I feel as a performer, it is MY job to control the audience. If they want to think it’s up the sleeve, let them, who cares? [/quote]

This is audience control??
[/quote]

What can I say? It works for me. What I really mean is that I have to concentrate on the things that I can control. It's never a good idea to get into an argument with a heckler.

I don't know? I don't think there is really any right or wrong answer. I guess it's up to each individual performer.

Let me chime in here. I'm a part time pro and perform in restaurants, weddings ,black tie affairs, casual parties, and kid shows. I ALWAYS roll up my sleeves (shirt sleeves rolled very neatly over jacket sleeve). I actually like the look. It sets me apart from everyone else at the event.

As far as controlling the audience...that is EXACTLY why I choose to roll my sleeves. From the very start I'm eliminating one possible hiding place for objects. It has been said for centuries by laymen "its up your sleeve". In my opinion, why have them draw that conclusion even when you don't use this technique. I'm in total control, and perform with confidence... it is my show and I decide what direction we go in.

I studied and performed sleeving moves for a while and decided it was more magical to perform with my sleeves rolled up. Well I should say, I let the audience decide for me when I frequently hear things like, "that's incredible! and your sleeves are rolled up too!". I'm currently performing a 3 silver dollar and production and vanish with my sleeves rolled up and no ditching...I'm holding out the entire time. I believe this routine is stronger with the sleeves rolled up. Something that looks this magical will lead the audience to the most obvious solution...if you have sleeves. My choice is to eliminate this possibility.

This choice has also limited me in some very cool productions and vanishes...but I know it works for ME. My advice is to try it both ways and find what works for you. Don't let anyone tell you which way is best.

Rich B.

Ah, but rolling up your sleeves is like flower. It's a superb ingredient, but not all recipes call for it.

Never really thought about it much. I tend to keep the suit coat on and sleaves down for main act. Take off suit coat and roll up sleaves for escape part of act. Easer to move arround for the physical part and keeps my suit from ware and tare. Oh ya and it keep the suit dry when jumping into the public pool for hand cuff escape I wouldn't look at anyone rolling up sleaves as a sign of weakness thou. Everyone has his or her style/taste. Personally I hate balloon animals but that goes back to early days and the distinction between a clown and a Magician.
John

Does anyone here wear short-sleeved dress shirts? Like the kind not ment to be tucked it? I do...it's black with many touches of turquoise and green blended in.

Looks nice.
Steve

Hey I've just got to say I roll up my sleeves if I do manipulations but for others I just leave them down I do it to prove nothing goes up my sleeves or comes out of them. Lance Burton does that as well. it cant be that bad if lance does it, can it.

Sam

I often times wear short sleeve dress shirts, if I wear long sleeves I roll them up, because I'm a juggler, so I'm more comfortable when I'm naked from my elbows down.

I don't see how rolled up sleeves could ever be interpreted as a sign of weakness. Perhaps this is a case of over thinking the significance of an action.

From reading the posts I gather the thinking is that proving something before you get down to work will automatically raise suspicion in the audience. The don't run if you're not being chased school of thinking.

But surely when it comes to sleight of hand even the least sophisticated audience will chase you at least as far as "it's up your sleeve".

Every action you perform raises suspicion, not rolling up your sleeves is an action and is I think at least as likely to raise eyebrows, but that's just my opinion.

It's like saying that ribbon spreading the cards is a sign of weakness because you're proving the cards are all different and shuffled. Does that automatically make the spectators watch for a deck switch? Or do they just accept that a magian is likely to ribbon spread cards and show that it's a well mixed regular deck? Wouldn't not showing the faces of the cards be more suspicious?

Rolling up sleeves is I think even less suspicious. The number of reasons why a magician might choose to roll up his sleeves are legion. Perhaps it's for comfort. I'm sitting here right now with rolled up sleeves, I just like it. Perhaps he thinks it looks good, perhaps he want's to convey a less formal appearance, on par with opening the top button of his shirt and loosening his tie.

And perhaps, just perhaps it's to prove there's nothing up the sleeves. This could be part of the act.

Justin's point seems to be that if you think about why you roll up your sleeves and have a reason for it then it's good, but if you just do it to prove a point then it's bad. I'm afraid that reasoning is too subtle for me. Surely wanting to prove a point suggests the magician thought about it and came up with a reason to do it.

If I do the first phase of a routine with my sleeves rolled down, and then when I offer to do it again, I take off my jacket and roll up my sleeves without calling attention to what I'm doing, is that good sleeve rolling or bad?

One of my earlist positive experiences of performing magic was standing in a bar, surrounded, making a red silk vanish. I did it without speaking, and when I opened my hand I heard various oohs and aahs and clapping, and I heard one person say "that's the most amazing thing I've ever seen".

I happened to be wearing a t-shirt, and I know that the lack of sleeves contributed to the response. If I were to perform that trick right now wearing long sleeves, the first thing I'd do is roll them up.

If there is a weakness in rolling up the sleeves it might be in how it's presented, and perhaps this is what Justin was getting at.

Even if the goal is to prove a point, the presentation doesn't have to suggest that. I would roll up my sleeves in a casual way, I wouldn't draw attention to it. Magic is at it's best when you destroy the theories that the audience has without making it look like that's what you are doing. You don't want the performance to be a battle of wits or a challenge.

All of this is just opinion of course. Isn't everything?

Thanks Marker, nicely put.

For me I don't care either way. It does how ever depend on where Im at because Im sporting a full sleeve on one arm. depending on who Im around will depend on if my sleeves are up or not

I almost always roll my sleeves up....for me it is a matter of comfort. If I am not comfortable then the magic and myself suffer.

Dorian