Considering most dove acts consist of many productions, I think its appropriate to also have more than a few good dove vanishes in your stage routine as well. Just like productions, a good dove vanish always gets a good audience reaction.

I am using a take apart vanish right now in my routine, and have pretty much since I started. I was going to take it out several times, but always decided to keep it because it never fails to get a good reaction.

I am also doing a tail vanish or "transformation" I guess would be more accurate.
Next I have a dove sensation I use as well, the dove vanishes in a shower of confetti secetly loaded in as I load the dove.

I just got a bangali net vanish, but haven't fit it in yet. Does anyone use this in their routines and does this get a good reaction? Not sure if I will fit it in. Maybe I think too much, but I think the one I have looks a bit bulky so that may
give the method away. Looks pretty good from stage distance I suppose.

I use the paper bag vanish with the rubber dove switch in my kids show, but I don't use that in my stage routine, I may add that, especially since I've done it in kids shows for so long, its already well practiced.

I also use a mirror box production AND vanish in my kids show, but only use the production in my stage routine. Yes of course there is the vanishing bird cage, which I use, the ultimate dove vanish I'd guess.

I've also seen doves to rabbit done like a vanish, with balloons or just as a vanish but I'm already using doves to rabbit. Looking for more vanishes... Not transformations, unless its into a shower of confetti, sparks or smoke, vanishes,
yes vanishes, and MORE dove vanishes.

What other dove vanishes exist out there? What vanishes do you use, and what kind of reactions do you get with them? Where do you place your vanishes in your routine and why? Are their vanishes that you used to use, but don't anymore? What were they and why did you stop using them?

Besides those listed, what would you consider the ultimate dove vanish?
What about just ideas for dove vanishes? Have you had any? Did they work?
Did they flop? Did they just not get a good enough audience reaction?

Dove vanishes, and MORE dove vanishes... Yes need more vanishes. How about you?

Steven

Since 95% of my shows are for children, I worry that making animals disappear will upset my audience. So I only use productions. The only exception is:

1. Produce dove.
2. Vanish dove into silk.
3. Turn silk back into dove.

I think as long as you turn the silk back into the dove the kids are ok with it.

I don’t know if you were asking about kid shows, but I thought I’d mention this.

Gee, how times change. The kids used to love it when I tore my hampster into shreds and ate it. I'm surprised that the clip where Harry Anderson did the same on national television is not on YouTube.

Well, I suppose if you have the right personality and there are no PETA members around, you can get away with this.

Hey Spellbinder, I think it was a Ginnea Pig. "You know the rules, you don't work, you don't live!"

That's right. I used a hamster in my version because I hated cotton candy.

Still looking for vanishes. Spellbinder, don't you have some vanishes I can make over at the magic nook?

Ken, what vanishes are you using, and yes I agree with you for kids shows its always best to re-produce the dove.

Can't anyone else offer any suggestions?

Any books or videos or reference source suggestions? I have most dove videos, mostly the all talk about productions, or maybe the tail vanish also.

Thanks,

Steven

The vanish is more challenging. With a production, the audience doesn't know what is about to happen, and once the bird appears, they can't backtrack to figure out where it came from. But with a vanish, you have given away the premise once the bird disappears; now they are all burning you with their x-ray vision to figure out where it went.

Jim Gerrish worked out a series of vanishes with his Take Apart and Tear Apart vanishes in his Hardboard and Duct Tape Magic Tricks. I recommend Take Apart #1 used with the routine he describes, where he has a helper construct the box, and then hands all the pieces of the box to the helper once the bird has vanished. Watching a kid look for the bird as he is handed all the "evidence" is my idea of good fun. Jim likes to pick a very small boy or girl as his helper for this trick. Then the box is constructed once more and the bird pops out, to the delight of everyone.

Steven,

The reason I did not list the vanishes that I have used is because they are not very unique. In fact, I think you've mentioned them in your first post.

I love the Dove to Silk Sensation. I will then take the white silk and either produce a dove from a body load or use a Casket of Pandora. I have also used the doves to rabbit and transformed my dove into a duck in a Duck Bucket.

The ultimate dove vanish you ask? The dove tail vanish. Nothing looks more magical. I think some guy from Kentucky did pretty well with that.

I've heard of the casket of pandora, but never bought one. Do you think that's better than a crystal silk cylinder or is it about the same? I already own a crystal silk cylinder so if its too similar, I'd rather not buy one.

Yes the tail vanish is probably the best vanish I've seen or used myself. I do it but honestly it makes me very nervous every time. I guess I worry my aim will be off or something. I never missed yet in front of an audience, but it still makes me very nervous every single time.

Majorly then, there is the take apart vanish, the dove silk sensation vanish, and the tail vanish. As previously stated, there is also the lesser seen bengali net vanish.

I really had hoped to find some more vanishes. Any more ideas guys? I'm sure there must be more dove vanishes I have not seen or heard of yet that you more veteran dove workers can let me and everyone else know about.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Steven

Have you checked out "Flight of the Phoenix" in The Wizards' Journal #3? A bird that vanishes in flames and then is reborn from the ashes can be pretty exciting.
http://www.magicnook.com/Wiz03/wj0305.htm

A smaller size Rabbit Wringer will work for a dove. I use a small custom made one for my chinchilla.

Spellbinder,

Sounds like a modified take apart vanish am I right? I'm already doing a jr. nightclub take apart vanish, this may be too similar to use with that.

Steven

Steven, the casket of pandora doesn't work on the same principle at a cystal silk cylinder. It's an opaque tube, brightly colored with glittery material. I used to use mine to change a silk into a dove but now use it to change two solid colored silks into a zebra striped one. If you used it to vanish a dove, you would remove the lid, place the dove inside, replace the lid and after doing whatever you normally do, you would remove the lid and show the inside of the tube to be empty. This won't work in a living room setting however. You could change the dove into a silk if you wanted rather that showing the tube empty.

No, it's nothing like a take apart vanish. The burn box for "Flight of the Phoenix" is made of an aluminum frame (or PVC Pipes, if you use Jim's version of the same effect in his PVC Book 2- Illusionettes - "Flaming Dove Vanish") covered with large sheets of flash paper. It's spectacular, but because of the flames (no smoke, to speak of), you have to know your venue.

Spellbinder,

Thanks sounds great...I'll purchase this pdf when I get a chance next week.

Steven

Tip over box? I don't know if that came to mind but it will work great.

Matt

"Dove In Newspaper" is a good vanish. Another good one would be the "Upside Down Topit" if it came with some type of dove holder.

What I've found in my kid show with doves is not necessarily they get upset when it's just a vanish, but there's also a sense of "what's next?". This may be just me but most vanishes don't get a lot of applause unless coupled with something else like a transformation or a reappearance. In my children's show I start by transforming an egg into a Dove then at the end use a Dove-Van to turn the dove back into an egg, So there's no crying that he's gone or what's next, It's just an "Oh he's an egg again" so that's how I overcome that. A way to take the dove out of the show for good in a magical way that leaves them satisfied.

I always make my dove(s) and chinchilla disappear in my show. But I always bring them back near the end. I like watching the children faces light up during the reappearance.