Professional dancers and magicians operate in similar worlds, but they probably don’t always realize it.
Lausanne, Switzerland.
Many people don’t think about Lausanne when they think about Switzerland. They think about Zurich, expensive prices, the magical Swiss Alps, and chocolate.
Lausanne is located in the French-speaking region of Switzerland. It has some aesthetics of Prague. It’s not a place I ever imagined I’d visit, but life had other plans.
One thing led to another, and I found myself watching an impressive Swiss dance competition in the heart of Lausanne. I’m not a dancer. Unless my fingers are dancing with a deck of cards, rhythm isn’t my forte. Nonetheless, the competition was in full force. The music was blazing. Dancers were feeling the vibes. When they didn’t feel a vibe, they created one. It was a different form of magic than I’m accustomed to.
Standing in the middle of the empty circle with hundreds of people watching, dancers anxiously waited for their chance to shine. They didn’t disappoint the audience when the music started. One at a time, solo dancers and groups shared their rhythmic magic with the world.
Duos, team formation squads, solos…the dance competition had it all.
The encore performance included one of the competition’s judges performing with his dance crew.
He came, he saw…
And yes.
He conquered.
A Dance Judge’s Speech: Why I Avoid the Magicians Spotlights
After his performance, the judge grabbed the microphone and gave a heartfelt speech of gratitude and wisdom. Unbeknownst to him, he also highlighted many similarities and differences between magicians and dancers.
He reminded the dancers they needed to leave their comfort zone and share their talents with the world. Dance competitions should only be the beginning. Many dancers were talented enough to be on television. He urged them to pursue those opportunities. Not a moment later, he encouraged the parents of the dancers to help their children pursue international careers with their unique talents.
I secretly wished the judge was a magician. Aspiring and professional magicians don’t receive enough encouragement. The obstacles a magician must overcome to become a professional can seem impossible to overcome; therefore, talented magicians limit themselves to local magic assemblies and annual competitions. On the other hand, there are gaping holes in the magic industry for the brave performers. The word of magic needed to hear everything the judge said about dancing.
He practiced what he preached. The event coordinator saw him dancing on television while he was in Las Vegas, and that led to a connection that brought him to Switzerland for the competition. He dedicated his performance to one of his students that had relocated from Switzerland to London to pursue her dance career.
The more the dance judge spoke, the more I was reminded about the similarities between magicians and dancers. I thought about the solo dancers that competed against each other a short time earlier. Their passion for dancing overshadowed the competitive nature of the competition. Solo dancers joined forces in the middle of their set to perform impromptu duos. Large formation dance squads cheered for their fellow competitors. Lone dancers joined forces with large teams to form big dance formations. The love everyone had for dancing lit the place on fire. At one point, the host of the competition even had the audience dancing.
The synergy created between the dancers was magical. It created the type of energy that all performing artists should strive to experience.
Magicians vs. Dancers: Why I Rarely Attend Events Organized for Magicians
The vibrant energy I experienced in Lausanne is oftentimes experienced within the world of magicians. The same type of competitions exist. Solo magicians regularly partner with other performers to make incredible magic experiences that advance the art of magic.
But…
The vibrant energy isn’t experienced often enough.
Why?
Well, there are too many reasons to list.
It was once considered taboo to be a magician that learns from videos. And still, it’s a strong belief that can regularly be heard throughout the magic community. Some practicitioners of magic strongly detest eBooks teaching magic. Valid or not, the stubbornness of the sentiment usually creates a barrier between old and young magicians. It’s not the belief that creates the problem, but the lack of tolerance many young and old magicians have for each other.
Some magicians release magic tutorial books that exclude any performing rights from broadcast when the book is purchased; it’s usually listed at the beginning of the book. I have the utmost respect for creators of magic, and I certainly understand why these exclusions exist. Many magic creators are tired of bad magicians performing their published effects poorly. Magic creators spend countless years creating magic, and they don’t want their work butchered on digital platforms.
At the same time, there’s an ongoing and never-ending debate about what qualifies as an original creation. While some magicians argue that it’s equivalent to nobody being allowed to do the moonwalk on television because Michael Jackson created it, other magicians insist it’s magicians protecting their signature moves as M.J. did for his Anti-Gravity Lean. No matter the stance, it’s a small reflection of vibrant synergy being potentially missed between creators and performers.
When large crowds of magicians get together, it’s not uncommon for talented card mechanics to be excited to share their latest progress on whatever they’re practicing. Unfortunately, their exhibitions are oftentimes followed by another cardician eager to display how their skills and abilities are better. This isn’t always the case. Introspective card mechanics love to watch people that are more skilled than themselves. However, unsupportive energy is created when the more skillful mechanic is egocentric. This type of social peacocking keeps talented people in the dark arts.
Dancing to Change of Progressive Artists!
Don’t mistake what this article is suggesting.
I have little doubt that dancers and magicians live in very similar worlds. Cliques, competitions, fads, and cultural problems. Advancing any type of performing art means promoting progressiveness within the community.
I’m not bashing the magic community; if anything, I’m celebrating the progressive cultural changes that are happening within the world of magic.
Books are still filled with gems. Thankfully, though, magic companies are adopting to the new era of magicians with eBooks, streaming videos, and digital products. Younger magicians are being encouraged to share their magic with the world.I’ve recently seen an email from Joshua Jay and Andi Gladwin promoting his company’s Youth Scholarship for theSession, an infamous magic convention that’s happening in London soon. They do the same for other conventions.
David Blaine, one of the most widely recognized names in magic, was once one of the most bashed names in magic. His performing persona and magic from his television special Street Magic was too revolutionary for the magic community to respect. Today, he’s preparing to be the first magician to bring his magic to the Resorts World Theatre in Las Vegas.
Nobody knows what the future holds for dancers and magicians.
I’m hopeful that magicians will continue to move forward with the same synergy I saw from dancers in Lausanne, Switzerland. If not, I’ll still be the rogue magician inching the art of magic towards the exclusive respect it deserves.
One performance at a time.
It all begins here.
