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2002 Winter Games - Ceremonies
 Technifex Creates Breathtaking Special Effects for Opening and Closing CeremoniesFebruary 2002 The more than 3.5 billion people watching the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games witnessed the breathtaking special effects created by Technifex especially for this international event. Hundreds of points of fiber optics embedded in the ice last November transformed the frozen surface of Rice-Eccles Stadium into a dazzling display of lights. Five circular, electric-powered platforms carried performers across the stadium floor. Powerful fog manifolds delivered clouds of fog into the air to highlight the entrance of legendary performers onto the ice. |
 Yo Yo Ma and Sting appear to float across the fiber-optic icefield aboard a remote-controlled platform. Technifex used a combination of Liquid Nitrogen and steam to create the low-lying fog bank, which wafted across the ice. |
 The five Native American Tribes of Utah enter the Rice-Eccles Stadium riding five circular platforms also created by Technifex especially for the Olympic ceremonies. Unlike the main platform that carries the performers, these are controlled by drivers hidden beneath the flooring. |
 The five platforms are adorned with Native American patterns which symbolize the cultures of the participating tribes and match the colors of the Olympic rings. |
 The platforms were built at Technifex's fabrication facility in Valencia, California and shipped to Salt Lake City. Constructed of steel, aluminum and plywood, each platform is 20 feet in diameter, weighs over 6500 pounds and are electrically powered. |
 The platforms from the Opening Ceremonies were modified by Technifex to create the various floating stages for the Closing Ceremony performers. |
 Technifex used a combination of Liquid Nitrogen and steam to create the fog bank for KISS. |
 Dianne Reeves performs during the Closing Ceremonies. |
 Harry Connick Jr. and Dorothy Hamill on the fiber-optic icefield. |
 Earth, Wind & Fire on the remote-controlled platform. |