Ed Post the tricks that you have performed...

[Kuko 4000]

I think I "practised" levitation for about 5 minutes and then "performed" it to my good friend with excellent results. Since then I've gotten a bit better through "performing" to friends and family, maybe to about 20 different people max, almost always with good success. I similarly "practised" the 2 deck Do As I Do and again with great results. I find tricks like these very inspiring to absolute and total and first time beginners such as myself. They're very easy to learn and "perform", and many times the effect is excellent.

I too would appreciate any pointers for tricks such as these two.

 

[Peter S.]

I don't think I have ever done a magic trick that got me any, if you know what I mean, but I did do a trick once, just once, that in the right circumstances might have done so. I was doing a stage show at a corporate event and after doing a couple of tricks with a newspaper I took one sheet, rolled it up in a ball, poked a hole on it, and as I opened the paper up 10 live butterflies flew out.

There is also this, which I stole from George Hrab, (with his permission).

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I AGREE

Here's me and my son performing an antique illusion, which has since been refurbished.

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I AGREE

I'm still working on this one:
http://www.petersosna.com/phone1.mpg

 

[Bob Klase]

Good videos. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Senex]

I don't think I have ever done a magic trick that got me any, if you know what I mean, but I did do a trick once, just once, that in the right circumstances might have done so. I was doing a stage show at a corporate event and after doing a couple of tricks with a newspaper I took one sheet, rolled it up in a ball, poked a hole on it, and as I opened the paper up 10 live butterflies flew out.

hehehe...how much do 10 butterflies cost

I enjoyed watching your videos. Your son and dog were particularly outstanding!

The phone call trick was great. If the technology is available to edit part of the dialogue just before going on stage would be even better. If your future self could say, "Hmmm, which performance? Is this the performance where those two young women were in the first row wearing those green shirts were at?" That would be killer.

 

[Senex]

I think I "practised" levitation for about 5 minutes and then "performed" it to my good friend with excellent results. Since then I've gotten a bit better through "performing" to friends and family, maybe to about 20 different people max, almost always with good success. I similarly "practised" the 2 deck Do As I Do and again with great results. I find tricks like these very inspiring to absolute and total and first time beginners such as myself. They're very easy to learn and "perform", and many times the effect is excellent.

I too would appreciate any pointers for tricks such as these two.

I can't give you pointers but i don't agree that the Balducci is a stand alone trick. I think it only impresses if you have your audience already believing you are impressive.

Want to impress with magic? Buy a thumb tip.

 

[Peter S.]

hehehe...how much do 10 butterflies cost

...

Quite a lot, which is why I only did the trick once. The butterflies were provided by the company that hired me for the event. I got to keep the wooden box they came in which is quite nice.

 

[Cain]

There is also this, which I stole from George Hrab, (with his permission).

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I AGREE

You know what your future self should tell your present self? "Say hello to the princesses."

 

[siddhigyrl]

Randi's trick at CFI world Congress April 2009

Well, finally drove my BF over the edge, as he's one of those types who believes Randi really has psychic abilities. *sighs and shakes head*

Randi did his thing where he has a person pick a word off a page and "concentrate on it" and he's able to write it out, albeit upside down.

Several examples of him doing it on youtube, just type "James Randi mentalist."

Anyway, figured it out that evening, tried it on BF and both kids. Hit it each time! BF thought since I told him beforehand how I did it, he could trick me. No can do. Got it right, now he thinks I'm psychic (not really).

My first magic trick! Yay! (or mentalist or whatever)

 

[MikeSun5]

I think I "practised" levitation for about 5 minutes and then "performed" it to my good friend with excellent results. Since then I've gotten a bit better through "performing" to friends and family, maybe to about 20 different people max, almost always with good success. I similarly "practised" the 2 deck Do As I Do and again with great results. I find tricks like these very inspiring to absolute and total and first time beginners such as myself. They're very easy to learn and "perform", and many times the effect is excellent.

I too would appreciate any pointers for tricks such as these two.

A way to really ramp up a Balducci levitation is to do a King's Rising one before (or after) it. If you can get away with the KR levitation, anyone seeing you levitate from a completely different angle really gets a good reaction.
Also, if you want some easy mentalism routines with strong effects, I recommend some of Alain Nu's stuff. "Hardcore Mentalism" in particular. A few of those routines are great for beginners: not hard to master, but providing some good effects.

 

[Senex]

A way to really ramp up a Balducci levitation is to do a King's Rising one before (or after) it. If you can get away with the KR levitation, anyone seeing you levitate from a completely different angle really gets a good reaction.
Also, if you want some easy mentalism routines with strong effects, I recommend some of Alain Nu's stuff. "Hardcore Mentalism" in particular. A few of those routines are great for beginners: not hard to master, but providing some good effects.

In my opinion, and my opinion is of someone who was a hack twenty years ago so take it for what it is worth, is you don't do two levitation performances the same evening. These are both clever levitations but both are just to be performed at a party for friends. You can't pull either off at a club in front of an paying audience. You might pull both off in front of the same friendly informal crowd on seperate days.

There is an even more impressive levitation trick you could do that Chris Angel sells where you can rise between one and two and a half feet to a step/small retaining wall. It's a seperate method than the previous two methods. I would recommend purchasing that if you want to do the King's Rising because you can be the levitation guy to your friends.

However, if you can pull these off you will not be satisfied because you can't get away with doing it multiple times for the same audience. You will need the mentalism books recommended. You will be smitten because your friends ask you to do more.