Top 5 Bar Mitzvah Entertainment Ideas
As a magician for parties, I often have the pleasure of performing at bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs. I love when guests are so excited the family invited a magician and I can blow them away. In performing at many bar/bat mitzvahs I’ve found a few key entertainment ideas that take the night to the next level.
Here are the Top 5 Bar Mitzvah Entertainment Ideas
1. Dance Heroes
The DJ is playing, the lights are flashing and… no one is on the dance floor. It can be awkward for anyone to be the first one out dancing but dance heroes get the party started and moving. Dance heroes are professional dancers whose job it is to engage your guests in a fun way on the dance floor. They often lead dances toward the beginning of the night and will pass out glowsticks and party supplies while dancing. If you go through the effort to have the event space and music it can really be worth it to have dance heroes to make sure everyone has a great night. I’ve noticed that after the first half hour or so they have engaged enough people that the guests start bringing others to the floor the effect is exponential.
2. Kid’s Trivia
Especially if you’re having a separate Cocktail Hour for adults and a Fun Hour for kids a trivia master is a great idea. I’d never heard of doing roaming trivia at a party before I worked with “Quizzard,” Patrick Davis, in the past and was so impressed. Patrick is a magician too and a great trivia master. The trivia master asks kids questions on all kinds of topics and for mitzvahs can customize the questions to the bar/bat mitzvah kid’s interests like baseball, musicals, or travel. If they get answers right they win a gift card or coupon which you can imagine thirteen year old’s go crazy for.
3. Cocktail Hour Musician
While the kids are quizzed on the trivia and the adults are in their own cocktail hour you might want to have a pianist or jazz trio. Why not just play recorded music? You can, it won’t go noticed, but having live music will be noticed. If you want people to talk about your party its all in the cumulative experience and part of that is music. I’ve worked at some bar/ bat mitzvahs in the past that had a piano player who played jazz during cocktail hour and Elton John/Billy Joel after dinner and was a hit. You never know what detail of your party might connect with a guest!
4. Emcee
After working in the event industry, I can say this is an absolute must. Not only do you need an emcee for your mitzvah but you want a great one. The emcee acts as the host of the reception introducing the guests of honor, bringing the room together for the quieter moments of speeches and ceremonies, and leading the dance party afterwards. The emcee is vital to leading your guests through the experiences that you’ve planned and worked hard for; they make sure everyone is included and that everyone is excited and welcomed. A great emcee is one of the best decisions you can make when hosting bar mitzvah entertainment.
5. Magician/Mentalist
There’s often a call I get after performing at a bar/ bat mitzvah. Sometimes it comes the next day, other times a week later. But when it comes I know I did my job. It’s a call from the family saying how many people they’ve heard from about the magician and that it was their favorite part of the night. When I’m performing at a bar mitzvah I’m often a surprise. After introducing myself to guests I create experiences that are meant to remembered. Borrowed rings disappear (and reappear!), money changes at the tips of my fingers and minds are read. I always bring a special piece of magic for the bat or bar mitzvah kid that they can keep as a reminder of the night. One thing I’ve found to be very important is to engage with the guests who stay at their tables during the dancing. Often they’re older, but not always, and want to feel included and thought of as much as everyone else. I spend time with them in small groups, learning their name, performing for sleight of hand magic for them. It’s an incredibly personal form of entertainment at a bar mitzvah.
Alexander Boyce is a award winning magician who has performed at bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs in New York City, Brooklyn, Long Island, New Jersey, Connecticut, and all over the United States.