For the finale to a 3-4 minute customized act I'm working on for a client, I'm thinking of producing a dove from a fountain of (11)silks. This whole load is wrapped up in a large dark blue 36" silk which is then tied into a loose knot and placed into a deep top hat.

My concern is, will the dove be alright for about 10 minutes in the middle of all these silks. I don't have too much experience working with doves.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Do you already have a fountain of silks? P&A makes a version that can be preset and folded and then you can insert the dove at the last minute before the show in a special holder that pops up through the middle. No need to fold the dove up in the silks beforehand.

Cris

When I produced a dove as fountain finale, I tossed him onto the fountain as the confetti loaded 36" silk exploded into view. The trouble I always had with pre-loading the bird into the fountain was that the bird always seemed stunned and listless during rehearsals.

Kregg,

You are no amateur dove magician. Doves go to sleep in the dark. Move him before you expose him! Remember?

Bob

PS --- Lucy and I will be in Atlanta the Monday before Thanksgiving. Up for some chocolate dessert?

I have never liked the load bag in the fountain. I would prefer to body load it and steal it into the fountain. Lord knows, you have enough cover and then you never have to worry about hurting the bird.

Richard

When Magic Went WONG!

I love it!

Richard and I agree on loading. I prefer body loads too. (Especially if the guy working the lights is not familiar with dove acts. He doesn't know where to look and if you tell him, he moves the light too soon!) With body loads I can do a lot to control lighting because I can move.

That is not to say I don't use plenty of bags and boxes. I do! Generally, I assume that a dove is safer in a ventilated box than a bag. That is because he can't be crushed and he has some movement room. I would love to know what a bird would say.

The length of time is brief. Even in my two-hour stage show I only do 22 minutes of doves. People just remember them longer. Other magicians peg me as the guy who started and wrote Dove Hotline for about seven years before Tony Clark began to cover it. Therefore, they call it a dove act even if I do ropes and newspapers. In total stage minutes I do more silk than anything. However, we do four major grand illusions too. They are just 3-8 minutes. I doubt people ever really consider that. The music controls those.

Birds in boxes are my last produced and last vanished. Bagged birds are produced first. Birds vanished in cloth go off stage immediately. I really believe that 20 minutes does not endanger the bird. In forty-four years of magic I have never lost a bird on stage or in transit. I have had rats get them at the venue! Pick where you work. Theme parks, outdoor fairs and hotels have the rat and mice problems (likely because of the food distribution). They can get into cat carriers.

Also remember that a dove's natural temperature is higher than a human's by 6 or 7 degrees. If you are comfortable, the doves are probably comfortable too.

Enjoy your dove magic!

Bob Sanders
Magic By Sander

Thanks everyone! A body load seems like the general consensus. I'll also check out P & A's fountain of silks. The one I have (that I'm borrowing) has a sort of startrap in the middle along with a small white 3-4" zippered compartment.

Best regards,
Ray

I also have some fountain of silks. Even the smaller one will give you plenty of cover.

Richard