Juliana Chen Delivers a Spellbinding Display of World-Class Magic

 Some magic performances are built around a clever secret.

Others become something closer to art.

In the video “Juliana Chen – A Magical Performance Full Of Spellbinding Tricks,” world champion magician Juliana Chen demonstrates why she has earned a reputation as one of the most accomplished stage magicians of her generation.

Combining incredible manipulation, graceful movement and influences from both Eastern and Western performance traditions, Chen creates a style of magic that is unmistakably her own.

But the story behind the magician makes the performance even more impressive.

From Ballet and Acrobatics to Magic

Juliana Chen didn't originally set out to become a magician.

Born and raised in Hunan Province, China, Chen was selected at just 10 years old to receive specialized training at the Hunan Academy for the Performing Arts.

She initially studied ballet before moving into acrobatics and juggling.

Those years of intense physical training would eventually become an important part of her magical style.

But injuries forced Chen to reconsider her future as an acrobat.

While recovering from one of those injuries, she saw legendary Japanese magician Shimada performing on television.

The experience helped inspire her to pursue magic.

Chen began practicing with readily available objects such as playing cards and ping-pong balls, eventually developing the extraordinary manipulation skills that would become one of her trademarks.

A Different Kind of Card Magic

When most people hear the words “card magic,” they probably picture a magician standing at a table asking someone to select a card.

Juliana Chen takes playing cards in an entirely different direction.

In her hands, cards become visual objects capable of appearing, disappearing and flying through the air.

Chen became particularly known for her unusual card-shooting technique. Rather than simply throwing cards in the conventional manner, she developed techniques that allowed her to send cards flying with remarkable speed and precision.

Watching Chen manipulate cards is as much about movement and rhythm as it is about deception.

That's where her background in dance and acrobatics becomes so important.

She isn't simply performing sleight of hand.

She's choreographing magic.

Juliana Chen Makes Magic History

Chen's dedication eventually carried her to the highest levels of competitive magic.

She won major awards internationally, including a Gold Medal at the International Brotherhood of Magicians competition in 1992.

Then came the achievement that permanently secured her place in magic history.

In 1997, Juliana Chen competed at the FISM World Championship of Magic in Dresden, Germany.

She won the world championship in manipulation.

In doing so, Chen became the first woman and first magician of Chinese heritage to win FISM gold with a solo act during the competition's first 50 years.

It was an extraordinary accomplishment in a field historically dominated by men.

Chen became known as “The First Lady of Magic.”

Bringing Two Worlds Together

One of the most interesting aspects of Chen's work is the way she incorporates elements of Chinese culture into a contemporary international magic act.

Rather than abandoning her background when she began performing around the world, she used it to create something distinctive.

Her performances have incorporated Chinese artistic traditions alongside the techniques and staging associated with Western magic.

That combination helped create a performing identity audiences could immediately recognize as Juliana Chen.

And that's an important lesson for any magician.

Technical ability can make someone a skilled magician.

Individuality can make them memorable.

From World Champion to International Star

Winning FISM opened even more doors for Chen.

She went on to appear on major television networks and perform at prestigious venues around the world, including the London Palladium, Princess Grace Theatre in Monte Carlo, Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, NHK Theatre in Tokyo and Berlin's Wintergarten.

Her television credits have included NBC, ABC, CBC, CTV, ITV, CCTV and other international networks.

Chen's contributions to magic have extended well beyond her own performances.

She has worked to strengthen connections between the Chinese and Western magic communities, served as an artistic director and helped develop younger generations of magicians.

In 2023, the Academy of Magical Arts honored Chen with its prestigious Performing Fellowship.

Nearly three decades after her historic FISM victory, she remains an important figure in international magic.

Watch Juliana Chen Perform

“Juliana Chen – A Magical Performance Full Of Spellbinding Tricks” gives viewers an opportunity to see what happens when years of training in several different performing arts come together on one stage.

Watch the hands.

Watch the cards.

But also watch how Chen moves.

That's where you'll see the difference between simply executing difficult sleight of hand and transforming those techniques into a theatrical performance.

Juliana Chen's journey took her from ballet to acrobatics, from juggling to magic, and ultimately to becoming a world champion.

And perhaps that's what makes her performances so interesting.

She didn't leave those earlier art forms behind.

She brought them with her.

Penn & Teller Teach You a Magic Trick — And Prove the Secret Isn't the Most Important Part

 For decades, Penn & Teller have built a career around doing something that magicians were once told never to do:

Tell the audience how the trick works.

But somehow, even when audiences know the secret, Penn & Teller can still fool them, entertain them and make the magic feel impossible.

In the video “Penn & Teller – Teach You a Trick,” the legendary duo once again plays with one of magic's oldest rules by giving viewers a chance to actually learn some magic themselves.

And beneath all the comedy and deception is an important lesson about what really makes a magic trick entertaining.

Penn & Teller Have Always Broken the Rules

Most traditional magicians carefully guard their secrets.

Penn & Teller took a different approach.

Throughout their career, they've created routines where methods are apparently exposed right in front of the audience. Sometimes they'll explain a secret and then perform the effect again. Other times, the exposure itself becomes part of a larger deception.

It's one of the things that made the duo different from virtually every other magic act when they first became famous.

Instead of pretending magic secrets didn't exist, Penn & Teller made the audience's curiosity about those secrets part of the show.

What Happens When Magicians Actually Teach the Audience?

Teaching someone a magic trick changes the relationship between magician and spectator.

For a moment, the spectator isn't simply watching the mystery.

They're becoming part of it.

They get to experience what magicians experience when they first learn an effect: discovering that something which appeared completely impossible may have a surprisingly clever solution.

But knowing a secret and being able to perform a magic trick are two very different things.

That's where this video becomes especially interesting for magicians.

The Secret Is Only the Beginning

Ask almost any magician how they became interested in magic and you'll probably hear a story about learning that first trick.

Maybe someone showed them a card trick.

Maybe they received a magic set.

Maybe they checked a magic book out of the library or watched a magician on television.

Once they discovered the secret, something changed.

Instead of ruining magic, learning how one trick worked made them want to learn another.

And then another.

Eventually they discovered something every serious magician learns:

The secret isn't the trick.

The secret is simply the mechanism that makes the impossible moment possible.

The magician still has to turn that secret into entertainment.

Penn & Teller Understand That Better Than Almost Anyone

That philosophy has been at the heart of Penn & Teller's work for decades.

Their routines aren't memorable simply because of clever methods.

They're memorable because of the personalities performing them.

Penn Jillette's rapid-fire talking and larger-than-life personality contrasts perfectly with Teller's famously silent character. Together, they've created a performing style that is instantly recognizable.

Take the same secret and give it to another magician, and the result could be completely different.

That's one of the beautiful things about magic.

Two performers can perform essentially the same trick and create two completely different experiences.

From Teaching Tricks to Fool Us

There's also something particularly fun about watching Penn & Teller teach magic when you consider what they're best known for today.

On Penn & Teller: Fool Us, magicians from around the world perform specifically to prevent Penn & Teller from figuring out their secrets.

The entire premise depends upon two people who possess an enormous knowledge of magic methods trying to determine what's happening.

Yet even after decades of experience, they're still occasionally fooled.

That's another reminder that magic continues to evolve.

New methods are created.

Old principles are disguised in new ways.

And talented performers find new presentations for ideas magicians have been experimenting with for generations.

Could This Video Create a Future Magician?

There's another reason videos like this are important.

Somewhere, someone may watch Penn & Teller teach a trick and decide they want to learn another one.

That person might buy their first magic book.

They might visit a magic shop.

They might perform a trick for their family.

And perhaps years from now they'll be standing on a stage performing professionally—or even attempting to fool Penn & Teller themselves.

Every magician has a first trick.

Maybe this will be somebody's.

Watch Penn & Teller Teach You a Trick

Whether you're already a magician or simply someone curious about how magic works, “Penn & Teller – Teach You a Trick” is another entertaining example of why this legendary duo has remained such an important part of magic for so many years.

Because ultimately Penn & Teller understand something that's easy to forget:

Learning the secret doesn't necessarily destroy the magic.

Sometimes, it's where the magic begins.

Watch the video and give the trick a try yourself.

And who knows?

Maybe you'll catch the magic bug too.

Five Four-Letter Words by Duane Laflin – Gospel Magic Routine w/ DVD – NEW

 Now available at www.magiciansmagicshop.com

Five Four-Letter Words is a clever and visual gospel magic routine created by respected magician and gospel magic authority Duane Laflin.

The performer displays a series of large letter cards and begins arranging and rearranging them to create different four-letter words. By moving the letters and turning one card over, the words continue to change, building into a surprising final revelation that delivers a meaningful gospel message.

It’s an easy-to-follow routine that combines visual magic, word play and a strong Christian message, making it especially well suited for church programs, Sunday school presentations, gospel magic shows, children’s ministry and family performances.

The cards measure approximately 4½” x 7½”, making the routine visible for a group while still being compact and easy to carry. The original release includes the cards, instructions, full presentation/script and instructional DVD.

Created by: Duane Laflin

Manufacturer: Laflin Magic

Style: Gospel / Christian Magic

Includes: Letter cards, instructions and DVD

Retail price $25.00

Our price $19.95

Grover George: The “Supreme Master of Magic” Who Found Fame Far From Home

 When discussing the great illusionists of magic's golden age, names like Harry Houdini, Harry Kellar and Howard Thurston immediately come to mind.

But there is another magician whose spectacular posters still turn up in magic collections around the world—even though many modern magicians know surprisingly little about the man pictured on them.

His name was Grover George, better known professionally as George, the Supreme Master of Magic.

George had the talent, equipment, showmanship and ambition to become one of America's great illusionists. Instead, a bitter rivalry with one of the biggest names in magic helped send his career in an entirely different direction.

And that's where the story gets really interesting.

A Young Magician From Ohio

Grover G. George was born in Zanesville, Ohio, and developed an interest in magic while still young.

According to accounts of his early life, George was already performing magic as a boy. Like many professional magicians of his era, he developed his skills by performing wherever opportunities were available and gradually building a larger and more sophisticated show.

George wasn't interested in remaining a small-time magician forever.

He wanted a major illusion show.

By the early 1920s, that dream was becoming a reality.

George Builds a Spectacular Magic Show

In 1922, George purchased equipment and rights connected with magician Doc Nixon's “Hong Kong Mysteries.”

The acquisition helped George transform his production into a much more elaborate theatrical attraction.

Contemporary reports were complimentary.

A review published in The Sphinx described George's program as entertaining and praised its beautiful and expensive settings. George's abilities weren't limited to large apparatus, either. He developed a reputation as a talented manipulator, particularly with cards and billiard balls.

The production continued growing.

George organized the Mysteries Production Company, assembled assistants and performers, and advertised an increasingly elaborate touring illusion show.

He appeared ready to compete on America's biggest stages.

Unfortunately, one of America's biggest magicians apparently wasn't interested in having another competitor.

Grover George vs. Howard Thurston

Howard Thurston was one of the most successful illusionists in the world.

His enormous traveling production made him a superstar of American magic, and George was entering the same market.

According to multiple historical accounts, Thurston attempted to prevent George from gaining a foothold in major American theaters.

The rivalry reportedly included legal disputes over illusions and pressure on theater managers. Thurston allegedly warned some venues that if they booked George, they risked losing future Thurston engagements.

For an entertainer attempting to build a national tour, that was potentially devastating.

George might have had the talent to compete with Thurston, but he didn't have Thurston's enormous influence within the theatrical business.

Rather than give up magic, George made a decision that would completely change his career.

He went somewhere Thurston wasn't.

George Takes His Magic to South America

Beginning in the 1920s, George took his illusion show through Cuba, Central America and South America.

What may have initially looked like a setback turned into a tremendous opportunity.

George became a major attraction.

His company traveled through cities across Latin America, sometimes under extraordinary conditions. Accounts of the tour include traveling up the Amazon River to reach Manaus, Brazil.

Far away from the American theater politics that had caused him so many problems, George was able to establish himself as an important international illusionist.

Ironically, when Thurston's protégé and fellow illusionist Dante later toured South America, George's established popularity reportedly made the territory difficult for Dante.

The magician who had struggled to get into America's major theaters had become formidable competition abroad.

The Triumphant American Tour That Wasn't

George eventually attempted to establish himself again in the United States.

His advertising promised a “Triumphant American Tour.”

And the advertising was spectacular.

Beautiful stone-lithographed posters presented George as the “Supreme Master of Magic.” Some advertised a company of 18 people and a carload of scenic effects.

They looked exactly like the advertising for a magician preparing to become one of America's biggest stars.

But the triumphant return never developed as George had hoped.

The problems with Thurston resurfaced, and George again struggled to secure the prestigious American theaters he wanted.

Eventually, George abandoned his hopes of conquering the American magic market and returned to South America.

Those Posters Became Part of His Legacy

There's a wonderful irony to Grover George's story.

The American tour that failed to make him a household name left behind something that would keep his name alive for generations:

his posters.

Large quantities of George's beautiful lithographs survived.

Today, vintage magic collectors regularly encounter images of George surrounded by devils, imps, mysterious creatures and impossible magical happenings.

In fact, some magicians may recognize a George the Magician poster without knowing anything about Grover George himself.

His advertising ultimately became one of the most recognizable parts of his legacy.

A New Life in Brazil

George eventually settled in São Paulo, Brazil.

As his performing career slowed, he became involved in other businesses connected with entertainment and technology, including the manufacture of projection equipment for theaters.

Accounts of his later life also connect him with the development of early Brazilian television.

George briefly returned to performing during the 1950s, but by 1956 his professional magic career was essentially over.

He died in 1958 and was buried in São Paulo, Brazil.

What Might Grover George Have Become?

That is the question that makes Grover George's story so fascinating.

What would have happened if George had been allowed to compete freely with Howard Thurston in America's major theaters?

Could his name today be mentioned alongside Houdini, Kellar and Thurston?

We'll never know.

But George's career also demonstrates that success doesn't always happen where you originally expect to find it.

When one door in the United States closed, Grover George took his show to another part of the world and found audiences eager to see what he could do.

His spectacular posters survived.

His story survived.

And nearly seven decades after his death, George, the Supreme Master of Magic, remains a fascinating reminder of just how many incredible performers are waiting to be rediscovered in magic's history.

Grover George may not have become the household name that Howard Thurston became during their lifetimes.

But perhaps it's time magic fans remembered George the Magician a little better.

On This Day in Magic History: Houdini Debuts His Massive “3 Shows in One” — August 31, 1925

 On August 31, 1925, Harry Houdini stepped onto the stage of the Maryland Theatre in Cumberland, Maryland, to begin an ambitious new chapter of his legendary career.

Instead of presenting the kind of vaudeville appearance that had helped make him famous around the world, Houdini was now attempting something much bigger: an entire evening of entertainment built around himself.

He called it “3 Shows in One.”

The production combined magic, the spectacular escapes that had made Houdini famous, and his increasingly passionate campaign against fraudulent spirit mediums.

Exactly 101 years later, the debut remains an important moment in the history of the world's most famous escape artist.

Houdini Was Reinventing Himself

By 1925, Houdini had already accomplished more than enough to secure his place in entertainment history.

But the entertainment business was changing.

Vaudeville, where Houdini had spent so much of his career, was losing ground as motion pictures became increasingly popular. Rather than simply watching his old world disappear, Houdini decided to evolve with it.

He partnered with theatrical manager L. Lawrence Weber to develop a full-evening theatrical production.

This wasn't a small undertaking.

Houdini reportedly commissioned music, employed eight assistants, and transported enough equipment to fill approximately 50 crates and a 60-foot railroad car.

The result was a show lasting roughly two and a half hours, separated by two intermissions.

And everything revolved around Houdini.

Act One: Houdini the Magician

The first portion of the evening concentrated on magic and illusions.

This was significant because modern audiences often remember Houdini primarily as an escape artist. Houdini, however, considered himself a magician as well, and his full-evening show gave him the opportunity to demonstrate that side of his career.

In one memorable bit, Houdini apparently wanted to make it very clear that he had “nothing up his sleeves.”

So he removed the sleeves from his tuxedo and performed with his arms exposed.

The act also paid tribute to magic's past by presenting effects associated with earlier performers, including Dr. Lynn, the magician whom a young Ehrich Weiss—before he became Harry Houdini—had reportedly seen perform.

One featured illusion was “Paligenesia, or Taking a Living Man to Pieces and Restoring Him by Installment.”

For a man constantly looking toward the future, Houdini was also acknowledging the magicians who had inspired him.

Act Two: The Escapes That Made Houdini Famous

The second portion of the program delivered what audiences around the world expected from Houdini:

Escapes.

This was the Houdini who had escaped from handcuffs, jail cells, restraints and seemingly impossible situations around the world.

The program included famous pieces associated with his career, including Metamorphosis, the East Indian Needle Mystery and his legendary Water Torture Cell.

For the Water Torture Cell, Houdini was suspended upside down and lowered into a water-filled tank with his ankles secured at the top.

Audiences knew exactly what was at stake—or at least Houdini made certain that they believed they did.

This was the type of dangerous spectacle that had transformed the name Houdini into a word synonymous with escaping the impossible.

Act Three: Houdini Takes on the Spirit Mediums

The final portion of the evening was dramatically different.

Houdini turned his attention to fraudulent mediums and spiritualists.

After the death of his beloved mother, Houdini had become deeply interested in the possibility of communicating with the dead. But instead of finding convincing evidence, he discovered techniques he believed dishonest mediums were using to convince grieving people that they were communicating with deceased loved ones.

Houdini made exposing those methods one of the great missions of the final years of his life.

The third act of “3 Shows in One” brought that crusade directly to his audience.

He demonstrated and exposed techniques used to create supposedly supernatural manifestations, showing spectators how apparently impossible phenomena could be accomplished through deception rather than spirits.

A surviving Houdini poster preserved by the Library of Congress promoted this section with the provocative question:

“Do spirits return?”

Houdini's answer was clear: fraudulent mediums could manufacture remarkably convincing evidence that they did.

Houdini Makes a Grand Entrance

Even Houdini's entrance demonstrated how seriously he was taking his new production.

He reportedly entered to “Pomp and Circumstance,” while the stage featured an enormous curtain or tapestry displaying ribbons, medals and honors he had accumulated throughout his remarkable career.

It must have been quite a sight.

This wasn't simply another Houdini appearance.

It was almost a theatrical celebration of everything he had accomplished—magician, illusionist, escape artist, showman and investigator of the supernatural, all presented during one evening.

The Historic Debut Happened in Cumberland, Maryland

For years, some Houdini histories identified the location of the August 31 premiere as the Maryland Theatre in Baltimore.

Later research established that the historic performance actually took place at the Maryland Theatre at 37 North Mechanic Street in Cumberland, Maryland.

The theater, which opened in 1907 and seated approximately 1,800 people, hosted Houdini for three days from August 31 through September 2, 1925.

The final day even included a special children's matinee.

After its Cumberland debut, the production went on tour and eventually reached Broadway, playing New York's Shubert Theatre and later the National Theatre.

A Final Reinvention for the World's Most Famous Magician

Looking back from more than a century later makes “3 Shows in One” especially bittersweet.

Houdini was still evolving.

He wasn't content to spend the remainder of his career simply repeating the escapes that had already made him internationally famous. At 51 years old, he was building a massive new production and attempting to reinvent himself for another chapter of his career.

He could not have known how little time remained.

Just over a year after the Cumberland premiere, Harry Houdini died on October 31, 1926, at the age of 52.

That makes “3 Shows in One” more than another Houdini production.

It represents one of the final transformations of a performer who spent his entire life figuring out how to escape limitations—including the limitations of his own success.

On August 31, 1925, Harry Houdini wasn't simply looking back at the career that had made him famous. He was attempting to create what came next.

And 101 years later, magicians are still talking about it.

Watch Ekaterina Bring Her Unique Style of Magic to Television

There are some magicians who immediately stand out because their performances feel distinctly their own, and Ekaterina Dobrokhotova is one of them.

In the video “EKATERINA’s TV MAGIC PERFORMANCE,” viewers get another chance to see Ekaterina doing what has made her such an interesting performer to follow: combining strong magic with personality and a presentation designed for a television audience.

Ekaterina Has Made Her Mark in the Magic World

Magic fans may recognize Ekaterina from her appearance on Penn & Teller: Fool Us.

Ekaterina appeared during Season 4 in the episode “Penn & Teller & Dracula,” which originally aired September 28, 2017. She appeared alongside Mike Bliss, Javi Benitez and Ran Gafner and was billed as a mentalist.

But television is only one part of her work in magic.

Ekaterina has also become known within the magic community as a performer, creator and teacher. Her work has reached fellow magicians through lectures and instructional releases, including an At The Table lecture devoted to her magic.

Magic Made for the Camera

Performing magic on television presents a different challenge than performing for a live audience.

Everything from pacing and personality to where the audience should be looking becomes incredibly important. Television also puts the magician's technique under a microscope, with viewers able to replay moments over and over again.

That's one of the things that makes watching accomplished magicians perform on television so interesting.

Rather than simply watching for the secret, pay attention to how the performer structures the experience. Where does the magic happen? When does the performer allow the moment to breathe? How is personality used to make the magic more entertaining?

Those details can sometimes be more valuable to a magician than figuring out the method itself.

Ekaterina Continues to Stand Out

One reason Ekaterina has attracted attention within the magic community is that she brings her own personality to her performances.

In an art where it's easy to perform the same tricks audiences have seen countless times before, developing an identifiable performing style can be just as important as learning another sleight.

That's especially true today, when magicians aren't competing only with other live entertainers. They're competing for attention with television, YouTube, TikTok and virtually unlimited entertainment available from a phone.

A performer who can make viewers stop and watch has already accomplished something important.

Watch EKATERINA's TV Magic Performance

If you're a fan of television magic—or a magician interested in studying how magic translates to the screen—this is a fun performance to revisit.

Watch EKATERINA's TV MAGIC PERFORMANCE and pay attention not only to the magic itself, but to the presentation surrounding it.

What do you think of Ekaterina's performance? Let us know in the comments, and keep checking Magic News Daily for more great magic performances, news and history from around the world.

Mike Super Takes an Impossible Lottery Prediction to Penn & Teller: Fool Us

When a magician walks onto the Penn & Teller: Fool Us stage, the goal isn't simply to perform a great magic trick. They're performing for two people who have spent their lives studying deception, sleight of hand, psychology, and virtually every method the magic world has to offer.

Magician Mike Super stepped up to that challenge with an ambitious prediction involving something nearly everyone has dreamed about at one time or another — winning the lottery.

Can a Magician Predict the Powerball?

Mike Super's routine revolves around an incredible premise: could he somehow know the winning Powerball numbers far enough in advance to actually purchase the correct lottery ticket?

Instead of simply asking someone to call out a few numbers, Super turns the selection process into part of the entertainment.

Six audience members become involved through balls being sent around the theater, adding another layer of apparent randomness to the proceedings. Even Penn & Teller get involved in the process.

That becomes extremely important.

Prediction effects become much stronger when the audience feels there couldn't possibly have been any control over the choices being made. The more random everything appears, the more impossible the final revelation becomes.

And Super has something waiting for them.

An actual lottery ticket from 2016.

The performance originally aired during the Season 4 premiere of Penn & Teller: Fool Us in 2017.

Mike Super Is No Stranger to Television Magic

Magic fans may recognize Mike Super from considerably more than Fool Us.

Super won NBC's reality competition Phenomenon, which featured Criss Angel, and later became a finalist on Season 9 of America's Got Talent. His television appearances have also included The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Those experiences show in his Fool Us performance.

Rather than presenting the prediction as simply a puzzle for Penn & Teller to solve, Super builds an entire theatrical routine around the premise. The audience participation, comedy, suspense and increasingly impossible conditions all lead toward the final revelation.

That's an important lesson for magicians watching the performance: the method may create the secret, but the presentation creates the experience.

Watch Mike Super on Penn & Teller: Fool Us

Whether you're a magician trying to figure out how the prediction could possibly work or simply someone who enjoys watching impossible magic, Mike Super's appearance is worth revisiting.

And perhaps the biggest question isn't whether Mike Super could predict the lottery.

It's this:

If you really could predict the Powerball numbers a year in advance… would you use them for a magic trick?