Dancing Diamonds

Kaleb Wilcox of Willow Creek Community Church in Northfield, IL, presents this captivating stage design.

The hanging diamond shapes were created by stapling two Mio paper form tiles back-to-back to create a 3D shape and then hanging them along a length of aircraft cable. The other set piece was a 13′ by 7.5′ LED wall that provided visual support. (“Amazing Grace” element credit goes to Church on the Move from their 2010 Easter services.)

Lighting was provided by 6 Robe 136LTs, 6 Mac250s, 10 Colorado 1s, 8 Elation Design Wash 250s, and 3 Elation PowerSpot 700s.

Creating Movement and Dimension with Hanging Geometric Shapes

The genius of this stage design lies in its elegant simplicity and the dynamic visual interest created by suspended geometric forms. By hanging diamond shapes at varying heights along aircraft cable, the team at Willow Creek North Shore created a sense of movement and depth that transforms throughout the service as lighting changes and air currents cause subtle shifts in position. This kinetic quality adds a living, breathing dimension to the stage that static backdrops simply cannot achieve.

The choice of Mio paper form tiles demonstrates how unconventional materials can yield stunning results. These modular paper tiles, designed for architectural applications, offer a lightweight yet rigid structure that holds its shape while remaining easy to suspend. When paired back-to-back, they create fully dimensional diamonds that catch light from every angle, creating interesting shadow patterns and highlights that evolve with the lighting design. The paper material provides a warm, organic texture that softens the geometric precision of the diamond forms.

The 13-foot by 7.5-foot LED wall serves as both a practical visual support system and a dramatic counterpoint to the delicate hanging diamonds. The scale of this element grounds the design while providing the flexibility to display lyrics, sermon graphics, or atmospheric motion backgrounds. The contrast between the rigid, rectangular technology and the floating, organic diamond shapes creates visual tension that keeps the audience engaged without overwhelming the worship experience.

Understanding the Lighting Design for Maximum Impact

The comprehensive lighting package used in this design showcases how professional-grade fixtures can elevate even simple set elements into something extraordinary. The combination of Robe 136LTs and Mac250s provides powerful moving light capabilities that can create dynamic beams, gobo patterns, and color washes that transform the diamonds throughout the service. These fixtures offer the precision needed to highlight individual elements or create sweeping movements that draw the eye across the entire stage.

The ten Colorado 1 LED pars provide versatile wash lighting with the energy efficiency and color-mixing capabilities that modern church productions demand. LED fixtures like these offer instant color changes without gel swaps, allowing the lighting team to respond immediately to musical transitions or sermon moments. The eight Elation Design Wash 250s add additional wash capabilities with zoom functionality, enabling the team to adjust beam width to perfectly frame the hanging diamonds at different heights.

Three Elation PowerSpot 700s round out the package with high-output spot capabilities that can create tight beams for highlighting specific moments or projecting gobo patterns onto the diamond surfaces. The interplay between spot and wash fixtures creates layers of light that add depth and dimension to what might otherwise be a flat visual presentation. This layered approach to lighting design ensures that the stage looks as compelling during quiet acoustic moments as it does during high-energy worship songs.

Related Designs

Looking for more inspiration with geometric shapes, suspended elements, or creative use of paper materials? Check out these related stage designs:

• Multi-Purpose Squares – SALT Nashville created versatile LED-lined squares that work as projection surfaces, pixel-mapped displays, and symbolic stage elements that can be reconfigured for different service moments.
• Dotted Half Moons – Willow Creek Huntley used styrofoam cups arranged on foam boards to create textured half-moon shapes that catch light beautifully and add dimensional interest to the stage.
• Weave Spots – Kearney eFree Church combined Coroplast panels with creative lighting through drilled holes to create dynamic beam patterns and textural interest.
• Discochecks – A stunning checkerboard pattern using square panels with dynamic lighting effects that create visual movement across the stage.
• Shorty Got Low, Low, Low – Lighthouse Church demonstrates how to overcome low ceiling challenges with tall vertical elements and reflective mirror boxes that maximize visual impact in compact spaces.

Pro Tips for Hanging Geometric Stage Elements

Plan Your Rigging Carefully: Aircraft cable is strong and relatively easy to work with, but proper rigging hardware is essential for safety. Use appropriate cable clamps, thimbles, and turnbuckles to secure your hanging points. Always work with qualified riggers when suspending elements above performers or congregation members, and ensure your support structure can handle the dynamic loads that may occur from air movement or accidental contact.

Consider Weight Distribution: When creating 3D shapes by joining two elements back-to-back, ensure the weight is evenly balanced so the piece hangs level. Test your attachment points before final installation to confirm the piece hangs at the desired angle. Small adjustments to the attachment point location can make significant differences in how the element presents to the audience.

Layer for Depth: The most compelling suspended designs use multiple layers at different depths to create dimensional interest. Hang some elements higher and further upstage, with others lower and closer to the front. This layering creates parallax movement as the camera or audience perspective shifts, adding visual richness that flat backdrops cannot achieve.

Lighting Makes the Magic: Suspended geometric elements come alive with proper lighting. Side lighting emphasizes the dimensional quality and creates dramatic shadows. Backlighting can create silhouettes or halos depending on the material opacity. Front lighting flattens the dimensional effect but provides the most consistent visibility. Plan your lighting positions to take advantage of the shapes you’ve created.

Related: Hexagon String Art – Discover how Village Baptist Church created stunning hexagon and hourglass shapes with RGBW LED lighting and creative string art patterns.

Related: Down the Light – See how Northland Church combined Kabuki solenoid drops with projection mapping for a powerful Easter stage transformation.