Cups and Balls Masterclass

I have to start off by saying, while I've been studying magic for 30 years, I have not worked on the cups and balls for a variety of reasons. I had heard from some friends though that this download was not to be missed so I decided to purchase despite my previous lack of interest in the subject matter. I have to say, for the first time in 30 years I'm interested in pursuing the cups and balls. Let's be clear though, this is not designed for the beginner. Jamy does give some very good advice on where to start with the cups and balls if you're not experienced, but he does not spend a lot of time explaining the mechanics of each move. Instead you see his very well thought out version of the Vernon routine, with some really smart touches and revisions that for my taste are a significant improvement over the original. Even if you're not interested in the effect per se, seeing a master of our art talk about an effect he's obsessed over throughout his career and the thinking behind the choices he's made is worth much more than the asking price; not to mention the whole video is incredibly entertaining and engaging. There are some really good ideas in here for any cup and ball practitioner, and for anyone interested in performing any kind of magic at the highest level. I've watched the performance 4 times since downloading a few days ago and watched the whole "explanation" twice as well; there's so much here it requires serious study. This is not to be missed if you take your magic seriously.

Echoing other revew(s) , I would like to add the production valuses and overall 'feel' of this DVD is just wonderful. If you cannot sit back and enjoy this moment, (actually 60 of them!) then give it up - you are dead! You spend the best part of the time with Jamie, and I mean with him, it feels like a one-to-one, with little interuptions, or edits or reshoots, what you are getting is the nearest you'll get to a personal instruction, it's just great. Love this.

The Cups and Balls – Some among the younger generations will perhaps think, “That’s so outdated,” or “Too Magicky.”

But Jean Hugard once commented, “It has been said that no one should consider himself a magician if he cannot work the cups and balls, which is not strictly true; the converse, however, does hold good – anyone who can perform the cups and balls skillfully is a good magician.” I still believe this is timeless wisdom from the old school.

?You can learn all the important aspects of magic from studying the Cups and Balls: construction/routining, technique, handling, timing, misdirection, and effective performance. If you perform this properly, you will never reveal the slightest hint of the methodology, and ultimately deliver a powerful punch to your spectators.

??Jamy Ian Swiss teaches his own routine, which is based on Dai Vernon’s phenomenal routine. Professor Vernon’s routine itself remains the popular standard, and is truly a beautifully constructed routine. Jamy has carefully added his solid thinking to this classic with his more than 30 years experience as a professional performer.??

If you are beginner, I highly encouraged you to look up Vernon’s original routine that appeared in “The Dai Vernon Book of Magic” by Lewis Ganson, and seek out video clips of Vernon’s performances on YouTube. Then go back to Jamy’s routine. You can learn so many valuable tips from him, accompanied by solid analysis – a personally guided shortcut toward mastering this classic.??

But you are already familiar with The Cups and Balls, you will also learn a lot from Jamy’s ideas. For example, I really like his handling for phase two of the original Vernon routine. And his final, streamlined load sequence is just amazing. You can load large balls very quickly without Vernon’s “pseudo-exposure.”
And Jamy’s liquid load kicker sequence also great – his special “gizmo” (based on late Eugene Burger’s idea) for the liquid load itself is worth making it. I strongly believe these two ideas are worth more than the asking price of a mere $15.??

I highly recommended this DVD for any serious students of magic.

This is great. Jamy goes into precise detail about a routine we all know and love. He speaks with passion and I learned a lot that I can apply to my routine. Another release that you'd only get with Vanishing Inc. Thank you for not just releasing single trick downloads - this is important magic teaching!

This is a great download! Jamy shows his expertise in every single word that he pronounces, he teaches a lot of details, and his final load of a full shot glass is amazing. You can’t miss this download. If you are new to the cups and balls I recommend you to learn the basic moves first, because Jamy doesn’t explain in full detail the basic techniques.

Get this download and improve you C&B routine.

I would like to start this off by saying that I've been preforming magic for 10 years and have never preformed any cups and balls routine. when I purchased this download I was more then happy with the quality I got out of it! He was so good about teaching the effects! I went back and watched the performance and the explanation more then once just to get all of the fine tips and the slight of hand correct! This is worth way more then what he is asking for I highly suggest it

Okay - I have some reservations about this video, which I will address as I go along, but overall it was very good!

Let me start off by saying that for the price, you are getting more than good value here, but I would be hesitant to call it a "masterclass". Perhaps in the context of studying the Jamy Swiss routine, you could call it that, but it is not a masterclass on the subject overall.

I do appreciate that Jamy left a note to potential buyers in the ad copy as to what he is offering for use on behalf of the buyer. He specifically states his wish that you will learn the technical portions and cherry pick what you want to use from those elements, but to leave the scripting to him. This is a fair request because as good performers and students of magic know, scripting makes presentations awfully personal and what works for one rarely, if at all, works for others. I will point out that there are a few lines here and there that are "stock" Cups & Balls lines, but they are woven into a uniquely scripted presentation. You should do the same.

If you have never studied the Cups & Balls or are new to magic, this is NOT the place to start. Side note: Credit to Jamy for even saying this at one point in the video, and I paraphrase, "Do not start with this or other versions, but learn the Vernon version FIRST, learn the mechanics, the timing and the rhythm of that before you attempt to change it." This is especially true for this version because Jamy does not spend a lot of time on each and every move, and for the most part he barely exposes some of them; it is expected that you will already be familiar with most of the moves and sleights that he is talking about.

What you are really getting in this video is a routine that is, almost phase for phase, the Dai Vernon routine, just like with most really good Cups & Balls routines out there. The difference, however, are the changes (and exchanges) that Jamy has made at various points. THOSE are the real focus here, and those are what makes his handling different. As close to perfection as the Dai Vernon handling was (and is), there are a couple of things that Jamy did that improved it or cleaned it up. One particular thing that really stands out in my mind is his take on the Two-None-Two phase. I came to the same conclusion about it that Jamy did and I came up with my own way to do it, but I also like what Jamy came up with.

There are a few moves (standard ones) that Jamy teaches where I was not particularly fond of the way he did/taught them. One such example is the Charlie Miller Move with the Elimination Sequence. He did it very well but he did not follow the advice given by Charlie Miller in performing it. I have no idea if that is how he always does it or if it was just how he did it in this video, but the way he taught it matched how he performed it.

The other thing that really bothered me, and maybe he gets away with it, are his final load loading techniques. I will save a lengthy description and point the reader to studying the work of Michael Ammar and Don Alan in regards to learning great and proper loading techniques.

Kudos to Jamy for pointing out one aspect of the Cups & Balls that is very important in many presentations, yet it is absent in so many of them. Namely, the audience participation (interactive) parts. This effect was meant to be interactive and to engage the audience, and the Jamy Ian Swiss routine makes very good use of that. The thinking that went into this aspect is very good here.

One of the points of value in this video, aside from the unique handling, are the justifications for the changes - the "why". Jamy does a great job in explaining the reasons he changed this move and that one, or why he eliminated certain things altogether. They make for a great lesson in how to make routines your own and even why you should do that. All of the above points combined, even with my nitpicking points, shows that Jamy has worked this routine in a Marlo-esque fashion: backwards, forwards, left, right and upside down for a LONG time. THAT is where the real lessons lie here - it shows you how much time and work you can put into something, into making it your own, and the rewards of those efforts.

I will say that if this system allowed for half ratings, I would put this closer to 4.5 stars, but given the lack of that, and given what you are getting in this video for the cost, I rounded up to 5 stars.

As previously stated, this is not the place for beginners to learn the effect, but if you have previously studied and performed it, or if you are an experienced magician looking for something a little different on the subject, this video will definitely suit your needs. Even if you do not learn a whole lot or like what you see, you will at least be entertained by the performance.

Been wanting to get back into the Cups and Balls which I haven't touched in a very long time. This was a perfect primer with lots of the content to digest. Now if only Swiss would write a book on the cups and balls that would even be better!

I've been doing cups and balls for years. This video is a great place to start if you're new and has some good ideas if you're a seasoned performer. There is not a lot new here, but most of what you need to find to do the cups and balls is within this video. well worth the price paid.

Jamie does an excellent job of describing his take on Dia Vernon’s routine. Not only that, but gives you a good example of the way a magician should think when revising a routine. If you pass this up, you may be missing a great chance to polish all your routines.
Mark Perrin

I have a number of books and videos on the subject of Cups and Balls. I thought I was paying it my due respects until I saw this video. There is a certain way of thinking that masters follow to make better or polish up the old routines, as great as they were when first conceived. This is not just about Cups and Balls. It shows how to re-think and solve trouble areas and make it look natural. This video is a real gem for your library and to spark your imagination for designing your own routine.

Very in depth cups and balls routine! Goes through his routine as well as some sleight of hand. Everything is in depth and clear and VERY well done. I highly recommend to anyone wanting to get into a cups and balls routine.

Love it. Great routine. Great tutorial. Clear and concise. just what I needed to help me polish up my cups and ball routine. I would definitely recommend this one to those who are interested in cups and balls.

an excellent examination on cups and balls. easily worth twice the price!
the production quality was very high as you would expect from VanishingInk.
the level of thought that has gone into each phase of the routine is wonderful.

if i had one complaint it would be that there wasn't very much of a discussion on the history of cups and balls but this wasn't really the project for that anyway.

all in all its an excellent download.

This was my first cups and balls routine I’ve tried learning. Very, very well organized! Doesn’t cover the basics which he states off the bat… but the routine is great. He offers alternatives and his opinions and theory. Worthwhile purchase for sure

An excellent video production, which is first performed live, followed by a full tutorial on how to do this long but interesting cups and balls routine, with plenty of tips on the way. Excellent teacher, easy to follow, lots to this, its certainly worth getting this download.

Bravo Mr.Swiss! his presentation of the cups and balls was exceptionally good. His lecture was over-flowing with wise and well thought out methods and sleights easily accomplished through minimal practice. He tipped all of his nuances through his many years of being the great magician that he is.
Anyone wanting to try the cups and ball routine should get this lecture and be quite satisfied with this purchase.

When I first became interested in the cups and balls I looked everywhere for guidance and looked at many routines and training videos. Some were good and some not so much. Although this is not for a beginner it is very well taught and has excellent material. I am very happy that I came across this master class, it is well worth the investment and it will be a welcome addition to anyone's cups and balls library.

Great way to learn cups and balls for beginners and experts alike!

Jamy has definitely put his A game into this presentation. He style of delivery is impeccable. Vanishing Inc has produced another winner.

I bought this at the bargain price of £5.28 for a DVD which is an absolute steal and with the teaching of Jamie Ian swiss you cant go wrong He has some of his own takes on some moves like the wand spin there is over an hour of performance and explanation which is well worth studying so this comes with my highest recommendation.

It's a really good act AND an excellent job teaching/talking about the pieces that go into the routine. Being lectured to by someone who really knows what they're talking about is important. I bought it as a DVD because I have the player and didn't mind getting this rather than a download. It arrived in fine shape and sooner than I expected.

An elegant presentation filled with surprises. Totally enjoyed this fresh approach to an all-time classic. Clear instruction with guided the learned step-by-step. A most wonderful investment. A valuable addition to my humble magic collection.

Excellent video and explanation.

It's a great DVD that teaches you a brilliant routine, and Jamy even gives you some other products and advice for other routines. My only issue is that he doesn't always explain very clear and you have to fill in some holes. But I do recommend this to anyone who would like to learn Cups and Balls. Beginners and Pros.

Great breakdown of the entire routine. Insights that can only be gained from a knowledgeable professional.

If you enjoy the cup and balls routine this is a lovely overview of Jamys routine. He explains why Vernon's routine is the gold standard and reasons his updated tweaks for more a more natural progression through the routine. Whether you perform Jamys routine there is enough advice on the download for you to educate yourself and probably improve your perfornance. Thoroughly enjoyed the download.

The routine is phenomenal great insights and I'm glad I brought it just for some of the knowledge he has. However it was my understanding I would be learning the basics and that's just not the case. As I'm a complete beginner to cups and balls I found it hard to follow along. He does reference this a few times and gives advice on where to learn these moves. I guess I was just hoping to come out if this with all the relevant skills to put my own routine together. Overall though great performance and valuable knowledge.

I have loved cups and balls ever since I started in magic. It has been my favorite subject to learn, study and explore. I love this dvd… His routine is phenomenal and the thinking behind it is top notch. There is one technical moment in particular that blew my mind in its simplicity and elegance, and immediately made it into my own routine. I recommend getting cups and balls basics from other sources, but when you’re comfortable with the basics come back and watch this routine!

I am just starting to learn the cups and balls and was looking for a good beginning resource. This video gives me a great understanding of the cups and balls. Jamy gives plenty of other resources to check out as he works his way through the teaching of the routine. I think the pace of this video is great for learning the techniques along with Jamy and I feel like this is well worth the $15 I spent. It's a great routine and plenty of humorous moments. Though I don't plan to copy it word for word or move for move, it gives me a great foundation to start with. Very recommended!

It's an excellent DVD with clear instructional content.

I love this tutorial. One of the best insightful cups and balls routines for the beginner and the seasoned performer. Can’t go wrong.

I have always loved the cups and balls but I never had any proper tutorials on the routine. When I bought this, I was pleased that Jamie was thorough in the tutorial. This not only provided a good routine to start with but also provided a good foundation for me to expand on.

Everything is in depth, clear and very well explained.

This is a brilliant version of The Cup and Balls. Jamy Ian Swiss (what a great name) breaks down each part of the process, giving clear explanations as he goes for each action and movement. He gives reasons for progress from the Dai Vernon version. Even if you don’t perform this effect its worth watching Jamy’s masterclass for a nugget of information – for example, I now keep my cup and balls in a velvet bag as the opening sequence was brilliant.

If you have the basics down (loads and steals etc.) then this will really open up some possibilities. I have as yet only watched it through once, but I cannot wait to grab my balls and give it a go (snigger). It is great value for money and very much worth the asking price.
Highly recommended, even if you don't really do cups and balls there are some great performance tips that can apply generally.

This was just jam packed with some wonderful effects, tips and subtleties. There’s definitely something for everyone on this download. A lot of explanation and great details and stories to go with it.

Elsewhere on this site there is a lengthy - but very interesting - review of the book: "The Complete Cups and Balls by Michael Ammar" written by Jamy Swiss. He criticises the book (and Michael Ammar) - in my opinion - somewhat harshly which is somewhat ironic (to me) as I prefer the video version of "The Complete Cups and Balls by Michael Ammar" to this video.

Having said this I have no regrets buying this download as it contains useful and interesting information and the highlight for me was a couple of clever variations to the Dai Vernon routine. As it has been said elsewhere it is not a beginners guide.

Excellent tutorial on the cups and balls routine. It is a superb presentation which offers clear, fantastic tips on performing the effect. Every move, from wand flourishes to ending loads, is clearly explained in terms of technique, and how each move contributes to the overall performance. this provides the opportunity to focus on particular phases of the routine without losing focus on the overall effect.

Great lessons here on technique, the motivation begin the moves, and most of all. How to have fun performing. There are some really nice additions on the final load too this routine is more on the advanced side but you get a lot of details and behind the scenes. Highly recommend!

If you want to really learn a cups and balls routine this is a must. David Regal does an excellent routine and the explanation is very easy to follow. It is the routine that I have been using and reactions from the audience are just fantastic. Highly recommended. A+++++++++

Outstanding