Floating Woman – Anatomy of the Illusion
The secret of the trick lies in the hands of the magician; literally. The magician conveniently stands next to a metal rod, to which the table is attached. He applies pressure on the metal rod ensuring that the woman remains in place. So, basically, regardless of whether or not the chairs are there, the woman’s body will stay floating in the air, because the chairs were never the only thing providing her support. The way the magician diverts the audience’s attention from the rod is often done by using the hoop to captivate them even further.
Source: Imgur
Random magic fact: David Copperfield and two of his assistants were robbed at gunpoint in 2006. Copperfield was able to conceal his possessions when the thieves turned to him. He was later quoted as calling this in the moment illusion as “reverse pickpocketing.”