Fascination Close-up magic-from the beginning of table magic to big show magicians and famous tricks

There are different shapes and concepts for the performing arts. Some want to encourage thought, provoke others in a targeted manner or point out social grievances. Again, others just want to entertain. In the broadest sense, magic art be one of the entertaining forms.

Close-up magic is often regarded as the premier class of magic .

What is close-up magic?

Close-up magic describes the area of ​​magic that happens immediately before the eyes of the spectators. In contrast to grandi ilusionists like David Copperfield, the demonstrations of close-up artists are more likely to be aimed at a small audience. Close-up Magic is , not surprising, magic tricks that can be carried out up close. This means that they are well suited for a small audience and usually only take a few perspectives into account.

Of course, some of these tricks can be carried out on stage or in a living room, but you can only entertain a few people if you are visiting a friend and family in a restaurant, on the street, in a bar or just a friend.

Obviously there are magic in different categories, card tricks and coin tricks are usually perfect to perform them up close.

Magic for virtual shows is a kind of magic up close in many ways, and there are a lot of thoughts and mentalists among close-up magicians that dominate magic up close.

What are the different types of close-up magic?

Just as every singer has his own style and can give the same song a different turn, close-up magicians have their very individual appearance.

Magicians of the old school may have a more traditional style with longer card tricks and routines with a lot of talking and scripted jokes and rehearsed gags.

In contrast, some magicians and especially thoughts are very serious (e.g. in the style of David Blaine ) and give the guests an impression that real magic is exercised or that thoughts are real and possible.

Others are carefree and funny in their appearance. Munich magician Oliver Henke distinguishes a mix of mentalism and charming entertainment art . As a close-up magician, he mingles with her guests and puts himself in their world of thought. In addition to his extraordinary tricks, he convinces with a stylish appearance and charming entertainment value.

In principle, close-up wizards can be divided the following categories

• • Card magic with dexterity
  • Visual magic with coins
  • Visual, fast "Dynamo" and "David Blaine" magic.
  • Reading thoughts-pin numbers, names, places and everything else you "thought" is revealed.
  • Fork and spoon bend in Uri-Geller style
  • Comedy magic (e.g. with borrowed banknotes)
  • Pockoplation and Watches theft (don't worry - everything "borrowed" is returned)

• Magic with borrowed telephones and borrowed objects

What is the special charm of close-up magic?

It is a very immediate form of magic. It is impressive, astonishing its viewers and is definitely practical because few props are necessary. There are many reasons why this form of magic tricks is so popular at the moment:

• Many tricks pass directly in/in front of the viewer's hands
• You can hear and see the reactions of the viewer immediately
• No expensive props are required
• Close-up Magic can be carried out anywhere, at any time and at any event
• Special lighting or a sound system are not required
• Magicians can practice their tricks at any time and try it out to people
• Most great close-up magic tricks are based on skill, not on large productions

Spanish legend Juan Tamariz & Card tricks as a spectacle

The Spanish magician Juan Tamariz has been a professional magician for 52 years. During this time, he accomplished the unique feat and became a living legend of magic far beyond the national borders.

Maestro by magicians around the world . David Blaine referred to him as "the largest and most influential living card magician" . In his home country of Spain, Tamariz is a more revered icon - less like Blaine or David Copperfield - more like Kermit the frog.

In the United States, the most popular magicians of the late 20th century were stage illusionists such as Doug Henning , David Copperfield , and Siegfried & Roy - who all worked with great productions and huge stage shows. In other words, the variety of magicians that the woman could actually disappear from someone.

This brought them into competition with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas as well as their predecessors in magic; They were creators of spectacle that were attested from afar.

But Tamariz, on the other hand, appeared much more modest on stage and on the screen, armed with little more than his two hands. Instead of relying on carefully constructed devices, he constructed the attention of his audience. introduced the Spanish spectators to the magic style "Close-up" , which is sufficiently close to a conversation and with the involvement of the spectators with ordinary objects.

Tamariz once appeared on American television in an NBC special with the title "The World's Greatest Magic" , as the US reporter Shuja Haider in an article in the New York Times . Until then, he had mostly withdrawn from Spanish television after he had occurred regularly over the course of almost 20 years.

Nevertheless, he was introduced by the host as "the largest close-up magician in the world-perhaps the largest who has ever lived" . He was certainly not the American archetype of a stage magician who produced pigeons from evening wear and frack.

El Cochecito

Tamariz sat at a small casino table and wore a purple cylinder. "Now I'm doing a special trick!" Tamariz shouted. He distributed a card game and demanded: "Shuffle shuffle shuffle" ; He raised the table to show that there was nothing below. The spectators winced in his abrupt volume changes.

The trick he made is called El Cochecito and is one of the trademarks of Tamariz. It shows the audience a toy car - the Cochecito - and you are asked to select a card from a card game. The deck is mixed and spread out on the table.

Tamariz then invites another viewer to push Cochecito over the length of the deck; It finally seems to be stalling and stops in front of a card, with resistance to the viewer's hand.

Tamariz eliminates most of the cards and puts the remaining in a different configuration. But no matter which way it moves back, the Cochecito still seems to stop on the same card. The end, like a perfect rhyming couple, is both unexpectedly and inevitable: it is of course the selected card. Tamariz interrupts the moment of the highlight by stroking an invisible violin and booming a melody as he saws away.

David Blaine makes Tamariz popular in style

Three years later, David Blaine's Special "Street Magic" popularly made the close-up style that Tamariz had introduced on Spanish television. Since then, close-up has proven to be more suitable for online videos and social media as a former fog and the use of Mirrors n.

A cell phone camera can easily absorb a few hands in your frame, and a surprising visual effect ensures that you are easy to divide; "Magic tricks" are now among the main search categories of Tikkok between "everyday life" and "comedy".

In "Fool Us" by Penn & Teller, a TV show in which magicians try to show a trick that the duo does not understand, Tamariz is often mentioned by name. Spanish magicians appear regularly on the show and exceed the hosts with an exceptionally high rate. "When we see and hear someone with a Spanish accent while playing cards ," says Penn Jillette in one episode, "we get to deal with fear."

In an interview, Jillette attributed her success to Tamariz, who "created a whole generation of people in Spain, take magic seriously".

Escuela Mágica de Madrid and magic as an established school of thought

That may be an understatement. In the 1970s, Tamariz decided that magic needed an established school like the French surrealistic movement, and wrote a manifesto . It became the founding document of the Escuela Mágica de Madrid , a collective that is committed to promoting her craft.

Even if the group had made up for an artistic movement, it worked similarly to a research laboratory: the magicians carried out clinical studies, gathered spectators to experience their performances and to ask for feedback, and produced a magazine examined by specialist colleagues, the circular .

Magic is not often one of the fine arts by outsiders, but Tamariz makes strong arguments for the opposite. The fact that he does this while he wears a purple hat, plays air grade and screams from full throat is the kind of paradox, the cultural critic, but not the audience.

And as omnipresent his presence on Spanish television, Tamariz 'work can also be found on the planet on the shelves of every magic shop. Unlike most of the literature in this area, many of his books do not consist of methods for tricks, but explain the aesthetics of magic : the question of how to get someone to experience something that could not have taken place.

In Tamariz 'writings, a card game is a medium to examine human perception . On stage it can fly through the air at any moment.

to see symbolic dimension in all classic effects of magic The most obvious case is the cut and restored rope, in which a rope is cut in half and magically put together again, which stages parable of destruction and resurrection

The same principle applied to an apparently frivolous trick as the Egg Bag , in which an egg disappears and reappears in a black bag. For Tamariz, there could hardly be a more litite manifestation of creating life .

It even became apparent in such an abstract effect as the Ambitouus Card , famous by the Canadian magician Dai Vernon , who deceived Harry Houdini with a version of it in a historical encounter between the two magicians.

A card chosen by the viewer is repeatedly inserted into the middle of a stack, but is repeatedly discovered. For Tamariz, the trick is a hero's journey : the map that represents the viewer lives out an ascent to power, an ascent and a liberation.

Tamariz 'most detailed description of the experience of magic comes from an essay in his book "La Vía Mágica" with the title "The Theory of False Solutions and the Magic Way" . The path is depicted on a painting by Tamariz at the time.

The viewer drives on a carriage pulled by two horses, a winged one and an earth -bound person. The path takes various turns, some of which represent false solutions - every idea that the viewer may have for the method behind the effect. The magician must prevent the viewers from considering the wrong solutions by also leading them away from the real - and leaving the impossible as the only logical explanation.

In other words, the magician uses our own ability to observe empirical observation: Our active interpretation of the perception material can allow us to see what is not there with careful guidance.

The influence of Tamariz on close-up magic, tables magic and card tricks cannot be assessed large enough.

Large representatives of the magician guild

If you look at today's international magician scene, it is primarily two names that throw a large shadow and define the standards of magic: David Blaine and Dynamo .

1. David Blaine: From street magicians to endurance superheroes

David Blaine is probably one of the largest living magicians. He became famous for his amazing street magic , the tricks for celebrities and extreme endurance performance. He likes to take his appearances to the extreme.

Some of David Blaine's most famous endurance stunts -buried alive for a week to almost three days on a huge ice block-led him to the edge of this and the next world. There, he says, he feels closest to his mother, who died when he was a teenager.

Blaine has taken the street magic and redefined it in a career that lasts for more than 25 years. He brought his body to the limits of human resilience and almost died when he demonstrated some of the most dangerous illusions in the canon of magic.

When he was still a teenager, David performed in night clubs and at parties. His career just started when his beloved mother Patrice was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. First the disease progressed slowly, so Blaine continued to work. He had moved to New York and experienced his breakthrough during this time.

At the time of his mother's death in 1994, Blaine became more and more known in the industry and had made friends with many celebrities. Inevitably, television called him. Street Magic was broadcast on ABC and all over the world, followed by Magic Man .

In both shows, Blaine used hand cameras and demonstrated street magic tricks on astonished passers -by. His ultra-cool, reserved species, combined with the astonished reaction of the audience, made it irresistible to look at.

Soon he appeared in late night talk shows in front of a much larger audience. Conan O'Brien described David Blaine as "The Tiger Woods of Magic" .

And then came the stunts

"I was buried alive in a coffin in New York City ... in April 1999 for a week ," he once said in a TED lecture. "I lived there with nothing but water. And in the end it was so much fun that I decided to do more of these things."

The following year he froze in an ice block for three days and three nights, again in New York.

"It was much more difficult than I expected. After that, I was on a 100-footed pillar for 36 hours. I started hallucinating so violently that the buildings began how big animal heads to look behind me."

For his fourth great endurance event in 2003, he went to London and hovered in a plexiglass box over the Thames for 44 days to survive on the water.

He gives back ...

Blaine has always returned a bit throughout his career. In November 2006 he turned into a human gyroscope over the New York Times Square for 52 hours to collect money for the Salvation Army.

In 2010, Blaine performed "Magic for Haiti" and collected $ 100,000 for earthquake aid in Haiti. Blaine also donated two 1 million dollar-Tesla coils to the Liberty Science Center after performing a steady stunt.

He has been in hospitals free of charge since he was 18, often for sick children. That didn't stop during the Covid pandemic. He went online via Facetime to entertain patients, first aiders and doctors.

Although David Blaine is an international showman who makes many headlines, he has developed into a modest, almost reserved, calm person. He is a magician whose deeds speak louder than his words.

2. Dynamo and its impossible magic

Steven Frayne , who is known Dynamo The British magician does everything from elegant card tricks to epic stunts such as levitation and go on the water. His show Dynamo: Magician Impossible has been awarded several times and highly praised by the criticism.

Dynamo began to learn card magic at the age of 10. He quickly developed his skills by watching videos of top performers like David Stone , who was his mentor and close friend. Dynamo traveled from Spain to perform for David Stone and saw the success he could achieve with his self -confidence by performing magic tricks.

Here he started the urge for map manipulation and led to his success at live shows all over Europe and on television appearances in Germany, Spain, England, Finland, Poland, Russia and Ukraine.

Dynamo is now considered a top performer around the world by many experts around the world. For David Beckham, George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Paris Hilton, Zac Efron, Rihanna and many other celebrities at private parties. ITVS "This Morning" , came closer to their home in Great Britain with a live card trick and regularly came on stage at events such as Z Blackpool Illumination Switch-on-Party.

Dynamo appeared for the first time on television in "The Magicians" , a documentary for Channel 4, in which he showed an audience of journalists and magicians a card trick, followed by his first television appearance in "The Paul O'grady Show" with a spontaneous street magic performance for unsuspecting people in public.

He then performed in the second season of "The Magicians" , this time as a mentor, and taught a young magician to do everything about card tricks. Dynamo's appearances on television were not only limited to appearances in Great Britain, he was also seen on Spanish television in "Para Toi", where he showed many street magic tricks and was filmed high up in the mountains in David Stones to train and demonstrate more advanced card tricks.

In 2011 Dynamo started his own TV show Dynamo: Magician Impossible . During the four seasons of the show, Dynamo performed all kinds of magic: from smaller pocket tricks with cards to great illusions such as a walk over the Thames. He deceived everyone, from simple people on the street to celebrities and public personalities.

Close-up magic as an event trend

When looking for an entertaining factor that is suitable for every audience, more and more organizers are opting for close-up magicians. With this type of entertainment, a magician, dressed in an outfit and repertoire that fits the occasion, comes and moves easily between the guests.

This creates individual mini-shows on each individual table. If the artist dominates his craft, the mini demonstrations can adapt to the respective group. The viewers' attention is only taken for a short time - in a relaxed atmosphere of a small group.

Close-up magic is an emerging form of event entertainment that reacts to the current trends in the direction of immediacy and individuality. Modern spectators at business or private events no longer just want to be entertained with stage shows and require for creative and original entertainment.

Therefore, close-up magic is an ideal way to meet these expectations.

Popular close-up magicians for events in Germany

Close Up Magic, the magic of table, impresses with the direct Contact Us to become a magician. With the three re -mentioned magicians, they rely on absolute experts in their field.

André Desery-The Close-Up world champion

Trust the award -winning magic of the world champion André Desery and delight your guests with high -quality entertainment.

Due to his contagious and humorous nature, André will mingle with her guests, go from table to table/ group to group and show amazing magic tricks.

Let yourself and your guests captivate yourself and your guests from this astonishing show and discover how the coin got behind your ear and where the ball suddenly landed.

Oliver Henke - mental magician and magician from Munich

The fascination for magic has had a permanent place in Oliver Henke's life for more than two decades. His extraordinary tricks always know how to enchant his audience. Even the greatest skeptics are surprised and enthusiastic after they were able to attend his performance.

Oliver is now a fixture in the European world of magic. He has a comprehensive list of reference and countless satisfied customers (see customer extract see here ).

Outside of Germany, he has already performed in more than ten European cities and his talent to put himself into his audience is unique.

Florian Severin and his power of suggestion

Florian Severin is a versatile artist - magician, manipulator and suggestor. He combines magic, skill and various tricks to inspire his audience in a unique way.

His appearances are unmatched in their combination of cheeky charm and respectful behavior. You have never seen such an artist before.

Tips for booking: How to select the right magician for an event

If an event is imminent and you want to offer your guests close-up magic as a special experience, your next step is to find the right magician for your event.

Here are some factors that you should take into account when comparing your options:

Experience

A great close-up magician is more than someone who knows a few "tricks". Set someone with years of experience. This means that the magician knows exactly what it really takes to make magic unforgettable.

A magician with experience will listen to you what you are doing, give you the best advice for your individual situation and provide the desired wow effect.

Do not risk booking someone who is still familiar with the matter.

References

Book a full-time professional. That means they hire someone who has prescribed his life of magic. You have nothing to fall back on if the show is not going well. This usually means that you get a better show and a more professional artist.

Also check whether the magician is supported The Magic Circle Verify that he is an equity member with professional liability insurance.

Read more about his training and biography. Check its customer references and appearance history.

rapport

The magician himself is the biggest individual factor for whether your booking will be a success or not. A close-up magician interacts closely with their guests. The audience must feel comfortable and in good hands. Take a look at the magician's videos to get a feeling for his personality.

Pay particular attention to this detail in customer references. If everything you can see, "you were incredible" , you only have half the truth.

You get what you pay for

This rule applies to everything. If you save at the price, the chances that you will "pay" .

This means that you are more likely to book a NO show or are disappointed with what you get.

The biggest close-up magic tricks ever (modern interpreted)

Let us complete this article about the fascination of this art form with a small list of the best magic tricks ever. Immediate and try it out yourself expressly desired 😉

The Cups and Balls (the cups and balls)

This is probably the oldest trick in the world. It is mentioned in Senecas 45th letter to Lucilius over 2,000 years ago. In addition, there is a painting in a burial chamber in Beni Hasan in Egypt that looks like someone is doing this trick, but nobody is quite sure whether it is a magic trick or an old version of a gambling.

Most modern versions of the trick are variations of Dai Vernon's routine . The professor's routine consists of three cups and three balls. The balls disappear one after the other to be found under the cups, the balls then penetrate the cups, the spectators then have the opportunity to choose the cup under which the balls appear, and finally the production of large objects follows, normally fruit.

When you see how The Cups and Balls are performed today, it is usually a version of Vernon's routine that is.

The Linking Rings (the connected rings)

Ernesto Melero is a damn clever guy. Connection of rings is incredibly known, it has been listed since the 19th century. An early explanation can be found in the pressure in Nouvelle Magie Balance Dévoile, Vol. 2, 1854, p. 39 by JN Ponsin.

Until Ernesto appeared, there has been no development into the main method for some time. He made it easy to connect and solve the rings, which would be impossible without his special set. The idea is very simple, not mechanical and can be learned in a few minutes by anyone who is familiar with the traditional method for executing the trick.

We firmly believe that this is the best close-up version of The Linking Rings that has ever been published.

Magic Loops (magical grinding)

A simple loop made of invisible thread enables you to accomplish miracles. In 1907 the method was first published in Conjurer's Monthly Magazine , Vol. 1 No.6, Feb 1907, p. 188.

Even then, the article was entitled "Some old tricks for new beginners" , which indicates that it was an old idea even then.

The idea of ​​using elastic yarn comes from Finn Jon . He sold them in the mid -1980s via Georges Proust.

Today magicians how Dynamo made their use popular. They are also used for PK Touches, Floating Bills and other PK style effects.

Haunted Key

The Haunted Key was originally used as a fortune teller that goes back to the 1800s. In this version, a large key was held between the pages of a Bible, the ends of which protruded across the pages of the book. Two spectators put the Bible and the key on their outstretched fingers. Similar to an Ouija board, the key could yes/no questions or even reveal letters .

The use of the key as a magic trick is also old, but printed references are difficult to find. It was definitely used in the 1900s and was considered old at the time. There is a note by Joseph Kolar in the Linking Ring, Vol. 25 No. 6, August 1945, p. 108 For a method that balances the buttons on the tips of fingers and thumb. This was sold as a single page with instructions.

Today The Haunted Key Deluxe combines the old methods with the elastic loops mentioned above to achieve a modern, incredible version of this old classic.

RD Insta

Henry Harrius is the undisputed king of cubes. RD Insta is the most visual solution ever created.

Although the idea of ​​magically solving a magical cube is not new, Henry's solution is a breathtaking masterpiece of modern magic.

Double Cross (double cross)

When it comes to magic tricks up close, Double Cross is one of the most popular publications of the past 10 years. In effect, paint a small cross on your palm and then close your hand. After the magical gesture of her choice, the cross disappears. The viewer opens his hand and the cross is there.

The trick is based on the centuries-old Ashes-on-Palm effect , but is brought up to date by using a Sharpie.

Coin Bite (coin bite)

We can thank David Blaine for making this very old trick popular. The folding coin used by Blaine was first described Sleight of Hand of Sachs

Then Street Magic and magic shops could not make them quickly enough. Let us remember how Blaine took a very old magic frequency and brought it up to date: