Levitation Tricks That Actually Look Real
Making things float is the most requested effect in magic. The good news? Some of the best levitation tricks require zero equipment and almost no practice. Here's the real ones.
The Pencil Levitation
What You Do
Hold a pencil horizontally on your finger. Make magical passes over it. The pencil slowly rises and floats on your finger.
The Secret
Find the center of gravity first. Hold the pencil on your finger and move it slowly until it balances. Then pretend to concentrate - that's actually the time you're finding the balance point. Make your passes, then gently lift your finger and the pencil appears to float up.
Pro move: Once it's balancing, slowly raise your hand. The pencil looks like it's floating. Then quickly pull your hand away - it looks like it's suspended in mid-air for a split second.
The Spoon Bend (Without Bending)
What You Do
Borrow a spoon. Hold it and rub it. It "bends" in your hands.
The Setup
Use two spoons - one regular, one already bent. Hold the bent one behind the regular one. When you show the "bending," you're actually rotating them to show the bent one while hiding the straight one.
The thermal trick: Hold the spoon by the handle with one hand. Rub it fast with your other palm. The metal expands and it actually DOES bend slightly - not much, but enough to look like the beginning of a bend. Then pretend to snap it the rest of the way.
The Invisible Table
What You Do
Put a glass of water on a table. Put a napkin over it. Push the glass down through the table.
The Secret
This is angle-based. Stand at one end of the table. The glass is actually just falling onto its side - when you "push through," you're tipping it over so it lands flat on the table. From your angle it looks like it went through. From their angle (if you position them right), it's a perfect illusion.
The Ring on String
What You Do
Thread a ring onto a string. Hold the string ends. The ring jumps from one end to the other while you hold the ends tight.
The Secret
Tie a tiny loop in the middle of the string with another piece of string. The ring goes on one end, but there's a loop in the middle. When you "concentrate," you slide the ring onto the loop, which is hidden in your palm. The ring appears to teleport.
The Dollar Bill Rise
What You Do
Hold a dollar bill by the corner. Wave your other hand over it. The bill slowly rises into the air.
The Secret
Use invisible thread, or - simpler - hold the bill between thumb and finger with enough tension that when you let go slightly it looks like it's floating. Move your hand slowly up and the bill follows. It looks like telekinesis.
Master the Mental Side
Download MagiCulator to combine levitation with prediction magic for maximum impact.
Download for iOS Download for Android