13 September 5-11, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | Contents | Letters | news | night+Day | Culture | Cafe | MusiC | miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | RIPTIDE | METRO | NIGHT+DAY | STAGE | ART | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | Magic Man Roger Ruiz has his sights set on the “Magic Olympics.” BY ZULEKHA PITTS J ust when we thought magic only happens on TV shows like Arrested Development, Roger Ruiz, Miami’s own master of illusion, is attempt- ing to pull off a magic double play. Ruiz snagged first place in the stage magic division at the annual International Brother- hood of Magicians (IBM) convention last month in Tacoma. Now he’s taking his pow- ers of prestidigitation to Dallas to compete for a coveted spot at next year’s edition of the World Championship of Magic, which will be held in Italy next summer. Ruiz’s Tacoma triumph was no small feat. Competing against top magicians from around the globe, Ruiz wowed the judges with an inventive blend of horror and magic inspired by the Resident Evil series. “I am a big fan of the Resident Evil movies and games. It was what I played throughout my childhood, and until now, it has been my only vice,” Ruiz confesses to New Times. He’s particularly fond of the show’s dastardly Um- brella Corporation — so much so that it found its way into his act. “It gave me the perfect af- finity to make a mix of elements of history and magic,” he says, “in which I could distin- guish myself among all the magicians in the world.” Born in 1988 and reared in Havana, Ruiz was drawn to magic at age 17 when he discov- ered the work of master illusionist Criss An- gel and card trick wiz Lance Burton. His fascination grew when he entered military service in Cuba a year later and met a magi- cian named Rubén, who took him under his wing. “I started practicing with a Ping-Pong ball and a coin, and Rubén, who had a teacher at the National Circus School, helped me access more advanced learning,” Ruiz recounts. By the time he was 19, Ruiz was studying manipulation magic and winning local com- petitions in the Cuban capital. In 2010, he earned the title of Cuba’s national champion of magic. He moved to Varadero, where he started his own company, RuizMagic, in 2015. Ruiz’s path to success hasn’t been without its chal- lenges. Reflecting on his journey from Cuba to Miami in 2022, Ruiz attri- butes much of his success to his new- found liberty. “From Cuba, I studied each world magic champion in detail, and I still study them,” he says. “That is why when I arrived in this wonderful country and lost the chains that bound me in Cuba, I was able to prepare myself to win in such a short time. Freedom is what has helped me the most because I can finally be free to do in the best way what I love the most, which is the art of magic.” That said, having never lived outside Cuba, abandoning Varadero and RuizMagic to start over in Miami wasn’t easy. “It was hard to leave a company that I founded and directed for more than eight years, especially the people I left behind who were more than workers — they were family,” Ruiz says. “Starting from scratch was even harder for me since I had to start from the bottom again. All beginnings are difficult, but it helps a lot to be in a free country with so many possibilities.” His determination paid off, and within a year, he established RuizMagic Entertain- ment, once again parlaying his passion into a full-time job. Better still, he runs RuizMagic with his wife, Cosette, who also directs Mou- lin Blue Professional Entertainment, a non- profit that offers a range of professional performances and shows for events. The col- laboration has brought a diverse array of per- formances to South Florida, ranging from circus acts to burlesque, all of them incorpo- rating Ruiz’s magical touch. “Cosette and I create our shows by mix- ing the classic with the modern, using clas- sic, refined, and spicy acts such as burlesque, and recreating thematic shows with great illusions and dangerous acts such as the whip act, which are highly acclaimed by the Miami public, thus having exclusivity in our shows which give us unparalleled prominence.” The magic doesn’t stop there. As this story goes to press, Ruiz is preparing to take his tal- ents to Texas, where he’ll compete for a chance to represent the U.S. at the World Championship of Magic in Italy in 2025. He’s laser-focused on perfecting his routine for an opportunity that could propel him from local hero to global superstar. “August 30 to September 2, we have the FISM (Fédération Internationale des Socié- tés Magiques) of North America, which is the most important magic convention on the entire North American continent,” he says. For him, it’s a potential gateway to the World Championship — the magic Olym- pics. “I prepare for the championship by re- hearsing at least once a day,” he says. “Then I study the routine from my perspective and try to show it to others and hear their opin- ions and criticisms, bringing out the best in the end.” And after the competitions? Ruiz has big plans for magic in Miami. “I want to focus on my production of dif- ferent shows of great illusions to offer here. Also to bring spectacular acts for television,” he says. “We have a lot of material to show, and we are confident it will be a success.” He also aims to collaborate with his wife’s nonprofit to stage annual family-oriented shows that enrich the “cultural theme of the city.” When it comes to capturing the essence of Miami in his magic, Ruiz has a nostalgic idea in mind. “I would love to do a 1984 routine reflect- ing the popular series Miami Vice, which was a cultural phenomenon at the time and is still popular at many parties in Miami,” he shares. In the meantime, Ruiz’s journey from Cuba to Miami and the world stage is a testa- ment to the magic that happens when talent meets opportunity in the Magic City. [email protected] ▼ Culture Magician Roger Ruiz with his wife, Cosette. Ruiz hopes to make it to next year’s World Championship of Magic in Italy. Photo by Roger Ruiz “ALL BEGINNINGS ARE DIFFICULT, BUT IT HELPS A LOT TO BE IN A FREE COUNTRY.”