SarahElla Harlan

I’m a multifaceted creator, author, artist, magician, and psychology researcher with a passion for mnemonics and magic. A recent graduate of Meredith College with honors, I earned a double major in Music and Psychology and a minor in Theatre. As a psychology researcher, much of my work has focused on the intersection of magic and memory, including a fascinating study on using magic to create Flashbulb Memories. I’ve also been recognized with Meredith College’s top leadership awards, including the Impact Award and Leader of the Year Award.

As an author, I co-authored The Memory Arts and The Memory Arts Expansion Packs, and more recently released the 3 Fundamentals of Mnemonics eBook series, teaching valuable memory techniques to magicians and enthusiasts alike.

For nearly a decade, I’ve served as president of the Raleigh Magic Club, where they played an integral role in founding S.A.M. Assembly 199. Together with my husband, Dan Harlan, I co-founded The Mystic Tower and co-hosts MAGiCon, an annual convention for magicians and magic enthusiasts. While I won’t be performing on stage at this year’s MAGiCon, my behind-the-scenes contributions are vital to the event’s success.

Now graduated, I’m focused on lecturing, teaching, and performing a wide range of magic. She lives just outside of Raleigh, NC, with Dan, their daughter, and an ever-growing menagerie of pets.

I was raised performing, performing on stage for the first time at about 4 years old. My uncle gifted me with a magic set as a kid, and I loved it! I’m sure I put my family through many magic shows. Then I grew up, life happened, and I drifted from both magic and the stage. During one of the first seasons of Penn & Teller Fool Us, I was reminded of how much I loved magic. It seemed like a great way to get back into performing, even if just for fun. I found out that Raleigh had a magic shop (at the time, The Magic Corner) and visited. From the shop, I learned about Raleigh Magic Club and attended that month’s meeting. The rest is history!

I made a name for myself as a memory performer, but I think of myself as a magic artist, using magic to tell stories and reveal something about myself, others, or the world. I’ve been drifting farther from memory performance, and am still recreating myself into the “type” of magician I want to be (think magic queen fairy).

Storytelling magic. The psychology of magic and how we can use magic to better understand psychology.

When I first saw my husband, Dan Harlan, perform a show after the COVID lockdown. I knew what a great magical thinker, inventor, and teacher he was, but I had never seen him perform a show live. There was this very specific moment that brought tears to my eyes during his performance. In that moment, I realized that I was watching an absolute legend in complete flow with the audience. I felt so overwhelmed and privileged.

How vibrant and diverse we are as a group and that no one is lesser than. We have so many incredible magicians in our membership, people who are leaving a mark on magic across the world. And yet, the voices of our brand-new just-for-fun magicians are just as valued. We are all better together.

Raleigh Magic Club is like family to me. I’ve loved seeing our family grow over the years.