Today we’d like to introduce you to Dan Winter.
Hi Dan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My first memory in my life is my Dad showing me a card trick. I have been interested in magic and all things related to magic ever since. Growing up in the suburbs of Boston, I spent most of my childhood reading magic books, watching youtube videos about magic, and performing for friends and family. I started working professionally when I moved to NYC in 2020. I started working with my hero in magic, Asi Wind, in September of 2022 on his Off-Broadway show called “Asi Wind’s Inner Circle.” Every night after the show Asi and all the aspiring magicians who worked on it would go out to eat at a nearby restaurant. We became a sort of family. Those dinners were where I learned what it took to become a successful professional magician. I not only learned secrets, I also learned the mindset that makes Asi so amazing. While many strive to be great, he strives to be better, constantly improving on effects he has been doing for decades even though they work perfectly well as is.
When I graduated from NYU in 2024 with a degree in acting from Tisch and a degree in cognitive neuroscience from the College of Arts and Sciences I was ready to start working full time. I now live with my 3 best friends (who just so happen to be some of the most talented magicians on the planet) in an apartment in Williamsburg. There are cards scattered across every surface and I couldn’t be happier. Asi has since moved to LA so I frequently visit him when I have gigs on the West Coast.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
So far it has been a shockingly smooth road. I am lucky to get to work with and learn from the best magicians in the world. Magic is increasing in popularity every day and there seems to be no signs of it slowing down. As a result, there is no shortage of work. That being said, I have only been a full time working pro for 2 years now so I’m sure things will not always be this easy. I try not to let the future stress me out as I enjoy every second of how things have been going so far.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Growing up I specialized in coin magic, which is a pretty strange niche. There are really only three things that can happen in coin magic. A coin can appear, a coin can disappear, and a coin can transform. It is a very limited starting point. For whatever reason I fell in love with the thousands of techniques that can be employed to accomplish those three basic effects. There were a few years of my childhood that I spent with a coin in my hand practicing for 8+ hours every day. I would often have circular bruises on the palm of my hand from holding the coin for too long in what is called a classic palm (a way of secretly holding a coin in your hand while the hand appears empty). When I saw Asi perform his style of card magic for the first time, I immediately wanted to learn from him. There was something very psychological about his brand of magic that intrigued me as a contrast to the knuckle busting sleight of hand that I spent my youth obsessing over. I spent most of my college years studying under him to learn how to perform his style of card magic.
Gradually I have found my own voice in magic, though obviously at the age of 23 it has changed since last year and will continue to change dramatically. I pull from my background in acting and cognitive neuroscience to produce performance pieces that are unique to me. One piece I am most proud of was inspired from a class I took on psychopathy in college.
My favorite thing that I’m currently working on a show with two of my roomates called The Duo. We opened the show at the Magic Castle in 2024. We have since done runs of it in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and of course New York. It’s a show about friendship and third wheels. Turns out, doing a magic show with two of your best friends is super fun.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to continue to grow “The Duo” with Jacob and Charlie. I really love working and performing with them and we have some big dreams for the show. Besides that, I hope to continue to meet and perform for amazing people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://danwintermagic.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danwintermagic/
Image Credits
IG: @jtcanshoot
IG: @vk_orlovska
