Birmingham's biggest theatre will next week be transformed into a skating rink for the magical world of Sleeping Beauty on Ice. More than 14 tons of ice will be needed for the rink which takes nearly two days of working hours to build and will be maintained at minus 15¼C for the week-long show. On stage will be the 23 Olympic, World, National and European skaters who make up the Imperial Ice Stars in a theatrical phenomenon blending music, dance, skating, acrobatics and circus skills. Following Tchaikovsky's classic ballet, the show tells the story of Princess Aurora who is cursed to sleep for 100 years - only to be awoken by a kiss. Artistic director Tony Mercer says the only way to really appreciate Sleeping Beauty on Ice is to see it. "We tend to be lumped together with other ice skating shows and this is something unique," he says. "It is not ballet on skates or figure skating, it is something entirely in a class of its own. "Whereas ice shows often take place in huge arenas this has a much more intimate feel - the audience become very involved in it." Moscow-based Tony has collected some of the finest of world skaters for the show but says they need to be much more than top quality sports competitors. "They have to understand theatre, they need to be able to work at great speed and accuracy but we demand a great deal. "For instance, most skaters will spend maybe five or six years working with the same partner but we make sure our lead roles are dancing with maybe eight partners in just one night - that is very difficult and very dangerous." Olga Sharutenko, who is dancing the Lilac Fairy, says theatre offered her a whole host of new opportunites. Olga has been skating since the age of six and was a world renowned figure skater before performing in a host of shows including Peter Pan On Ice, Barnum on Ice and Nutcracker on Ice. "The rules in the sport mean that you cannot open all your personality when you are skating," she says. "But this gives you the chance to tell the audience much more. You can really create." And Olga is passionate about skating. "We rehearse every day in the theatres and use ice rinks in the towns we visit," she says. "Figure skating and ice dancing is amazing - you cannot believe that you can do all these things on just those thin blades of a skate. But when you love skating you want to do it all of the time. If for any reason you cannot skate you just want to get back to do it." Fellow cast member Vadim Yarkov, who plays Prince Desire, is a former member of the USSR national team and won a total of 16 gold medals, 20 silvers and nine bronzes * The Imperial Ice Stars Sleeping Beauty on Ice opens at The Hippodrome on February 8 until February 12, contact 0870 730 1234 orwww.birminghamhippodrome. com for ticket information. and has performed in ice shows for seven years. A skater since the age of six, the Kazakh-born skater says it was initially a challenge to adapt his style to the world of theatre. "It is difficult not just because of the speed but because you are skating within an inch of the edge of the ice," he said. "It has to be right. "But what I like about it is the audience reaction. You never got that in competitions. Here you can feel that the audience is enjoying the show." ..SUPL: | 
