Hi guys

I was looking for details of a dancing umbrella much like the dancing cane and wondered if there was one on the market or if it was possible to create one.

Magically

Aus

Joe Holiday did this several years ago at Abbott's.

Richard

Is the umbrella open or closed??Cordially,Howard

Closed but I would'nt mind have the abilty for it to be opened.

Closed would be the only way you could balance it o work like a dancing cane. But if you open it you could work out a different method to float it. Fukai does a small parasol open and spinning like a Hummer card.

Richard

I've played with it, it has it's problems, but there are certain plus points too.
As a bonus it's a more common item than walking canes. Also the curved handle kind of acts like a head, so you can give it more character and make it come to life rather than simply animate it.
Most umbrellas are too heavy to simply convert, you need to look at really cheap ones and buy the lightest you can find. Otherwise you'll need to make one using balsa, wire and silk... not easy!
There are two ways to hook up. You'll need to experiment with both ways to see which you prefer. (2 ways= go through or around)
It's certainly possible to make one, I've done it, and I have a friend who uses it now (we use different hook-ups). I stopped using it because I didn't have an act to put it in. But make one, play and experiment, it's the only way you'll really find out about it.

Paul

Is there any place selling the dancing umbrellas now?

In my opinion, if the umbrella was to be use as a production tool, I do not agree it to be closed and dance.
closing it reminds the audience how compact an umbrella can be,to be hiden some where.
so lets say if ur act based on gene kelly`s movie singing in the rain, it would be really nice to see the umbrella dance before `it starts to rain`. then with that falling in love emotions, throw the umbrella into a rubbish bin and then when thunder strikes, pick up the umbrella again (but switch for a real one) and dance away.
as wat hug suggest, closed is the only way to make it work like a dancing cane, I suggest is to use simply a balsa dowel,lining fabric (gives the lightness required and the volume shown by a real umbrella) and a few really shining beads,preferably fluorescent ones.(so you can use UV lighting to emphasize more of a real umbrella.dont use a hooked handle, use a str8 handle made from balsa as well. paint it with striking color as the beads.
o yes the beads are for the beads that circles a real umbrella.
well, hope to see you put into work and post a video clip of it!!