Derek Hough's Symphony of Dance: Encore Flourishes with Peter Morse and CHAUVET Professional

	"Primarily they create brilliant 'walls' of light -- either overhead or pointed down to the floor," Morse says of the PXL fixtures. Photo: Tanner Jackson

Peter Morse has designed Derek Hough's 40-city Symphony of Dance: Encore Tour, which concludes August 16 at the Fontainebleau's BleauLive Theater. Morse and his colleagues Benny Kirkham (programming and previsualization), Felix Peralta (programming), and Brandon Wade (lighting designer) devoted countless weeks, days, and hours to the show.

Hough's 110-minute show features a wide range of dances, from fast-paced rock-soul numbers to traditional ballroom to classics like "Twist and Shout" to sentimental moments, such as when the multiple prime-time Emmy winner pays tribute to his idol Gene Kelly by dancing to "Singing In The Rain."

"The major difference in lighting a dance show, such as this one, compared to a concert is that the talent and choreography speak for themselves," Morse says. "All that really needs to be done by the lighting is to properly illuminate and support the dancers and their performance. On the other hand, in a concert much of the lighting -- while hoping to support the music -- is intended to reflect the actual musicality of what's being played and whoever is featured during specific moments."

Helping Morse flow with the show's choreography is a collection of 12 COLORado PXL Curve 12 motorized battens, which, like the rest of the rig, were supplied by Christie Lites. Arranged at the edge of upstage risers, the pixel-mappable RGBW fixtures fill a variety of roles in the lighting design.

"Primarily they create brilliant 'walls' of light -- either overhead or pointed down to the floor," Morse says of the PXL fixtures. "Additionally, their articulation comes in handy for accenting more frenetic moments in the music and dance."

Projecting light in multiple directions, the PXL units add depth to the stage and help define its geometry. The brightness and color of the battens also pump up looks throughout the show, creating a sense of motion, energy, and imagination that is right at home on the dance floor."