What do Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Ella Enchanted have in common? A Fairy Godmother, of course. No fairy tale is complete without some magic, and we set out to bring both to our first-ever Fairy Fest on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
The Singing Tower is often viewed as a castle, and many visitors often share how much the beauty of this Florida icon reminds them of Rapunzel’s Tower or perhaps a castle from Tolkien’s Middle Earth in The Lord of the Rings. We contacted Paula Blackwelder and John Zimmerman of Stunt Dynamics to help us make this magical flight a reality.
Finding the Magical Crew
Well respected throughout the circus world, Paula Blackwelder is a Professional Circus Aerialist with disciplines in Flying Trapeze, Single Trapeze, Web, Lyra, Silks, Hammock, Perch, and Cradle. She has performed in various venues, theme parks, and resort attractions throughout the United States and Mexico. She is also an Aerial Arts Instructor, creating courageous confidence in her students at her Haines City studio.
John Zimmerman has owned the Stunt Dyamics Ranch training facility since 1979. Before transitioning to screen work, Zimmerman assisted in planning and developing stunt and acrobatic shows for several of the world’s most famous theme parks and attractions. Before being in demand as a live-action coordinator, Zimmerman learned rigging techniques as a circus aerialist.
The Dream Becomes Reality
After many walk-throughs, hours of intense calculations, two tree assessments, and some pixie dust, Blackwelder and Zimmerman were ready to make a fairy godmother flight from The Singing Tower a reality.
For the June 8 fairy godmother flight, Zimmerman was able to rig a suspension cable from a steel beam on the second floor of the Tower. With historic preservation foremost in his mind, Zimmerman ensured no part of the flight would harm the artistic or structural integrity of the historic Tower.
Blackwelder will fly from The Singing Tower at approximately 40 feet. Her highest flight was performed at Kennywood Park, near Pittsburgh, PA, at 120 feet in the air underneath a motorcycle dangling from an inclined high-wire.
Dancing from the Treetops
After her beautiful flight, she will perform an aerial routine suspended from equipment rigged on the trunks of three oak trees. She will perform Silk/Single Trapeze, Lyra, and Web, all specially choreographed for the Fairy Festival.
The team from Stunt Dynamics has been an incredible asset during this process, and the entire Bok Tower Gardens team is looking forward to the first-ever Fairy Godmother flights on Saturday at 10 am, 12 pm, and 2 pm.