Who Is the Best Female Magician in the World?
Who Is the Best Female Magician in the World?
Hundreds of years ago, women faced the stigma of being referred to as witches. But these days, many have turned to magic, not as something diabolic but as an ingenious use of science and creativity to forge amazing illusions for our entertainment.
In recent decades, women have been carving out parts for themselves in the world of performative magic. In this article, we explore ten of the best female magicians in the world and their groundbreaking achievements. Which of them have you seen, and who would you regard as the best female magician in the world?
Carisa Hendrix
Carisa Hendrix is a Canadian magician and fire eater. The world-famous magician goes by Lucy Darling for her charming acts at The Magic Castle in Hollywood. Hendrix began with arts and modeling before shifting to magic. And now, she has forged her part in the world of magic.
Hendrix is renowned for her staggering accomplishments, such as the longest time with a lit torch in her mouth, which was listed in the Guinness World Records in 2014 and in Ripley's Believe It or Not in 2015.
This amazing magician has been performing regularly at The Magic Castle, a renowned institution in Hollywood. She has further taken part on many stages globally, including The Melbourne Magic Festival, where she was featured extensively.
Hendrix has won many prestigious awards, including the 2017 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award and the Canadian Rising Star Award from the Allan Slaight Foundation in 2019.
Magical Katrina
“Katrina is a pro. I’ve worked on stage with her, improvising magic in an impossible situation and we killed it. She crushed it. I’ll go into a showbiz battle with her by my side any day! “ These were the words of Penn Jillette of Penn and Teller about Magical Katrina.
Katrina Kroetch is a renowned magician performing under the name Magical Katrina. She has performed in over 18 countries, including France, Germany, South Africa, India, Mexico, and the United States, and in popular shows like Masters of Illusion and Penn and Teller: Fool Us.
Katrina also champions social good by volunteering with organizations like Magicians Without Borders and Emergency Circus. She is a top member of the Magic Circle with the highest amount of corporate clientele. Are you thinking about adding a touch of wonder to your next event? Katrina is your best choice.
She has won multiple awards, such as the Pacific Coast Association of Magicians Family Entertainer of the Year. She has also been featured in renowned magazines, including The Linking Ring, Penguin Magic Monthly, Genii Magazine, and Vanish Magazine.
Josephine Lee
Josephine Lee is a phenomenal female magician. David Copperfield regarded her as the future of magic. Her popularity grew tremendously after her Britain’s Got Talent appearance, which touched the hearts of millions of people everywhere in the world.
Lee’s media appearances saw her on the stages of BBC ONE, Le Plus Grand Cabaret Du Monde, and TV shows like 'Impossible' and 'The Illusionists as a headliner. Lee was remarkable in that she achieved a landmark milestone, being the first woman to practice magic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Her portfolio boasts performances for esteemed figures like Prince Albert of Monaco and Stella McCartney, showcasing her unparalleled talent and universal appeal. Lee's magic eschews traditional tropes, offering a modern, captivating experience that resonates with audiences worldwide.
Fay Presto
Letitia Winter is a distinguished magician who goes by the stage name Fay Presto. She is widely known for her close-up magic performances, and she is a member of the Inner Magic Circle. Presto started her career as a lab attendant for atomic energy research. It wasn’t until her late thirties that she decided to perform magic.
The Magic Circle was an all-male society until 1991, when they voted to let women join them. Presto was one of the first women to join the group. Presto’s signature ‘bottle-through-the-table” trick would also rank no. 37 on Channel 4’s 50 Greatest Magic Tricks.
She toured with the Champions of Magic from 2014 to 2017. These shows featured other notable names and Presto, such as Edward Hilsum, Alex McLear, and Young & Strange.
Melinda Saxe
Our next magician was billed as the “First Lady of Magic” in her Las Vegas shows and TV appearances. Melinda Saxe’s parents, Richard and Bonnie, were in show business. Her brother is also a producer. It’s no surprise that she grew interested in performing magic from a young age.
Saxe was 16 when she started practicing daily, and at age 17, she began dancing for Siegfried & Roy's magic show. She debuted at the Bourbon Street Hotel and Casino a couple of years later. Josephine Lee was the first woman to perform magic in Saudi Arabia, but Saxe was the first female to perform magic in Las Vegas.
Saxe performed in several shows like 88 Follies Revue at the Las Vegas Landmark Hotel and Casino. She stepped off the stage in 2002 to start her family but returned again a decade later at Planet Hollywood resort's V: The Ultimate Variety Show.
Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich is an escapologist and a stage magician. Her signature feats include the straitjacket escape while suspended from a burning rope, and the bullet catch. She made her name as the first woman to gain popularity as an escapologist since Houdini. Dietrich was named among the "eight most noted magicians of the late 20th century" by the 2006 Columbia Encyclopedia.
As a performer, Dietrich performed several acts that most women shied away from. A famous performance was showing celebrity comedian Robert Klein in half on TV. Her other acts included straitjacket escapes, sleight of hand with coins, the Bullet Catch, and levitating audience members.
Houdini served as a major inspiration for her, so much so that she held Houdini seances and sent out a traveling Houdini exhibit.
Magic Babe Ning
Ning Cai is an author and magician from Singapore. She was the first professional female magician in Southeast Asia. She made magic popular on her side of the world, performing under the stage name Magic Babe Ning. However, she eventually left magic to focus on her writing career, which she found successful as well.
Ning honed her magic skills from a young age by watching David Copperfield and Japanese pop singer/illusionist Princess Tenko. She incorporated several dangerous skills like fire-eating, samurai swords, and other weapons in her performances as she didn’t want to fit into the typical female magician stereotype.
She retired from magic in 2014. She had been performing magic for a decade before retiring.
Kristen Johnson
Kristen Johnson is widely known for her daring acts, including her signature escape, which is the full-view water torture cell. She often performs with her husband and fellow magician, Kevin Ridgeway. The duo has performed under multiple stage names like Living Illusions, Ridgeway & Johnson, and Breathless. In 2009, she was featured on the cover of The Linking Ring magazine.
Johnson began learning magic in his teenage years. This new skill helped her earn money for college.
As Christians, she and her husband performed several faith-based shows, such as Living Illusions. Under the name Breathless, they launched a full-length touring theatre show in 2007. This show played across the United States.
On January 16, 2009, Johnson performed her signature act, the water torture cell escape, during the halftime show of the Detroit Pistons versus the Oklahoma City Thunder. Sadly, she lost consciousness during this performance and had to be rescued. She was back to perform the act a week later for the 600th time in her career.
Nicole Cardoza
Nicole Cardoza is a magician and equity activist who has performed on stages of major conferences and companies like Lululemon, Adidas, Learn.com, and DonorsChoose.
Cardoza blends illusions with her wonderful storytelling ability, using her acts to educate the audience about the history and future of Black and female magicians.
Cardoza is also an entrepreneur, founding the Reclamation Ventures and the Reclamation Ventures Fund. Through her platforms and programs, she has given over $600,000 in non-equity grants to trailblazers. She has also given lectures at colleges and universities, such as MIT, Harvard, and Stanford.
Jeanette Andrews
Jeanette Andrews is an illusionist who has staged hundreds of sold-out and standing-room-only performances. She has performed for top institutions such as Infiniti, Kraft, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Lyric Opera, and Chicago Ideas Week.
Andrews had been performing since she was four and received her first payment for a magic show at the age of six. She has built her career since then and has not had any job outside of magic since then. She uses unique means to give insightful and fun experiences for her audience.
She has affiliations with, and her work has been recognized by, the Chicago Tribune, PBS, and the New York Times.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the end of our list. We’ve explored ten of the best female magicians in the world. With countless reviews from satisfied clients all over the world, Katrina stands out with several prestigious awards. Are you ready for the ultimate showbiz with Magical Katrina? For corporate entertainment, birthday parties, weddings, or virtual shows. Magical Katrina is your one-stop for all things mentalist, magic, fun, and entertaining. Book now!