Sky Dancers

So many toys from our youth were, in actuality, just weapons of destruction. A Skip-It would oblierate your ankles and Slap Bracelets - despite arguably not being toys and instead being fashion accessories - have the danger to the user directly in their name. But there's one that keeps popping up on every single "most dangerous toy" list, and it's Sky Dancers. At first glance, one might wonder what kind of dangers these beautiful things could harbor, but oh, rest assured, they were a magnet for pain.

Sky Dancers were a line of toys released in the mid 90s that were constructed of a pull-string base and a doll with foam wings. When the doll was inserted into the base and the string pulled, the doll would launch into the air, spinning its wings like a propeller as it flew, the flight resembling that of a helicopter. Initially released by Galoob, who launched the toys during the 1994 winter holiday season, they proved to be successful, but they proved to have one fatal flaw...while the foam wings on the dolls provided a limited amount of safety, there were over 100 injuries reported, ranging from temporary blindness to facial lacerations requiring stitches. Galoob, the manufacturer of the toys, then (and probably rightly so for a change) recalled them in June 2000 after less than six years on the market, despite their popularity being so high that it even led to the creation of a 26 episode animated TV series in 1996 and subsequent - though unrelated to the show - childrens book series in 1997.

The thing about Sky Dancers though, at least to me, is just how beautiful they are. I'm not saying they're not dangerous. The most beautiful things can often be the most deadly. Look at Polar Bears as a perfect example.

But the craftsmanship that went into these honestly sometimes rivaled that of something akin to Polly Pocket. Detail and an eye for color schemes made them some of the most attractive toys ever designed, in my opinion. The dolls themselves, perhaps, were nothing to really write home about. They were just lesser versions of the basic Barbie molding design, but the bases? Oh the bases.

And, perhaps the most important aspect, is how they were unabashedly feminine. At a time when girls toys were primarily child rearing or house keeping based (often cooking playsets or baby dolls), Sky Dancers were nothing like that. These were garish and bright, often with bases that appealed primarily to young girls such as myself. Bases such as crescent moons and unicorns and swans. Even the one at the top of this post, featuring two dolphins and a seahorse, is so Lisa Frank-esque in its color choices, that one has to admire the willingness put into putting something so girly on the market, and then, making it a weapon to boot.

Okay, they weren't weaponized on purpose, but a girl can dream, can't she?

But seriously, if you wanna talk artistic merit, debating whether or not toys can be considered art, I think Sky Dancers is a pretty good argument for the side of "toys can be art". As I said before, the dolls themselves are basic, nothing too exciting, but the bases are incredible. And apparently, my belief that their feminine qualities was risky wasn't far off, as Galoob themselves even saw the dolls as as a gamble – taking a traditional “boy” play pattern of flying objects – and beautifying it to capture the heart of young girls. Sure they were plain as simple in terms of play, essentially be doll helicopters propelled by a pull string, but stylistically these things are a cut above everything else in my opinion, especially at the time. 

My favorite thing I came across while doing research for this (couldn't find anything on the designer, which was unfortunate), however, has to be this pamphlet that came with the purchase of a Sky Dancer, which explains how exactly to operate one of these adorable death machines.

While on the surface this is your standard instructional pamphlet, this part in particular really got me. Even in the instructions themselves, Galoob has gone out of their way to specify that, in fact, aiming this thing directly at your face while launching is probably a bad idea. Personally, I'm a big believer in survival of the fittest, and if your kid is stupid enough to launch this thing right at themselves, well, they get whatever's coming to them, especially if what's coming to them happens to a fast propelled piece of plastic in the shape of a fairy.

Hell, even in this image, it says in big bold letters "POINT DOLL AWAY FROM FACE", just in case the image they attached with it wasn't enough of a warning. I know I really shouldn't find such amusement at kids hurting themselves with dolls being launched into their faces, but hell, I survived with these things flinging around everywhere, everyone else can manage. I must admit, however, I find something very oddly...ominous about the phrasing "keep clear from face and eyes", almost insinuating, the way it's written, that your eyes might not in fact be a part of your face but an entirely separate thing on your body altogether. Terrifying.

If you're interested in seeing other Sky Dancers, varieties from other countries and even some knock off versions, visit Ghost of the Doll, which is a neat little website chronicling the life and death of dolls over the years. All kidding aside, I absolutely love Sky Dancers. I think they're honestly one of the more beautiful toys to come out, and while the concept might not have been the most interesting or original (or, in some cases, the safest), I do think they deserve to be remembered and appreciated. The artistry that went into these things is fantastic, and I just am so happy to do even the smallest bit of effort to help them remain in the public consciousness.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I have to go launch some plastic fairy dolls at unsuspecting small children.

Hey, we all have our hobbies.