Nick Whitehouse, lighting designer for Disney on Ice, has worked on the last three productions that bring the magic of Disney stories to life in arenas around the world. These spectacular shows feature over 80 performers skating through beloved stories, set to iconic Disney music, and surrounded by dazzling lights, bubbles, and snow machines.
“It’s an amazing show for kids,” says Whitehouse. “They come, get their cotton candy, and see their favourite characters skating right in front of them. The energy is incredible.”
For Whitehouse and his team, the goal was to translate the familiarity of Disney films into an immersive live experience.
“We try to make it exciting and true to what people know from the movies,” he explains. “The storytelling is simple, but the visuals have to capture those magical moments – whether it’s Elsa’s power or Buzz Lightyear taking flight.”
Choosing BlackTrax for precision & Performance
Feld Entertainment, producers of Disney on Ice, transitioned from traditional follow spots to CAST’s BlackTrax tracking technology several years ago. The system’s speed and accuracy made it the obvious choice for a fast-paced ice show.
“These skaters move up to 45 miles an hour,” Whitehouse notes. “We track up to 85 performers at once. There’s nothing else that can do that with the same precision. We need a system that can keep up, and BlackTrax does an excellent job.”
System Setup & execution
The Disney on Ice team deploys multiple cameras throughout the arena to ensure reliable tracking coverage. Each lead performer wears a small tracking beacon embedded in their costume.
“Every performer is tracked through BlackTrax,” says Whitehouse. “And we dedicate specific lights just for them. When a character enters the ice, the system instantly follows them – it’s seamless.”
BlackTrax has revolutionized the way Disney on Ice is lit. Instead of relying on manual follow spots, the team can now dynamically light dozens of skaters at once with perfect synchronization.
“Before, we might have had eight or ten follow spots,” Whitehouse explains. “Now we can light as many people as we want in real time. It’s changed the way the whole show is done – more dynamic, more alive, and every character can shine.”
Looking Ahead
BlackTrax has become a standard part of Whitehouse’s toolkit – not only for Disney on Ice, but also for major artists like Carrie Underwood. “I would happily use it on the next Disney on Ice this year, and every one of Carrie’s shows. It’s the best tracking system out there – accurate, reliable, and essential for what we do.”