Magic summer camps
Some of the things kids get from magic camp:
- Essential techniques of prestidigitation, sleight of hand and misdirection.
- Exposure to varieties of magic, including stage, parlour or close up magic.
- Learn from professionals and working magicians.
- Workshop with others in small groups.
- Develop and improve your stage presence, and manipulate the audience's attention.
- Learn staging tricks, acting and other performance techniques, to optimize showmanship.
Both overnight camps and day camps feature opportunities to learn magic. Depending on the focus of the camp you choose, your training in magic can vary greatly. A specialized magic camp will get you in front of an audience. They may even have a theatre explicitly devoted to staging, so you can get a true feel for your own stage presence. Working with real sound and lighting in an actual stage environment will have benefits beyond your expectations.
Magic lessons
Think of all the different kinds of magic you have seen. How well do you know how to perform any of those tricks? How much fun would it be to learn how to actually do some of them?
Magic camps offer lessons in a whole variety of illusions, including the following:
- Straightforward card tricks for close-up illusions or for the stage
- Disappearing acts, levitation, escapes, and other stage illusions
- Sawing people in half
- Cups and balls tricks
- Coin and money tricks
The benefits of camp
Aside from learning magic, camps like these have many other benefits:
- Kids grow in self-confidence as they interact with other campers.
- They'll make friends with other young magicians, to encourage each other
- Children get outdoors and participate in camp activities such as canoeing, hiking and sports activities.
You never know where it might lead!
As a budding magician you can have fun busking or street-performing. Many magicians and illusionists have done very well on TV shows like America's Got Talent. There are many working magicians in the world, aside from those who are world-famous and suitably wealthy. David Copperfield and Michael Carbonaro (along with David Blaine, already mentioned) are magic camp alumni. In addition, Derek DelGaudio, Dan and Dave Buck, Criss Angel, Mark DeSouza, Simon Lovell, Rocco, Eric DeCamps, Johnny Ace Palmer, Dan Hauss are just some who make a very healthy living as magicians.
Research has, in fact, shown that the best magicians have developed an understanding of people that is ahead of what you can learn through sciences like sociology and psychology. Practical benefits of learning magic can extend to later life choices. Far beyond nerdy fun, magic camp really could change your life.
