10 Lessons from Two Years of A Cut Above

Thank you for being a part of this journey.

Nov 02, 2025

It’s official. We’ve been dropping a new article every month for two full years!

That means our archives are now overflowing with wisdom, unique perspectives, and exciting community news. And it wouldn’t be possible without all incredible collaborations we’ve had.

To celebrate this big milestone, we dug deep and pulled our Top 10 favorite highlights from all the articles. Trust us, it was nearly impossible to choose!

If you’re new here, we encourage you to take some time to look back at our collection of A Cut Above issues. There is a treasure trove of powerful concepts, tips, and mindsets shared by some of the best cardists across the world, and we’d hate for you to miss it.

But for now, let’s jump into some of the our personal favorite moments.

“When I practice moves, I often record myself performing them... Luckily, I often find myself with clips of good takes, and at some point... I started posting these clips.” – Silas Busk

Embrace the Process. Don’t wait for “perfection” or solely “original” moves. Posting authentic clips from your regular practice sessions provides an unfiltered, inspiring look into your creative journey and helps you track your progress.

“I think it is not realistic to try and keep track of every single move created and associate it with a specific person every time. I agree that it’s a sad reality, but this means that only very specific moves can stand out as yours if a larger community is to form.” – Haider Ahmad

Originality vs. Relevancy. In a rapidly expanding digital art form, total originality is hard to track. Focus less on being the absolute “first” to create a move and more on developing a signature style and presence, as relevance is determined by unique interpretation and consistent sharing.

“If you show a non-cardist five packet cuts in a row, you may as well have shown them the same cut each time... Showing a spectator one move from each of these categories likely goes further than five or six consecutive packet cuts.”

Inspire the Layman. When performing for a new audience, prioritize variety (one-handed cuts, aerials, springs) over specialization (multiple similar packet cuts). It will help showcase the breadth of our art form and maximizes the impact.

“No matter how much you prepare, the most crucial time is during the event itself. Everything has to work together seamlessly, and with 150 people depending on us, we needed to stay laser-focused, managing every detail.” – Oliver Sogard

The Intensity of Organization. This behind-the-scenes look highlights the dedication and intense, year-round focus required to run a major community event like Cardistry-Con, and shows how much appreciation we should have for the organizers of all cardistry events.

“My relationship with cardistry has had several different phases, but I’ve never taken any extended breaks. It has always been a source of comfort and creativity that comes naturally to me.” – Lewis Caldwell

The Long-Haul Perspective. This is an important reminder that the cardistry journey isn’t always about rapid growth or trends. It highlights the long-term value of the art form as a constant, reliable source of comfort and creative outlet.

“I believe competition is important for growing the community... they bring cardists together... Fostering a competitive drive has undoubtedly fueled many cardists to create more ideas and further contribute to this art form.”

Competition as Catalyst. While art is subjective, structured competition (like Lotus Singles or Missing Battles) provides a healthy incentive, a collective focus, and a deadline that drives creative output, constantly pushing the art form’s technical and creative boundaries.

“We could talk all day about why hosting cardistry meetups is healthy for the community and why you should organize meetups of your own (even if it’s just a few people hanging out at a local park)...”

The Power of Local Meetups. This highlights the vital role of in-person connections (whether at a major convention or a small local jam) as the ultimate source of inspiration and growth in the cardistry journey.

“Every detail, from the lighting of a certain shot to the tempo of a soundtrack, has the ability to alter how a move is perceived. The way that shadows interact with a part of a move. The way an outfit matches with the deck. The way a move is framed at certain points. There’s intention behind each frame, each sound, and each aesthetic choice.” - Tom Quan

In the Details. It’s easy to overlook the subtleties of cardistry, but they add up. Turning towards the camera a bit more, using a proper lighting source, pairing darker clothes with a lighter deck design all contribute to the subconscious experience of viewing cardistry. With intention, these added layers can truly upgrade your videos.

“All that time spent learning people’s moves isn’t only to reap your own creativity from it, but to present again and show off what we have taken time to work on, feeling proud to even do something at this level and appreciate others’ work.”

Performance and Pride. Learning moves isn’t just a creative exercise; it’s a chance to publicly show off the skills and dedication required, displaying pride in your own progress and appreciation for the difficulty of others’ work.

“A large community does not mean that the community has to be worse. A natural progression of sub communities would develop, and if you truly think about it, we already do this.”

Natural Sub-Communities. It’s important to avoid the fear of growth or losing exclusivity, because a larger community naturally self-organizes into smaller, manageable sub-groups, ensuring that personal connections and core culture are maintained.

1. Shrimp Fan by Fede Ferrigno

Fede’s been on a tear lately. Aside from this jaw-dropper, he dropped Engranaje earlier this month, another concept-heavy banger that’s unlike anything we’ve seen before.

Shrimp Fan feels like an instant classic. It’s one of the smartest evolutions of Flower Fan we’ve seen, warping, bending, and unfolding before snapping right back into symmetry. The closer completely catches you off guard with how everything locks perfectly back into place. And of course, the shrimp-shaped display makes the name that much better.

2. Windmonk by Benji Tran

As always, Benji keeps things effortlessly stylish. This one’s a compact packet cut that somehow fits so much movement and character into just a few seconds.

What really stands out is that mid-move pause — a quick display that instantly collapses back in on itself. The packet design and hand choreography make every motion feel intentional, with slides and drops that transition seamlessly from one beat to the next.

3. Granita by Malik Zuhayer

Malik really showed out with this one. It’s got that silky flow he’s known for, paired with some smart interlocking motions that add tension and payoff.

The closer is where it truly shines. Both side packets flip over the middle at the same time for a clean moment of symmetry, and just when you think it’s done, he pulls a hidden packet from the back that flips over the top to finish it off. It’s an unexpected twist that gives the whole move a cinematic ending.

Honorable Mentions

Tons of other high quality moves were released throughout October, check ‘em out:

Quick Bites

Cardistry Vlog: Tomoya — a well-known Japanese cardist and founder of WelcomeBack — started a new cardistry vlog “to show glimpses of [his] daily life, the process of creating new cards, and how [he] comes up with new moves.” Check out the first episode.
Around the World: Tickets are officially live for the cardistry’s hot new gathering: Cardistry World. The event will be held in Hanoi, Vietnam on March 27-29. You can grab your tickets and find more info here.
Last Seen: Butterfly Magic Store sat down with Nathan Stichter, co-founder of Missing, for an interview. Check it out to step inside the mind of one of the best playing card designers in the game.
Lights. Camera. Action. How often do you think about the lighting of your cardistry videos? If hardly ever, jtra’s new guide to getting proper lighting and exposure, even with your phone, is for you.
Carefully Considered. Julian Stiber’s brand, All Things Considered, recently dropped their first deck, Halb Halb playing cards, showcasing the brand’s avant-garde aesthetic.
Consistency is Key. Yang Nguyen wrote up an excellent piece for Who Shuffles Like That this month about the importance of consistency with your cardistry.