John Caluwaert: Attorney, Magician, and Creator of Wonder

John Caluwaert has spent decades practicing law, but it’s his other passion that often leaves people speechless.

A respected business attorney by trade and a magician by calling, John has found a way to balance two seemingly different worlds: one rooted in reason, the other in awe.

Born and raised in Elmhurst and now living in Oak Brook, John’s path into magic started unexpectedly. At the time, John’s work had included managing numerous world class boxers. While with his client, heavyweight champion Leon Spinks in the late 1970s, John crossed paths with Muhammad Ali during a trip to St. Louis. The two groups were staying in adjoining hotel rooms, and over the course of a few informal hangouts, Ali, charismatic in and out of the ring, performed a quick magic trick.

That encounter changed everything.

“I got more and more interested, or you might call it addicted, to magic” John said.

When he returned home, he bought beginner-level magic effects off the shelf, practiced them, and the next time he saw Ali, performed a few tricks of his own. Encouraged, he began studying seriously under professional magicians who helped him develop his technique, presentation, and presence.

A Style That Invites Connection

John describes his performance style simply:

“It’s to have everyone have fun and be part of my magic and be engaged; to create something they participated in and almost caused to happen, without having any idea how.”

He specializes in close-up magic, moving table to table, and parlor magic, where he performs for audiences of 30–40 people. His shows are interactive, upbeat, and welcoming, built not on spectacle alone, but on shared experience. For John, magic isn’t something that happens to an audience. It happens with them.

“Magicians develop their unique presence,” he said. “Mine is one that engages people to participate and have a mindset open to appreciate, for that one moment, that magic is real.”

A Deeply Human Art

Over the years, John has performed at restaurants and hotels like Allgauer’s in Northbrook. At The Drake Hotel Oak Brook, he’s been a fixture at Sunday brunches since it opened a decade ago. He is also sharing his talent for magic with senior living communities, bringing joy and wonder to residents through his charm and lighthearted illusions..

He’s been recognized by his peers with two Merlin Awards from the International Society of Magicians. This is an honor considered equivalent to the Oscar of the magic world.

Still, it’s the audience reactions that mean the most to him.

“I get great responses. Sometimes they make my eyes water. They make me feel like I’ve really touched people,” he said. “It’s like a relationship that forms from an experience, before we even know each other.”

John believes that magic has a powerful role to play in today’s world. At a time when people are overwhelmed by division, stress, and uncertainty, magic offers something rare and healing: enchantment.

“Magic gives people a break from the reality of the world: violence, politics, all the things that make us what we don’t want to be, instead of letting us enjoy life for what we could or should be. People need to feel free of prejudice and disenchantment. Magic is an enchantment of itself.”

Magic with Meaning

John continues to practice law while performing regularly, embracing both precision and wonder in his work. Whether offering legal advice or performing a miracle with a deck of cards, he connects with people in ways that leave a lasting impression.

In a world that often forces us to choose between logic and imagination, John reminds us we don’t have to. He lives in both, and invites others to join him in that moment where anything feels possible.

For additional information, contact John Caluwaert at 630-373-0054, or Caluwaert@gmail.com.