July 30, 2009

Disney Sobre Hielo



That's what Disney On Ice is called down here.

My daughter and I went to see the show last weekend. She loved it, especially Ariel and Tinkerbell.

This was Mundo de Fantasia with the headliners: Cars, Little Mermaid, Lion King and Tinkerbell. Now I'm not sure why Tinkerbell - who had the entire second half - couldn't have her own show, but my guess is that Cars, and perhaps the Lion King, help to bring in little boys too.

Folks at Disney and Feld Entertainment are pretty smart.

There was some solid skating but there was a whole lot more of "skate-acting" where they furiously wave their arms around while mouthing the words. I give them bonus points though since they had to learn the recording in Spanish. And then there was some non-skating by Lightening McQueen, Sally, Mator and the rest of Radiator Springs. They were full-size cars just driving around on the ice.

But I shouldn't be the one giving the critique ... like I said, my daughter loved it - and that's who Feld really cares about.

I was more impressed when I saw something called Princess Wishes or Princess Classics or More Princesses Than You Can Count a few years ago. Indeed there were about nine gals each taking a solo or pair number. You know when they include Mulan and Pocahontas they are really going for it.

What was amazing to me was to imagine a show where they were more principal girls than chorus girls. I would love to have been a fly on the wall of that backstage. How can there be nine divas all at once? Well, clearly there must be some pecking order I wasn't aware of ... that Snow White, she's so over-the-hill now, she sure was a great Cinderella back in her prime.

But that show had the best overall skating of any Disney show I've seen and I think I know why ... competition with your peers. Everyday. Right there on the ice next to you.

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