Hello to you all,

I would like to ask for your help:

I am looking for stunts/feats/illusions you can do using only your body.
They do not have to be magic tricks or illusions with “secrets” (such as the twisting arm illusion)-
I just need some amazing stunts that make people entertained.

One example for such: the illusion of pulling the stretched hand from the shoulder, some finger tricks and even some basic contortion tricks etc.

I bought the Andrew mayne’s book "body morphin" (great book)
and the martin Gardner's “encyclopedia of impromptu magic” (great book).
I also heard about the "body magic" book but was not able to get it for a reasonable price.

I also learned some mime tricks and illusions such as the illusion of gliding across the floor etc, but didn’t get enough information/tricks.

The stunts/feats/tricks I am looking for do not have to be magic tricks, rather a nice illusions or amazing body feats (even if I need to practice them hard)

I will appreciate any idea or information.

Thanks,
Itay

Hand inside hat. It could be found in Jim Pace's video called Visual Antics. A very good purchase!

Thanks dynamiteassasin,

I am looking for stunts that use only your body, without anything else (such as hats etc..)


Thanks anyway for your help.

Itay.

I got a chance to see Meir Yedid perform his disappearing fingers routine in person. It was very different, and even more impressive. I'm pretty sure he's got in on DVD.

-Christian

Have you seen d. Copperfields twisting and untwisting arms????????its one of my fave!!!

Seconds to Meir Yedid's ideas for "body tricks"
His finger fantasies DVD, and his Twisted arm illusion are great for just that.

Be sure to look up "the third hand" in the right performing setting it can work real wonders, I know Finn Jon has a "hand through body" effect, unsure if it's on print though.
-e-

Not quite impromptu though.

I third Meir Yedid's "finger fantasy" dvd. Very impromptu finger magic that could be done anywhere.

As for any amazing body feats, you should look up "popping" videos by Mr. Wiggles. I've been dancing for quite some time, and I figured that if you like "gliding on the floor", then these popping vids will probably suit you. It doesn't necessarily have to be for dancing, as you can do robotic gestures, wave-live gestures, etc.

Also, if you're into mime work, then get the "mime book" by Kipnis. I learned a great deal of popping with Wig's vids and Kipnis's explanation on isolating body parts.


Lance

Thank you all for the help.

If any new idea comes to mind, please inform here on the forum.

Yours,

Itay

Take a look at the Magic Menu, Jim Ryan issue. Kathy's Screwy Finger Bit kills - people actually think you are using The Force to make their fingers move!

Also, there's a wonderful book out there about the Georgia Magnet, which has a lot of material on "deflection" magic using only your body and someone else as a "test subject."

If you can find a copy of Fisher's Body Magic (out of print - I'd LOVE to see L&L do a re-print, frankly!), you will have an encyclopedia of material to work with.

Highly recommended.

Lee Darrow, C.H.

May you give an example of "deflection" magic? I can't picture what "deflection" magic would look like.


Thanks

Lance

Think many people should know this, but it works quite well for kids (perhaps use as a start) ... kind of bend your left hand's thumb and put it next to your right's (also bent) so that it appears to be a complete thumb. cover the 'joint' with the 2nd and 3rd finger of the left hand and after that you can make it seem that your thumb can disconnect and slide up and down the right 2nd finger

I bought the original Twisted Arm Illusion booklet a long time ago, after Harry Anderson did it on The Tonight Show . Somehow, I tried and tried but couldn't get the hang of it.

I happened to see an excellent live performance by Mr. Yedid, and asked him afterwards about the trick, explaining that I didn't understand the drawings in the booklet. I showed him the way I did the trick and he explained it right there. Problem solved.

Now, of course, this is available on dvd.

It's an always-ready effect, as long as you are dressed for it. (I don't want to tip the workings.)

With a little practice after seeing it on TV, I can now fold my tounge in half and stick it out.

You'd thing a marvelous thing like this would impress the women. It rarely does.