David Seth Kotkin, known professionally as David Copperfield, is an American magician, described by Forbes as the most commercially successful magician in history.
Sleight of hand refers to fine motor skills when used by performing artists in different art forms to entertain or manipulate. It is closely associated with close-up magic, card magic, card flourishing and stealing. Because of its heavy use and practice by magicians, sleight of hand is often confused as a branch of magic; however, it is a separate genre of entertainment and many artists practice sleight of hand as an independent skill. Sleight of hand pioneers with worldwide acclaim include Dan and Dave, Ricky Jay, Derek DelGaudio, David Copperfield, Yann Frisch, Norbert Ferré, Dai Vernon, Jerry Sadowitz, Cardini, Tony Slydini, Helder Guimarães and Tom Mullica.
Harry Bouton Blackstone Jr. was an American stage magician, author, and television performer. He is estimated to have pulled 80,000 rabbits from his sleeves and hats.
Paul Kieve is an English professional illusionist and whose consulting work for both stage and screen has contributed to changing how magical special effects in productions are approached. He is the only illusionist ever to have won a New York Drama Desk award. He created the illusions for the 2014 Kate Bush concert Before the Dawn.
André Kole was an American magician and inventor of magical effects. He was also a committed Christian and a public speaker for the evangelical group Campus Crusade for Christ. He was also known for using his magical knowledge to debunk frauds and hoaxes.
Adelaide Herrmann (1853–1932) was an English magician and vaudeville performer billed as "the Queen of Magic." She was married to Alexander Herrmann, another magician.
Herbert Lawrence Becker is an American former magician, escapologist, stunt performer, author, and businessman. As a magician, Becker performed as Kardeen.
J C Sum is a Singaporean hybrid marketer, author, content creator, former illusionist and illusion designer.
Platform magic is magic that is done for larger audiences than close-up magic and for smaller audiences than stage magic. It is more intimate than stage magic because it does not require expensive, large-scale stage equipment and can thus be performed closer to the audience and without a stage. Many of the tricks performed by platform magicians are sufficiently angle-sensitive as to make them impossible to perform as micromagic. Most working magicians are parlor/platform magicians.
Ross Skiffington is a New Zealand-born Australian magician, actor, and theatre director, who has received two lifetime achievement awards for his contributions to magic.
"Portal" is a magic trick performed by the illusionist David Copperfield, in which he takes a member of the audience and transports both of them to a pre-selected location, before reappearing on stage. This effect was featured in David Copperfield's shows from 2000 to the summer of 2007, and then again from the winter of 2007 to the spring of 2008. Additionally, it was featured in the 2001 CBS television special Copperfield: Tornado of Fire.
James Galea is an Australian magician and actor based in Sydney and Los Angeles.
Magic, which encompasses the subgenres of illusion, stage magic, and close-up magic, among others, is a performing art in which audiences are entertained by tricks, effects, or illusions of seemingly impossible feats, using natural means. It is to be distinguished from paranormal magic which are effects claimed to be created through supernatural means. It is one of the oldest performing arts in the world.
Paul Cosentino known mononymously by his stage name Cosentino, is an Australian illusionist and escapologist.
Leslie George "Les" Vante Cole, known professionally by the stage names "Levant", "Levante", "The Great Levante" and Magician Cole, was an Australian illusionist. He is regarded as one of the greatest magicians in the world and "Australia's most famous magician". He is also credited with creating the Impaling illusion.
Jason Bishop is an American illusionist and magician, and performs one of the largest touring magic and illusion shows in the United States. Bishop has won a number of awards in magic, including the Jack Gwynne award for Excellence in Presentation and was the 2006 Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities (APCA) Best Performing Artist of the Year. Bishop performs an average of 150 shows a year, including luxury cruise ships, performing arts centers, theaters, and corporate events. He has done performances throughout the United States and Europe and has been called "one of the greatest modern illusionists of our time".
Daniel and David Buck are American sleight of hand practitioners known for their contributions to the art of cardistry.
A levitation illusion is one in which a magician appears to defy gravity by making an object or person float in the air. The subject may appear to levitate unassisted, or it may be performed with the aid of another object in which case it is termed a "suspension".
The Illusionists is a touring magic production which features a rotating cast of 5 to 8 magicians who all specialise in specific branches of magic from stage illusions to mind reading to escapology and comedic magic.
Band of Magicians is a touring illusion show featuring a group of magicians billed as "The World’s First Magic Supergroup". The original group featured magicians James Galea, Justin Flom, Justin Willman, and Nate Staniforth. The current group includes James Galea, Stuart MacLeod, Brett Loudermilk, and Joel Ward.
