LAÀS, FRANCE – Biologists tell us that there are over 200 species of Solenopsis, (aka “red ants”) in the world. Aggressive and stinging, they’re rarely associated with anything good, except in this small, historic village located in the hilly Béarn des gaves region.

There, in the 1990s, a group of 2,000 young women, dubbed the “red ants” because of their Guides of France red helmets and costumes, labored to restore a former church that was built in medieval times, but had been abandoned and unused for over a century. Their tireless efforts saved the building from ruination.

Earlier this year, the building began a new life as a live performance space and cultural center, amid local parades and other fanfare. In recognition of the achievement by these tireless woman of three decades ago, the venue, which is owned by the city, was named Fourmi Rouge – Cabaret Spectacles ( “Red Ants Cabarets”).

Supporting the variety of performances that take place at the new cabaret is an energy-efficient LED lighting system installed by AES Audio Equipements Spectacles that features CHAUVET Professional projectors.

For AES, the project involved two phases. The first one was an ask from the city hall, where the request was a front and backlight with colors. For this, the design team chose the COLORado 2 Solo. A total of eight of the RGBW wash lights were installed to add splashes of color around the venue.

Part two of the creative brief was from the company that manages productions at the venue. It involved specifications for stage lighting. A key request of theirs was for UV projectors to bring out the fluorescent costumes of the cabaret dancers.

To accomplish this, the AES team specified two Ovation P-56UV ultra violet pars. Operating in virtual silence, these powerful units deliver the performance the cabaret was seeking, producing true 365 nM ultra violet light from a single homogenized source with minimal visible light.

AES also installed four Rogue R3 Beam projectors on one side of the stage, and five Rogue R3 Spot units on the other. For background lighting four Ovation CYC 1 FC washes were also installed.

Together, these lights are setting the stage at a magnificently outfitted theater and dinner complex that draws locals and tourists alike… a monumental achievement that started with the work of some determined “red ants.”