A suspension system may comprise a flexible member, a mount, a reel and an equipment support member. The equipment support members are supported by the flexible member and the flexible member is in turn supported by the reel and at least one of an attachment point and a common point on the equipment support member. By extending and retracting the flexible member, the reel is capable of controlling the distances between the equipment support members so that any attached equipment can be supported and moved. In another embodiment there is a first and a second reel so that the distance between the mount and the first row can be controlled separately from the distances between the equipment support members. In another embodiment the equipment support member further comprises a second traveler capable of guiding the flexible member from the reel to an equipment support member through another equipment support member while still allowing the flexible member to support the first traveler and thus the reel can control the distance between this equipment support member and the common point above it.