A question often asked of magicians is “How can I learn magic tricks?” Magic is a secret art and wizards are forbidden to show their tricks. The Magic Circle, the world’s most famous organization for magicians, recognizes members who reveal magical secrets.
How do you even learn magic tricks? The idea behind secrecy is not to make learning magic tricks impossible, but rather to ensure that newcomers are Zauberer serious about learning magic. The study and practice required ensures students treat magic with the respect it deserves. When you learn a magic trick, you gain knowledge that other magicians have developed over the years and honed through thousands of performances. Magical secrets are gems that require hard work to uncover.
And it pays to learn magic. Magic tricks can be an icebreaker when meeting new people, you can use them to improve your presentation skills at work, or they can help impress that girl or boy you like. Magic tricks have enabled me to do many exciting things. I’ve performed in exclusive clubs and parties, and I’ve entertained royalty, politicians and the heads of some of the world’s largest companies at corporate events.
Learn magic tricks from books
The best way to learn is from books. You can find magic books at your local library or bookstore, or online. A good beginner’s spellbook will teach you a wide range of tricks. Not only does it help you learn tricks, but it also shows you the variety of magical styles that exist so you can decide what kind of magician you want to be. Do you want to do close-up magic like magician David Blaine? Or do you prefer the more psychological style of an artist like Derren Brown? Or you would like to perform on stage or at children’s parties. There are many forms of magic and no one style is better than the other. It is up to everyone to decide what suits them best.
Take magic lessons
You may be able to attend classes near you to learn. Local councils sometimes offer courses where you can learn magic tricks as part of their college programs, as does City Lit.
Look for magic shops where you live. London is home to Davenports, the oldest family-run magic shop in the world. Tell the people behind the counter that you’re a beginner and they’ll be able to recommend some good tricks to get you started. Davenports also runs a course where they teach magic.
There are other magic shops to visit in London such as International Magic and Magic Cave which have a stand in Covent Garden. They can give you tips on how to learn magic tricks.
Magic clubs are also a good place to learn tricks. Search the internet for magic clubs in your area.
When you start learning magic tricks, it’s a good idea to see some professional magicians perform. Not to copy them – you have to develop your own style – but to learn what good magic looks like. You will begin to understand all the elements that go into strong Zauberer performance – scripting, timing, language, movement, posture, etc.
Search the internet and newspapers for shows near you. In London, Magic Night is a twice-monthly magic show held at Madame JoJo’s Cabaret Club in Soho. There you can see some of the UK’s best magicians in action. Covent Garden is world famous for its street performers and at the Magic Corner you can see magicians from all over the world.
It takes hard work to learn magic tricks, the same effort required to play an instrument or learn a foreign language. But it’s hugely rewarding, so practice hard and have fun!
