Faux Flying Doves

[Annilee B Waterman]

Hello! I've been asked by our dance production to find a way to create flying doves around 2 dancers on stage. The dancers would need to be wearing a rig, or holding something to create the illusion of the birds flying along with them. I'm new to stage production (worked in film before). Has anyone done a trick like this?

 

[icewolf08]

It really depends on how you want the effect to play. There are many ways to possibly accomplish something like this.

As you mentioned, the dancers could wear a rig, but that would mean that they a either wearing it for the entire piece or have to choreograph a way to get it on. This would probably provide the least dynamic look as the doves would be mostly static around the performers. It could also be potentially limiting in how close the performers could get to eachother and what kind of moves they can make.

You could create dove puppets and have people puppet them. They could be hand puppets or on poles. This would likely be the most dynamic way to achieve the effect as the puppets and performers could be choreographed in such a way as they could interact with eachother. It also would not hinder the performers.

Lastly, if you have the budget and technology, you could do projections. Design animations that play around the performers. Obviously this would require a projector and suitable projection surface, plus a projections designer/animator.

 

[Annilee B Waterman]

Thank you icewolf08! What a kind and thoughtful answer!

I agree a rig would not be the best option. The dancers will be moving on and off stage, so they will have opportunities to change props. I think a pole sounds very feasible, and I love the idea of projections (I hadn't even thought of that!)

Can you tell me what materials I would use for the pole puppet? Or do you know of an example video I could view?

I doubt we have budget for projections, but I'm wondering if there's some way I could pull that off from the wings.

The piece will be 8 minutes long, with 83 dancers, telling a life long love story. The doves will be a pass through, with simplified moves to allow for the props.

Again, thank you so much! I really want to impress the artistic director; everyone else told her this was an impossible request.

 

[MarshallPope]

We recently did a show that required seagull puppets. We used bamboo poles with cardstock gull cutouts attatched to the top with around a foot of line. The line was attached to the center of the birds so that they more or less balanced flat. This allowed them to get some great fluttering motion.

 

[Amiers]

I would go with a track and mini fans with your dove wrapped around it. The doves move themselves and would look more life like. 83 dancers I would say you would need about 40 doves to make them be somewhat noticeable.

The stick method always works but it takes lot of sticks which is a lot of hands.

Nothing is impossible but somethings just arent feasible to do with what is provided in front of you.

 

[JohnD]

Fibreglass whip poles with monofilament line at the end attached to fake birds. Could you do a semi-ninja with extra dancers upstage handling them?

 

[Annilee B Waterman]

Thank y'all for the great ideas!! I'm so pleased I found this forum!!

It sounds like the most budget friendly option is the bamboo poles. I doubt production will pay for tracks and fans, although I agree that would look amazing and high impact.

I'm thinking we do just a few dancers with birds, during a segment when most of the cast is in the wings? 40 birds would be awesome, but again, I think I'll have a budget restriction.

I looked up the fiberglass whip pole; Is that like the type used for bicycle flags, or a dressage whip? Are these more flexible than the bamboo? Ninja dancers with extra birds !

Thanks again!

 

[josh88]

I've done a similar effect with the fiberglass rod, bicycle flag sounds right, but they're pretty easy to find in 4 foot sections as edge markers. Usually orange, for marking paths and edges of driveways and such, and only a couple of dollars.

 

[Annilee B Waterman]

Oh! I have one of those at the end of my driveway! Squee!

 

[JohnD]

Six foot and eight foot poles are readily available for atv safety flags.

 

[Annilee B Waterman]

Thank you! I'm gathering some supplies today to start experimenting! !!

 

[Les]

Thank you! I'm gathering some supplies today to start experimenting! !!

Let us know how it turns out! And hello from somewhere else in Dallas!