One of the problems with magicians is that when they get busted doing a move, they think the person is a “heckler”. Here’s a social media post I recently came across:
Here’s the main problem, every double lift looks like a double lift. Then add in that everyone who has had a passing interest in magic learns the double lift. Put those together, and 90% of double lifts will get busted by anyone who has learned a couple of card tricks.
OK, so what do you do about it?
In the summers, I perform a lot for teenagers, and when I noticed that it was starting to be a problem, I removed traditional double lifts from my close up set. I do use one, but in a weird way, and if someone busts it, because of how it’s used, I can show them they’re wrong.
Think about it: if someone learned two card tricks and one of them is the double lift in the context of an ambitious card style trick, then when you show them your ambitious card routine, you’re showing them a beginner’s magic trick. You might as well take out the ball vase at that point. You need to do something to separate yourself from basic magic tricks.
How do you do that?
Put in the work and figure it out! That’s exactly what I did for my That Way More card routine. I created something that doesn’t look like what they know and use techniques that aren’t typically used in the routine that kids learn.
-Louie