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Sequins, feathers and super tight spandex – no, not my wardrobe, but some of the delights brought to the crowd by the professionals from Dancing on Ice. Cast your mind back to January and you may remember the popular ITV show came to an end, after a great run and plentiful routines by the pros. In addition to the show, each year followed sell out tours nationwide. This year the magic has been re-captured through the vision of creative director Matt Evers. As an ice show novice I wasn’t sure what to expect, other than sub-degree temperatures, but I was left pleasantly surprised.
It was evident from the diehard fans that were there just how much it means to them to see their idols perform, and it was very humbling to see how the magic of ice skating is being introduced to a new generations of children. What was also very sincere was the inclusion of local skating talent, which allowed the audience to see future stars in the making. The pro skaters managed to beautifully fill a two-hour slot with high-octane routines, including fire, head bangers and back flips – yes, back flips, you didn’t misread that part.
The passion from all the professionals was really highlighted, with their supremely well-choreographed routines and overall finesse on display. With a very eclectic soundtrack ranging from Pussycat Dolls to Jessie J, there was more than enough foot tapping and clapping from the suitably impressed audience. I half expected to nip onto the ice mid flow for a cheeky head banger, but obviously I forgot my fishnets and boots – rookie mistake. But in all honesty, the show was amazing and broke me into the beauty of ice dancing.
Among the pro-skaters were two previous Dancing on Ice contenders: Suzanne Shaw and Sam Attwater. Watching them glide across the ice with ease, taking on an impressive array of lifts, it was hard to believe that this wasn’t their first profession. They more than stepped up to the level of the professionals, culminating in a pristine production. Being positioned on the ice itself I had a great view of the show and got to see the immense technical abilities it takes to pull off such jaw-dropping moves, like the head banger which I’ll admit I usually watched through spread fingers covering my eyes and slightly turning to the side.
The costumes far from disappointed. From skimpy leotards to dresses encrusted in diamantes, my magpie instinct kicked in. Matt Evers’ outfits all made my shopping list – ‘Okay, I could pull that off with a blazer!’ I thought. I think it’s clear I never stop thinking about shopping. Humour aside they were amazing and made the female skaters look like real ice princesses, while the men gave the female attendees a bit of nipple flash to boot.
One of the main reasons for my visit to the ice was my beautiful friend Brianne Delcourt. I have a few friends in the creative industry, and to watch them perform is one of my favourite experiences. From her attitude-filled opening group routine, to her performance with the uber talented Colin Ratushniak, I felt extremely moved. Their performance to the haunting ‘Say Something’ was both powerful and extremely sincere. Watching her work the ice, I struggled to hold back my pride and completely fell in love with her passion for ice dancing. I still want to know how Colin did a back flip on ice, when I can’t even manage to walk on ice without kissing the floor – AMAZING!!!
Now not one for fall foul of bias (much), I have to wholeheartedly applaud every single pro-skater that took part. They all have talent beyond any novice’s comprehension. To watch them skate as duos, singly and in unison, I was inspired. I once had a dream of being an ice skater aged 10 and the show made me think I could definitely pull on some skates and do it just for the enjoyment. Matt, Colin and the other pros can rest easily however – I won’t be taking their jobs just yet.
Sadly, as this piece goes to press, the tour dates for 2014 will have come to an end, much to the fans’ disappointment. Fandom was something I got to see first-hand whilst waiting for Brianne, and I got to see how inspired these people were. Ranging in age from around 8 years old to mature adulthood, the mix of fans was very diverse. It goes to show that ice dancing is a truly magical sport, appealing to all ages. The pros aren’t just skaters – they’re are idols for some and I’m profoundly proud that my ice princess Brianne is one of them.
A massive well done to the whole production team, from set builders to lighting, each and every person worked tirelessly to bring this spectacular show to life.
For further information please visit theprofessionalsonice.co.uk/ or Twitter: @prosonice.
