How to Perform the Balducci Levitation
Amaze someone by gently rising about 4 inches off the ground. This trick is often seen on tv performed by David Blain or that MindFreak guy. Check out how to do it yourself!
A better explanation can be found here complete with graphics. This is why magicians don’t tell. It basicaly ruins the effect. If you want to enjoy sleight of hand magic, enjoy it for it for what it is… entertainment.
It’s best to wear really long pants while doing this to hide the shoes. It’s the performance of it, and secrecy that made this one of the best bits of street Magic in the past few years. It takes mad skillz to perform something like this (properly) and make it believable, but now I’m sure I”m gonna walk into a bar somewhere and there will be some drunk trying to show it to his friends. :/ Gotta love how people like to just ruin something others might enjoy watching for entertainment.
Magic get’s it’s entertainment factor by casting an illusion… then you have the tards on the internet that post the secrets for everyone and all of the sudden people are saying how “lame” it is. Performing magic, especially close-up magic, is an art and takes years of practice, practice and more practice. It’s not only about learning how to perform a trick but actually making the spectators BELIEVE you are doing magic and believing it yourself.
It has a lot to do with your attitude when doing tricks… and it HAS to be fun for both parties. Granted, the Balducci is an old levitation illusion. More impressive is King’s Rising. Much better presentation and effect.
Blaine’s “levitation” on his Street Magic special has been known for years to be a product of editting. He performed the Balducci, they taped the spectator’s reactions then they rigged up a crane and lifted him off the ground, telling the spectators that it was for television.
That’s why the spectators are seen from the back in any shot where he is several feet off the ground. If you want to see a truely talented magician, I suggest you look up Brad Christian. IMHO he puts Blaine and Angel to shame.