Dancing Hank

Discuss your favorite platform magic and illusions.
Guest

Dancing Hank

Postby Guest » August 17th, 2001, 9:28 am

I am considering buying a dancing hank to use in my stage show. Does anyone have experience with using the dancing hank. Any advice on buying the John Calvert one over the Don Wayne and Sean Bogunia one or vice versa. Is this trick worth the price or something that will be laid to rest in the dresser draw?

Brad A._dup1
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Location: Berkeley, CA
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Re: Dancing Hank

Postby Brad A._dup1 » August 17th, 2001, 1:46 pm

I bought something like that. I had a black wire connect to one of the corners.

I played around with it... never used it though. If done well, I'm sure it can be entertaining.

-Brad
:)
Former Vonnegut Character

Jeff Haas
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Re: Dancing Hank

Postby Jeff Haas » August 18th, 2001, 3:22 am

A few things to consider if you want to do the dancing hank...

Does your stage show regularly carry at least one assistant, who is capable of animating the hank and could work backstage?

Can you control lighting in the venues you perform in? If you carry your own lighting, so much the better.

Do you have portable curtains so you can create the backstage area necessary for hiding the assistant, so you can perform the trick in a locale such as a hotel ballroom? (Depending on what types of gigs you work, of course.)

If you want to use music, do you have someone who can create original music for you and your routine, to emphasize your character and the beats of the routine?

I'm sure there's more, but that's something to get you started.

Jeff

Guest

Re: Dancing Hank

Postby Guest » August 22nd, 2001, 12:03 am

I strongly suggest Sean Bogunia's Dancing Hank. I bought one after I saw it at Hank Lee's Conclave this past year. No assistant is required. It does require some practice, but is fun to perform. It is quite pricey, but I think worth the price.

-Rich G
:)

Guest

Re: Dancing Hank

Postby Guest » August 24th, 2001, 5:14 am

i used to use don waynes dancing hank in my mentilist act. i would use the patter that i had the ability to animate objects with the powers of my mind.

don waynes dancing hank does not requre any assistents. you must beware of angles a bit but its not too bad. it was perfromed by david copperfield on one of his telly specials. copperfields rootine is included in the instructions as well as full prforming rights. the gimmick is very clever. simlar to the zombie only more cleverer.

i recomend it.

regards,
pip
http://www.geocities.com/pipholmes

Guest

Re: Dancing Hank

Postby Guest » September 1st, 2001, 5:43 am

A couple of months ago I purchased "The impossible hank" by Sean Bogunia. This is the one that the advert says - If you can press a button then you can do this.
Whilst this is true it does not mean that you could put it into your act next week.

This version (which is electronic for those who don't know) in my mind is the best ever dancing hank that has ever been put out by anyone since time began. I ought to say that this is my opinion and no-one is paying me to say that although it would be nice :) .

This can be done anywhere but there is alot of thought that has to go into how you are going to use it and what moves you will want it to do. There are a couple of improvements that could have been implemented and I contacted Sean about these and it remains to be seen if he does anything with the ideas I sent him.

It is very rare that I spend such a large amount on an effect of this nature but I assure you that if this is the type of effect that you are looking for and prepared to put a bit of work into the overall effect and presentation then this is money well spent.

Just a quick cautionary note to anyone in the UK. I sent off for this effect and didn't take into account the unbelievable amount that I would be charged by customs and excise and import duties with vat - these came to about half the cost of the effect again!!.

Anyone who wants to know anymore about this wonderful effect then let me know but I will stand by what I say "Worth every penny/cent of anyones money - 5 stars excellant but it needs practice and thought behind how you will use it" .

Guest

Re: Dancing Hank

Postby Guest » September 1st, 2001, 8:53 am

you can do a devistatingly convincing dancing hank using the hottrix handz-up. you can also make the hank appear to throw things over the seance cloth (ie biscuits, or underpants for a comedy effect).

pip http://www.geocities.com/pipholmes

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C Howell
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Re: Dancing Hank

Postby C Howell » December 27th, 2008, 2:29 pm

I used the Don Wayne apparatus some time ago for a number of performances. Building on the above comments about whether staging will always be on hand to support more complex systems, the strengths of the Don Wayne version are that the set-up is minimal, it is performable in a wide variety of light situations, and it is always under your control to interact with the hanky 'character' you have with you on stage.

Regards,
Christopher

London magicians


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