It's a ball performing for the guys in my unit (National Guard unit). We work hard at my unit station and at the end of the day or at lunch time, once and awhile, I will perform some magic (I don't overdo performing the art of magic, I use it as a spice) and it's amazing how much the art of magic has raised the moral of the unit. Performing the art for the guys and raising their moral has gotten me some extra time off where the NCOs will let me go home early because I made everybody smile, laugh and be stunned, amazed and astonished (I only accept the offer if work at the unit has been done and it would be a waste of time to stay when their is no work to be done).

One problem I have run across is guys will ask me to teach them a magic "trick." People have offerred to pay me money to teach them the secrets to the art of magic or secrets to the effects I have performed for them, but, I have to turn them down.

So here is the question, is it OK to teach audience members some small effects? Is it being stingy to not teach some small effects to spectators who have requested that you do so? I have turned down all these request so far to adhere to the rules of magic and to not give away secrets to the craft to people who might not be sincere in learning the craft or not fully appreciating the art by understanding the time and practice that goes into the effects. What is your take?

That is somewhat debatable. I've taught simple effects to different audience members because I believed they had and interest. I would teach them a few card sleights, and see where they would go from there. Nothing major, but enough to quench their taste for the time being. Every once in awhile, I would run into one of these people, and they would show me the effect that I taught them, and sometimes, they would show me what they had learned since. So I figure it can't hurt.

Now, I personally suggest that you teach them simple card tricks. Nothing to big, but just enough, such as a simple ACR. Then wait awhile and see what they do with it. If they improve and stick to it, then feel free to give them just a little more, or guide them to sources that they may be interested in. If they loose interest, then no harm done.

I have always felt a bit greedy when I don't teach some sort of simple effect when spectators ask and burl into me to teach them something. I do this because I am following one of the rules of magic: never reveal the secret to an effect. I am curious how other magicians of the forum feel about this? This could be one of those grey area sort of things.