Cover Macau’s aquatic show ‘House of Dancing Water’ has launched a new backstage tour this month (Photo: courtesy of City of Dreams Macau)
Macau’s aquatic show ‘House of Dancing Water’ has launched a new backstage tour this month (Photo: courtesy of City of Dreams Macau)
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From the 26m-high diving platform to the subterranean level where water is continuously purified, Tatler takes an exclusive backstage tour of ‘House of Dancing Water’ to discover the world-class engineering, risk management and human craft driving Macau’s epic theatrical spectacle
House of Dancing Water, a mesmerising stage production at City of Dreams Macau that tells the story of a princess with the power to control water, is billed as a premier aquatic spectacle. From ballet on water and free diving from dizzying heights to acrobatic choreography synchronised with soaring fountain displays and performers holding their breath for minutes underwater—this signature production has delivered some of the world’s most daring staging for the past 16 years.
But step behind the curtain with general manager Matthew Jessner, and he will respectfully challenge that simple label. “It should be that it is also an aquatic show. It is a show on the stage, in the air and from underneath,” he says. “Water is not a special effect; it’s an element, as is space and air.”
Much of the performance unfolds far beyond the surface of the pool. The production maximises every inch of the custom-built theatre, extending from the deep underwater bay up to the high-flying grid deck. It demands an extraordinary breadth of skills from its cast, including mid-air motorcycle stunts and contortion.
“It’s like a zoo, but vertical. You have the lemurs, otters and giraffes,” Jessner says, describing the acrobats swinging in mid-air, the underwater performers and the dancers on stage. “And then there are the Avatar people [in charge of rigging from the top deck]. Each ‘population’ has its own floor.”
Above The theatre of Macau’s aquatic show ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: courtesy of City of Dreams Macau)
The theatre of Macau’s aquatic show ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: courtesy of City of Dreams Macau)
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Bringing this high-stakes universe to life required assembling an international collective of master artisans, architects, engineers and performers. The engineering alone rivals the world’s most sophisticated opera houses. The entire venue was constructed on Macau’s reclaimed land without internal supporting pillars, suspended entirely from an exostructure. Beneath the 1,961-seat auditorium lies a subterranean marvel holding 17 million litres of water—a massive weight carefully balanced by pumping water between levels to preserve the building’s structural stability.
Every detail of the performance space was designed around organic storytelling. The stage floor consists of hydraulic lifts that fluidly transform from a dry floor to a pool at minus 8m, creating dramatic, evolving landscapes. Nothing here is static. “Everything that we have here started as a prototype, testing, and everything had to remain pertinent,” says Jessner.
In an era increasingly dominated by digital illusion, Jessner views the sheer physical, human effort behind the production as its true triumph. “This is analog,” he says. “What we do is not glorious, and we’re not missionaries. But [live theatre] is vital. The collectivity [of putting together a show like this] can be transformative.”
This month, House of Dancing Water opened its backstage doors to audiences for the first time. Tatler was invited on an exclusive tour led by Jessner through the secret corners of the theatre. While public tour visitors catch a glimpse of select backstage areas, here is an exclusive look inside the off-limits elements that bring this theatrical marvel to life.
1. A stellar prop team
Above The prop studio of ‘House of Dancing Water’, where the team is making a giraffe puppet as shown here (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
Above The giraffe in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
The prop studio of ‘House of Dancing Water’, where the team is making a giraffe puppet as shown here (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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The vivid animal props were crafted by artisans who previously worked on acclaimed West End productions like War Horse. Built 16 years ago and continuously refined, these masterworks blend artistry with rigorous safety engineering. Beyond its stunning aesthetic and agile movements, the giant giraffe prop is equipped with an emergency breathing system inside its belly. In the unlikely event it falls into the pool, the performer strapped inside has a dedicated air source.
2. Ride or die
Above The bikers’ pathway connecting the backstage with the stage of ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
Above The motorcycle scene in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
The bikers’ pathway connecting the backstage with the stage of ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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In the show’s most thrilling scene, fearless riders execute gravity-defying leaps and spins. After warming up their engines in the hotel car park connected to the backstage area via a secret passage, the riders hit the stage to deliver high-stakes motocross stunts on cue. Reaching the high speeds required for 20m jumps on a tight stage demands split-second timing and constant comms coordination with stage managers—a high-flying test of teamwork and absolute trust.
“Here, you don’t make mistakes—you just don’t make mistakes,” says Jessner. “I’ve been watching that scene for 15 years, and I still hold my breath every single time.”
3. It takes more than one to play Princess Aani
Above A diver performing as Princess Aani in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
Above A ballet dancer performing as Princess Aani in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
A diver performing as Princess Aani in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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The protagonist, Princess Aani, who possesses the power to control water, is brought to life by a team of performers with diverse skill sets. To create the illusion of a single character moving seamlessly between elements, classical ballet dancers perform her stagecraft, while specialised free divers execute scenes submerged in water—holding their breath for minutes at a time.
4. A leap of faith
Above A diver ready to jump from the 26m-high platform in ’House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
A diver ready to jump from the 26m-high platform in ’House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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In one of the show’s most heart-stopping scenes, two divers leap into the pool from a 26m-high platform. That is more than double the height of an Olympic 10m high dive. Professional cliff divers, who are adept at managing wind, trajectory and high-impact entries, are recruited for this drop, where physical forces upon entry are exponentially higher than standard dives.
“I had a silver medallist from the 2012 Olympics in the UK who wanted to do the show,” Jessner recalls. “When I told him we dive from 26m, he said, ‘I’ll see you later.’ What he really meant was, ‘Are you out of your mind?’”
5. Elaborate and functional costumes
Above Costumes stored at the backstage of ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
Costumes stored at the backstage of ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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Balancing aesthetics and storytelling, every costume is designed with practicality at its core. In an environment where performers constantly transition between air and water, the wardrobe department works with specialized, flexible and quick-drying fabrics that afford maximum comfort and freedom of movement while withstanding the corrosive effects of treated pool water.
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6. Automated rigging and fountain displays
Above The rigging system on the top floor of the theatre of ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
Above Acrobats flying across the stage in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
The rigging system on the top floor of the theatre of ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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With performers flying across the stage at speeds up to 35km/h, the entire winch and rigging system is fully automated to prevent mid-air collisions. Similarly, the high-pressure automated fountain displays are seamlessly synchronised with programmed flight paths to ensure dancers are never accidentally hit by powerful water jets during high-energy routines.
7. Hygiene comes first
Above A filtering machine in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
A filtering machine in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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The 17 million litres of water are continuously sanitised using ultraviolet filtration systems and ion zappers, supported by a massive purification facility hidden in the basement. To protect acrobats from muscle cramping, the water is maintained at a precise 32°C. Backstage, dedicated showering and warming stations keep performers safe and comfortable between scenes.
8. A massive underwater city
Above The temple is stored sub-surface in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
The temple is stored sub-surface in ‘House of Dancing Water’ (Photo: Tatler Hong Kong)
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A scissor lift capable of supporting an airplane rapidly moves the giant ship from the underwater storage bay to centre stage. In fact, the pool is vastly larger than what is visible from the auditorium, with elements like the temple and a few Russian swings stored sub-surface when not in use.
Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
