If you’ve ever wanted to see Cats on ice – the musical not the animal – now is your chance.
The Lacombe Figure Skating Club’s 2018 year-end carnival, with a Broadway on Ice theme, is Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Gary Moe Sportsplex.
Karyn McNeill, carnival director, said the skaters loved the Broadway theme when she pitched it to them.
“Every year we try to pick something different,” said McNeill, who has been involved with the club for about 20 years. “Some of the older girls were really excited and thought it would be a fun theme.”
Performances at the carnival will feature songs from Broadway hits, such as Cats, Chicago, Grease, Mamma Mia and The Lion King.
“We need upbeat music to skate to and right away some of the girls had some ideas of Broadway shows they thought would be good,” McNeill said.
There are 87 skaters in the club, which has been around for more than 50 years. About 200 people come out to the carnival each year.
The skaters love having a chance to perform in front of family and friends, McNeill added.
“We put up the backdrop and the lights so they can go perform and show off with their costumes,” she said. “Just to be on the ice in their own little group where everyone’s watching them is a fun time for them.”
McNeill said for the first time in recent memory, the club will have three boys performing in the carnival.
“It’s been many years since I’ve seen that. There just aren’t as many boys in the sport as there used to be. It’s nice to see,” she said.
The young skaters in the Preschool CanSkate program began practicing for the carnival in mid-February, while those in the CanSkate program had just two intense practices to learn their routine.
“It’s a really fun event. It’s especially fun to watch the little guys perform,” she said.
The club’s STARSkate performers have been preparing their solo and interpretive performances all year, McNeill said. Those skaters have also planned group performances for the carnival.
“They get together and get to be creative and choreograph their performance,” McNeill said.
More information is available at www.skatelacombe.ca.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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