Ballooning Brothers

Although not directly connected to magic, I enjoyed this article on the Zambole boys from San Francisco, expertly written by Delfin Vigil for the San Francisco Chronicle..

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Ballooning Brothers
Delfin Vigil
Sunday, September 24, 2006


It used to take a lot of guts to make a living as a balloon entertainer.

Seriously.

Some of the earliest known balloons were made from animal bladders, intestines and other entrails, as they could easily be "manipulated into amusing shapes," according to balloonhq.com, a Web site dedicated to all things balloon.

But while balloons made from bowels might have been used in ancient Aztec sacrificial ceremonies hundreds of years ago, it wasn't until as recently as the 1980s that the art of balloon twisting really exploded.

That's when the National Association of Balloon Artists and the International Balloon Association were both born. Soon after, several balloon-related conventions popped up across the country, including the big four: Twist & Shout, Diamond Jam, Millennium Jam and Ballooniversity, where thousands of the world's best balloon twisters have a blast competing for big money and bragging rights.

During our research into ballooning, the Pink found a bunch of balloon lovers, including two Bay Area brothers.

The Zambole boys .... Read More