The William W. Larsen Memorial Library

Leading With Your Head

Author/Editor: Kurtz, Gary

Introduction
Further Intentions
Direction
Misdirection

Your Physical Instrument
Corporal Space and Staging
Physical Movements – Basic Strengths and Weaknesses
Corporal Staging – Framing for the Effect
Visual Noise
The Open Position

Psych-Physical Techniques
Active and Relaxed States
The Off-Beat – Blindspot in the Audience’s Perception
Creating the Off-Beat
Regaining Attention
Coordination of Actions – Casting the Shadow
The Priority of Actions – Defining Primary and Secondary Actions
Economy of Motion – Streamlining What the Audience Sees

Focal Interactional Techniques
Focus – The Eyes
Focal-Interactional Misdirection
The Eyes-The Voice
Focusing on the Effect
The Yo-Yo Dilemma
Focusing on the Essential Elements
Focusing on “Casting the Spell”
Focusing on Audience Reatioins
Focus – Your Audience and You – The Eyes That Bind

Purely Psychological Techniques
Openness
Spectator Affirmation
The Nod Technique
Affirmation = Involvement
Affirmation and Memory
Affirmation and the Distortion of Memory
The Nod Technique and Psychological Manipulation

Assorted Essays
Preparing Material for Performance
Perfectly Visual vs. Implied Effects
Involving the Spectator’s Imaginations
Audience Participation (Interaction vs. Demonstration)
On Creating Presentations
The Magician/Actor (Our Belief Leads to the Audience’s Belief)
Naturalness
The “Complete” Performer
Final Words