When I first joined a magic society at the age of 16, I was the youngest member by probably a decade. I got the feeling that some older members didn’t take me seriously and it was quite some time before I was accepted.

Twenty three years on, things have changed a lot, with many societies even having junior sections to allow younger enthusiasts to learn their craft in a nurturing environment.

I’m sure messrs Blaine and Dynamo are at least partly to thank for this, as indeed is YouTube and the like, but don’t think for a second that all these youngsters are merely hangers-on. In many cases they are making impressive contributions to the art of magic and it’s refreshing to see magic created from a different perspective.

A couple of weeks ago I was presenting my lecture to a society where at least a third of the members were teenagers. I hoped they would enjoy the effects I was going to present, but feared they’d find my thoughts on finesse and theory uninteresting. Much to my delight, not only did they understand the points I was making, they also contributed to the discussion and asked several interesting questions that showed a real understanding of the subject matter. If these young people are anything to judge by, the future of magic is in safe hands.
 
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