Christian Dadd, a magician and graduate student in the master of taxation program, can be spotted performing tricks with playing cards around Oxford and the University of Mississippi campus for all interested in his mystique.
Dadd’s tricks have caught the attention of popular Ole Miss athletes such as Trinidad Chambliss, Caden Prieskorn and Diego Pounds. Whether on the Square or before the student section after home football games, the athletes enjoy Dadd’s sleight of hand. Dadd, however, wants everyone to find joy in his magic, not just campus celebrities.
“I think you never know what someone is going through,” Dadd said. “They could be having a stressful day, a tough day, and just giving that one quick moment of peace of mind from stress-related activities, it just does wonders.”
Dadd’s Instagram account @magicmanofoxford boasts 5,820 followers as of April 22. Sororities, fraternities and other groups have booked him to perform at their events. However, Dadd still enjoys performing for free in public spaces.
“The gigs are awesome,” Dadd said. “My purpose is to make people happy and bring joy to the world. I like going out every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night to the bars or going to campus and doing magic for people.”
For Zane Rigdon, a junior finance major, and friends, the magic’s effect was immediate and intense when they saw Dadd spontaneously perform at The Balcony at Oxford Grillehouse on April 17.
“I’m just blown away by this experience,” Rigdon said. “Usually, you go to dinner and talk with your friends, but having such an entertainment source made the dinner a 10-out-of-10 experience.”
Senior allied health sciences major Kameron Turner also raved about Dadd’s performance at The Balcony at Oxford Grillehouse.
“I don’t even have words,” Turner said. “I feel like my heart is beating so fast because I’m just actually amazed at how impressive that was. I feel like that’s the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while.”
Dadd, who is from League City, Texas, has been performing card magic at the university since he was a freshman accountancy major in 2021. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in accountancy in 2025, but he did not start advertising his magic seriously until this year when he began his master’s program.
“It wasn’t until really this year, my fifth year in college, when I decided I was gonna go all out,” Dadd said. “I created the magic man of Oxford account (on Instagram), and I just started editing and posting videos. I only expected to get maybe a few hundred views, but I didn’t expect it to grow to what it did.”
Jaromir Saloni, a senior computer science and mathematics double major, is Dadd’s roommate. He said Dadd is often approached by fans who are eager to see magic tricks. Thankfully, Dadd carries several decks of cards with him wherever he goes.
“When we go to Walmart or out to the stores, people recognize him, and he’ll perform magic for them there,” Saloni said.
Because Dadd did not have a car his freshman year, he was unable to perform magic at off-campus venues, so he showcased his talent to those on campus.
“I didn’t have a car here my freshman year, so I would perform in the (Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss) Student Union,” Dadd said. “I would perform in the dorms.”
Susan Dadd, Christian’s mother, said her son’s interest in magic stood out even when Christian was young.
“I was a little bit shocked because it’s unusual compared to most hobbies (that) kids would have at that age,” Susan Dadd said. “Most kids are going to pick it up and put it down. He just wanted more and more, so I think that’s the shocking part, how long he held onto that hobby.”
Dadd’s parents got him a magic kit for Christmas when he was 5 years old, and he has been performing magic ever since. After displaying his skills at a talent show when he was in third grade, Dadd fell in love with card magic.
“My parents actually got me a magic kit for Christmas, and I needed something for the talent show, so I was like, ‘Okay, I’m gonna practice my heart out,’” Dadd said. “When it finally came time to perform, I loved it. The reactions I got just told me this was something that I want to continue doing.”
Dadd continued receiving magic kits as he grew older. He also watched videos of famous magicians David Blaine, Criss Angel, Mat Franco and Shin Lim, whom he credits for much of his learning. Dadd said that he would not be where he is today without magic books in particular.
Isaac Etheridge, a senior criminal justice major, is Dadd’s former college roommate and a fellow magician. Etheridge noted that Dadd’s skills have improved since Dadd started college.
“I’m really particular about mechanics — how you control the cards — and there were some things that I would see him do that needed some level of improvement,” Etheridge said. “Over the years, I will say, his sleights have gotten a lot better.”
Around the time Dadd started his undergraduate studies, he realized that he wanted to make tricks of his own. His repertoire is now replete with both original acts and imitations of other magicians’ tricks.
“I probably have 15 tricks that I’ve created so far in college. I have over 30 tricks total that I know off the top of my head,” Dadd said.
Since Dadd is now confident in his arsenal of tricks, he is currently working to improve his stage presence.
“For me, it’s more about the performing now because I’ve got all the sleight of hand that I need, or that I think I need,” Dadd said. “It’s more the performing aspect — knowing what to say, knowing how to engage your audience and knowing how to direct their attention to what you want.”
With his Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Examination coming up in July and a job lined up at Ernst & Young in Houston, Dadd will soon be disappearing from Oxford.
“I had an internship that ran over the summertime, so I got the experience I need(ed) to know what it’s like to work in an accounting firm,” Dadd said. “This past summer, I got the offer, and I’m going to start full-time in January in their tax department.”
Dadd still plans to carve out time outside of work to practice magic.
“Usually, accountants only work Monday through Friday, so that leaves my weekends open,” Dadd said. “The weekends are going to be my time to do magic-related things.”
Dadd hopes that, after his career in accountancy is complete, he will be able to dedicate all his time to magic.
“I know that I want to do magic full time,” Dadd said. “That has been a dream of mine ever since I was little. I’m going to work some amount of years until I retire, and when I retire, that’s whenever I’m going to start magic professionally full time.”
