Box Levitation
Workshop Plans
Presentation
Box Levitation
Single-person autonomous levitation: can be done surrounded
You clearly display a large cardboard box (ANY CARDBOARD BOX THAT HAS THE
DIMENSIONS), completely empty. It has openings on two sides that allow the
audience to see everything through the box. You stand inside the box (legs clearly
visible through the holes) and slowly raise a curtain of fabric around yourself.
Simultaneously, you begin to rise approximately two feet into the air. As you hover
"in flight," the audience has a clear view of the box through the holes and can see
that there is no support of any kind. Very slowly you return to earth and exit the box,
which can then be folded up and carried off the stage to your applause.
BOX LEVITATION is a single-person autonomous levitation that is ideal for children's
shows, cabaret, cruise acts, street acts, etc. It can be performed surrounded.
You won't have any angle issues, meaning you can just set it up and go without any
lighting or staging considerations to worry about.
There is no reset, just unfold the box and levitate. There are no electronics or gadgets
to fail or require maintenance. Plus, it packs flat and easily fits inside your car for
transport purposes.
Secret
THE ORIGINAL SECRET IS AN OLD IDEA BY UF GRANT, PAUL DANIELS CREATED A VERSION IN WHICH
A STOOL POPES UP FROM THE INSIDE FLOOR OF THE BOX, THIS VERSION IS DESIGNED TO BE BUILT
WITH METAL PLATES, THIS VERSION HAS A CONSIDERABLE WEIGHT AND REQUIRES REINFORCING
THE BOX AT ITS SIDE WALLS, THERE IS ANOTHER MORE MODERN VERSION BY NICK NEIHORM, THE
DIFFERENCE IS THAT THIS VERSION REQUIRES A SPECIAL, REINFORCED BOX, WHICH CANNOT BE
GIVEN OUT FOR INSPECTION…
WHAT I PRESENT TO YOU IS A DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVE, WHERE THE CARDBOARD BOX IS NORMAL,
IT ONLY HAS TO MEET THESE DIMENSIONS AND YOU MUST MAKE THE FOLLOWING HOLES IN THE
FRONT.
THE SECRET IS TO OPENING A FOLDING STOOL INSIDE THE BOX THAT ALLOWS YOU TO GET ON IT
WITHOUT BEING SEEN BETWEEN THE HOLES IN THE BOX. EVERYTHING IS DONE THROUGH A
CHOREOGRAPHY OF MOVEMENTS THAT ALLOW YOU TO LOAD THE STOOL, UNFOLD IT, GET ON IT,
GET OFF IT AND FOLD IT AGAIN , LEAVING EVERYTHING HIDDEN UNDER THE FABRIC .
Materials
EVERYTHING IS BUILT WITH MDF WOOD PLATES ( Medium Density
Fiberboard ) 2 CM THICK, YOU CAN USE OTHER MATERIALS, PLASTIC,
METHACRYLATE, ALUMINUM PLATES, OR WHATEVER IS MOST
ECONOMICAL AND PRACTICAL, REMEMBER THAT THE IMPORTANT
THING IS THAT IT SHOULD BE A LIGHT AND RESISTANT MATERIAL.
Dismantled
PIECES OF THE FOLLOWING DIMENSIONS ARE BUILT
NOTE THAT THE SIDE LEGS HAVE A WOODEN
DOWEL IN THE CORNER, THIS DOWEL SHOULD
PROJECT 1CM, THIS DOWEL GOES IN BOTH SIDE
LEGS
NOTE THAT ONE OF THE 0.48X0.11
PLATES HAS A PERFORATION ON
ONE OF THE LONG SIDES, THIS
PERFORATION IS THE SAME WIDTH
AS THE DOWEL YOU USE, IT WILL
SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR THE DOWEL
OF THE TOP COVER
ONCE THE PIECES ARE MADE, USE PIANO HINGES FOR ALL THE
JOINTS, NOTE THAT THESE HINGES MUST BE PLACED IN THE
CORRECT CLOSING DIRECTION FOR IT TO BE FOLDABLE
INSTALL THE FIRST OF THE COVERS, NOTE THAT IT MUST REST ON THE TWO SIDE
COVERS AND THE HINGE MUST BE IN THE CLOSING DIRECTION
PLACE THE SECOND OF THE COVERS, THE ONE WITH THE OPENWORK, JOIN WITH THE
PIANO HINGE, OBSERVE THE CLOSING POSITION OF THE HINGE
THIS IS THE MEANING OF THE STOOL UNFOLDED, NOW YOU CAN PAINT IT THE
COLOR OF THE BOX OR COVER IT WITH CARDBOARD PAPER SO THAT EVERYTHING
HIDES CORRECTLY.
NOW, WE ARE READY, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS MAKE A SQUARE CURTAIN THAT CAN
BE USED AS A SCREEN TO COVER THE SECRET
POSITION THE FOLDED STOOL WITH THE LEGS UP, IN FRONT OF THE CARDBOARD
BOX
COVER IT WITH THE CURTAIN, BEING CAREFUL THAT WHEN YOU LIFT IT
THE STOOL IS INSIDE
YOU CAN INSTALL A PAIR OF THIN CABLES TO HELP YOU LIFT THE STOOL BY
LIFTING THE CURTAIN AND THEN POSITIONING IT INSIDE THE CARDBOARD
BOX
THIS WOULD BE THE INSTALLATION SEQUENCE UNDER THE CURTAIN, WHEN THE
STOOL IS ALREADY INSTALLED, YOU CAN LIFT THE CURTAIN AND SHOW YOUR FEET
INSIDE THE BOX
THE NEXT ACTION IS TO LOWER THE CURTAIN UNTIL IT COVERS THE BOX, UNFOLD
THE STOOL, YOU CAN DO THE UNFOLDMENT IN THE PROCESS OF RAISING THE
CURTAIN
NOW THAT THE STOOL IS IN POSITION, YOU CAN SIMULATE YOUR
LEVITATION BY GETTING ON IT SLOWLY AND WITH GENTLE MOVEMENTS,
AS IF YOU WERE LEVITATING!
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE SIDE LEGS CANNOT BE VISUALIZED THROUGH THE
HOLES IN THE BOX, THIS IS BECAUSE THE INDICATED DIMENSIONS OF THE
BOX AND THE STOOL PREVENT THE LEGS FROM BEING VIEWED WHEN
LOOKING AT AN ANGLE.
WHEN YOU FINISH THE LEVITATION AND YOU SLOWLY GO DOWN TO THE
GROUND, YOU FOLD THE STOOL AGAIN, WHEN YOU LIFT THE CURTAIN
AGAIN TO REMOVE IT FROM THE BOX, YOU TAKE OUT THE STOOL AND
HIDE IT AGAIN UNDER THE CURTAIN
Suggestions
MEASURE EACH PIECE ACCORDING TO THE DIMENSIONS
INDICATED
USE THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR CUTTING AND PREVENT THE
WOODEN BOARDS FROM SHARPENING
USE PIANO HINGES THAT YOU CAN CUT IN HALF
USE MOUNTING ADHESIVE TO STICK THE HINGES
SANDING ALL STONEWORK ON WOODEN PIECES WITH EXTRA FINE
SANDING PAPER
