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- How to Make Yourself Float (Self-Levitation)
How to Make Yourself Float (Self-Levitation)
- By Tim David
- Published 07/20/2007
- FREE STREET MAGIC TRICKS
-
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The Secret, and the Subtleties for this self-levitation
First, watch the video:
If the video does not load, you can also view it by clicking here.
Note that in addition to learning the method behind the Balducci Levitation, you also learn the following SIX subtleties:
- Announce your intentions
This is one of those rare tricks that you want to say what you're about to do, BEFORE you actually do it. Many magic tricks depend on the element of surprise. However, the Balducci Levitation happens fast, you want them to be looking at your feet.
Also, if they're EXPECTING your feet to raise off the ground, they're more likely to assume that BOTH feet come off the ground when you do the levitation because that's what you SAID you were going to do! It's a weird kind of psychological misdirection, but it's effective.
- Find your spot
By looking around for a good spot to levitate from, you do two things. First, you cause a false suspicion that the ground has something to do with the trick. Any time you can distract someone from the real secret it's a good thing.
Second, it gives you an excuse to be turned away from the audience (10:30/11 o'clock). You don't usually perform magic tricks with your back turned, so you will need a reason to turn your back on someone. Looking for a spot gives you that "out".
- Make it appear difficult
People who believe in levitation believe that there is a kind of inner energy, or "chi", that can make people float. If that were the case, it probably wouldn't be easy. Otherwise, everyone would be doing floating themselves!
Also, if it were easy, why wouldn't you just float up into the sky? You need a good reason for only being able to lift a few inches off the ground. The fact that it is difficult and physically draining to make yourself float, gives you the needed excuse.
- Wear pants
While it's possible to do this effect in shorts, the video thoroughly expains why it's better to wear longer pants. Just look at the difference in how my right foot looks as I'm floating! It's much better with pants, right?
- "Hover"
Things that really float look very "airy" and "buoyant". You don't want this trick to look mechanical. As you're floating, slightly bounce up and down gently as if you were bobbing in the ocean. You could even "twist" a little. (If you go up on your left foot, twist slightly to the right and vice versa.)
- Land hard/stumble
By landing hard, you give the impression that you were floating yourself much higher than you actually were.
By stumbling, you reinforce the idea that it is very difficult and draining to perform the effect. That way, no one will ask you to do it again! This is definitely a trick that you don't want to repeat for the same spectators.
ONE LAST TIP: If you want to make BOTH feet come off the ground, there's no better way than Fearson's Box:
(To see a video of Fearson's Box, CLICK HERE)
Spread The Word
Comments
Comment #1 (Posted by pratik)
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no 1 wud hve ever thought abt it......definitely its easy but seems to look hard.....
Comment #2 (Posted by Larry)
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Succinct, direct and to the point.
Thank you
Comment #3 (Posted by leatherblood)
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levitation and 'fyre'...hmmmm. thanks for the idea.
Comment #4 (Posted by Chris)
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Great illusion. I have seen the method before, but the subtleties add realism to the effect.
Comment #5 (Posted by Bill Edwards)
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Illustration was very good and showed the best convincing way to perform Balducci. I have been doing it for years and feel now it will look even better.
Comment #6 (Posted by Mago Knapp)
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1.-The Balducci levitation must be a little longer, this kid obviously practice a lot his speech, but not his performance
2.-That shoes are not the better, they're too big and not soft, actually I preferr to do it without shoes, then I explain "sometimes people think the shoes are special or gimmicked", without shoes it is impossible to detect nothing, also you can levitate more time and taller
3.-Sorry about my english, I'm Mexican and just speak it a little bit ;)
Comment #7 (Posted by Jeff Short)
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This was a great video, I knew of the principle before but this filled in the gaps and answered the questions.
Comment #8 (Posted by federico cardenas)
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thank you very much for teach me a magic tricks!
Comment #9 (Posted by Ryan Kumar)
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nice one!
Comment #10 (Posted by BJ)
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brilliant absolutely brilliant
Comment #11 (Posted by Humberto Duron)
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This is a really simple and easy to do trick even beginers can do it!
Comment #12 (Posted by Lox)
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pretty cool i'll have to practice that...
Comment #13 (Posted by Mike)
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Loved it! Makes me want to learn more and more.
Comment #14 (Posted by Kaeonus)
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I want to know that, how can magic blaine can levitate so high, is like i feet above the ground. Is there any additional to this trick?
Comment #15 (Posted by michael lobban)
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i think that it was superb and fantastic. I would've never thought of someting like that in my life. So i think that you are the best street-magic magician in the world.
Comment #16 (Posted by annoumous)
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i'v seen how to do that so it is not new so could u e-mail me this stuf
Comment #17 (Posted by simsim)
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its really easy but i keep forgetting the angles
Comment #18 (Posted by Guilherme)
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exelent trick men but how can i make a card levitate?
Comment #19 (Posted by Hunter)
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i've seen this magic trick before, so im not kinda impressed but still very very cool
Comment #20 (Posted by steven)
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thank for the trick, i can fool my friends and my family and never tell the secret jaja i will practice every day
Comment #21 (Posted by brion)
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seen this trick plenty of times can you help me with the two foot floating?
Comment #22 (Posted by Miguel Ribeiro)
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i Teacher,
i have seen that trick twice, but not in the trick form
i've seen it as one hip hop dance step
lool
thank you
Comment #23 (Posted by kmj)
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man that really fooled my aunt- she must have been left wondering how i did it!
Comment #24 (Posted by Philip C.)
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You need to work on that a little more. It wasn't that great. And stop posting magic explanations on YouTube.
Comment #25 (Posted by Eli Taylor)
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wow, that is pretty much all i have to say, it is jsut amazing....
Comment #26 (Posted by MIGZ ANTHONY)
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cool!!! it was very amazing......now i can fool my sister how i did that!....
Comment #27 (Posted by ahboi)
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david blaine lifts both his feets clear off the ground...
Comment #28 (Posted by Claudia)
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I was hoping you could get both feet up in the air. Like you could see both feet up.
Comment #29 (Posted by John Michael)
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This trick is AMAZING! when i look at my self in a mirror i feel that iam realy floating!
Comment #30 (Posted by Albert)
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Amazing..i don even think of it before...Well..i can go n show it to some ppl..GREAT
Comment #31 (Posted by kamal)
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absolutly nice
Comment #32 (Posted by mike)
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Best card trick ever i use it on many people AND THEY FREAK OUT!!!!
Comment #33 (Posted by magician)
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super cool trick i love it
Comment #34 (Posted by jeric enriquez)
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why teach this to everyone with having curiosity only on how to do it but not on the one who is interested in learning magic other than this. think of the rules
Comment #35 (Posted by michael)
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This is my first time coming to your sight and learning all that in like 3 minut's is like what some of my bud's have been trying to do for like 5 year's no i can pown them thank's you rock!
Comment #36 (Posted by Mr. Focker)
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booooooooooring!!!!
Comment #37 (Posted by james)
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i can't float
Comment #38 (Posted by ishraki)
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hey this trick is really kool
but i wanna ask u somethin
if u could tell me
soo
i see how u did it but
the way chris angles and david blaine does it
u can see their bottom of the shoe
u can see them totally float
can u plzzz tell me how they do that??
it would be very nice of u if u could explain that to me
Comment #39 (Posted by BRian)
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it's very hard. I don't understand the instruction. Can you help me mr. tim david. plz. reply in my mail. T.Y.
Comment #40 (Posted by antim)
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this trick is to old......to many people know the secret...we must find a new method to levitate
Comment #41 (Posted by Ian Curt)
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I already know the trick about this levitation even before I signed up on this site, I defied the last subtlety, which is landing hard and that really freaks out people! try landing slowly like criss angel and add that to the effect of the balducci levitation, now that will make your performance really really cool! and for the man on this site,..Tim! all I can say for this man is you are the magic man! keep it up!!
Comment #42 (Posted by earl 'skip' wheeler)
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Tim, keep on trucking dude! Take only the positive of the poor comments & move on. stay positive(+). im sure you have seen the flick,"the illusionist" w/edward norton, its the best 'magic' movie i've seen. best of luck,skip...
Comment #43 (Posted by tuoopi from finland)
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nice job
exxxxxellent tut.
Comment #44 (Posted by grando divinagracia)
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it was great!!!!mmm.magicteacher,i want to ask if there was a shop or a store here in the philippines who sell your products!!!!!!???just reply on my e-add!!!!tnx....
Comment #45 (Posted by Jurij)
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Fantastic trick. I showed it to a few people and they were toatly amazed.
Comment #46 (Posted by vijay)
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fantastic
Comment #47 (Posted by alexey)
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It´s simple and great trick
Comment #48 (Posted by ken)
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this trick was amazing i even amazed my friends
Comment #49 (Posted by liangwei)
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hmm, very real. good
Comment #50 (Posted by univak)
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great trick
Comment #51 (Posted by ccccc)
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Cool, though you got the angle wrong.
Looks best if you face directly away but are 3 steps away and 2 steps to the side ;).
Comment #52 (Posted by JOJO)
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it's simple and a very good trick
Comment #53 (Posted by an unknown user)
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i never really approved of the Balducci levitation before, but the subtulties really add to it. now it seems more believable when you focus on the the little things. i also know a different leviatation where they stand behind you and you "float" to stand on something in front of you. easy enough. Thanx for having a way cool site! i have learned alot of tricks and ways to improve my preformance!
Comment #54 (Posted by nana)
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cool...i hope i can show to people that i can float in mid-air...
Comment #55 (Posted by Paul)
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how does criss angel do it with both feet off the ground, and over buildings and stuff?
Comment #56 (Posted by Robert M Dolan)
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Also knew the trick, but not the added touches which really make the illusion great.
Comment #57 (Posted by issac)
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thats something easy but something that didnt seem to be easy
Comment #58 (Posted by DANIEL)
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Very poor , there are other ways of doing it and they look better .Criss Angel does them better
Comment #59 (Posted by Avalon Lance)
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nice trick man I've fooled a lot of friends they think I can really float! haha the look on their faces is priceless lol! rock on man keep up the good work.
Comment #60 (Posted by jordan)
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i like it but i can't seem to do it but i know it well
Comment #61 (Posted by ash)
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is magic real
because that would mbe so coooooooool
Comment #62 (Posted by gavin)
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i like the way it is used here. much esier
Comment #63 (Posted by jacob)
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ive tried this before i seen the video and now ive been able to do this after ive seen the video
Comment #64 (Posted by Ryan)
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I've already tried this on my mom and she caught me,but hey i was also wearing shorts and i watched the movie only 30 seconds ago !!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment #65 (Posted by dustinmorning)
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Not sure it's a good idea to put balducci lev up on the web.
Beginners think it's easy so they perform it without sufficient practice and the secret is revealed to non magicians.
Comment #66 (Posted by Silvano)
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I also think that this video is good. The best i speaking but presentation is not perfect but it is good. Hm... i was read comments and some guy tell that he preform without shoes. I dont agree with him cause is not naturrally to walking down the street than take off shoes and than do magic. It is just don't naturally. And Tim you just need to be more smooth like ghost not like elevator or samo roboman.
Comment #67 (Posted by WorldOfNoReality)
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This is not a new levitation. It's the easiest and probably the worst. Other types, which are better are: King, Icarus, Altruzzi, etc... Also, never tell the spectator you're going to float or levitate since chances are, they'll stare at your feet and look around. Balducci levitation (one presented) is very angle-sensitive. Must be performed 45 degrees to the back of the spectators. Altruzzi is mostly 360. Other levitations require various gimmicks, such as tables or full-body suspension, which is 360 degrees. Balducci levitation is only good for beginners and takes pracitce. Looks easy, but takes practice. Too easy to be caught or at the wrong angle and people see it.
Comment #68 (Posted by Tim David)
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Sorry, you're wrong about not telling people you're about to float. If you have experience with Balducci (and I'm guessing you don't since you prefer other methods) then you'll know how important it is to announce your intentions. Two reasons
1. You don't want people to miss it.
2. It implants a suggestion in their mind that prepares them to be amazed by your trick. Hypnotists are experts at this - and magicians who understand hypnosis - They're unstoppable.
Also, I never said it was new or the best. I even tell the story of Edwin Mariano Balducci, so why would you think this is new?
Classic tricks are classic for a reason. This one is good to have in your tool box.
Comment #69 (Posted by Terry)
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it's really amazing,i'm a great fan.
Comment #70 (Posted by sc0p3r mage)
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i practiced and showed some ppl... they were amazed for about 3 minutes then they figuered out... a little too easy.
Comment #71 (Posted by ali rehan)
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excellent .. wonderfullllllll
Comment #72 (Posted by Artirm)
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Well done.
Comment #73 (Posted by shree guru)
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thanks for sending message of
magic. i thought many people about magic . who were not knowing about magic send me message on floating thank you
Comment #74 (Posted by sparkjason)
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hmm,,now can u levitate if there are people aroung you??? david blaine did it,,,,,,,
Comment #75 (Posted by Zen)
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This is WAY COOL.......looks hard but definetley simple.........just a trick!too bad i have no pants
Comment #76 (Posted by ahmed)
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u r really amazing
Comment #77 (Posted by me-loser)
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it's difficult to find e angel .. can anione help ??
Comment #78 (Posted by Tristan)
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Works really well.Gr8 on my bro.
Thanks Tim
Comment #79 (Posted by sammy)
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that is a great trick. for all you people who think david blaine does it better.they are not correct. david blaine gets lifted off the ground with wires and then they film the reactions from the bladucci levitation.
Comment #80 (Posted by Suthan)
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The video never downloads...
please send the theoritical explanation
Comment #81 (Posted by Ben)
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love it , my frends don't know how to do it.
Comment #82 (Posted by wenzel)
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fantastic!!! my family and friends were so impressed
Comment #83 (Posted by faizan)
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wonderfull but can you teach me.............i still dont understant....please teach me....?you now i like magic
Comment #84 (Posted by Anand)
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Nice one...........
A very good illusion.
I'll try it!
Comment #85 (Posted by girlygirl)
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It seems like he's just jumping!!!!
Comment #86 (Posted by Meru)
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I'm sorry but I have to admit that even when the Balducci method is good, there is no levitation method that I really feel comfortable doing. I live in Mexico, and to impress the mexicans we need more than Balduccis or even Criss Angel's. I'm still looking for some conveincing levitation.
Comment #87 (Posted by call me infinity)
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I saw that one on the television a few years back. Personally I don't like it, but it does work on some people.
Comment #88 (Posted by boob the noob)
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heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyyyyyoooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Comment #89 (Posted by vali)
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this trick is awesome
Comment #90 (Posted by freddie)
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great trick, and really easy too...
A thing i would like to learn is how to make cards levitate... Anyone?
Comment #91 (Posted by robert earl)
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just great
Comment #92 (Posted by ABDULKADER DEMACHKIEH)
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dear it's realy nice thanks and do more for us
ABDUL
Comment #93 (Posted by hani)
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helow i want to speak how to make magicks trick i no only one magic and i wish to be magican boy thankyou
Comment #94 (Posted by Etu)
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simply great
Comment #95 (Posted by apriljoy)
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thank you tim for shareing
your magic
Comment #96 (Posted by Colin)
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holy cow!!!
Comment #97 (Posted by anil gangrade)
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Your magic is very good. I show infront of my family & friends. I m intresting in ur magic.I m a engineer. Please come in India. I have 2 meet u.reply soon.
Comment #98 (Posted by ayya_yuvan88)
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ur simply the best david..
Comment #99 (Posted by chet)
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people were amazed and they said how did i do that. and i told them.
" IT'S MAGIC!"
Comment #100 (Posted by shree guru)
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how to float is excelent fabolous awesome thank you
Comment #101 (Posted by shree guru)
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every body can under stand it david blain lifts his both feet
Comment #102 (Posted by almonds)
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its really great!!! tnx
Comment #103 (Posted by ajith)
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i saw it in AXN channel .i surprised about it .now u teach me .thanks alots
Comment #104 (Posted by wayne hampson)
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your magic is excellent. are you coming to britain in the near future i would love to see one of your shows?? i am truly your biggest fan over here. amazing
Comment #105 (Posted by soon)
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um actually is kinda also cool but i already knw dis trick cn u teach me some card tricks which is hard 2 be caught....
Comment #106 (Posted by abdi)
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it was good in the video but i didnt andrestand
Comment #107 (Posted by Andrew)
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