Just a poll

I am sick of this. How many people have been asked to do the balducci lev? Danny H., I know you don't think its street magic.

Walker

That's because it isn't street magic. For the record, I've been doing the balducci levitation for almost 25 years. I've never been asked to do it.

If someone asks you to do it, they know it and will probably bust you doing it.

It is one of the most powerful effects in magic and it has been blown open not by David Blaine but by guys like Mike Maxwell and the internet. It is a shame.

Luckily, I'm a lot older than you and the trick is not as widely known among adults as it is among kids.

It is best done 1 on 1 with you standing close to a corner to kill the bad angles.

The trick is to show it to one person and let them tell everyone else ho amazing it is and when they ask you to do it refuse.

That is how you build a reputation with it.

I'm probably not as much of a jerk as you think streetwalker. I just want people to do good magic and not hack. If you do this trick on the street it is hack. People will bust you, and then you're hosed. Pretty simple when you think about it.

Best,

Dan-

I should be glad no one ever asked that of me. Never done it and don't think I 'll ever try it! I'll stick to good old regular magic.

I used to to the Balducci years ago but just do it sparingly now after the DB special. Quite a few people know of it now so no use getting busted on it now. Too bad it got exposed because it was a great effect. Only magicians knew of it before now lots of lay people know how its done.

To answer your Poll, I have never been asked to perform the Balducci Levitation.

The structure of my shows really doesn’t give the audience much room to ask to see any specific trick. Between shows (before shows, after shows, just hanging out, etc.) I do talk with just about anyone that is willing to talk to me. I even talk magic with other magicians and youngsters (of any age) just starting in magic. Still I have never been asked to do the levitation. Never.

Interestingly, the first time I ever saw the Balducci Levitation was in 1966 at “Frat” party at the University of Texas. There was a guy doing the “Indian Mystic Stick” and went to a corner (much like Danny describes) and then with great mental focus and much grunting and groaning floated a couple of inches. He had good angles and actually pulled it off well, but by the end of the party everyone was doing it! They had figured it out all by themselves!

I would never even think of trying this effect on the streets. It is not a street performers trick. You are guaranteed to get busted! Talk about exposure!

Perhaps, it could be done as part of a doorway act.

Frankly there are at least two good self-levitations that could be performed surrounded and fairly close up that could be performed on the street. They would be better choices.

Danny's got it right:
If someone asks you to do the Balducci, then the odds are that he knows how to do it and will bust you on it.

Myself, I don't do it anymore.

And I have never been asked to do it. (I don't know whether that's because people didn't know about it, or they DID know about me! )

I just don't like levitations. They are prime tricks for getting busted and everyone knows its not possible.

I don't do it either, but I consider it a great loss to the art that it's so exposed.

If someone asked me to do the Balducci Levitation, it would tell me they knew what is was. I think Danny's right, it's one of those things you only do with a couple of people and refuse to do again. It's a shame that it got exposed. It's a fast food culture though, in a couple of years, everyone will forgot about the exposure and it'll be useful again.

Alchmeist

I have been asked to "Float like David Blaine...." But I wouldn't dare. Since I normally only perform in front of little kids, they think I am a Harry Poter type person.. (Gotten onto by lots of moms)

I've tried the wild levitation and gotten great results since the spectators can almost surround me. It makes them think twice if they know how it's done. Well said guys, it's almost not worth bothering with the Balducci if you've already amazed people. They'll just catch you and assume all your stuff is that easy.

-Christian

I like King Rising....it's better done at parties or get togethers when no one is expecting magic, rather than on the street; at least, it's easier for me that way...

I have all the time and it puts you in the situation where you really don't want to preform it. I don't like it any way

I performed it once for a woman at work. Totally freaked her out. Needless to say word spread fast, so next thing you know people are asking me to levitate.

I've yet to do it again. However, as Harry mentioned earlier, people figured it out on their own. We can thank the internet for that.

But get this, after performing any other illusion for them at work, they will ask me to levitate. Even though they know how to do it. This I don't understand. They're asking me to perform something they will, without fail, bust me on in a matter of seconds. Weird.

Oh well, that's my 2 cents on that.

Liquid B

I agree with Danny. Probably the greatest proponent and performer of the Balducci Levitation is David Roth (yes, THAT David Roth, who also has a superb classic pass, by the way!). David does it very similar to what Danny explained. Sparingly, at private parties, he'll invite one or maybe two people into another room where they can be alone and he can show them "something special." He then does the Balducci for them, but pretty much no one else. They tell everyone else about it, and of course their memories are more impressive than the feat itself! He has built a tremendous reputation using the effect this way with laymen.

On the street, though? I'd have to agree that, unless it was a deserted street, you shouldn't do it (and why would you be working a deserted street?). I also agree that if they ask, they probably know it.

I haven't done it in my street work, and wouldn't if asked. I'd just say something like, "Sure, I float up in the air so you can take the money from the hat and start running? I don't think so! Here, let me show you something else..."