Course Five: Spectrum, Part 1 241
Rays: Two performers do the same trick. They seem-
ingly have the same skills, yet one baffles the audi-
ence while the other amazes no one. Why is this? One
possible reason could be what the famous teacher of
actors, Konstantine Stanislovski, called rays. By this
he meant that the performer had to really believe in
what he or she was doing. When performers do this
they project “rays,” which causes the audience to
believe in what is being done. Of course, as a magi-
cian, you know you aren’t really making that coin dis-
appear. But if you really imagine what it would be like
if you could make that coin disappear, you can project
those rays and the audience will believe.Magick Store: If you live in or near a large city, I
would recommend a trip to a magick supply store.
Check out what they have to offer, and talk to the folks
there. Have an idea in mind of the kind of rituals you
want to do before you go in, and don’t even think of
getting anything that doesn’t advance your purposes.
You are not simply trying to perform tricks, but to
create special effects that will enhance your rituals
and workings. Later, if just entertaining with tricks
seems interesting, you can come back for those.Lesson 6: Glossary of Conjuring
Terms
Magick: Anything that appears impossible or miracu-
lous to the observer, especially the simulation of
the miraculous or paranormal by secretive yet physi-
cally normal means.
Conjuring: The art of creating magickal effects and
illusions. (The same word is also used for invoking
or summoning spirits, which is quite different!)
Bizarre magik: A magickal performance with the em-
phasis on storytelling and entertaining rather than just
fooling the audience. Theatrical elements are added
to make the entire journey a magical experience.
Legerdemain (LEJ-er-di-MANE, “light of hand”):
Performance magic, or conjuration.
Prestidigitation (PRES-te-dij-i-TAY-shun, “quick fin-
gers”): Sleight-of-hand, involving manual dexter-
ity, often without apparatus or gimmicks.
Mentalism: The imitation of psychic, ESP, and paranormal
phenomena through normal but secretive methods.
Patter: The speech used by a conjurer to accompany
his performance.
Routine: A set series of moves or effects done as a unit.
Work: Doing the actual physical actions that result in
the magical effect. This could be anything from
pushing a button on a box to a particular sleight.
Effect: What the audience sees.
Illusion: An effect in which appearances are contrary
to the reality. This term is usually applied to large
stage tricks, or “Grand Illusions,” such as
vanishings of people or big animals.Levitations: Illusions that apparently defy gravity, in
which a person or object appears suspended in
midair with no visible support.
Production: Making things appear seemingly out of
nowhere.
Arcanum (ar-KAY-num): The Secret.
Surreptitiously (SUR-ep-TISH-us-lee): Secretly; in
a way that goes completely unnoticed by your
audience.
Secrete (si-KREET): Hide; conceal; put in a secret
place.
Palm: To hold a small object in your hand in such a
way that, combined with misdirection, your audi-
ence doesn’t realize it’s there. There are various
types of palming, including front palming, back
palming, finger palming, etc.
Switch: A secret substitution, in which one object is
surreptitiously replaced with another.
Sleight: A secretive hand movement used to accom-
plish an effect.
Load: (Verb) To introduce something secretly into a
container before or during a trick in which it is
magically produced. (Noun) Item(s) that are so
produced.
Steal: To get possession of an item secretly.
Misdirection: Directing the audience’s attention away
from where the “work” behind the effect is being
done. On stages this may be done with sound, light
flashes, or people moving or just looking in a dif-
ferent direction. For small audiences this may in-
clude words, looks, or other forms of body language.
Prop: Any object used in a performance that is not
part of the conjurer’s costume.
Wand: A standard conjurer’s wand is 12”-15” long
and about 3/4” in diameter. It is the symbol and
essence of the Wizard’s power.
Apparatus: Specially rigged props for tricks, as op-
posed to ordinary articles.
Gimmick: A small secret device that makes the trick
work.
Servante (ser-VAN-tay): A hidden shelf or suspended
pocket concealed behind a table or chair to receive
items discarded or exchanged.Lesson 7: Conjurations
When starting out in conjuring, don’t try to overdo
the number of illusions you present at any one perfor-
mance. Two, three, or four at most will be plenty. You
will soon learn how many you can do before people
begin to lose interest. Some of the world’s most fa-
mous stage magicians have entertained audiences over
long careers with fewer than half-a-dozen tricks. The
following effects and illusions require the advance
preparation of special trick props and gimmicks. Re-
member: Practice to perfection before showing off!- Spectrum 1.p65 241 1/15/2004, 9:15 AM