The floating ball magic trick is an absolute classic of magic that countless professional magicians have performed on stage and tv.
In today’s post, I’ll be explaining three ways you can perform the floating ball magic trick.
Ready?
Right, let’s get started.
Floating Ball Magic Trick 1: Float The Ball Using A Rod
What happens?
For this trick, the ball is covered with a black cloth and starts floating underneath it. Eventually, the ball even floats above the edge of the cloth and disappears for a short moment.
In the beginning, the magician shows the ball laying underneath a black cloth. He then picks up the corners of the fabric and the ball instantly starts to rise up in the air. It almost looks like it tries to escape from the cloth!
After a while, the ball even floats above the edge of the cloth for a few seconds, before it drops right back under it.
To end this trick, the magician even makes the ball disappear, showing the cloth empty from both sides, only to make it reappear right after and land the ball safely on the table again.
How to perform it:
The secret is simpler than you might think. As already mentioned above, the ball used for this trick is a special gimmick, the so-called “Zombie Ball”.
It has a hole inside it, that is hidden from the audience during the entire performance.
However, to make this method work, another tool is required. It’s a metal rod that connects the ball with one of the magician’s fingers. The unique construction, specifically designed for this trick, can be stuck inside the hole of the ball, while the other end can be put on a single finger.
This way, the magician has full control over every single movement of the ball, while the metal rod is hidden during the entire act.
The cloth is another really important part of the puzzle. In the beginning, it conceals the metal rod that is already attached to the Zombie Ball. As soon as the magician picks the cloth up, he can slide one of his fingers inside the metal rod and start to make to ball float. All of this is hidden completely by the cloth!
To make his movements look more natural, he mirrors his grip on the two sides of the cloth, making the same moves with both of his hands.
During the performance, the magician makes it look like the ball tries to escape from underneath the cloth. He achieves this illusion by stretching his arms and raising both of his hands at the same time.
A surprised look on his face makes the illusion even more convincing even the magician himself didn’t know about the powers of the ball!
How to make the floating ball disapear for a short moment:
Another short illusion during the performance: The magician makes the ball disappear for a short moment, showing both sides of the cloth empty.
For this trick, the special metal rod comes in handy as well. It allows the magician to move the ball underneath his armpit, by flipping his hand inwards. Since the ball is connected with his finger, he can move it around very quickly.
He just has to flip the ball behind his armpit and press his arm against his body, covering the entire ball from the audience in front. Now, he can show both sides of the cloth empty for a short moment.
To make the ball reappear, he simply lifts his arm slightly up, flips the ball back underneath the cloth, and can continue with his performance.
Here is a video of the trick being performed and explained
Floating Ball Magic Trick Method 2: Floating Steel Ball Using A Soup Ladle
The floating steel ball trick is a great way to appear like an expert magician with minimum effort. When the magic of the trick is revealed, you will get a good laugh from your audience as they discover the secret to this very simple trick.
Performance Tips:
Start building up the Floating Steel Ball trick by telling your audience that they are going to witness something so amazing and impossible that they will be left astonished. Tell them that you, the master of the incredible, will make a steel ball levitate right in front of their very eyes!!!
Turn away from the gathered crowd and prepare for the upcoming spectacle. When you face the audience again you are clasping a shiny steel ball between your hands.
You raise an eyebrow and slowly unclasp your hands from the floating steel ball. The floating steel ball is now levitating as your audience gasps in astonishment. You have now magically defied the laws of gravity.
You then replace your hands over the ball as the once concentrated look from your face fades into an ear-to-ear grin. You then reveal the real secret behind this easy levitation magic trick.
How to perform it:
This is a cool visual gag.
What you need:
- A soup ladle
- A tight long sleeve shirt
Slide the ladle into the forearm of your shirt until the front reaches the middle of your hand. Put your other hand underneath and then clasp round the front. You open your hands then lift your top hand off first so it’s like the ball is still resting on your lower hand. Then take the bottom hand of and create a bit of movement. Clench your hands back over.
Then deliver the gag…
Roll out the ladle and say. Who wants soup.
Or something funnier…
Note: The prop for this gag can be located in almost every kitchen around the world. If you don’t have one in your kitchen, you are sure to be able to locate it at most supermarkets for a relatively cheap price.
Here is a video of the trick being performed and explained
Floating Ball Magic Trick Method 3: Float The Ball Using Your Finger
What happens:
The magician puts both of his hands around the ball and starts to slowly remove his fingers, one by one. After the ball lays only in the palm of his lower hand, he removes both of his hands completely and the ball floats in the air for a few seconds.
How to perform it:
The secret behind this trick is rather simple: The ball is a special gimmick, a so-called “Zombie Ball”. It has a hole, in which you can stick your thumb. This allows you to remove all other fingers, with only the thumb keeping the ball in place.
From the front, it can look pretty convincing with a good technique, but if there are any spectators behind you, they will reveal the trick instantly.
Note: This is not a trick that you would see in a magic show, it’s a small little effect for in between. Some viewers might reveal the secret within a few seconds, so in my opinion, the trick is great for a little show for kids, but that’s it.
Floating Ball Magic Trick Bonus: Recommendation for professional magicians
Professional Floating Ball – Luis de Matos
If you want to take the floating ball magic trick to the next level then read on.
The Professional Floating Ball is designed to resemble a disco mirror ball. The idea is the ball must be heavy if it has to be held above a dance floor by chains and rods.
This makes it the perfect element for The Floating Ball.
The Professional Floating Ball has a 12-inch diameter and weighs approximately 200 grams.
It’s coated with silver mirror paper tiles and has a light polystyrene core.
The ball is handcrafted and comes complete with the special carry case and all the gimmicks and thread you need to rig and perform the Luis de Matos’ version of this amazing classic illusion.
Only a very limited number of balls have been produced. The fabrication process is very slow and it’s very unlikely they’ll be available again soon.
The Profesional Floating Ball includes
- Handcrafted Professional Floating Ball
- Custom Poly Transit Case
- 150 meters of Invisible Thread
- Special Accessories for Luis de Matos’ Rig
- Detailed Instructional DVD (The Floating Ball.)
Con: Unfortunately it costs a lot of money.
Thanks for reading three ways to perform the floating ball trick in 2021. Hope you enjoyed it.
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