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La Halle de La Machine — Mechanical Magic Meets Aerial Dance

July 18 2023

Rope access and confined space

La Halle de La Machine is an exposition and performance hall in Toulouse that houses colossal machines, brought to life by mechanics. Here, work at height and rope access techniques are used in an extraordinary way to take viewers on an artistic journey unlike any other. The operators bring the machines to life, telling stories and emoting through their movement.

The Art of Work at Height: Daily Life as a Machinist at la Halle de la Machine

The people breathing life into these machines are called machinists, and they're part of the La Machine company. Born from collaboration among artists, mechanics, and set designers, this theater company animates giant structures in an incredible mechanical ballet. To operate these machines, which are eight to ten times their size, they have to get as high and as close to them as possible, performing movements that resemble a dance rather than a simple mechanical operation. Their job requires perfect mastery of work-at-height techniques and skill that is an integral part of the history of these machines. Height and verticality are part of their daily lives, and they spend most of their time wearing harnesses and lanyards, or moving about on ropes. Their work is an ever-evolving theatrical spectacle, a constant creative challenge — one whose aerial nature exposes it to potential risk. The team trusts Petzl gear to help them maximize safety and comfort throughout the workday.

 

Giants Among Us: The Magic of La Machine Shows

La Machine offers a spectacular and unique experience by animating massive machines in public spaces, transporting those young and old to another world. These immense machines stroll through the city and ignite the imaginations of pedestrians passing by. They transform the city into a theatrical setting, inviting everyone to look up and rediscover the architecture, the trees and the city in a new light. Whether you're an adult or a child, these animated "monsters" make you feel very small and very much a part of the story they tell. It's a unique approach that blends poetic gesture and aerial performance, promotes popular theater in the noblest sense, and strives to evoke emotion in its audience.

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