Close-up magic
A close-up magician who puts the magic in their hands.
Kostya Kimlat moves from group to group at your reception or dinner, performing card magic inches away, in your guests’ own hands. He performs for one to three hours, needs no stage or sound system, and nobody has to stop what they’re doing.
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See it live
Close-up magic at the Hard Rock.
1:18 · For the staff at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, the evening before his show
What makes it different
The close-up magician you can put in front of anyone.
- 01
It happens in their hands.
A card is chosen, shuffled back, and found again while the deck sits in your guest’s own palm. In close-up magic the audience holds the props, so even people who’ve watched magic on TV their whole lives react like it’s the first time.
- 02
Nobody has to stop what they’re doing.
Kostya works the room in short sets, group by group, so your reception keeps running while it happens. There’s no announcement, no lights down, and no moment where two hundred people have to turn their chairs around. Guests who arrive late haven’t missed anything.
- 03
Written for skeptical professionals.
He performs for rooms of lawyers, engineers and executives, and the material is written for adults who have seen magic on television, so nothing in it depends on the audience being willing to play along before they have a reason to.
- 04
Your guests come out looking good.
Nobody is asked to do anything embarrassing, nothing is taken from a pocket without permission, and senior people are handled with extra care. You can put Kostya in front of your CEO and your biggest client in the same hour.
- 05
It is the easiest thing on your run sheet.
He needs no stage, no microphone, no lighting and no power. He arrives early, walks the room, and introduces himself to your venue contact. The only thing you decide is when he starts and when he stops.
What’s included
What booking a close-up magician gets you.
- A planning call with Kostya, so the material fits your audience
- A booking team that answers within one hour during business hours
- One to three hours of close-up magic, group by group
- Sleight of hand, mentalism and mind reading, performed at arm’s length
- A performer who arrives early, in business dress, and works your room
- Promotional copy and images for your invitations and internal comms
- Coverage of the whole room, so no table misses out
Add-ons
- A second or third magician, so a large reception is covered at once
- Branded magic built around your company’s name or message
- A group magic show for the same event, once everyone is seated
Where it works
Events he’s hired for.
- Cocktail receptions
- Client dinners
- Trade show booths
- Holiday parties
- Awards nights
- Hospitality suites
- Conference welcome receptions
- Sales kickoffs
- Executive retreats
Penn & Teller: Fool Us
He fooled Penn & Teller with a card trick.
14 million views
Kostya Kimlat is one of the best magicians we have in the world today.
Client reviews
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Peter G.
Executive Director, American Legion, Washington D.C.
What a sensational hit you were at the Presidential Inaugural Ball! Please let this be my fair warning to anyone that should they ever get a chance to see you, they are dealing with a world-class entertainer.
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Devinne Love
HR and talent conference, 500 guests
Kostya’s ability to engage individually with our 500 guests was impressive, especially with the addition of the strolling magicians during our happy hour who really got the room buzzing.
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Sancha Brennan
Corporate event, 150+ guests
Kostya performed at a recent corporate event for a room of skeptical lawyers, and he was simply phenomenal! When the show ended, our entire group left in a state of blissful bewilderment.
Planning
How it works.
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01 · You send the date.
You’ll hear from Kostya’s team within one hour during business hours, with availability or the questions the team needs answered before quoting.
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02 · A short call.
How many guests, what the room is, and which part of the evening you want covered.
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03 · We send everything.
A confirmation, promotional copy and images for your invitations, and a note for your venue contact.
On the day, Kostya arrives early, finds your contact, and walks the room before guests do.
The three formats
Which format do you need?
Many events use two. If your evening has a reception and then everyone sits down, close-up magic covers the standing part and a show covers the seated part.
| What you are comparing | Close-up magic He comes to your guests, a few at a time, and the magic happens in their hands. You’re reading this one | A magic show One performance for the whole room, with volunteers from your own guests. See it | A virtual show A live show over Zoom, with guests taking part from their own desks. See it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your room | Guests standing, mingling, or seated at tables | Guests seated and watching one thing | Guests wherever they are, on a call |
| How long | One to three hours, group by group | 30 to 60 minutes, one show | 45 to 60 minutes, one show |
| Who sees it | A few at a time, most of the room across the hour | Everyone, in the same moment | Everyone, in the same moment |
| Your venue provides | Nothing. No stage, microphone, lighting or power | A microphone, light on his hands, and sightlines | Nothing. The Zoom link comes from Kostya’s team |
| Where it usually sits | The reception, the dinner, or a trade show booth | After dinner, or following an awards presentation | An all-hands, a client event, or a team offsite |
Questions
Your close-up magic questions, answered.
What is a close-up magician?
A close-up magician performs for small groups at arm’s length instead of on a stage, using cards, coins and borrowed objects. The audience is close enough to touch the props, and is often holding them. It’s sometimes called strolling magic, walk-around magic or table magic, depending on whether guests are standing or seated.
What is the difference between a close-up magician and a strolling magician?
They are the same thing. “Strolling” describes how the magician moves between groups at a standing reception, and “close-up” describes how near the magic happens. Kostya is booked under both names for the same performance.
How much does a close-up magician cost?
Fees vary with the date, the length of the performance, the number of guests and travel. Send your event details and you’ll hear from Kostya’s team within one hour during business hours; a specific quote follows once those are clear.
How long does a close-up magician perform?
Usually one to three hours, in short sets so he reaches every part of the room. A cocktail hour before a seated dinner is the most common booking, and the length depends on how long that hour actually runs.
How many guests can one close-up magician cover?
Usually 60 to 100 guests an hour, depending on the magician’s pace and style, and on how the room is laid out. On the call, Kostya will tell you whether one performer covers your guest count in the time available, or whether a second magician is the right answer. He would rather cover your room properly than sell you an hour that reaches half of it.
Do you need a stage, a microphone or a sound system?
No. Close-up magic needs nothing from your venue: no stage, no microphone, no lighting and no power. It works in a loud room, a hotel lobby, a hospitality suite or a trade show booth.
Will my guests be embarrassed?
No. Volunteers are always made to look good. Nobody is called out, nothing is taken without permission, and senior people are handled with particular care. Planners ask this more than any other question, and Kostya built his reputation on getting it right.
Can a close-up magician work a trade show booth?
Yes, and it’s one of the formats he’s booked for most. Close-up magic stops foot traffic at a booth, holds a crowd long enough for your team to talk to them, and can be built around your product or message so what people remember is your company.
Can you combine close-up magic with a stage show?
Yes. The most common booking at a conference is close-up magic during the welcome reception and a magic show for the whole room after dinner. Guests who met him individually at the reception are already on his side by the time the show starts.
What kind of magic does he perform?
Sleight of hand with cards and coins, mentalism and theatrical mind reading. The material is built for adults at a business event, so nothing depends on props that look like a children’s party.
Where does Kostya travel for close-up magic?
Kostya Kimlat is based in Orlando, Florida, and travels worldwide for corporate events. He has performed on five continents.
What if our date is taken?
Kostya founded See Magic Live, a booking company of magicians and mentalists he has personally selected. If he isn’t available, his team there will find the right close-up magician for your event and stand behind the booking.
Can guests join remotely?
Not for close-up magic, which depends on being in the room. For an audience that’s partly or entirely remote, he performs a live show over Zoom built on the same principle: the magic happens in your guests’ own hands, at their own desks.
Put magic into their hands.
You’ll hear from Kostya’s team within one hour during business hours.