Acrobatics at Trade Fairs, Expos and Conferences
At a trade fair, every stand competes for the same few seconds: the moment visitors in the aisle turn their heads. Brochures, screens and coffee bars are everywhere. A person spinning inside a glowing ring or flying five metres up on two straps is not. At trade fairs, expos and conferences, acrobatics creates something that is hard to buy: a shared moment people talk about afterwards.
Oscar Kaufmann has performed at major trade fair events, from a vehicle premiere on an exhibition stand to an opening ceremony attended by the German Chancellor. This article shows which acts suit which format and what organisers should plan for.
Opening of Hannover Messe 2019
Hannover Messe is one of the world’s leading industrial trade fairs. On the evening of 31 March 2019 it opened with a ceremony for around 2,500 invited guests. In the front row sat German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, as Sweden was that year’s partner country.
Oscar Kaufmann was part of the opening show with the Cyr wheel. The act was embedded in a fully staged show with music, lighting design and large screens showing the themes of the fair. At the end he stood in the wheel beneath the words “Welcome to Hannover Messe 2019”. For that one evening there were several rehearsal days in February and March, plus run-throughs in the days before the opening. This level of preparation is normal for opening shows of this size, because acrobatics, technology and speeches have to mesh to the second.
Mercedes-Benz at the IAA: Cyr Wheel on the Exhibition Stand
At the IAA Commercial Vehicles show 2016 in Hanover, Mercedes-Benz presented the Vision Van, an electric concept vehicle with a fully automated cargo area and drones for parcel delivery. Oscar Kaufmann was part of the show on the exhibition stand with the Cyr wheel, performing on the stage area directly in front of the vehicle, together with dancers and live percussion.
What makes visitors in the aisle stop is the energy of the wheel. It spins, tilts and rolls across the floor in wide arcs, sometimes low to the ground, sometimes upright in a fast spin. The movement catches the eye from a distance, and anyone who looks once wants to see what happens next. The stand fills up without anyone having to advertise.
One detail suited the brand particularly well: when the artist stretches out inside the ring with arms and legs extended, the figure in the circle is reminiscent of the Mercedes star. Next to the illuminated star on the stand wall, the acrobatics became part of the brand presentation.
More about the act: Cyr Wheel
LED Cyr Wheel on the Exhibition Stand
The LED Cyr wheel is built for brand presentations. The lights in the ring are programmable and run in sync with the music. A brand’s logo, colours and patterns can be written directly into the light programme, so the show does not happen next to the stand but becomes part of it.
What the stand needs:
- a level area of at least 2.8 m in diameter or 4 × 5 m, with some distance from the audience
- dimmed light in that area: in bright halls the LED light only works if the area is darkened or framed by a lighting truss
- music through the stand’s sound system
A show lasts about 5 minutes. At trade fairs, several shows a day at fixed times are common, for example on the hour. That has a side effect: visitors come back specifically for the next performance and stay at the stand in between. The equipment weighs around 20 kg and fits in one bag, so setup and breakdown are straightforward.
More about the act: LED Cyr Wheel
Aerial Straps: Power at Height
Exhibition halls have what many venues lack: height. The aerial straps make use of it. Held only by two straps and body tension, the artist flies above the visitors’ heads. The act is powerful and fast, and can be experienced up close. It works in an exhibition hall as well as in a theatre: in 2021 Oscar Kaufmann performed it in La Clique, which played at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore.
Technically, it needs a rigging point at least 5 m high with a load capacity of 250 kg and a clear area of 2 × 2 m below. In most exhibition halls such a point can be set up on the hall ceiling through the venue’s rigging service. Where that is not possible, Oscar Kaufmann brings a freestanding rig. It needs a footprint of 5.1 × 5 m and is up to 5.4 m high.
More about the act: Aerial Straps
Conferences and Congresses
At conferences, stage and technology are already in place. A show act adds moments that speeches cannot:
- Opening: An act of a few minutes brings the room together before the first keynote.
- Transition: After a long session, a short show brings the energy back.
- Evening event: At the gala or evening get-together, the show can be longer and more emotional. More on the page Show Act for Corporate Events and Company Galas.
For a stage with lighting design, the LED Cyr wheel is a good fit. If the hall is high enough, the aerial straps bring movement into the space above the audience. The classic Cyr wheel is the most flexible act and works on small stages and in daylight.
What to Clarify in Advance
- Space, height and floor on the stand or stage
- Lighting: can the area be darkened (for the LED Cyr wheel)?
- Rigging: is there a point on the hall ceiling, or will the freestanding rig be used?
- Schedule: how many shows a day, and at what times?
- Branding: should the logo be part of the light programme?
- The fair’s setup and breakdown times and access for the equipment
Important for planning: all acts are stage acts that need a fixed area. They are not designed as walking acts that move through the aisles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, as long as a fixed area stays clear. The LED Cyr wheel needs 2.8 m in diameter; the aerial straps need 2 × 2 m below a rigging point or the freestanding rig.
Several shows a day are common, for example on the hour. The exact number depends on the act and the fair’s schedule.
With the LED Cyr wheel, yes: logo and colours are written into the light programme in advance and run in sync with the music.
Not necessarily. Without a rigging point, a freestanding rig comes along. It needs a footprint of 5.1 × 5 m and is up to 5.4 m high.
For trade fairs, expos and conferences, the best way to get in touch is the contact form below, with date, location and stand size.
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