Connecting with Clips

Connecting with Clips
By Jeff Stone

Those who read my blog know that I spend one night per week with one of my children. This week, it was Michael’s turn, my 11 year old son. He wanted to learn a magic trick – I let them pick the agenda for the night. So I decided to teach him a trick that fooled me as a kid about his age . . . the vanishing paperclip. Choose your own method; the point here isn’t about method. It’s about connection. In this case, connection with my Son. However, the lesson goes further.

As I taught him and coached him on how to do this effect, I watched him grow in just a 30 minute period from an awkward boy trying to hold on to a paper clip to a smooth performer who fooled my wife by making a paper clip disappear. It was a proud moment on many levels, as a father, as a magician, as a teacher, and more. It was a great bonding experience for both of us.

Aside from the bonding, something else magical happened. During that 30 minute period, we addressed the following principles in magic:

• Timing/Rhythm
• Misdirection/Attention Focus
• Patter/Presentation
• Naturalness of action
• Practice

There were other things, but those were definitely the highlights. Here’s the kicker, though. By the time I finished teaching him how to do it, the simple “trick” of vanishing a paperclip became a very poetic and beautiful effect. Just helping my son fine-tune his presentation, helped me improve/create a good solid piece of mini-theater.

So my point? I mostly wanted to just share with you a magical experience with my son. However, if you insist on leaving with a lesson, then leave with this . . . teaching others is often the best way to learn something.

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