Blog

The Art of Performance: CHARISMA AND LIKEABILITY

Published: 16 Jul 2012 by Lenny | Comments: 4

How can I be charismatic and likeable? You’ve heard of the expression, ‘He’s got IT’. IT being the irresistible star quality that attracts everyone’s attention in the room. How can I have everyone’s eyes go towards me when I enter a room or stage? HOW CAN I HAVE IT????  

Well too many magicians believe that the calibre of tricks they perform will determine how enjoyable their performance will be. But guess what...performers can be charismatic and likeable but still deliver a brilliant performance without ever doing a trick. It is in the essence of their character.  

You want the spectators to love YOU more so than your tricks. What we found at EOM is that our magic is really a vehicle for us to have a relationship with our audience. Don’t get me wrong, technical skills are important as well, but it shines so much brighter when your spectators like YOU.

So how do you get IT you ask?
Here are EOM’s TOP 5 ways to boost charisma and likeability:

• Be confident - being confident can be a very attractive quality but be careful, too much of it can come across as arrogant, which leads to the next tip...
• Have a friendly presence - there is no point being almighty and trying to be funny by putting others down to make yourself look good. Trust me, you will only damage your relationship with your audience.
• Be sincere - do not underestimate a natural and honest performance. Your audience will be more likely to embrace you more if you come across as a warm character.
• Go to acting and improv classes - this will expand your range and will allow you to express yourself and touch the audience on many levels
• Design your performances with for your personality in mind - to add to the previous blog, when you are writing and designing your performance, make sure you provide for those moments that allows your personality to shine through so you can connect to the audience on a deeper level.

You will be surprised, audiences like it when you show the vulnerable side of you. Being vulnerable and showing your emotions makes you human, something your audience is more likely to connect to. So include a sensitive and touching piece in your repertoire because these are the performances that will stay with your spectators much longer.  

Identify what is special about you and try to bring that out when you perform. Most of us aren’t born with IT, and it’s ok...your personality doesn’t have to be extraordinary, but you should be likeable and develop material that best suits you.

So remember:

• An audience may prefer a lesser skilled performer to a highly skilled magician, simply because they like the performer better
• The impression you leave on your audience is vitally important to your performance’s success.  

This is my personal take on being more charismatic and likeable. Let me know what you do to be more charismatic and likeable?

Lenny
Encyclopedia of Magic