Telekinesis is a term that originated in 1890 by Russian psychical researcher Aleksander Aksakov, to describe the movement of objects by scientifically inexplicable means.Originally, ‘inexplicable means’ were thought of and portrayed as the work of ghosts or spirits. Nowadays, though, telekinesis is considered as more of a human phenomenon – the power to move objects with your mind.
Telekinesis is not mentalism, and it isn’t magic. It is a type of effect that bridges the two genres perfectly, because it retains the visual style of traditional close up magic, with the themes and believability of mentalism. If, like many performers, you like to mix both magic and mentalism, then adding a telekinesis trick to your act will help you transition from one style to the other perfectly. That’s not to say that is the only use for tricks of that nature- many of the best telekinesis tricks are so powerful you may want to consider using them as your ‘closer’ or even saving them for a stand-alone performance.
This is the ultimate instructional DVD if you are looking to add some metal bending to your act. The full routine is phenomenally powerful, and one of the strongest pieces of magic you can perform for a live audience. Whilst not necessarily for a beginner, the teaching is excellent and if you are willing to put the time in to perfecting the trick, you will have an honest-to-goodness MIRACLE in your hands!
If you prefer a more organic approach to your magic, you may want to consider Loops By Yigal Mesika. This allows you to do a huge range of telekinesis magic tricks using everyday objects like playing cards, money, forks What is particularly good about Loops is that you can even cause the movement to happen on a spectators hand. You can create the impression that it is your spectator that is making the magic happen, adding to the impossibility and making the tricks believable.
If you are thinking of trying some telekinesis, and want to be able to perform anytime without having to carry any special props with you, then SPIN is perfect for you. This is one of the strongest things you can perform impromptu. If you haven’t heard of this trick or seen the demo, go and watch it now and you will be amazed at the strength of this effect- all performed with regular objects.
This really depends on your performance style. In the main, telekinesis tricks work well when presented seriously. Remember, you are selling the idea that what is happening is a result of mental power, or concentration. Presentations with minimal speaking can allow for focus on the visual, and allow you to play on the fact that you are using a lot of physical effort during the trick (TIP- remember how David Blaine presented his levitation on his early TV specials? People were convinced it was real because he was so ‘physically drained’ after his performance). This style of presentation also has the advantage of giving you a legitimate reason for not repeating the trick, which a lot of magic tricks don’t afford you.
Being serious is by no means the only way to present telekinesis. There is a lot of potential for humour if you decide, for example, to perform these impossible feats in a more ‘tongue-in-cheek’ fashion, where everything happens at your whim with absolute ease. Or, you may be able to create a comedy situation where things are moving of their own accord and you have no control- it must be your spectator moving the objects but you don’t know why, or how to stop them!
