Flown Costume

Spring Awakening

At the top of the show a dress had to fly in. the dress needed to be flown in such a way it looked like it was floating. The performer needed to step into the dress and it had to look magical.

Rigging

To achieve this affect we decided to use magnets. The dress would also be fastened with magnets, this allowed the back to be kept open for the performer to step into it easily and for it to be closed quickly onstage.

Each shoulder had a magnet sewn in. These magnets sewn on the outside other wise they would not be strong enough to hold the weight of the dress. On the fly bar, we tied fishing wire with a half blood knot. On the other end of the line we ties with a half blood knot, an M8 nut. M8 was the smallest size of nut that gave us enough contact with the magnet on the dress to hold the weight of the dress.

Set Up

The dress had to be pre-set in a very particular way or else it would not stay up or the performer would have difficulties getting into it gracefully. This was the set up that worked for us.

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  Dress shown here "hanging up" in the wing.
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  Magnets on the back for closure and to keep the dress open when hanging.
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  Dress shown hanging from fishing wire at in dead. Close up of nuts sitting flush on magnet.