So sometime next year I really hope to get into doves (first using one in my stand up act, then going into a manipulation routine). My question is how hard is it to really get into, learn and understand doves on your own?

I can read all the books and watch all the DVDs, but we all know that mentor-type instruction is the best out there. To this day I've never had a mentor, but when it involves live animals (I am an animal lover and could never hurt one), I really worry about learning it on my own. We all know how many cards we dropped when first learning card magic, but cards are not alive... am I making any sense at all? (Been a long day... my hands are just typing without any help from my brain...)

I guess my question is, am I totally blowing dove magic out of proportion and difficulty, or should I really seek out a mentor as I delve into this area of magic?

Thanks guys, I hardly ever get to talk to stage magicians, so I appreciate this to no end.

C

Dave Scribner (Assistant Manager) knows a lot about doves. He is always willing to help everyone. He is planning to write a book about doves. He is also everyone's mentor on The Magic Café.

Ah shucks, Mike. Thanks for the nice words but I just pass on what I have learned over many years.

Amazenyou, not many of us have had personal training or mentoring. The first step is to read books and watch those videos. Get Andy Amyx's dove's 101, Tony Clarks Unmasked, Gen Grants How to make a living stealing..Doves of course. These are excellent resources and are just a few of the ones that are available. Greg Frewins course in Dove magic is excellent as well but a little expensive.

The first step is to determine if you can really handle the maintenance end of doves and do you have the time to care for them. They are pretty self sufficient but you must insure clean water and food everyday, give them vitamins, and keep them and their cage clean all the time.

Dove spread white powder called dander all over everywhere, so you want to make sure you have a place to keep them that you can maintain. I use my garage but many keep their doves outside.

As far as handling them, it is a little different that card manipulations. Your not going to back palm them or anything like that One way of breaking into dove magic is, once you've decided what effects you want to do and get the pockets etc, use a rolled up pair of socks about the same size as a dove. Do all your routines with those to get the feel and confidence. If you feel comfortable with everything, then purchase your doves. I've been doing this for a long time and still use the sock method when working on a new routine or just general practice.

I could go on for a long time so I'll stop here. If you have specific questions, I and a few others here would be glad to help you.

In the encyclopedia of dove magic it says to use a waterbottle the size of a dove and fill it with sand to the wieght of the dove.

The problem with using a water bottle or anything that is rigid is that it won't compress or act like a dove. Rolling up a pair of socks gives the same feel as a dove. In a pocket, a water bottle will produce a buldge and that isn't good. The socks act just like a dove.

I had heard of that idea but honestly forgot... thanks!

I hope to get some of this stuff the first of next year and begin working.

One question, can you do a sleeve toss with a "sock dove" as well?
Well, I said one question, but let me follow that up with another... haha. General sleeve dimensions for sleeve tossing? I've seen allot of variance in opinion on this.

Thanks again, folks. Always means allot when experienced magicians take time to help me out as I venture into new areas of this art.


C

C, you can practice a sleeve toss with a sock but it will only give you the timing of the toss and the feel. Of course a sock won't come back to you and that's the biggest part of the sleeve toss.

There is a difference of opinion on the size of the sleeve. You want it small enough to hold the dove but large enough to let it slide out easily. I have my sleeves modified with a triangular piece of cloth sewn into the seam tapering back about 6 inches. At the edge of the sleeve, the addition gives about and extra 3". Most vid's and books describe this additional cloth.

Okay, sounds great.

Thanks for the info,
C