The first glimpse behind the curtain

What is basic sleight of hand?

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Thumb tip Tom Stone (magician) Dai Vernon Edward Victor Zarrow shuffle Herb Zarrow.

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  Sleight of Hand?
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Manual dexterity in legerdemain magic tricks

Employing only mechanical tricks, a magician can be good if the entertainer’s showmanship is top-notch. However, if the performer is not proficient at sleight of hand (and misdirection), the person cannot be an outstanding magician.

What is sleight of hand?

Sleight of hand meaning

1. Skillful deception
2. Manual dexterity, typically in performing tricks
3. Skill and dexterity in conjuring tricks

Sleight of hand, in performing arts, aka prestidigitation or legerdemain, is recognized for its ability to fascinate, captivate, and move audiences. Close-up magic, coin magic, card magic, and card flourishing are closely related.

Because of its frequent use and practice by illusionists, sleight of hand is frequently confused with being exclusive to the world of close-up and parlor magic. But it’s a form of entertainment in its own right, and some performers have a real knack for it.

Shuffling into mystery

All successful magicians are great at sleight of hand—even the ones who don’t display the manual dexterity. Magicians David Blaine, magicians online like Jon Finch, and even Max Maven are proficient at sleight of hand magic tricks. But the audience sees no sleight of hand.

There are fantastic magic tricks that depend on a prop. But if a magician seek such tricks, the performer is limited.

An excellent magician does not frown on such prop-heavy routines. Still, the master performer is not constrained to perform only when special props are at hand. The magician should be well-rounded, and sleight of hand makes a well-rounded magician.

But a so-and-celebrity magician performed XYZ trick, which required no sleight-of-hand, and it was fantastic in the celebrity magician’s hands. I can get that prop and be the celebrity magician.

The above thinking is wrong. The magician performed many memorable tricks, yes. Fame does not result from performing magic tricks seen on TV or YouTube.

Palming cards and fooling crowds

Sleight of hand magicians must never fail. This is to say, sleight-of-hand magicians should never allow the audience to see they have failed in arriving at any desired result. The surest method of avoiding this is to practice and rehearse everything, down to the minute details, in private so as to be able to present it in its form to the audience.

In the classic endeavor of artistry, performers manipulate cards—passing the playing cards from palm to side in a diagonal path—not for the thrill of it but to impress spectators. In these performances, making good use of props like dollar bills can depend on audience interaction and people’s impressions.

The beginner sleight-of-hand magician feels a little awkward and stupid when rehearsing at first. But when he discovers, as he will, the necessity for it, he will soon become used to it. The great thing is to begin well, and this is best done if two sleight-of-hand magicians commence studying together, in which case they will act as a critic to the other.

Stage magic sleight of hand magic tricks for the audience

During the first six months, write down everything that needs to be said and done, accompanied by the most minute stage directions. Each hand and foot has its proper position at a given moment. At first, this thing is irksome to the sleight of hand magician, but the good results derived will soon make themselves manifest and compensate for all trouble.

Now you see it…the skills behind the swindle

One thing of importance is the talk to be used with each magic trick. At the outset, this is invariably written out beforehand and committed to memory. If not word for word, then so. By this means, the sleight-of-hand magician is best able to avoid a repetition of any well-marked points, which would tire the audience and cause them to think the performer is a man of limited ideas.

Great care must be taken to avoid making anything approaching a speech, which is even worse than saying nothing at all. People come to sleight-of-hand magician entertainment expecting to see sleight-of-hand performed, not to listen to speeches, however beautiful they may be in themselves. What is wanted is something to accompany the trick, as a pianist accompanies a singer.

Dexterity and deceit

The only occasions on which nothing should be said or when some feats of this dexterity, corresponding to the runs and scales of the expert vocalist, are being performed; a verbal accompaniment would only spoil them. On the other hand, a poor trick can be made a good deal of by the introduction of a few lively sallies, mingled with allusions to topics of the day, made to appear to bear upon the matter in hand.

A sleight-of-hand magician should be, before everything else, original. Original he would not be if he only repeated what other sleight of hand magicians had to say.

It’s not enough if an orange successfully vanishes. The sleight of hand magician should operate with all possible grace. This will be impossible if the sleight-of-hand performer is not well up in his magic trick. But this he must not fail to be.

The sleight-of-hand magician should acquire a manner neither hurried nor slow.

As a general rule, audiences prefer a suave and easy style — one that appears free from the slightest exertion.

Being in a hurry is the way to forget many little but telling points while being slow is the way to weary the audience. The worst possible style to adopt is that which impresses the audience with the idea that magic is nothing but a mere cheat, a swindle, from beginning to end. This impression is given when the performer wishes to appear extra-sharp and endeavors to thrust everything down people’s throats, whether they will or not. Always endeavor to impress spectators. They are being deceived by skillful manipulation and not bamboozled by talk.

Be careful not to substitute impertinence for boldness.

many beginners make this mistake. They mistake the precise nature of the boldness required by the sleight of hand magician. A better name for it would be audacity. To be successful out of the ordinary way, the magician must be audacious and venturesome now then, though it is not to tempt Fortune much or often — the jade may fail at an awkward pinch. The warning not to play with edged tools should be taken to heart by the sleight of hand magician.

That celebrity magician paid his dues. Sure, the celebrity magician at times performs with props. But he doesn’t depend on the props. He has the chops when he needs them.

Believing you can be a celebrated magician while always depending on other magicians’ inventions is an excuse not to get good.

A good sleight-of-hand technician not only entertains the audience but also pleases himself with accomplishments.

Dai Vernon’s double-undercut was a clever and easy sleight-of-hand solution to the difficult sleight-of-hand Classic Pass. But the Classic Pass is far better in many more circumstances. The double undercut is frowned upon by magicians (rightly). It requires little skill, and it works, but the double-undercut is not deceptive because of the extra movements required to achieve what a sleight-of-hand master could achieve in the blink of an eye.

The “it works” justification for using an easy, passable sleight-of-hand move is not good enough.

The goal is not that spectators didn’t follow what was performed. The goal is to make the spectators witness a miracle and feel a sense of wonder. The double undercut confuses the audience. They think, “Wait a minute, what happened?“

The audience must not think, What happened after I put my card where he told me to put it?

After witnessing an outstanding sleight of hand magic, the audience thinks, I KNOW what happened. I put my card in the middle of the deck.

Dai Vernon was a genius, but there are better alternatives to the double-undercut: the Bluff Pass, the Convincing Control, the Diagonal Palm Shift, the Classic Pass, and the Side Steal (invented by the outstanding card sleight of hand Vaudeville performer Nate Leipzig) are much smoother. My favorite is probably the Diagonal Palm Shift (covered by Roberto Giobbi in Card College Vol. 3).

The Bluff Pass and Convincing Control are the right tricks, and the professional sleight-of-hand magician may use these sleights sparingly. The Classic Pass, Side Steal, and Diagonal Palm Shift are versatile: the proficient sleight-of-hand magician can use these sleights in any card trick.

The advantages of the above sleight-of-hand maneuvers are listed below.

1. The spectator can put her playing card where she chooses (aside from the Bluff Pass).
2. The performer appears to do not or nothing (rather than making multiple cuts, usually in a jerky motion).

Dai Vernon’s double-undercut is easier, but what the spectators see is more involvement and jerky maneuvering by the performer. With the side steal, aka side slip, the sleight-of-hand performer merely squares the deck. With the classic pass, the sleight-of-hand performer apparently does nothing or casually riffles the cards. With the Convincing Control, the performer merely squares the ribbon. With the bluff pass, the sleight-of-hand performer does nothing.

There are several reasons that make mastering sleight of hand worthwhile. As a proficient sleight-of-hand artist, a magician can entertain at a moment’s notice, at the drop of a top hat.

Without any props, the sleight-of-hand magician can entertain with impromptu magic, and the performer can use borrowed objects such as a phone, a spoon, a wristwatch, a napkin, or even a receipt.

The spectators can examine anything and everything — the sleight-of-hand performer ends clean.

In the rare event a sleight-of-hand magician is caught, if his sleight-of-hand technique is good, the spectator will be impressed with the performance. Contrast that with the humiliating exposure of a magician’s gimmick.

Since sleight-of-hand magicians have skill, money is saved on purchasing new props and eventually replacing them.

What are the benefits of sleight of hand?

The 5 benefits of sleight of hand are listed below.

1. Versatility

   The sleight-of-hand performer can get out of a tight spot, whereas the entertainer who depends on gaffs and gimmicks can perform down only one linear path.

2. Pack small, play big.

   A skilled sleight of hand magician can pack small and play big. The performer does not need a suitcase full of props. There’s no need for a fanny pack full of gaffed decks and other gimmicked magic props filling his pockets.

3. Establish authority.

   The close-up magician approaches groups of people. One of the best icebreakers is to spring the deck, which demonstrates masterful skill. Instantly, the magician conveyed nonverbally that he was a professional.

4. Peer respect.

   Fellow magicians will recognize and admire the sleight of hand.

5. A unique magic act.

   The sleight of hand act is difficult to copy, so the sleight of hand magic act will be unique. If a magician depends on the latest fashionable prop, then the magic act will be similar to that of other magicians. If the performer accomplishes the impossible with sleight of hand—manual skill—he is a unique magician.

Exit through the smoke and mirrors

When a magician takes the magician’s oath, the performer vows to practice before performing. Learning one sleight-of-hand move will take a year or more before the maneuver can be pulled off in front of an audience. The culmination of years of practice will be invisible to the audience.

The best sleight-of-hand artist is not seen as a sleight-of-hand artist. He’s seen as a magician.

Chinese Cups and Balls False Shuffle Card Flourishes Sleight-of-Hand

Woody Aragón Arturo de Ascanio Al Baker (magician) David Ben Frederick Braue Cardistry stage magic sleight-of-hand Francis Carlyle coins card trick Bruce Cervon Chapeaugraphy Han Ping Chien Coin manipulation hand sleight hands sleight of sleight of hand sleight of hands sleights of hand hand sleight hands sleight of sleight of hand sleight of hands sleights of hand hand sleight hands sleight of sleight of hand sleight of hands sleights of hand Double lift French drop Greg Frewin Karl Fulves Lewis Ganson Frank Garcia (magician) Gibeciere drawing-room Lennart Green silver coins Larry Grey Herrmann pass History of cardistry dollar Jean Hugard card tricks the hindu mesmerism Ralph W. Hull Emil Jarrow handkerchiefs Ricky Jay cardistry shuffle Larry Jennings cups and balls Stewart Judah Peter Kane (magician) Kostya Kimlat Paul LePaul false shuffle Jeff McBride card flourishes Object manipulation Palming fruit smoke magic word Penn and Teller Psychic surgery Ben Seidman Rocco Silano Ellis Stanyon Jamy Ian Swiss Juan Tamariz Tenkai palm Thumb tip Tom Stone (magician) Dai Vernon Edward Victor Zarrow shuffle Herb Zarrow.