I think the difference is who and what is in the spotlight... The first magic forum I joined was 3c - cool people fun to hang with, but not much really happening in the way of magic. (You guys think I am a strange duck, here. I really stuck out there!) LOL
With XCM the extreme flourishes are the whole point and can get way involved kinda like a contortionist. They'd tuck cards behind their ears if they could! I really like some of the flourishes I saw when I hung out with them and I saw some them as a flash way to add class to a card trick, as long as it is quick and simple, something elegant and understated. LOL
On the other hand if you go way overboard with it, you are going to start inviting some heat, as the audience starts suspecting every little move you make because you made it so OBVIOUS how good you are at juggling the cards. I don't think you want to become too slippery with the cards - because it will be viewed as something akin to 'cheating'. They certainly won't want to 'play' with you, as they know they have no chance of keeping up. To me it is kind of like demonstrating you have a black belt and then inviting them into the ring! XCM is certainly more of a solo sport, where I think good magic encourages audience participation.
Also I suspect there is something in the blood of a XCM fanatic much like there is for Magic and Magi, that just makes you love it so much. I would sit there and listen to them argue technicalities between two different moves - and as a layman I could NOT tell the difference nor did I care too. It has been brought up before but bears repeating whether you are doing XCM or Magic you can't forget the point is to entertain your audience rather then a test of skill. Skill alone is not entertaining... In fact it is really boring.
-misj-
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