Idea for a parade float?

[Jeff Wagg]

Howdy,

My little town has a spirited parade every July 4th, and I was thinking of entering a float next year consisting of a conjurer performing some miracle or other repeatedly every 100 yards or so.

Any ideas for something that impresses, is quickly and invisibly resettable, has few angle problems and can with stand being on a moving vehicle?

I was thinking of a levitating someone, but the angles could be a problem as the parade is both sides of the street. I suppose I could contruct a stage that faces behind the float...hmm..

No secrets required..I'm not averse to doing my own research.

[jimgerrish]

The levitation idea seems best. I toyed with the thought of making a woman appear, then immediately making her disappear. But to keep this going through the entire parade is no way to spend the 4th of July.

However, floating atop a water fountain is just the thing... no angles and it's as relaxing as an hour by the pool. Just splash your hoop over her from time to time and wave at the crowd. It also gives her a good reason to wear a bikini and that won't hurt your audience's eyes, either. Go for it, I say!

[Brown]

If you go with the levitation, it may be worthwhile to invest in a hoop to pass over the levitating subject.

Depending on how you do your levitation, you can use a normal, ungimmicked (cheap) hoop. Many performers today use some pretty sophisticated levitation methods and need a gimmicked hoop.

One kind of levitation to consider is the kind demonstrated by Teller in the "BULLSH**" episode on conspiracy. This form of levitation is probably the cheapest, can be done by a single person without an assistant, and can be viewed from many angles. The down side is that it is uncomfortable to do for long periods.

[jimgerrish]

The Walter Blaney Great White Hoop would be good for this, also. I'm getting all excited thinking about the possibilities and how I would do it, as if I were in the parade with you!

I imagine a kid's plastic swimming pool in the center of the float, The woman reclining on her side (not on her back... she needs to wave to the crowd!), the fountain water spurting up beneath her raising up and down as she rises up and down, and the best part is that she rotates around in a circle as the water sprays also rotate. No background, just you and her and the water.

Every once in a while you take your hoop and pass it over her. That's it! You'll be booked up for the next year solid! But everyone is going to want you to bring along your pool!

[Jeff Wagg]

I love these ideas....keep them coming!

The Great White Hoop looks great...but the actual levitation has me concerned. For example, what happens if I go over a bump?

And does anyone have a scantily clad 90lb. woman for rent?


Thanks!

[jimgerrish]

"what happens if I go over a bump?"

She goes splashing into the pool and you have a dunking game instead of a levitation. No, seriously, I didn't know the roads in VT were all that bad. If they are relatively smooth, you should be able to handle it. I would suggest you check out the parade route and see if it is a serious problem that would prohibit any kind of levitation on a float. There are only about 362 days left before the next 4th of July parade! We should be able to come up with alternatives in that time.

As for the scantily clad 90 lb. woman... don't you have any nice singles bars in your town?

[rjh01]

You want two women. One to fact each side. If she faces the rear then you need to ensure that the next float is not near or the crowd will be looking at that not at the woman.

If you can only find one good women then have her face the front. Maybe seated?

You may want a spare woman. Then it is not a problem if one needs a rest from laying down.

As for bumps, give the device the women are resting on some extra suspension to absorb the bumps.

[Jeff Wagg]

Brown - I saw the P&T piece you mentioned in reruns recently, and I think that I'll go that route if nothing else works. For the mile walk, I think I'll need some wheels for the front, but that's easily doable. I could even get several people to march...er I mean float...down the street in this fashion, perhaps in some comedic synchronization.

BUT...given that I have a year to work on this, I'm not ready to abandon the idea of a full levitation.

The bumps thing..we're not talking about jarring bumps, but enough road undulation to create movement in the "device" that might give it away.

And..I wonder if it might be possible to levitate 300lbs? That might be too ambitious, but it would allow me to incorporate a prominent local business into the float in a memorable way.

Thanks for all the ideas thus far. I think this is doable.