The rise of David Blaine

David Blaine. The name probably sounds familiar to most. He is most talked about illusionist in the world. Although he does his close-up card -and- coin effects, he is famed for pure strength and endurance feats: being buried alive for a week and frozen in ice for over 63 hours.

''When I'm doing the stunts, it's the only time I feel alive,’' Blaine says. It is an acquainted refrain amongst all thrill seekers, which seems to mean that death - defying feats provide a surge of adrenaline and an elevation of the sensations from the sheer stunning victory over a physical battle. But the maneuvers - more so than traditional magic - give attention as well, which is also important for Blaine. He wants to be known.

Illusionists certainly argue about the depth of the skills of Blaine but agree that he has incontrovertible gifts, one of which is discipline. His stunts are a great way to demonstrate his extraordinary self - control: he trains accurately, meticulously, and lays outs every element of his environment months in advance. He's been building endurance since last spring and summer, by first simply standing on a pillar in his condo, then standing on one in a wind tunnel and perform a 17-hour rehearsal in the desert near Las Vegas. He has been fasting to reduce his body mass and progressively doing higher jumps to practice proper landing.

Blaine says “The more the body suffers, the more the spirit flowers.' I like that.’' A common motive in the public debates of Blaine about what really drives him is his mother’s death , Patrice. Patrice died of ovarian cancer when Blaine was 19 and got his first high - rent gigs. She supported whatever he wanted to do, and the two were always very close. She clearly still plays a huge part in his wild imagination. He has her photos on his website, and her images fill his New York condo. Although she looks different from photo to photo, the smile on her face is of a woman who carries emotional burden to keep it off her son.

Magicians also whine about his classical close - up magic, suggesting it's average, and some of it even bought straight from magic shops: he's doing the same vanishes, replacements, invisible decks and tear - and - rebuild that everyone does - so how has he become so filthy rich and so successful?

He performs without the traditional meaner of magic, unlike most illusionists: no tux, no girls in spangles, in fact, no stage unless the street qualifies as one. Blaine performs around the world in his three TV specials - from Memphis to Haiti. In one of these Blaine takes a tear at a quarter for a woman in Times square. He then restores it, and the moment he waits for - a gasp of excitement jumps from the woman.

- Darya Kalsi