Have you ever watched a TV magic special and wondered, “How is that possible?” have you ever been curious as to how the top magicians accomplish some of their most extraordinary feats?

Soon you won’t be wondering; you’ll be trying them out for yourself!

Let’s start with one of the oldest tricks in the book, but one of the best and most vividly compelling - levitation!

Levitation

Since you’re interested in magic and illusion I’m going to bet you’ve heard of levitation before. Perhaps you’ve even seen a magician perform this incredible trick and wondered, “How the heck is he doing that?!” Well, hold onto your hat, because you’re about to learn how.

First off, what is levitation? We all know what it looks like - the act of floating off or above the ground. It’s sort of like flying. All the great magicians try to perfect this trick because it’s one of the most simply visually arresting illusions in existence. And it’s actually not that hard to do….

We practical magicians know that there is some trickery involved in levitation as a performance. However, there are those who believe in the real phenomenon of levitation as a form of psychokinesis, or the ability to move objects just with the power of the mind. The only people said to be able to perform levitation in reality are the spiritual elite, or those possessed by spiritual forces, like shamans, people in trances, or those possessed by a devil.

Now I don’t know anyone who’s actually seen a REAL levitation outside a magic performance, so take this for what you will….

I mean, you can sit on the floor and meditate and wait to “lift off,” but unless you’re really in possession of some special supernatural forces I don’t think you’re going to have too much luck!

What I am here to show you is how to perform the trick of levitation, to give your audience the impression that you are floating, or else causing some other object to float.

Levitation as a magic illusion has recently been practiced in the public sphere by such magic superstars as David Blaine and David Copperfield. Copperfield even performed a spectacular stunt in which he appeared to float over the Grand Canyon!!

All smoke and mirrors? TV special effects? Not exactly…

This article was extracted from the book ‘Discover The Magic Trick Secrets You’re Not Supposed To Know’. To find out more please visit www.DiscoverMagicTricks .com

About the author:

Chris Lloyd is the author of ‘Discover The Magic Trick Secrets You’re Not Supposed To Know’. For more details visit www.DiscoverMagicTricks .com

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For a lot of people the last time they wanted a magician at their party was when they were 8 years old but magicians don t just work for children. Adults have always been a great audience for magic because they have defined critical thinking. They know it isn t real magic but if the performer does his job right he can bring about the childlike state of wonder in an adult. A good magician can bring you right back to experience the fuzzy feeling you had as a kid when your grandfather pulled a coin out of your ear.

There are 3 types of magic that are most often hired for events where adults are in the majority.

Close-up magic (the most popular choice for people hiring magicians)

Cabaret shows

Drawing room shows

Close-up magic is often seen at cocktail parties where the magician mingles amongst the guests performing miracles with borrowed objects and simple objects he has on him. He works without a table and uses people hands when he needs to. This is an excellent choice if all the guests will be standing with drinks and eating finger food.

Another type of close-up magic that is closely related to strolling magic is table magic. Table magic is performed between the courses at dinners, wedding breakfasts, balls and banquets. You are more likely to see a short (between 3 8 minutes) mini cabaret act that has a structured feel to it. The magician may use the table but it will be as unobtrusive as possible because at banquets there is a premium on table real estate.

Close-up magicians are being hired more and more for Trade Shows to draw people to the stand with customised magic presentations. Presentations are designed to showcase the features and benefits of the stand they are representing but with amazing magic and not just dry sales pitches.

Cabaret Shows are a great way for a lot for people to see some great magic in a relatively short space of time. Often a close-up magician who has performed strolling/table magic before hand will also do a 20 minute cabaret act after dinner.

There are many different styles of cabaret magician - comedy, traditional manipulation act to music, mind reading etc. The type of event you are organizing will dictate the type of cabaret magician you will require. If you would like lots of audience participation and laughter go for a comedy magician, if there will be lots of non-English speakers present then go for a visual act like the manipulator and if it is a very business orientated environed maybe a mind reader would be more suited.

You also see cabaret magicians at comedy clubs, cruise ships and also occasionally at motivational events where the magic is combined with a motivational speech.

Drawing room shows were almost a dead art for nearly a 100 years. They were immensely popular with the Victorians where the gentry would all gather to watch a conjurer perform magic. In recent years it is coming back into fashion at private parties where a magician may perform after dinner for 30 minutes or so. This is a taste of days gone by and is close enough for apparently no shenanigans to be going on yet far enough away to use larger effects for everyone to see. This kind of show is most related to a cabaret show but the effects are smaller and it is more interactive as the audience in only a few feet away.

When choosing a professional magician it is important to choose wisely as in any industry there are cowboys .

Questions you may like to ask any prospective performer you are engaging are…

How long have you been a professional?

Some magicians may seem great on paper but as all know paper doesn t refuse ink. Experience is the key in this industry so make sure they have cut their teeth.

Can I see you perform?

The answer depends on the type of performer you are considering engaging. If it s a cabaret magician he may well work at comedy clubs where you can go and see him perform and close-up magicians often work at hotels, restaurants and bars as the resident entertainer several times a week. If it s open to the public then go and see them work. However if the performer works mainly at corporate events, weddings and/or trade shows you may find it impossible to see him work live as these are closed events.

Have you got a brochure/video I can see?

Most professional performers will have promotional kits including photographs, video and brochure. A good promo kit doesn t mean they are a good magician, it may just mean they know somebody who works at a printing press. A cheap and tatty looking promo kit doesn t definitely mean the performer is bad, but it does show a lack of professionalism and that is a warning sign. In this day and age some performers have no hard copy for promotional use as it dates so quickly so there website acts as the brochure. If the website looks like it was made from cut outs of magazines then they are not interested in making a good first impression. Would you trust somebody who didn t make a good first impression at your event?

Does the price include VAT and any other charges?

When in negotiations don t forget to clarify if there as any other expense other than fee quoted.

What magic tricks do you do?

You should be able to gain a good idea of the style of the magician from any online or hardcopy brochure but if you want to know what kind of effects he/she performs go ahead and ask!

Are you a member of any magic societies or performer bodies?

Many magicians will be members of different magic clubs around the world. In the UK the most prestigious is the The Magic Circle where there are only 1500 hundred members world wide and you have to perform in front of experienced peers to gain membership. Again in the UK you will find many magicians are members of Equity the performs union which is another sign of their professionalism.

Have you got any referees I could phone?

This may seem like a reasonable question but a lot of magician s work mainly in the corporate area and are not permitted to pass out the contact details of their bookers. You should be able to see testimonials and letters from clients on the websites/brochures. Of course the best way is personal recommendation; ask friends if they have ever hired a magician.

Have you got public liability insurance?

This is crucial. The magician will be in close contact to your guests and maybe borrowing objects from them for effects. You don t want to end up with a magician who isn t covered!

I hope this all helps to give you a better idea of the different types of magic that are available for you to hire for your next event and what to look out for when hiring.

About the Author

I’m a 28 year old full time professional close-up magician in London, UK. I have been a full time magician for 5 years and I work at corporate events, banquets, balls, private parties and weddings performing magic all over the UK. London Table Magician

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What comes in to your mind when you hear the word “magic”? What is magic? What is the ART of magic? According to World Book Online Encyclopedia, “The word magic also refers to entertainment in which the performer does tricks of so-called magic. In such entertainment, neither the magicians nor the audience believes that the performer has supernatural powers.”

On the other hand, Paul Harris who is the author of “The Art of Astonishment” defines magicians as “guides to astonishment”. Thus, magic can be defined as “an application of guided astonishment.” The three main branches of magic are “stage magic”, “parlor magic” and “close-up magic”. Stage magic is any magic that can be done on a stage. Stage magic is used to depict the imagination. On the other hand, there’s also “stand-up” magic. If you’ve ever seen the Amazing Johnathan or Paul Kozak perform, you’ve been witness to stand-up magic.

Magic can be categorized by the motivations and the performance styles, but it does not end there. Here are some of the types of magic according to motivation:

Parlor magic is performed right on the same floor level as the audience, as opposed to a raised stage. Gospel is a special type of parlor magic that is used to demonstrate religious (mostly Christian) concepts. With the replacement of intimate nightclubs by super-mega-nightclubs and comedy clubs, classic parlor magic is rarely seen today. A distinctive branch of magic has developed quite recently, called “close-up”. Close-up magic, like the other styles of magic, has developed its own individual genres. Other types of close-up magic are “table-hopping”, “walk-around” and “street magic”. All these magic happens in the magician’s and/or spectator’s hands. This form of magic has become increasingly popular due to its intimate nature.

After discussing the various ways and motivations of magic, it seems appropriate to talk about the various types of “magic”. Eugene Burger, who co-authored the entitled “Magic and Meaning”, he mentioned the divisions of magic. First, there is the “primary magic” which is the imagination.

Secondary magic, on the other hand, is drawn out of the imagination and into the physical world. These include “ritual” magic and “stage” magic. Ritual magic is directed to enhance some aspect of life. A good example of this is magic performed by an Indian shaman (i.e. the rain dance around a campfire). Unlike stage magic, ritual magic relies on the imagination itself.

Other types of magic are:

Detached magic, which is a form of ritual magic, wherein the symbols used do not have direct significance to the individual invoking the magic. Reflexive or trickster magic uses deception. This differs from reduced deceptive magic as it focuses on reminding and telling audiences its deceptive nature. Such include gambling displays and “sucker tricks.

About the author:

Preston Houer has been involved with the art of illusion and sleight of hand for over 30 years. Let Preston show you how to Have Fun With Magic. Visit His Site Today! http://www.have-fun-with-magic.com

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