Deep down, maybe we all wish we had the ability to soar through the air and fly. That's why hovering in the air is one of the most eye-catching magic tricks a magician can add to his magic pool. This article describes Balducci's method of hovering in the air, which only requires both your feet and an interested audience to see a magic trick.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Setting the Place
Step 1. Gather an audience
In order for this illusion of floating in the air to work properly, you need several spectators gathered in front of you. It's a good idea to have them all watching you from roughly the same angle.
- If the audience is spread out across the room, ask them to move to the same area. Make sure they're not spread out in a semicircle (towards you at the center), or standing behind you, as they'll be able to see how you do the trick.
- If there is some kind of small stage, stand on it. You may also want to change the lighting or the lights slightly dim to better support you when performing this mid-air trick.
Step 2. Say that you will float in the air
This will immediately draw the audience's attention to you and they will be excited to see it. The audience considers hovering in the air as one of the most interesting magic tricks. By letting them know you're going to do it, it will keep them interested in following your show closely, which is essential to successfully performing this trick.
- Consider building suspense throughout the show, so the audience looks forward to the show hovering in the air all the time.
- To make the event seem even more mysterious, ask an assistant to appear and announce that you will be floating in the air before walking onto the stage or entering the room.
Step 3. Pretend you're picking the right point to float in the air
This will continue the tension that exists among the audience. Look for a place that has a "good vibe" or "feels like a gateway to another dimension." Use whatever terms are most convincing to the audience there.
Step 4. Shake your legs and arms to get ready
You can also stretch, jump while swinging your arms and legs up and sideways, or do a yoga move or two. The goal is to make the impression as if floating in the air is a physically strenuous undertaking. Say that you have been preparing for this moment for several weeks.
Step 5. Say that there is no wire or rope
Ask a spectator to come up and walk around you, wave his arm over your head, and tell the other spectators that there really are no wires or ropes to lift you off the ground.
Part 2 of 3: Performing the Airborne Trick
Step 1. Take a position
Stand well enough away from the audience at an angle of about 45 degrees, with your back to the audience. You should stand so that most of the feet closest to the audience can be seen. The heel of the hind foot is visible, but the toe portion of the foot is hidden by the foot that is closer to the viewer.
- The angle and position of your feet must be correct, or the audience will be able to clearly see that you are not floating in the air. Practice in front of a mirror or with a friend who knows what you were doing before the show.
- If the audience asks you to move closer or turn around, tell them that the point where you're standing has the strongest vibration, or you'll be distracted if you move.
Step 2. Lift the front leg and the heel of the back foot
Simultaneously, lift the front foot and the back foot a few inches off the ground. Your entire body weight should be balanced on the toes of the back foot, which is out of view of the audience. To them, it will appear as if both feet are lifted a few inches off the ground.
- Maintain this hovering position for five or ten seconds. If it's longer, the audience will try to peek behind your forelegs.
- You may want to experiment with a few different pants to see which one works best for blocking the back toe without getting in the way of the trick.
Step 3. Perform a loud crash "landing"
Finish the mid-air trick by stomping your feet hard on the ground and bending your knees, as if falling from a high place. This will give the audience the impression that you are flying higher than you actually are.
Part 3 of 3: Trying Variations
Step 1. Try different angles
Try performing this trick on a stage that is higher than the audience, or turning a 45-degree angle in the opposite direction. Find out which angle is the most convincing based on your skills and body type.
- You can also adjust the angle by adjusting where the audience sits. Try placing them at different distances from the stage.
- You can also purposely block the viewer's view as you would in hovering in the air with the Superman or King method, by placing a barrier in front of your feet when preparing the illusion.
Step 2. Act like floating in the air is hard and hard
Imitate the facial expressions you would show when lifting heavy objects with your facial muscles. Use an expression as if you are concentrating on your face. Use body movement to further reassure them that hovering in the air requires exerting both physical and mental strength on your part.
- The famous magician David Blaine even pretends to be sick after performing the mid-air trick, further convincing the audience that he exerts an incredible amount of energy during this trick.
- Pretending to be surprised to learn that it is possible to soar through the air can also reassure the audience.
