this is a picture of doc andrews on the pitch in new orleans in jackson square.
this is copy and pasted from the buskers cafe i thought it was so good i'd put it here.
this is what dwayne andrews said. i call it the doc andrews perscription;
"The price you will pay is putting away some of your misbeliefs. and sacrificing a little ego on the alter to the quest of knowlegde
How to know a good teacher from a bad one when you are new to Magic.
First, you do the looking, find those you respect and enjoy; or just want to be better than. If you dont want formal training like the Chavez School of Clones, then watch from a distance-PAY ATTENTION- to everything they do. The best way to become successful is to find successful persons and emulate them. You can probably figure out why they do what they do after some amount of study then remove the negative habits and pecularities you dont want to have stick with you and you will become better. Next if you are considering actually studying with someone, Think About This--How do they treat you personally, If he treats you poorly he is thinking more of his own ego and not the student, or the Profession. These people will constantly seek others to spew their misbeliefs apon.
Second listen to your gut instinct, and dont turn off your brain just because someone may know more than you or has a known name. A real Mentor will look at all questions with a realistic approach, because he realizes he has a lot to learn or relearn from his own answers, not just turn them down out of hand. It sometimes codifys our own rational to ask a question from a different angle than our norm.
Next before considering anyone for this most estemed position think to yourself; is this who I would like to become: Because a student will follow in the masters footsteps.
When you do find someone you RESPECT pay attention to their personality and habits as well as their magic - there is a lot to learn from simple oberservation- this is the other gift a real mentor has to offer. Not just about your double lift but about approach, personality, and motivation and a myriad of things he may never think to explain. Each of these conspire to create the whole performer. Maybe this is why the other magician asked you to watch his act. He could have known you two werent a good fit or wanted you to be able to decide for yourself ( I am giving him the benifit of the doubt here ).
Also if you wouldnt want to have a late dinner with someone, dont look to them as a role model. because you will end up spending a great amount of time together.
We differ from Magicians in that we focus on the actual entertainment of the people in front of us. Not just the latest slieght on some website. This is a very important point here, and the main reason we dislike other "MAGICIANS" but seem to get along well together. We are focused on being ENTERTAINERS, This is a major difference. I dont know about you, but I feel a passion I dont experience anywhere else, when I step on stage and know the audience is paying ( or will pay ) good money to watch me perform. And by God I had better do it right. At this point I am not just playing the part of a magician I AM THE MAGICIAN.
Zig Ziggler told me, if you will help other people get what they need, They will help you get what you need. When our esteemed peers notice us contributing to the Artform they love, and see us trying to make a better Act, or create a more magical persona or environment by helping others, they will step in at that point to do what they can for you.
You may learn from them in an instant or in years. It depends how much you need to really learn from that person.
And remember, I could be totally mistaken.
I hope this adds in some way to the discussion "
Oscar Wilde said, " We are all lying in the gutter but some of us are looking to the stars."
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Dwayne Andrew
Professional Entertainer
