sleight of hand

For the 2006 episode of Prison Break, see Sleight of Hand (Prison Break episode)

Sleight of hand, also known as 'prestidigitation' ("quick fingers") or léger de main (from the French for "lightness of hand"), is the set of techniques used by a magician (or card sharp) to manipulate objects such as cards and coins secretly.

Sleight of hand is not a separate branch of magic, but rather one of the means used by a magician to produce an effect. It can be contrasted with the flourish, where the magician intentionally displays skills, such as the ability to cut cards one handed, which is akin to juggling.

Advanced sleight of hand requires months or years of practice before it can be performed proficiently in front of spectators. Sleight of hand is mostly employed in close-up magic, but it can also be used in stage magic. There are hundreds of different sleights at the performer's disposal, but they can generally be classified into groups: switches, changes, the pass, the false deal, the double lift, the false shuffle, etc.

There are several stories about magicians using sleight of hand in real life, such as the one about American illusionist David Copperfield using sleight-of-hand to fool a mugger into thinking he had no wallet in his pockets.

Etymology

Sleight, meaning dexterity or deceptiveness, comes from the Old Norse slœgð. Sleight of hand is often mistakenly written as slight of hand, where slight meaning slender or frail comes from the Old Norse slettr. Apart from their pronunciation they have nothing else in common.^[1]

Sleight of hand in Close-up magic

Sleight of hand is often used in close-up magic, performed with the audience close to the magician, usually within three or four meters, possibly in physical contact. It often makes use of everyday items as props, such as cards and coins. The guiding principle of sleight-of-hand, articulated by legendary close-up magician Dai Vernon, is "be natural." A well-performed sleight looks like an ordinary, natural and completely innocent gesture, change in hand position or body posture.

It is commonly believed that sleight of hand works because “the hand is quicker than the eye” but this is usually not the case. In addition to manual dexterity, sleight of hand depends on the use of psychology, misdirection, and natural choreography in accomplishing a magical effect. Misdirection is perhaps the most important component of the art of sleight of hand. The magician choreographs his actions so that even the critical and observant spectators are likely to look where the magician wants them to. (More importantly, they do not look where they should not.) Two types of misdirection are time and movement. Time is simple; by allowing a small amount of time to pass after an action, events are skewed in the viewer's mind. Movement is a little more complicated. A phrase often used is "A larger action covers a smaller action." But care must be used to not make the larger action so big it is suspicious.

Another common misconception is that close-up magic must utilize either sleight of hand or some kind of gimmicked apparatus. However, as Henry Hay's Cyclopedia of Magic says,

"Many small tricks, especially card tricks, require neither apparatus nor sleight of hand; much apparatus of the "gimmick" type does not require sleight of hand. Illusions, because they deal with objects too big to hold in the hand, are one class of magic that seldom require sleight of hand--though even here sleight of hand "forcing" may be called into play. There are successful illusionists and apparatus conjurers who can do no sleight of hand at all, but their difficulties and restrictions deserve our sympathy rather than our scorn."

The Seven Principles of Sleight of Hand

The magicians Penn & Teller have been known to, as part of their act, explain sleight of hand while demonstrating it with a performance by Teller, appearing to only light a cigarette. While Teller performs, Penn describes what he is doing, and explains the seven principles of Sleight of Hand.

The Seven Principles are:

1. Palm - To hold an object in an apparently empty hand.

2. Switch - To secretly exchange one object for another.

3. Misdirection - To lead attention away from a secret move.

4. Simulation - To give the impression that something that hasn't happened, has.

5. Load - To secretly move a needed object to where it is needed.

6. Steal - To secretly obtain a needed object.

7. Ditch - To secretly dispose of an unneeded object.

Deceit

Sleight-of-hand techniques can also be used to cheat in gambling games, in street con games such as the three-shell game, to steal, or, in some cases, to claim supernatural powers, as in the performances of 19th century and early 20th century spirit mediums.^{[citation needed]} For this reason the term "sleight of hand" frequently carries negative associations of dishonesty and deceit, and is also used metaphorically outside the above contexts. The techniques used by gamblers, however, are often very different from those employed by magicians; similarly, the techniques used by self-proclaimed psychics or spirit mediums are often different from those found in "straight" close-up magic and mentalism.^{[citation needed]} The differences, however, are due to the different working conditions and the different degrees of proximity between spectators and performer; the same basic techniques and approaches are common in all the areas of deception mentioned.

Performers

Some of the most influential figures in sleight of hand and close up magic have been Cardini, Tony Slydini, Dai Vernon, Don Alan, Wes Sheild, David Roth, Ed Marlo, Tommy Wonder, Don England, Fred Kaps, J.N. Hofzinser and Larry Jennings. Other well known performers are Brother John Hammon, Michael Ammar, Andy Dallas, Jerad Nolin, Mike Close, Lee Asher, Bill Malone, Dean Dill, Ricky Jay, Paul Daniels, and most recently, Criss Angel, David Blaine, and Teller of Penn & Teller.

References

1. ^ Bill Bryson. "Troublesome words", Penguin. 

External Reference

• Penn & Teller explain Sleight of Hand (YouTube)

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