RIGZ!: A Two-Day LDI Rigging Intensive - Saturday & Sunday, December 6 & 7
Session details:
RIGZ! is LDI's two-day rigging intensive. Programmed in conjunction with expert riggers Tracy Nunnally of Vertigo and Eric Rouse of Sapsis Rigging for all riggers, facility managers, technical directors, designers, and all those interested in the ins and outs of rigging safety and practices. RIGZ! carries ETCP renewal credits.
The two days include the following sessions featuring industry experts as well as a complimentary reception on Saturday evening with drinks and food.
Price: $869 / Lunch and evening reception included.
RIGZ! Schedule:
Saturday, December 6 (Day 1):
9:00am-9:15am: Welcome
9:15-10:00am: Keynote by master rigger Roy Bickel: From Human Cannonball to Award Winner: The Extraordinary Journey of Roy Bickel: For over six decades, Roy Bickel has climbed higher, flown farther, and built safer stages for the world to stand on. From launching out of cannons with the circus to rigging stages for Elvis, Broadway, and the Olympics, Roy’s keynote, “From Human Cannonball to Award Winner,” is a celebration of courage, creativity, and the power of saying “yes” to every challenge. Join us as Roy shares the stories behind the ropes, the innovations that changed live production forever, the unforgettable moments on and above the stage, and the lessons that remind us all to “Climb Safe.”
10am-11:30am: Ballroom Rigging - Things to Consider, Standards and Room Layout: Ballroom rigging can present numerous challenges and is often more complex than it appears. In this session, we will explore key considerations for planning an event that requires rigging in a ballroom environment, as well as important factors to keep in mind when leading a rigging team in such spaces. We will cover relevant standards, room layout suggestions, and ground rigging opportunities and solutions. Moderator: Derek Epstein, Encore. Speakers include:Kris Ackerman, Encore; Stephanie Trinh: Encore
11:30pm-12:30pm: Lunch
12:30pm-1:50pm: Decoding European Chain Hoist Standards For The USA User: European standards and specifications are commonly referred to or quoted when talking about chain hoist design and use in the USA. This session will teach the average chain hoist user or buyer about what is what in quoted standards and why they should, and in some cases shouldn't, care. Moderator: David Bond, Liftket. Speakers include: Adam Beaumont, Chainmaster; David Piccola, RIG; Katrina Puleo, rigger.
1:50-2pm: short break
2:00-3:30: Consideration For Using Different Work-at-Height Methods in the Entertainment Industry: Working safely and efficiently at height in theaters and on stages involves diverse approaches, requiring careful consideration of tasks that need to be accomplished. Is the elevated work area easily accessible? Does the task involve heavy equipment installation or use? Will technicians need to access multiple areas to complete the job? Are there suitable anchor points near or above the work area? All these questions and more need to be addressed before a workplan, complete with hazard identification and mitigation, can be created and executed. This presentation will emphasize best practices for ensuring safety when working at height, exploring various equipment and access solutions tailored for effectivity accomplishing aerial tasks in the entertainment industry. Moderator: Michael Goulet, Petzl. Speakers: April Vollm; Bob Goodwin; Johnny Stebbing
3:30-5pm: They Fly Through the Air with the Greatest of Ease: The ANSi E1.43 Performer Flying Standard: In 2016, the first ESTA ANSI Standard was published providing a “minimum level of performance parameters for the design, manufacture, use, and maintenance of performer flying systems used in the production of entertainment events.” ANSI E1.43-2016 was created to apply to “devices and systems supporting people or components to which people are attached, flying or suspended in the air.” Since its publication, the E1.43 Standard has become one of the most widely downloaded and referenced standards for rigging in the entertainment industry. Its existence has highlighted many concerns and identified important practices (including the requirement for a robust Risk Assessment/Risk Reduction process) in the production of any performance where humans are up in the air. In 2025 a new, extensively revised and updated version of the E1.43 standard was approved and published, providing new guidance on key operational and safety issues applicable both to traditional theatrical performer flying and to aerial dance, acrobatic, and circus-style aerial performance. This workshop shares up-to-date information and answer questions about the revised standard. It will feature panelists from the E1.43 Task Group along with one or more “outside” experts specializing in performer flying and acrobatic performance. It will be useful not only for riggers and technical directors, but also for stage managers, designers, and other production personnel involved in (temporarily) defying gravity. Speakers: Jonathan Deull, ETCP Certified Rigger; Tracy Nunnally; Eric Rouse
5pm: Day One wrap up
5:30-9:30pm: Dining With Dinosaurs - Dinner, drinks, and networking at the LVCC with an A-list of concert touring legends including riggers Roy Bickel and Joe Branam.
Click here for full two-day RIGZ! schedule.
9 ETCP renewal credits (for 2 days)
