A part of the main.’ – John Donne
It’s time to join a magic club! The process of discovering magic, tends to follow the same pattern: You learn a magic trick, find out it’s great fun and begin learning another one. Pretty soon you’re completely obsessed. This usually takes you online to discover the new magic and socialize with other people just as mad about magic as you are. If you stop there, you are missing out on a really valuable and fun part of being a magician.Right now there are thousands of people learning and then performing their magic tricks to each other on YouTube, that’s all they ever do with their magic. That’s fun for them, but they are missing out on a huge opportunity that’s right on their doorsteps. Are you trying to learn magic on your own too?
Joining a local magic club will get you in touch with a whole community of people from all walks of life, that love magic just as much as you do. A good magic club will really help you develop as a magician, as you share ideas, learn new magic, and practice your skills in club competitions and workshops.
How often do magic clubs meet?
Most magic clubs meet a few times each month to discuss magic, watch lectures from guest magicians, swap ideas and run magic competitions etc. They often meet in local community centers or clubs during the evening. Most clubs have programs of activities that they run throughout the year. These include competition nights, themed evenings where members perform magic tricks around a chosen theme, magic lectures and workshop events.
How do I get in touch with a magic club?
The first step to joining a club is finding one within travelling distance to you, check out the directory of magic clubs and societies for a list of the best clubs in the UK. Once you find one, visit their website to see information on the club, its upcoming events and their joining criteria. Contact the magic club directly and the membership officer will give you all the details and will invite you to one of the meetings as a guest.
Will I feel welcome?
You will be surprised how friendly and welcoming magic clubs are. After all, they are a group of people as crazy about magic as you are. New members are the life blood of any club, and having new people join is very important to them. Most of the members become very good friends over the years and have all seen each others magic tricks many many times. Many of the members will be itching to show you their magic tricks and also talk about magic with you. The great thing about joining, is that you instantly have something in common with everyone there. If you feel nervous about going to a club for the first time, try to relax. You will be made to feel welcome and nobody will be testing you or assessing your magic skills. You already have something to talk about with everyone there, and will leave at the end of the evening, wondering why you were so nervous.
Does it matter that I’m only a beginner?
Not at all. Magic clubs are about learning magic much more than showing off how good you are. There are plenty of competitions you can enter to display your skills, but the focus is on learning new magic, talking about magic and helping each other to develop each others skills. As soon as you attend you will see that there is a huge range of ability throughout the club membership. Some members are passionate about magic, but not that hot at performing. Others are great at magic, but go to pieces when asked to show a trick. You will quickly find that you will fit in somewhere in the middle, so don’t think you are going to be the only beginner asked to perform magic in front of a crowd of professionals.
A magic club will expect you to have some knowledge of magic and a real interest in it, as they don’t want people attending just out of curiosity about how magic tricks are done. However, beginners are always very welcome.
The only exception to this, will be a few magic clubs for more experienced magicians, such as The Magic Circle. Those clubs will have a far stricter level of entry, so chat to the membership officer when you contact the club and they will be happy to give you details of the joining criteria. You can find out about the process to join The Magic Circle here.
Will I have to do an audition?
Many clubs will allow you to attend for a few meetings before formally joining. Some ask you to audition to become a member. This usually involves performing some magic in front of a few club members to show that you do know some magic and have a basic knowledge of presentation and performing skills. By the time you are asked to do an audition, you will have probably attended a few times, got to know the people there and will not feel so nervous about it.
DO THIS: Check out the Directory of good magic clubs in the UK (If you live outside the UK, just Google magic clubs in your country and a list relevant to you should be somewhere on the first page of search results. )
Don’t listen to any self doubts or nervousness you may have. Just call a local club and chat to the membership officer. They will give you all the details and set up a day for you to visit the club and check it out.
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