Review of Defiance (DVD with Gimmick) - Mariano Goni

Floating an object in midair is perhaps one of the most stunning things a magician can perform. While I’ve seen some great close-up illusions in this regard, Defiance offers some amazing effects. It’s not for table hoppers – unless you’re willing to put up with a lot of inconvenience and pre-setup – but Mariano Goni has created an excellent system and some clever, visual floating illusions.  

Spin and Float
With the aptly named The Incredible Spinning Card, you throw a borrowed credit card several feet away and it hovers –still spinning - in midair a few feet in front of you.  And this is without you being any where near it. On your command, the card returns to you. If you like, there’s a version with a hoop that you can pass over the spinning card.

The setup is involved and the kit comes with a quality device (it’s "reel" nice) and some material to make the illusions happen. I like the open nature of the device that makes it easy to change out material when it inevitably breaks. Also, it’s easy to adjust the tension to your liking. 

The main setup has to be done ahead of time. Goni teaches you how to setup on the fly in front of spectators, but even in this case, you’ll need to scope out the room and pre-plan the enterprise.

Got Change?

There’s a stunning in-air change. You crumple a piece of paper into a ball and it begins to levitate. You pull out a lighter and set the paper on fire, and it turns into a floating (crumpled) dollar bill. And yes, you can perform the classic “floating bill” as well. The bill floats from hand to hand and Goni teaches a way to borrow a bracelet and pass it over the bill. It’s brilliant handling.

Unrelated to the device that’s provided with the kit, there’s a floating cigarette effect that is quite impressive. You cause a cigarette to float in mid air and can borrow a finger ring and use it as a hoop to pass over it. This one requires additional materials that you’ll need to purchase from a craft store. It looks great and magicians will love this one.

The System
Defiance offers a fantastic system for floating objects. It’s not practical for strolling or walk around, but if you have situations such as a formal close-up or intimate stand-up shows, or any where you can check out a room and setup ahead of time, and are willing to put in the work, you’ll probably enjoy Defiance. And even if you don’t use the system, you’ll appreciate the tremendous secrets and brilliant adaptions found within.