How to Manipulate Gravity Levitation

Levitation is one of the strongest tricks in a magician's arsenal. Magician David Blaine popularized the Balducci method of levitation in his television special "David Blaine: Street Magic," which aired on ABC May 19, 1997. There are actually various levitation techniques practiced by magicians. Some require simple deception; others demand effects and the use of assistants. The website Levitation.org, under its heading "The History of Levitation" claims it is rumored that African tribal leaders, Buddhists and Hindus have been known to levitate. And in his book "Lessons in Hindu Levitation," author L.W. De Laurence reports several instances of Indian Yogi's being able to physically spiritually levitate themselves off the ground; however, no westerner can verify this as proven science. The Balducci method is one of the most common and easiest for beginning magicians.

Instructions

1. • 1

     Announce to the audience that you are going to perform a levitation trick. You are going to make your feet rise a few inches off the ground.

   • 2

     Position your audience at least 10 feet away from you. Keep them at a 45-degree angle and only perform this trick for a few people. The less of an audience, the easier it is to keep them at this viewing angle.

   • 3

     Turn around so that your back is to the audience, keeping them at a 45-degree angle.

   • 4

     Lift onto the toes of your foot, farthest from the audience's view. Raise your foot closest to the audience's view at the same time. It will look as if both heels are rising off the ground, since the audience cannot see the tip of the toe hidden from view.