This looks like it will be an extravaganza. Who are the main characters and what is the show about?
There is no single main character as such, but the show starts and ends with Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf. The general concept is that Red is racing against the wolf to get to grandma’s house. She wants to save her grandmother and he, of course, wants to eat her.
In between, the audience will see the following characters: Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, The Smurfs, Hansel and Gretel (and their wicked witch), Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and the Crocodile, Rapunzel (and her evil captor), Cinderella, the Ugly Sisters, a prince looking for love, Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore and Tigger, Barney and Friends, Robin Hood and the Merry Men, Goldilocks and the three bears, The Princess and the Frog and The Ugly Duckling!
Wow! That’s a big cast. Is the story all told through dance and music?
Yes, there’s around 40 skaters taking part. The show is not a pantomime because there is no audience participation and there is no spoken word. Everything is represented through music and choreography with the audience just going with the flow. We use a mix of modern and classic pop as well as classical music, so there’s something for everyone. Think Bruno Mars-meets-Michael Jackson and Christina Aguilera-meets-Nina Simone. The show is all about fun both on and off the ice. We try to use music that is engaging, and choreography that is as fun for the skaters to perform as it is for the audience to watch. It’s a fun combination – and a challenge too.
What else makes the show stand out?
As with all our shows, there are twists and turns in the way characters are portrayed. Our Prince is not particularly charming and Goldilocks is more reminiscent of Paris Hilton than the fairytale version!
You have quite a few young ice dancers performing. Can you tell us about them?
The Abu Dhabi Figure Skating Team is made up of youngsters aged from six upwards who take ice skating lessons at the Abu Dhabi Ice Rink at Zayed Sports City. Some of the team members have been skating together for nearly six years, while others have been skating for as little as a few months. They’re from all different nationalities, and our Red Riding Hood is an Emirati national.
As the show takes place in an ice rink, should the audience dress up warmly?
The audience should come with a sweater and perhaps hat and gloves for younger children. The show is around one-and-a-half hours long, including the intermission, and it can get quite chilly in the rink when you’re sitting still for a long time!
How long have the performers been preparing for the show?
Rehearsals started back at the end of September 2011, so the team will have been preparing for close to three months when they take to the ice on December 9 and 10.
What kinds of ice acrobatics can we expect to see?
This is an amateur performance that includes all levels of skating experience, from complete beginners to intermediate and advanced skaters (two of our coaches were Romanian national champions). The crowd can expect to see great footwork, spins and spirals with some axels and double jumps thrown in for good measure by the more advanced skaters. Anybody who has tried ice skating will appreciate the efforts put in by the show skaters because most of us find it difficult to even stay up on our feet!
December 9-10, 4.30-pm, Abu Dhabi Ice Rink at Zayed Sports City. Dhs120 (VIP adults), Dhs60 (standard adults), Dhs30 (children), tots two and under go free. Dhs20 per head for school groups of 20 or more children. Group tickets and VIP tickets must be collected directly from the ice rink. For more information on The Enchanted Forest, call 02 403 4200; www.zsc.ae.
