Robert Dadras and his family are about to take a big leap .

From September 27-29 of this year , they plan to host a three-day magic conference at the Villa Roma Resort in the Catskill Mountains in an attempt to capture the magic ( pun intended ) of some of the great New York magic conferences of the past . A “ save the date ” announcement is expected shortly , followed by a list of confirmed performers . The event will feature shows and a dealers ’ room open to the general public at a reduced registration rate , plus lectures and other events for magicians and others who pay the full conference registration fee .

It ’ s been a long time since there was an ascendant magic conference in New York , when conferences like the Tannen

Magic Jubilee brought together some of the greatest magicians from around the world for shows , lectures , and camaraderie . Dadras is out to revive those memorable meetings , and judging by his recent one-day New York Magic Conference , held Saturday , May 11 , 2024 , at the CCD Community Center in Douglaston , NY , he ’ s on the right track .

Dadras is a 62-year-old architect who got into magic around age 11 . Though he stopped performing professionally decades ago , he continues to be a magic historian and collector . He has also attended more than 300 magic conferences . He has emerged as an advocate for the importance of conferences in showing magicians – especially newcomers to the craft – the real work when it comes to performance , theory , technique , and artifice .

66 JUNE | 2024