Orlando, FL -- As the Technical Director for Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba production, Robert Shuck is responsible for using technology to help the acrobats put on a spectacular show. Throughout this show, the colorful Cirques (circus people) clash with the monochromatic world of the Urbains (urbanites). Motion-control equipment is not just important to successful productions of La Nouba, it's essential.

Cirque du Soleil creator Guy Laliberte was the first to orchestrate the marriage of cultures and artistic and acrobatic disciplines that is the hallmark of many Cirque du Soleil shows. Like previous shows, La Nouba also marries the disciplines, but it does it in a unique way. La Nouba originates from the French phrase "faire la nouba," which means to party, to live it up.

All of the scenery that moves during the show is done by electromechanical means. The major pieces that move are the five-stage lifts, the four retractable floor units, and various flying pieces and props.

"The lifts are counterweight assisted cable lifts driven by 20 hp gear motors," says Shuck. "They travel 16 feet and can lift a live load of 5,000 lb."

The technical director indicates the show's retractable floor sections are directly driven by 25-hp gear motors. The floors weigh about 14,000 lb each. The floors open to expose a trampoline surface on which the acrobats perform.

There are two types of systems used for flying elements in La Nouba. "Most of the scenic pieces are flown with counterweight assisted winches," says Shuck. "The winches used by performers in their acts are dead haul winches which have no counterweight assist."

Two pieces that Shuck finds interesting about the production are the safety net for trapeze, which is entirely deployed by electromechanical means, and the "flying window," which moves through the air in three dimensions.

"The interesting thing about the net is that it is positioned and tensioned without being handled by anyone and without any attachment to the floor as would be the case in most net setups," adds Shuck.. "The window flies on four discrete winches placed throughout the building, which operates at different speeds and allows the window to be lifted off the ground and moved both up and down and forward and backward above the stage."

All of the movement is controlled by a custom, computer-based system. The system was built by a theatrical company in Canada, but upkeep of the system is now done in house, according to Schuck.

The system uses Mitsubishi motor drives and Emerson Axima motion controllers. "These are run from an interface, which runs on . . . To read the rest of the story, click here.

Websites to visit:

www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/lanouba/intro/intro.htm

www.emersonmotion.com/pages/1/index.htm

www.mitsubishielectric.com/products/index.html

Check out the Cirque du Soleil's 3-D interactive chart.

Images courtesy of Walt Disney Company. Costumes: Dominique Lemieux.