Magic Tricks

And I purchase a lot! This is chalked full of ideas and although I do almost nothing in here exact way that it's described, I have tried all the routines on here. I just re-constructed them to use my own handling, they are straight out of this DVD tho. I believe Dan may teach simplified versions of effects to make sure that even the novice card magician can begin to perform his magic without years of practice & study. He sometimes even mentions when he's teaching, things like "You could use (this sleight or that one), but the easiest way would be to just do (this)". So the intermediate-expert can figure it out, without him going into lengthy descriptions on advanced card sleights...

I was fortunate to catch this while it was in the coolbox for just a few bucks and I'm so glad I did!

My favorites, R&B Special and Star Trek. Star Trek I do as described but I changed the presentation a bit so that it suits my character (I don't know much about Star Trek) So I tell a story about time travel, and use the cards to illustrate.

As for R&B Special, I performed it several times and then was challenged by my magic coach (Aaron Fisher) to break it down completely and change the handling of it entirely to begin to employ several sleights, and different variations on the timing and audience management. (Reverse engineering so-to-speak) Something I absolutely hated doing! The routine is straight out of this DVD, but the method I have now is completely my own. I owe it to Dan though. I thought it was great to begin with and it's the entire reason I bought it, but the way I perform it now, I feel is so much more clear, and so fluid when I do it because I reconstructed it myself and I'm not trying to imitate something I've seen, rather I'm executing it in a way that I painstakingly created myself as a means to the same end, changing every moment, wherever I would fail to change the method,.. so now I can never go back to the original.

I am in no way claiming my way is better, it just works better for me personally since I had to experiment with it so much. And with each change, I performed it a few dozen times and the reactions only got stronger. I've performed it close-up for lay audiences, on webcam for several groups of magicians, and it was a hit in my parlor act in a room full of over 35 Magicians who were all floored by this routine! (Now I do it all the time, but I performed my version of "R&B Special" the first time I ever got in front of a group of magicians)

I have never found another book, or video describing so many great uses for this particular gaff. This video is full of tricks with a single gaff, all of which could be classified as outside-the-box thinking.

Highly Recommended! Dan Harlan is a real genius, and this DVD is full of gems! There's something here for everyone, and some will find many things in here for them. ok, ending rant now, buy this, you won't regret it,.. til next time!

~SkypeX "The Stealth Magician"