Is Cardistry just "Showing Off"?

[spades1167]

i feel that it could be used as showing off but to me its sort of a hobby something thats fun to do. I think theres little to none flourishers that do it to show off

 

[eostresh]

I know it has already been said but just to add my 2cents...Sure it is showing off! What's wrong with that? People have been showing off with cards for a long long time. Houdini doing spread fans up his arms, Ricky Jay finding an excuse to put a one handed shuffle in a gambling routine, and Manipulation...that is a well respected and long standing tradition in card magic and it is all basically just showing off. Indeed I'm not sure if their really is a need to distinguish classic manipulation flourishing from modern "Cardistry" or "XCM." One just seems like an extension, or evolution if you will, of the other. Personally I think the two, when blended together, can be quite beautiful to watch. I'm sure many of you have seen a few "reviewXCM" vids on youtube. What strikes me is how many classic flourishing moves they use in their videos. Spread fans on the arm, one handed faros, giant fans, spring flourishes...heck over half of their repertoire I have seen performed by one of the Jeffs(Sheridan or McBride). I won't jump into the Artvs. no Art debate as it seems a very opinionated and not fundamentally interesting to me but I will happily agree that is is just showing off and I'll defend the proper use of it in card magic. Indeed, though theoriginal poster claimed that he only shows his flourishing to other flourishers I'll state from experience that I (a mediocre flourisher at best) have performed flourishes in routines and I generally get ooows and awwws from laymen. Flourishes don't belong in every card effect but they blend well with certain effects. Keep Showing off guys!