LONDON – For the fourth Strictly Come Dancing – The Live Tour, LD Mark Kenyon's rig includes more than 170 moving light sources plus hundreds of generics and scenic LED sources, all run on a grandMA2 light console, with another grandMA2 light running in full tracking backup. David Bishop spec'd and programmed the console for the tour, and Mike Rothwell is the console operator traveling with the show. Kenyon also designs lighting for BBC's Strictly Come Dancing television series, and Bishop has been involved in programming all the tours so far, working with the lighting and sound company supporting the tour, Wales-based Sonalyst.
The grandMA consoles have been involved from the early days of the Strictly live touring production, with a "Series 1" system initially replacing the original control setup. Bishop turned to grandMA for reliability and for its "awesome" networking capabilities.
Last year, the crew migrated to grandMA2, which Bishop credited as a "polished product." He also commended the teams at MA UK and in Germany for their responsiveness to requests and a wish-list of feature and function development after the 2010 tour.
There was only a minimal amount of time to program the 2011 version of the effects-laden touring production before the lights came on and the first show got underway in Nottingham Arena.
Bishop found the grandMA2's Effects Generator to be an asset for the show's large lighting rig and plethora of big, intricate and changing lighting looks, noting that the console is unique in offering a mathematical curve that can be applied between two preset libraries, or palettes, allowing for less time spent with complex color effects.
Patrick Doherty's neo-deco semi-circular set is replicated for the tour, and the lighting brief was to merge the aesthetics of TV and live performance lighting into a new mix of drama, color and movement.
The tour is being produced by Phil McIntyre Entertainments and production managed by Andy Gibbs.
Each show features eight couples – celebrities paired with professional dancers – four judges and a competition which is voted on by members of the audience.
For more information, please visit www.malighting.com.
