dancers and fog

Issac Roth (issac@ccrma.stanford.edu)
Tue, 2 Dec 1997 15:06:24 -0800 (PST)

Hello friends,

I want to un-lurk for a moment to ask if people could relate their experiences
with dancers and theatrical fog effects. Most people I know hate dancing in
theatrical fog, but we're still willing to try it. Specifically, I'd like to
get a partially-translucent projection onto the fog from a white-light
projector (non-laser).

The types of effect I'm considering are dry-ice fog, atomized glycol fog
("chemical fog"), and theatrical "haze" which is similar to the older "cracked
oil" type of effect. My preference is for the atomized glycol. This is what
you normally see with the dissappearing witch on stage or in haunted houses or
nightclubs.

I'd be interested to hear from anyone with production experience with dancing
in chemical fog, especially in a touring environment. Were there health
issues? Safety issues? Audience problems? Tales of great success?

The last show I did with chemical fog didn't bother the dancers much (they
complained of reduced visibility). The chemists tell me that the atmoized
glycol mixtures don't have anything in them that is bad for us, but that they
do suck moisture and oxygen from the air. I've noticed they also smell
terrible, but some companies claim to have flavored additives that solve this
problem.

What do you think?

Thank you for your help,

Issac