Every Winter Olympic Games is different, but if there's one thing you can expect this weekend, it's an over-the-top opening ceremony with plenty of colorful lights, crazy performances, and out-of-control fireworks shows. To get excited for the Sochi spectacle that's coming up on Friday, we're taking a look back at some of the outrageous, impressive performances from past opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics. With supersteep ski jumps, giant snowboarding leaps, and fiery skating routines, the ceremonies bring out some wild displays of athleticism — not to mention some of the more out-there performance factors, like the fantastical dresses in Italy or the human snow globes in France. In anticipation of the opening ceremony on Feb. 7, check out 47 of the most memorable moments from Winter Olympics ceremonies past!
Next up: Sochi. What do you think the organizers have up their sleeves this time?