Sleight Exposure Technique

This is an idea from Sam “Stuck In the Middle With You by Stealers” Wheeler.

He wrote me about it after my Beta Test Performance Style post last year. He offered it up as another “ego saving” performance style. It’s another way to take the pressure off when you perform. This is for when you have a sleight-of-hand-based routine that you’re not 100% comfortable with yet.

Here it is, in his words:

I read your post today about The Beta Test Performance Style. 

I like the concept a lot. As someone who struggles with feeling guilty about performing I can see this being very useful, I can put that guilt onto someone else! 

I wanted to share another ego saving performance style I've played with for a couple of years. 

Essentially its for use when you are a little afraid about using a new technique or move. For example, I've always felt a little afraid of the palm, the fear of getting caught holding out a card. So I never used the palm. I came up with this performance style specifically to start using the palm, with the eventual goal of not being afraid of using it any more! 

I have a couple of variations on how I introduce this, but at some point, you say "do you want to see what sleight of hand actually looks like?" 

You build up an expectation that they are going to actually see what the sleight of hand looks like... And then you perform the trick. 

The benefit now is that if they do catch the palm they will believe that you intended to show it to them, so your ego is safe, and now you can have a conversation about sleight of hand and that move in particular. 

If they don't catch the palm, you then have a bit of a punch line of "well that's what sleight of hand looks like". 

Of course since I started using this, I relaxed significantly, and nobody seemed to catch the palm. 

I trust that they are being honest, because they all believe I am going to expose the move, so wouldn't need to protect my ego by lying, and all generally say something like "well where was the sleight of hand?", or "I didn't see the sleight of hand". 

I grew to like this performance style so much that I've been using it permanently as how I perform the homing card: 

I start the performance by honestly explaining that I find some methods in magic scary to do. There's one move in particular that's always terrified me, and explain that I'm trying to face my fear and start using it. (I really like that this is honestly letting them into some truth about me) 

Then I do the "do you want to see what this move actually looks like? You'll get to see real sleight of hand, and know what sleight of hand actually looks like..." gambit. 

Going into the effect, the palm happens at a bit of an unexpected time which I think helps. 

After the first phase I know I am going to repeat even more cleanly... So if they caught the move I'll offer to do it again but how it normally looks without exposing the move. If they didn't catch the palm I'll just offer to do it again. 

I think that’s a really solid idea. It’s rare for me to do a trick with a sleight that I’m not comfortable with. (But that’s only because I don’t push myself too much sleight-wise. Not because I’m some sleight-of-hand master.) So I haven’t had the need to use it myself, but I can definitely see the value in it, not only to release the pressure a bit on yourself, but also to intrigue the spectator somewhat regarding what they will (or won’t) end up seeing.

Thanks, Sam.