Robe’s news team met the Larssons at a special 10th anniversary edition of Let’s
Dance in Sweden, where they were busy in Magazin (warehouse) 7 at the
Frihamnen container port and ferry terminal in Stockholm, a frenetic site specific
location that has provided a gritty and visceral juxtaposition to the glamour and
glitter of the hit ballroom dancing TV series.

Maverick LD Pelle Larson’s lighting design included 24 x Robe Pointe moving lights
installed in prominent positions around the dancefloor and amidst the orchestra.

Pelle is a well-known and respected industry figure in Sweden and in addition to a
host of top LE TV shows, including Let’s Dance for national channel STV4 since the
series began and many other TV productions, he has also been active as a touring
and concert designer.

This tenth series of Let’s Dance, followed by the 10th anniversary “special’ – for
which Pelle had complete creative freedom to light the show as he wished – was the
first year the design has featured LD Sweden’s newly purchased Pointes, an
investment made after using rented Pointes to great effect on the show in 2014.

They are the main effects lights of the show and “Allow me to add fantastic layers
of fun, movement and colour,” he explained. He’s also used them on several other
shows.

He wanted an effects fixture that was small, bright, light and properly ‘multi-
functional’, and thought the Pointe’s zoom, prisms and gobos were all excellent.

With 14 dances to programme each week in a very short timeframe – three hours
on the morning of the live show – they had to work exceedingly fast and have
dynamic and flexible equipment right there at their fingertips – so Pointes are
perfect.

There’s approximately 15 minutes of lighting and video programming time per
number, so the family’s harmonious teamwork is also a big advantage, with Pelle,
and his children Rasmus and Kim on the video all working seamlessly together.

Having the Pointes in such a prominent position on camera and in all the shots
allowed Pelle to change the nature and atmosphere of the next dance piece instantly
– from a steamy sensual Tango to a slick American Smooth or a bubblegum-tastic
Jive – all with their own specific look – at the touch of a few buttons on the
grandMA2 control.

The Pointes also helped bring all that characteristic ballroom glitz to the show which
featured a set design by Jan Schedin.