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Types Of Magic

There are many different types and styles of magic, so you should easily be able to find one that suits your character and that you enjoy performing.

A few of these styles are listed below, to help you to decide which one(s) you think are for you.

Children's Magic	This is magic that is intended to be performed to children, not by children. Typically, it would be performed at birthday parties (e.g. in private homes) or in schools. This style of magic requires completely different skills to Close-Up Magic. For example, the ability to maintain control over a room full of young children is of much more importance than pure technical ability with sleight of hand. Also important is the need to recognise that an audience of three and four year olds will require a different approach to an audience of eight or nine year olds. Often done in conjunction with Children's Magic is the creation of "balloon models" and party games.
Close-Up Magic	Close-Up Magic, as its name suggests, is intended to be performed: to a very small audience - as few as one and, ideally, no more than ten or so at very close quarters - from literally standing or sitting next to somebody, to a small party at the far side of a restaurant table, for example. Close-Up magic normally uses items such as playing cards, coins and other small items that you can either carry in your pockets or find lying around.
Comedy Magic	Comedy Magic is all about combining magic with humour. It can be performed with the emphasis on the magic, with the comedy being of secondary importance, or vice versa.
Escapology	Escapology is the art of escaping from things, such as handcuffs, straitjackets, chains and locked boxes, and the most famous proponent was, of course, Harry Houdini. This branch of magic can require tremendous physical fitness and stamina and can involve varying levels of real danger, so safety precautions are of paramount importance.
Illusions	Illusions are, generally, the larger magic tricks, and include the sort of thing you will see on the big television spectaculars, with magicians such as David Copperfield, Siegfried & Roy, and Lance Burton. They therefore tend to be: performed in larger venues, or in cabaret, only quite expensive, although plans for building them yourself can be obtained via Magic Dealers performed using one or more assistants bulky and difficult to transport.
Manipulation	This category includes, for example, the production and manipulation of playing cards, billiard balls, doves and the like from thin air. To perform this type of magic well requires years of dedicated practice, and is mainly performed on stage.
Mentalism	Mental Magic, as magicians call it, is all about creating effects such as mindreading and foretelling the future. This can be performed almost anywhere, as Close-Up Magic, or in cabaret or on stage. How seriously you wish to present this style of magic is up to you - you can perform it as though you really did have such powers, or you can perform it as just one more type of magic effect.
Stage Magic	Stage Magic is, as you might suspect, designed to be performed to a much larger audience than Close-Up Magic, and may generally be classified as anything that is not Close-Up. Stage Magic can consist of many other types of magic effect, such as Mentalism, Illusions, Comedy Magic and Manipulation.
And if that weren't enough, there are also the ...
Allied Arts	"Allied Arts" is a collective name used mainly by magicians for all sorts of other activities that are loosely connected to the art of magic. These include, for example: Clowning, Dice Stacking, Face Painting, Juggling, Mime, Puppetry and Ventriloquism.

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