Quick Change Artists

Status: Magic Trick
image A lot of sites have been linking to this video of a pair of quick-change artists performing on NBC's America's Got Talent. The video is fun to watch if you haven't seen them performing before. The pair are magicians David & Dania, who were recently profiled in this Slate.com article. Apparently the duo have become the most popular act during NBA half-time shows.

So how is the trick done? Slate.com reports that:
the trick dates back to the 19th century, and the first English-language manual to describe the art was published in 1911. Back then, magicians connected the various layers via hook-and-eye fasteners; today, the literature describes no fewer than 15 different methods of pulling off the trick, using such devices as Velcro, magnets, and "fish bone pull fasteners."
In other words, it relies on special clothing and a lot of practice. If you watch the video closely, the moment when she has the hoop around her and changes from a green into a purple dress is the one time you can almost see the costume change occurring. I have no idea how she pulls off the trick at the end in which she changes clothes as glitter falls around her.

Magic Photos

Posted on Sun Jul 16, 2006


Comments

The people who think it is the supernatural things that are helping them, GET REAL!!!
Posted by Andrew  on  Fri Apr 11, 2008  at  05:30 AM
YOu know how they leave the things that go over her on the ground. When she first starts out she just takes the dressed off and they go under the hoop on the ground so no one can see it. Then in the middle she has a layered dress
Posted by mckenzie  on  Sun Jun 08, 2008  at  10:08 AM
TO mckenzie. That's one of the possible explanations. But do explain where the clothes are hidden, I mean the one's that look like it magically appears. I know how they do it, but so far people's logical explanations don't explain the whole thing.
Posted by Andrew  on  Sun Jun 08, 2008  at  10:29 AM
they use a patented costume

A costume construction suitable for stage use permitting a rapid change of appearance during a period of temporary concealment of the user to create the illusion of total removal and substitution of a costume. The construction is such that the costume is maintained in position by one or more rapidly disconnectable fastening means permitting the costume to display another garment concealed therebeneath.

It may thus be seen that I have invented novel and highly useful improvements in convertible costume construction in which a user initially wears an inner costume and an outer costume, the outer costume being constructed such that it may be rapidly opened to permit it to fall under the force of gravity to uncover the inner costume. When necessary, the inner costume may be maintained above the waist of the wearer to be released to fall to normal position as the outer costume element is doffed. The use of a quick release fastener means enables the operation to be performed in a manner of seconds while the user is temporarily concealed within a flexible envelope erected by another person.
Posted by john  on  Wed Jul 02, 2008  at  11:49 PM
That's still doesn't explain what holds the clothes together. It's not velcro seeing as they wear off too fast.
Posted by Andrew  on  Thu Jul 03, 2008  at  08:40 AM
i think on the last trick theres like a quick release pull string mechanism near her chest if you look at the video closely you'll see her grab her chest then when the glitter fall around her she pushes the layer down to reveal the white dress
Posted by bro  on  Thu Jul 03, 2008  at  02:55 PM
No, watch closely again, her hands are open, it's near impossible to grab things with open hands. Also there is a close up shot in another video where her hands are a good 3 inches away from her chest and once the confetti touches her head she immeadiately throws her arms out, without touching the pink dress and the white dress appears.
Posted by Andrew.  on  Thu Jul 03, 2008  at  03:09 PM
You can read all about quick change artists, the history of quick change artists and even some of the secrets of how to quick change at http://www.quickchangeartists.com
Posted by Jo Philipps  on  Mon Oct 06, 2008  at  06:05 PM
Yeah ruin it why don't you Jo?
Posted by Andrew.  on  Mon Oct 06, 2008  at  06:55 PM
Andrew, I don't believe I have ruined it at all. It appears all the others posting are trying to ruin it. I am just facinated by the art and performance of quick change, not the methods. Websites with magic videos like these are far more damaging to the magic world then proper site devoted to the art. All these video sites do it over expose the acts so people see the act too many times or slow them down where upon the mystery is no more. Its very sad that this is happening to these act who must have worked so hard to create something so amazing!
Posted by Jo Philipps  on  Mon Oct 06, 2008  at  07:18 PM
Still. But some people even watching them on video do want to watch it live also. And some people are just discovering them for the first time.
Posted by Andrew.  on  Mon Oct 06, 2008  at  07:26 PM
Hey JoffaBoyInOz that was the absolutely the dumbest thing I have ever heard. No magicians sells their souls to a non-existant being.
Posted by Andrew. on Tue Mar 04, 2008 at 01:11 PM

The people who think it is the supernatural things that are helping them, GET REAL!!!
Posted by Andrew on Fri Apr 11, 2008 at 03:30 AM

Andrew, you can recognize a facetious comment when you see one, right? Case in point, my signature. I'm not really a witchy, flying in the air. *grin*

That being said, the act is amazing and I enjoyed it.
Posted by Skywitchy  on  Sun Oct 19, 2008  at  07:02 AM
Well yeah. But I don't know if he's one of those mentally insane people who takes religion way too far.
Posted by A  on  Sun Oct 19, 2008  at  08:02 AM
rubber bands sewn in the clothes makes them close up like those free plastic shower caps lots of practice and showmanship pulls it off for these two.....
Posted by Bill  on  Sat Nov 29, 2008  at  01:22 PM
Rubber bands? Like they use that. That's not even how the clothes work.
Posted by A  on  Sat Nov 29, 2008  at  01:35 PM
The people who DON'T think it is the supernatural things that are helping them, GET A SENSE OF HUMOR!!!
Posted by Maggie  on  Wed Apr 22, 2009  at  07:42 PM
what i think this is, is not her folding the dresses up but her flipping them down.
Posted by Brendan  on  Mon Jun 01, 2009  at  06:06 PM
notice how, at the end of the video whe she changes under the confetti that right before he throws the confetti she has her hands on the straps of her dress, that probably has something to do with her removing the dress...i still have to say though, they're very talented
Posted by Johanna  on  Wed Sep 02, 2009  at  04:45 AM
Dania's hands aren't exactly on the dress' straps. If you look real closely, or find a video where the camera gives a closer view of the last change, her hands are actually a few inches away from the straps. When the confetti hits her, Dania immediately throws her arms out, so she doesn't actually touch the pink dress at all.
Posted by A.  on  Wed Sep 02, 2009  at  08:37 AM
I know how she did the last gliter trick... if u notice, the dress is white and when the man in the tux drops it on her, flips it over her and she probably has some velcrow and or magnets so when it fell it would stick to her
Posted by Boby Jack  on  Thu Sep 03, 2009  at  02:53 PM
No, not correct. There is no dress contained in the confetti. And it is impossible to have the dress fall on top of the other, velcro or otherwise. Do you think you can toss a shirt on top of another one even with magnets or velcro? No. You'd have to put your head and arms through the head and arms holes. And also the white dress has spaghetti straps, while the pink dress has thicker 1 inch straps. Even if it were possible to throw a dress over another, you'd still see the pink dress' straps.
Posted by A.  on  Thu Sep 03, 2009  at  03:02 PM
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