Colombia. Often, the most expressive forms of communication are those that transcend spoken language. This certainly rings true for salsa, an art form that allows dance couples to communicate and tell stories through rhythm, movement, music, and costumes.
The magic of salsa cannot simply be heard and seen in the beautiful confines of the Municipal Theatre this summer, it can also be felt in the heart and soul, as the historic venue hosts "Ensalsate", a passionate celebration of this charming dance form produced by 360 Design Group. To increase the transformative power of stage performances, there is a vigorous lighting design by Milton de la Cruz that features 22 Chauvet Professional Rogue R3 Beam luminaires.
Like the colorfully dressed dancers on stage, the flow of beams of light, light bulbs, and patterns of de la Curz gobos move with skillful grace as it drags the audience into a liberating whirlwind of desires and emotions. Behind this enthusiastic display, however, is a meticulously crafted design that unites all of creation, endowing it with even greater power.
For all its fluid fervor, salsa adheres to its own grammar and choreographic syntax. As a result, accentuating the precise movements of the dancers is a crucial part of De La Cruz's design, which relies on a combination of beam configurations and evocative colors to translate the energy of salsa into a visual creation.
"My main mission was to make the choreographed moments more eye-catching and special to the audience," said de la Cruz, who worked closely with 360 Group Colombia and its owner, Paulo Rojas, to mold the lighting concept around detailed production. "The varied beam effects of the Rogue R3 Beams gave me the tools to reinforce the spirit and passion inherent in every carefully calculated movement of the dancers on stage."
With two formations of R3 Beams hanging linearly from the top of the stage and another linear formation placed at the back of the stage on the ground, de la Cruz was able to use the sharp, focused beams to create columns of synchronized light on stage. The crisscrossing of the beams in both vertical and horizontal formations allowed the team to accentuate specific moments during the show, while creating an impressive appearance for the stage.
One of the main themes of the program was the widespread use of vivid and saturated colors. Often employed as one of salsa's key tools for conveying emotions, the show's colorful costumes symbolize the passion inherent in the language of salsa. This made him a primary consideration of de la Cruz when designing the show.
Suggesting a sense of swirling movement on stage was also key to establishing the right atmosphere in this show. Among the most memorable looks was when de la Cruz turned to the numerous frosted prism effects within the device's 17 continuously scrolling gobos to direct wonderfully abstract colors and patterns toward the audience.
After seeing the Rogues in action for the first time in pre-production, Paulo Rojas, director of 360 Group Colombia, was so impressed that he gave his blessing to expand their role on the show, allowing them to be used in more scenes than originally intended.
"Rojas praised the concept of lighting a lot," de la Cruz said. "It was a great experience to work with this team. Like the dancers on stage, our production team moved in harmony."
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