ILuminate

iLuminate is a New York City-based performance company that integrates dance with patented wireless LED lighting technology embedded in dancers' costumes, creating synchronized glow-in-the-dark visual effects during high-energy routines on darkened stages.^[1] Founded in 2009 by Miral Kotb, a software engineer, choreographer, and dancer who developed the company's proprietary iLuminate system, it represents the world's first light dance technology enterprise.^[2] The group rose to prominence in 2011 after competing on the sixth season of America's Got Talent, where judges and host Nick Cannon proclaimed them "the best new act in America."^[1] Since its breakthrough on national television, iLuminate has expanded its repertoire to include live theatrical shows, corporate events, and collaborations with major artists and productions.^[3] The company's technology has powered performances by Grammy-winning musicians such as Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, and The Black Eyed Peas, as well as appearances on programs like Dancing with the Stars, The X Factor, Good Morning America, the American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and BET Awards.^[2] iLuminate has toured internationally, performing in locations including the United States, Egypt, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, captivating audiences with its blend of athletic choreography, custom lighting sequences, and immersive storytelling.^[1] In late 2024 and 2025, the ensemble has continued to innovate with holiday-themed productions in New York and a US tour across multiple cities, adapting its shows for diverse venues worldwide.^[3][4]

Overview

Founding and Background

iLuminate was founded in 2009 by Miral Kotb, a software engineer and dancer, in New York City.^[2][5] Kotb, who holds a degree in computer science from Columbia University, brought her dual expertise in technology and performing arts to establish the company as a pioneer in integrating these fields.^[6] The headquarters remain in New York, New York, USA, where iLuminate operates as a theatrical and technology company focused on innovative performance experiences.^[1] Kotb's personal journey as a two-time cancer survivor profoundly influenced her entrepreneurial path, providing resilience amid challenges in both health and the tech industry.^[2][5] Her experiences fueled a deep commitment to empowerment, particularly in fostering creativity within technology education. Kotb has expressed a passion for combining STEM and STEAM principles with performing arts to inspire youth, viewing innovation as a tool for personal and societal transformation.^[2][7] The initial concept behind iLuminate stemmed from Kotb's vision to fuse dance with advanced technology, creating illuminated performances that synchronize light, music, and movement in the dark.^[2][7] This groundbreaking approach not only highlighted her technical skills in software design but also her artistic drive to redefine live entertainment through wearable light systems.^[1] By merging these elements, iLuminate emerged as the world's first light dance technology company, setting the foundation for its unique contributions to the performing arts.^[2]

Artistic Style and Innovations

iLuminate's artistic style is characterized by a seamless fusion of dance, music, and visual technology, crafting immersive "glow-in-the-dark" narratives that unfold entirely without spoken words. Performers, clad in custom illuminated suits, execute dynamic choreography on a darkened stage, where light serves as both costume and storyteller, creating illusions and patterns that enhance the emotional depth of each routine. This approach draws from a variety of dance genres, including contemporary, hip-hop, popping, and Latin styles, to convey themes of adventure, romance, and excitement, resulting in a multisensory experience that captivates audiences through movement and luminescence alone.^[1][8][9] The group's choreography is propelled by energetic pop and rock hits primarily from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, which provide a rhythmic backbone that synchronizes with the performers' illuminated movements to evoke nostalgia and high energy. These selections, ranging from upbeat anthems to iconic tracks, are reinterpreted to fit the visual narrative, allowing the music to guide transitions between scenes and amplify the dancers' expressive physicality. This musical foundation not only drives the pace of the performance but also broadens its appeal, transforming familiar sounds into a fresh, light-infused spectacle.^[10][1] Innovations in iLuminate's style lie in their pioneering use of light patterns and body movements to narrate stories, where performers—often top-tier dancers—manipulate glowing elements on their suits to form shapes, signals, and illusions that communicate plot and emotion without dialogue. This technique blends theatrical storytelling with high-energy dance, creating a visual spectacle that transcends language barriers and engages viewers of all ages through its vibrant, otherworldly aesthetic. By integrating these elements, iLuminate elevates traditional performance art into a modern, technology-enhanced form that emphasizes wonder and kinetic joy.^[1][11][8]

Technology

LED and Electroluminescent Systems

iLuminate's lighting technology centers on custom-designed suits that integrate electroluminescent wire (EL wire) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to achieve full-body illumination during performances. These components are embedded directly into the fabric of the dancers' outfits, allowing for seamless glowing effects that highlight movements in complete darkness. The EL wire, a flexible phosphor-coated copper strand, produces a continuous neon-like glow when powered, while LEDs provide brighter, programmable points of light for varied visual patterns. This combination enables intricate designs that follow the contours of the body without compromising mobility.^[12][13] The suits feature patented wireless lighting systems, developed by founder Miral Kotb, which control the illumination remotely and on command. These proprietary drivers and controllers activate specific segments of EL wire and LEDs in real time, ensuring the lights respond precisely to choreography while the dancers remain untethered from cables. The technology's wireless nature is crucial for maintaining the fluidity of high-energy dance routines, as it eliminates physical restrictions that could hinder performance. Kotb's innovations in this area stem from her background in software engineering, resulting in a system that powers the suits via batteries integrated into the garments, though these are noted as heavy and require strong performers to manage during routines.^[1][12] To support dynamic physicality, the suits employ lightweight, flexible materials such as spandex, into which the EL wire and LEDs are sewn or attached. This construction keeps the overall weight minimal—typically under a few pounds per suit—preventing fatigue during extended shows and allowing for acrobatic flips, spins, and formations. The materials are chosen for their durability and stretch, ensuring the lighting elements bend and flex with the body without breaking or dimming.^[14][13] The evolution of these systems began in 2009 with rudimentary prototypes that Kotb and her team assembled in a garage setting, initially featuring basic wired setups prone to tangling. Over the years, iterative refinements transformed these into professional-grade ensembles, incorporating advanced wireless protocols and more efficient power management for reliability in live global tours. By 2012, the technology had matured to support daily performances worldwide, with enhancements focused on brighter outputs and finer control granularity.^[14][15]

Synchronization and Programming

iLuminate's synchronization and programming rely on custom software developed by founder Miral Kotb, a former software engineer at Bloomberg, who integrated her expertise in computer science with dance to create real-time control systems for the performers' lights. This proprietary software enables precise synchronization of LED and electroluminescent elements with dance movements and music beats, allowing lights to respond dynamically during live performances.^[2][15] The wireless control systems, also designed by Kotb, use tiny proprietary receivers and transmitters embedded in the suits, operated via cues from Lenovo/Linux and Macintosh computers to manage individual or group light patterns mid-performance. These systems facilitate seamless changes, such as activating specific lights for solo dancers or coordinating ensemble effects, all triggered with a "one-button" interface for reliability in high-stakes shows. Kotb's programming draws from her experience in time-sensitive networking, ensuring low-latency responses that align lighting precisely with choreography.^[12][15] Programming techniques emphasize creating visual narratives through algorithmic control of effects like color shifts and pulsing patterns, which are tied directly to musical rhythms and physical gestures to enhance storytelling without traditional sets. For instance, software scripts can program lights to pulse in sync with bass drops or shift hues to reflect emotional transitions in the dance, fostering immersive experiences that highlight performers' skills. These methods were pioneered during Kotb's attendance at a 2009 Apple Developers Conference, where she envisioned wireless lighting control akin to consumer device interfaces.^[12][15] Adaptations of this technology for collaborations involve licensing Kotb's custom programs to artists, enabling tailored integrations such as synchronized light shows for performances by Chris Brown and Christina Aguilera. The software's modularity allows for quick reprogramming to match specific songs or styles, as seen in joint appearances where iLuminate's systems enhanced the artists' visuals without disrupting their creative processes.^[2][12]

History

Early Development and Formation

In 2009, Miral Kotb, a software engineer and lifelong dancer, began developing iLuminate by prototyping illuminated costumes that integrated wireless technology with choreography. Inspired during an Apple developer conference, she envisioned dancers whose movements could be synchronized with dynamic lighting effects controlled remotely via custom software. Kotb collaborated with a former Bloomberg colleague, a software engineer, and a family friend specializing in hardware to build the initial prototypes, which used early wireless systems to illuminate suits during performances. These efforts combined her computer science background from Columbia University with her dance training, creating the foundation for what would become the company's patented light dance technology.^[14][2] Early challenges centered on refining the wireless technology to ensure reliable synchronization between lights, music, and dancer movements, as initial prototypes featured archaic designs that sometimes delivered mild electric shocks, deterring testers. Recruiting dancers comfortable with the illuminated suits proved difficult, as Kotb initially relied on personal connections in New York City's dance community to find performers willing to experiment in low-light conditions and adapt to the restrictive gear. Despite these hurdles, small-scale tests with friends demonstrated the potential for illusions like dancers appearing to vanish or morph, validating the concept's artistic viability.^[14][15] By late 2009 and into 2010, iLuminate conducted initial performances at theme parks, including Six Flags and Disneyland, where the group showcased short routines highlighting the suits' capabilities in controlled environments. These outings helped iterate on the technology and build confidence in its durability for live settings. Concurrently, the core team expanded to include additional engineers for tech refinement, choreographers to align lighting with routines, and stylists to integrate the suits seamlessly into costumes, all before gaining broader national attention.^[2][1]

Rise to Fame on America's Got Talent

iLuminate, a dance troupe specializing in illuminated performances, auditioned for the sixth season of America's Got Talent in 2011, captivating judges with a synchronized routine featuring dancers in custom LED suits that created glowing patterns and illusions against a darkened stage.^[16] The act advanced through the competition, progressing from auditions to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and ultimately the finals, where they secured third place behind winner Landau Eugene Murphy Jr. and runner-up Silhouettes.^[17][18] Their innovative performance style, blending precise choreography with electroluminescent technology to produce dynamic light shows, drew widespread acclaim from the judges. In the quarterfinals, iLuminate performed to a remixed version of Katy Perry's "E.T.," earning a standing ovation and praise from Piers Morgan as the "best act of the night, best act of the live shows, [and] best new act in America."^[19][20] This designation highlighted their fusion of dance and light, which not only advanced them but also generated significant media attention, with outlets like the Los Angeles Times and NJ.com covering their visually striking routines and rapid rise in popularity.^[21][20] In the finals, the group expanded their ensemble and delivered a high-energy light-dance sequence that underscored their technical prowess, further solidifying their appeal to audiences and critics despite the third-place finish, which surprised many observers.^[22] The exposure from the show propelled iLuminate into greater recognition within the entertainment industry, leading to immediate post-competition bookings such as residencies at Six Flags theme parks in 2012 and establishing them as a notable act in live performance circuits.^[15][1]

Global Expansion and Milestones

Following their breakthrough on America's Got Talent in 2011, iLuminate expanded rapidly, establishing itself as a global performance entity with shows in over 15 countries by 2019.^[23] Performances included notable engagements in Cairo, Egypt; Malaysia; Hong Kong; and Saudi Arabia, where the group presented innovative light-based dance routines that captivated diverse audiences.^[1][24] This international reach marked a significant evolution from domestic venues to worldwide stages, highlighting the portability and appeal of their patented LED technology.^[2] Key milestones underscored iLuminate's growing influence beyond performance. Founder Miral Kotb delivered keynote addresses at prestigious events, including Google Zeitgeist, where she discussed the fusion of art and technology, and TEDx Broadway in 2017, focusing on the intersection of creativity and innovation.^[2][25] Additionally, in recognition of their contributions to entertainment technology, Kotb and the iLuminate team rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange, symbolizing their impact on the industry.^[2] These achievements facilitated expansion into corporate and private events, where iLuminate provided customized light shows for brands and organizations, further diversifying their portfolio.^[26] Parallel to performance growth, iLuminate advanced STEAM education initiatives through the Share Your Light Foundation, founded by Kotb to empower youth in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.^[27] The foundation promotes hands-on learning inspired by iLuminate's technology, encouraging underrepresented students to explore coding and creative expression. In recent years, the group debuted a Las Vegas residency at The Strat on August 26, 2021, reaching a milestone of 100 performances by March 2022.^[28] The residency, which earned accolades like Best Date Show from Las Vegas Weekly in 2022, was extended through 2027 and continues as of November 2025 alongside an ongoing global tour that showcases their evolving productions.^[29][30]

Performances

Television and Award Show Appearances

iLuminate has made numerous high-profile appearances on major television programs, showcasing their illuminated dance routines to broad audiences. The group performed on Dancing with the Stars, integrating their LED technology into competitive dance segments that highlighted synchronized light effects with choreography.^[1] They also featured on The X Factor, delivering energetic performances that emphasized their fusion of dance and visuals during talent competition episodes.^[31] Additional daytime and talk show spots include Good Morning America, where they presented a vibrant routine to morning viewers, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show, featuring their patented suits in a lively segment that captivated the studio audience.^[1] The ensemble has also illuminated prestigious award ceremonies, enhancing broadcasts with their distinctive light-based spectacles. iLuminate performed at the American Music Awards, contributing dynamic backdrops and dancer integrations to musical acts.^[31] Their appearances extended to the MTV Video Music Awards, BET Awards, Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Latin Billboard Awards, where they provided visually striking enhancements to live performances starting from 2011.^[1] These events allowed iLuminate to demonstrate their technology on a grand scale, syncing lights with high-energy music and celebrity stages. A notable collaboration occurred on the season 17 finale of The Voice in 2019, where iLuminate joined The Black Eyed Peas and J Balvin for a performance of "RITMO (Bad Boys For Life)," using their LED suits to create immersive, glowing effects that amplified the song's electronic vibe.^[32] This partnership exemplified how iLuminate's technology supports major artists in televised settings, adding layers of visual innovation to pop and hip-hop presentations. These television and award show outings, beginning prominently in 2011, elevated iLuminate's profile as a media sensation, establishing their light-dance format as an engaging, camera-friendly entertainment form that blends technology with performance art.^[1] By appearing alongside top-tier music acts and on widely viewed networks, the group expanded the visibility of illuminated choreography, inspiring similar visual elements in subsequent broadcasts and live events.^[31]

Stage Productions and Residencies

iLuminate's entry into stage productions began with the Off-Broadway show iLuminate: Artist of Light (initially titled Artist of Light), which premiered at New World Stages in New York City on June 24, 2013, and featured a revamped staging that opened officially on January 27, 2014.^[33][34] The production centered on a narrative-driven light show following Jacob, a young artist who wields a magical paintbrush, blending dance with innovative wireless LED suits that created dynamic visual effects in complete darkness.^[35] Reviews praised the show's visual innovation, highlighting its fusion of technology and performance as a "spectacle of light and darkness" that transformed the stage into a canvas of glowing illusions.^[36][37] The ensemble cast of elite dancers executed synchronized routines that emphasized the electroluminescent costumes' ability to convey storytelling through light patterns, earning acclaim as a multidisciplinary hit that appealed to audiences of all ages.^[38] In 2021, iLuminate expanded to a long-term residency in Las Vegas at The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod, debuting on August 26 with weekly performances that ran through May 31, 2025.^[39][40] The show featured an ensemble of top dancers in a high-energy, narrative format set in a fictional "Club iLuminate," where scenes unfolded as themed "rooms" incorporating pop and rock hits from the 1970s through the 1990s, alongside illusions, comedy, and interactive elements powered by the group's proprietary LED technology.^[41][42] By March 6, 2022, the residency had reached its 100th performance, showcasing the production's sustained popularity and technical precision in delivering immersive light shows.^[28] Critical reception lauded the residency's innovative blend of dance and visuals, with the show earning the "Best New Production" accolade at the Best of Las Vegas Awards for its exhilarating, family-friendly spectacle.^[43]

Tours and Special Events

iLuminate has conducted extensive national tours across the United States, performing in a variety of venues from large convention centers to intimate opera houses, with documented stops including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 26, 2025, at the Miller Theatre; Indiana, Pennsylvania, on September 28, 2025, at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex; and Laconia, New Hampshire, on October 3, 2025, at The Colonial Theatre.^[4] As of 2025, the group has completed over 190 concerts, showcasing their ability to adapt patented wireless LED technology for dynamic lighting synchronized with choreography in darkened environments, creating immersive interactive experiences that engage audiences through synchronized glow effects and illusions.^[44] These tours emphasize mobility, allowing performances in arenas and theaters alike, where the technology scales to venue size while maintaining high-energy visual impact.^[1] In addition to tours, iLuminate offers customized special events, including corporate bookings and private parties tailored to client needs, such as shareholder meetings or celebrations, arranged through direct inquiries to facilitate bespoke lighting programs.^[45] The group has integrated into theme park settings, delivering electrifying shows at locations like Dollywood in 2018 and Six Flags parks, including Over Georgia in 2012 and Over Texas through August 2012, where their light-up costumes enhanced park entertainment with high-energy routines.^[46][47][48] Tour setlists typically feature a mix of pop and rock hits from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, such as energetic tracks that complement visual storytelling through dance sequences depicting narratives of light, illusion, and emotion, all amplified by the performers' electroluminescent suits for a seamless blend of music and technology.^[49] This format allows iLuminate to complement their Las Vegas residency with touring productions that bring similar innovative light experiences to broader audiences.^[50]

Key Personnel

Miral Kotb

Miral Kotb is an American entrepreneur, choreographer, software engineer, and professional dancer renowned for founding iLuminate in 2009 by merging her lifelong passions for dance and computer science. Born and raised in the United States, Kotb pursued a degree in Computer Science from Columbia University while simultaneously developing her skills as a dancer in New York City, where she balanced professional dance training with software engineering roles. This dual background in the arts and technology shaped her innovative approach to performance, leading her to invent iLuminate's patented light suit technology that synchronizes LED lights with choreography through custom programming. As a two-time cancer survivor—having battled sarcoma in 2001 and leukemia in 2017—Kotb has drawn on her personal resilience to advocate for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education, emphasizing the integration of creativity and technical skills to overcome obstacles.^[2][51][5] Kotb's key achievements highlight her influence at the intersection of entertainment and technology. She personally programmed iLuminate's technology for high-profile artists, including Grammy-winning performers such as Chris Brown, Christina Aguilera, and The Black Eyed Peas, enabling synchronized light effects in their live shows and productions. Her leadership has positioned her as a sought-after speaker, with notable appearances at TEDx Broadway, where she discussed the fusion of art and technology, and Google Zeitgeist, focusing on innovative applications of coding in creative fields. In recognition of iLuminate's impact, Kotb rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ stock exchange in 2014, symbolizing the company's milestone in blending tech innovation with global entertainment.^{[52][53][2][54]} Since establishing iLuminate, Kotb has served as its founder, creator, and CEO, steering the company's artistic and educational initiatives to promote STEAM accessibility worldwide. Under her direction, iLuminate has expanded beyond performances to include workshops and programs that teach coding and choreography, particularly targeting youth interested in technology-driven arts. Kotb leverages the platform to inspire underrepresented groups, especially women and girls in tech, by sharing her story of perseverance and innovation to challenge stereotypes and encourage diverse participation in STEM fields.^[2][55][56]

Core Team and Performers

The core team of iLuminate comprises a diverse group of performers, choreographers, engineers, technicians, and stylists who collaborate to integrate technology with dance, enabling the creation of synchronized light and movement effects.^[1] Engineers and technicians specialize in developing and maintaining the patented wireless LED systems embedded in the costumes, while stylists ensure the suits align aesthetically with performance themes.^[1] Choreographers work closely with dancers to design routines that harmonize physical movements with programmed lighting cues, resulting in illusions visible only in darkened environments.^[1] Notable performers include Adrienne Hicks, who later contributed to off-Broadway productions like Artist of Light for three years as a dancer and captain during global tours.^[57] Other key dancers, such as John “Jrock” Nelson and Dorren “Moglii” Smith, have performed in stage shows.^[58] Recruitment targets experienced dancers with strong backgrounds in multiple genres, often through auditions emphasizing physical endurance and adaptability to tech-integrated performance.^[59] Training begins with mastering choreography in standard attire to build muscle memory and timing, followed by integration of the illuminated suits to synchronize movements with lighting sequences, a process that demands additional rehearsals for seamless execution.^[59] Dancers like Alicia Slouffman, who joined in 2023, undergo this phased approach to handle the suits' weight and wireless controls without disrupting routines.^[59] Team members contribute to ongoing shows by adapting choreography for diverse formats, such as scaling routines for the Las Vegas residency at The STRAT (which concluded in May 2025) or customizing sequences for international tours in Asia and the Middle East, ensuring the technology enhances each venue's unique staging. Following the end of the Las Vegas residency, the company embarked on a global tour as of June 2025.^[1][60] This collaborative effort allows performers to refine illusions for special events, like award shows, where quick adjustments to lighting programs align with live music tempos.^[1]