Project 365 (55/365): Jay Sankey's Electric Currency

.:55/365: Jay Sankey’s Electric Currency:.

I won’t include a picture this time, because you’ve probably seen Jay Sankey’s mug more than enough times in one month thanks to this Project 365, and I guarantee you, this probably won’t be the last time I’ll mention the man on this month, since his “Firestarters” DVD really is one of the few titles out there that gets to the very heart of this month’s theme.

Now, Electric Currency is a psychokinetic routine, and I must tell you that I’m a big fan of PK routines, simply because they never fail to attract people’s attentions. I don’t even mind having naysayers show up. Having one of them makes for a spicier show as you knowingly smirk at them as they try to reverse the effects of your demonstration with great futility. They’ll keep mouthing off various explanations to “debunk” you, but the only people he’s convincing is himself. Let him. It makes you look classier by just smiling it off.

Having said that, what I don’t really highlight about any given PK routine is the opportunity for you to really be in close contact with your volunteer, and if you’re savvy about it, this gives you a chance to really gel with the person in question. You can engage them in small talk, or really make them feel that you’re large and in charge, or outright poke fun at the fact that you’re probably holding her hand and she’s not the least bit put off by it.

PK is a very good conversation starter, and it doesn’t really matter if you are performing for a believer or an outright skeptic. Use the rapport as an opportunity to pick the other person’s brain, and to impress her with yours. If you look even halfway decent (Hades, some not-attractive-at-all people have met better results, so looks should hardly be an excuse.), mastery of the ability to establish rapport with a volunteer in a given one-on-oneish situation should really give you a leg up on catching her attention.

Is this tried and tested? I must say it is. By establishing a novelty in magic, you generate immediate interest, whether good or bad. By demonstrating your capacity to hold an intelligent conversation, you also demonstrate that there’s more to look forward to once the novelty has worn itself out. That’s a sound way to go about things, I have to say.

Well, if you want to know what happens in Sankey’s version, go buy his DVD. This may not be his best output, but it’s very useful, to say the least, and the fact that he’s not trying too hard to make you laugh in “Firestarters” is a huge plus for me. He annoys me when he tries to be funny, to be honest.