it when i have some free time, but generally i dont have alot of time with exam, work, sports, etc

so i try to do what i can in the time i can

Here's what I've been doing...

CONSERVING GAS!

Right now, the southeast is in the middle of a gas crisis...and it just happens to be during a time where the majority of my shows are 75-90 miles away this moth! Here in Georgia, we are paying 50-60 cents above the national average for a gallon of gas! The price isn't the issue so much as the availablity. When stations get filled up, they run out within a few hours.

I have been going nowhere but college during the week trying to make sure that I have enough gas saved to make it to my shows on the weekend. I am fearful that I might have to cancel some shows within the next few weeks with the pitiful excuse of "I just can't find any gas".

Any other performers located in the Southeast faced with this problem?

Other than this, I DID finally get my new stage act completed! WHOO!

I have been testing out the addition of "Party Songs" into my Children Shows. I first found out about these songs on a U.K. site that I also frequent. So far the response has been fantastic and the kids have been having great fun! To check out samples of the songs I am now using...here are the links:
http://www.bigfishsong.com/

...And:

http://www.thesuperherosong.com/

What have I been working on? More like what I haven't been working on.

I haven't been working on my kid show material/show at all, which is terrible. I get home from school late in the evening, and with that time I practice close-up, mainly cups and balls. But I really need to reserve time to practice my show, especially with winter coming.

What have I been doing?

I am currently working hard on my winter/holiday show. I am booking a lot of these shows. This week I booked 10 shows which as you can imagine is a few thousand dollars worth. This holiday season should be an extremely busy and fun one.

I currently have more shows scheduled then I have ever before at one time at around 40 scheduled. This number is only going to go up. Just goes to show if you work hard you can definitely get the shows.

good things
the forums are great