By TRAVELER Luxe Traveler
The spectacular show "The House of Dancing Water," exclusively launched by Studio City, has recently become a sensation in China. The entire performance revolves around the theme of "water" and is personally directed by Franco Dragone. Having produced shows such as "Le Rêve" in Las Vegas and "A New Day" starring Celine Dion, Franco Dragone, for the first time, drew inspiration from Chinese culture and art to create a love story that transcends time and space. After an investment of 2 billion Hong Kong dollars, five years of planning, and two years of rehearsals, Franco Dragone was finally ready to share the story of "The House of Dancing Water."
The performance of "The House of Dancing Water" presents a dreamy and romantic atmosphere. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
The stepmother queen, who resembles a villainess, desires power after the king's death and uses magic to imprison the princess, the heir to the throne, in a cage. She then declares her second prince as the successor. The beautiful and delicate princess cries out day and night, and her strong will eventually stirs up a mysterious force, triggering an unprecedented storm that brings a "stranger" from afar into the story, offering hope to the princess. The drowning stranger is luckily rescued by a wise man and indigenous people with mystical powers, and he meets the princess. A love at first sight occurs, leading the stranger to vow to rescue the princess against all odds. Thus begins an adventure across the sky, land, and sea.
I thought it might just be a romantic theatrical performance, but the moment I stepped into the "House of Dancing Water" theater, I realized it was “not that simple.”
A magnificent performance built with water and light. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
At the center of the 270-degree rotating theater is a hydraulic stage equipped with 258 fountains. As the plot unfolds, the stage can quickly descend to form a deep pool suitable for boat gliding and high diving by performers, and in the blink of an eye, it transforms into a stable surface for ballet, street dance, and even high-altitude motorcycle stunts.
Unveiling the Blue Secrets Beneath the Stage
Taking the elevator down to the basement, "The House of Dancing Water" PR representative Florence showed us the pool beneath the hydraulic stage. This performance pool, which always hides 32 divers during shows, is 8 meters deep (about four stories high), with a total water capacity of 3.7 million gallons (equivalent to five Olympic-sized swimming pools), and is maintained at a constant temperature of around 30 degrees. "Among the 32 divers, some communicate with supervisors using ear mics or underwater cameras to transmit images. Another 20 are responsible for supporting all actors who 'disappear' on stage, providing them with enough oxygen so they can smoothly exit from above the stage to underwater," Florence revealed. She also mentioned that the seemingly flat stage is actually composed of 11 retractable panels. "This design allows the water to drain quickly, in almost less than five seconds."
Weightless Floating Performances
The ever-changing scenes paired with dreamlike 3D projections give the illusion of floating at any moment. When more than seventy stunt performers swing on steel cables and dance inside circular cages high above my head, I almost felt like I was floating too.
Stunt driving tests both the actors’ skills and the audience’s heart strength. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
All the performers in the show come from around the world and are all "top-tier" talents. Florence stated, "Every role in 'The House of Dancing Water' is played by only one actor." As I looked down from the highest point in the theater, about eight stories high, her words left me deeply amazed. Under the safety pressures of high jumps and dives, how do these professional actors manage to perform flawlessly and move audiences during such intense schedules? Perhaps only Franco Dragone knows the secret.
Accompanied by Florence, we cautiously tiptoed through the eight-story backstage area of "The House of Dancing Water," entering the dressing rooms filled with elaborate costumes. Picking up a long gown at random, Florence let me feel its "weight" for myself. "Because they use special waterproof materials, most of the costumes in 'The House of Dancing Water' weigh about one to two kilograms." If you haven’t seen the performance, it’s hard to imagine how anyone could perform light and graceful dances while wearing such heavy clothing.
And then came the highlight. Florence led us to a high platform—the place where "The House of Dancing Water" challenges the world. "The previous highest diving record was 20 meters, and we’ve surpassed it to 24 meters, even approaching the current Olympic record of 26 meters!" For most people, the difference between 2 and 4 meters may not seem significant, but the most unforgettable moment of the entire "The House of Dancing Water" for me was this performance. The music quieted down, and a man in white stood on the 24-meter-high diving platform. His face, far away, was blurred—he didn’t wave, and it was unclear whether he was smiling. Within seconds, he suddenly leapt down, creating a splash like a white lotus that disappeared in moments. The thousands of people sitting with me suddenly fell silent. About two seconds later, thunderous applause and cheers erupted.
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The stage with 258 fountains can create a variety of visual effects. (Image provided by TRAVELER Luxe Traveler)
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