Someone once asked me, “Jamie, if you could only do one magic trick for the rest of your life, which one would it be?” I didn’t even have to think about my answer for a single second. “The Dennis Loomis Chop Cup routine. It has a great story, fits in my pocket, and has the greatest audience impact of any effect I perform! I love absolutely everything about it.”

Here we are, years later, and my answer hasn’t changed; I’ve performed this routine at every walkaround gig I’ve ever done. I’ve performed it for celebrities, heads of state, people on the street, friends, family; I’ve performed it on television and in person at every chance I get. There’s something about it that makes people laugh, yell, and stand in openmouthed wonder. It’s real magic.

So it brings me no small amount of joy to be able to keep Dennis’ routine alive for generations of magicians to come. I thought about annotating these manuscripts and adding notes on what I changed and altered with regards to the routine, but then I realized that I haven’t changed or altered a thing. I leave some parts out (I end on the second final load) and have experimented with the props (I use hackey-sacks sometimes and a pool ball occasionally, hiding the bottom half with back of my hand) but Dennis’ writing and explanations don’t require elaboration. All they need is for someone to read his priceless words, practice his brilliant moves and concepts, and get lost in the hours of endless joy that they will bring yourself and the people you decide to share them with.

On that note, I’d like to thank Dale Lorzo for helping me acquire the rights to this wonderful work. He has been proof of a something I once heard Eric Evans say at a lecture years ago, and that I have often repeated since. I truly feel it applies to our art and our fellow practitioners in magic, “We’re all in this together.”

This routine has been the single greatest journey of my magic career. I am beyond excited that I now get to meet you along the way and take you with us.

Jamie D. Grant

Proud Owner of the newly acquired rights to the

Dennis Loomis Routine for the James Riser / Dennis Loomis Micro Chop Cup and the Dennis Loomis Cups and Balls Routine

Vancouver, Canada, 2015