Sooperman

Sooperman is a levitation illusion created by Looy Simonoff. It is a variation of the Balducci levitation. The effect is currently being sold under the name Wild Levitation.

Effect

The audience views the performer from the front. The legs of the performer are obscured (usually by a coat or jacket), so that only the performer's shoes are visible. The performer then appears to rise, tilt sideways, and hover at least a foot above the ground. The effect generally lasts for about a minute. When both of the performer's feet reach the ground, the performer's legs are uncovered.

Advantages & Disadvantages

The Sooperman levitation method allows the performer to appear to levitate considerably higher than in the original Balducci levitation. This levitation also has the flexibility to be performed for a larger group of spectators. However, this method requires the use of cover (such as a jacket) during the performance, which makes the levitation look less natural. Also, this illusion uses a gimmick, which means this variation is not completely impromptu.

History

Paul Harris first published "Looy's Sooperman" in the 1979 book Close-up Entertainer.