The star of Beauty and the Beast on Ice is bowing out after a 30-year love affair with skating that began when she first stepped on to a Moscow ice rink as a five-year-old.

Three decades, two championship medals and hundreds of bumps, bruises and breaks later, Olga is hanging up her blades to spend more time with her five-year-old daughter, Sofia.

"It is my job to make ice-skating look easy," says Olga, who will be taking to the Assembly Rooms stage for the tenth time. "Our performance has to be graceful - but it is all an illusion. Ice dancing is hard work and I have had my fair share of injuries down the years."

But her biggest fall from grace could come in her farewell show. Her co-star Andrey Chuvilya - Beast to Olga's Beauty - is two metres tall and this production boasts the world's highest ice-skating lifts.

"Andrey is the largest professional ice skater in the world," says Olga. "But I don't worry about him dropping me during our routines because he is so skilful."

Beauty and the Beast is the tale of a love affair between the beautiful Belle and the cursed prince with a heart of gold and the face of a freak.

Joining Olga and Andrey on the ice are the Russian Ice Stars who, with over 300 competition medals between them, have been performing to audiences around the world for 15 years.

Olga herself competed at both European and World championship level before joining the troupe in 1995 and has taken on roles in Carmen, Carabosse, Cinderella and Snow White.

As a talented youngster growing up in communist Moscow in the 1980s, Olga found the state supportive of her passion.

"If you were a child who excelled at sport you were entitled to special privileges," she recalls.

She trained every day and was supplied with good quality sports kit and health food.

"If you were identified as a young person with talent who could represent the USSR, you were nurtured. It was a case of patriotic pride - the Soviet Union taking on the rest of the world and winning."

Intense training and injuries eventually took their toll and Olga made the move from behind the Iron Curtain to centre stage as a principal performer with the Russian Ice Stars.

After 13 years, she's signing off in style with a seven-month 33-venue UK tour of Beauty and the Beast, a show that requires a precision performance from the stage crew as well as the dancers.

Fourteen tonnes of ice are used on stage and underneath is 15 kilometres of pipework. And it takes 140 man hours to construct the rink, which uses 1,400 litres of water."

Touring is invigorating but exhausting and Olga is looking forward to June when she will return to her Blackpool home, spend some quality time with Sophia and, perhaps, help out at an ice-skating summer school.

"I really enjoy coaching and have spent some time coaching at the Telford ice rink, where we rehearse.

"The TV show Dancing on Ice has had a positive effect in terms of children wanting to take up skating.

"But it is not until they get out on to the ice that they realise how difficult it is to stand up, never mind perform complex routines.

"At least it helps them appreciate the hard work that goes into our shows."

Apart from a very lively scene in the market square, and the final wedding party, this is a tale set in gothic gloom, with a touch of Cinderella or even Lear in the situation of the good-hearted father with two selfish, grasping daughters, and one who is simple and faithful. The whole thing is brilliantly realised, with effective sets moving seamlessly one into another. But, of course, at the centre of all this is some terrific skating, which unfolds the story at great speed - literally - and is also very beautiful to watch. I saw at least three triple jumps tossed off effortlessly without the long run-up available in competitions, but Guiseppe Arena's choreography gives us far more than some showy skating. He knits the whole thing together with great charm and drama, and fills the stage with exuberant movement as the story unfolds.

The specially commissioned score by Silvio Amato pulls the tale along, and helps create the right atmosphere through the changing scenes. Sometimes it becomes a bit overpowering, but it's full of good tunes and lilting waltzes and adds greatly to the overall effect.

Among the skaters, the company's long-serving star Olga Pershankova - the Belle of the title - is outstanding in a role that requires considerable acting ability during the course of some demanding skating sequences. Andrey Chuvilyaev is suitably scary as the Beast, but mellows, and grows likeable as we get to know him. Valdis Mintals (who plays a minor role earlier) makes a dashing Prince, and partners Pershankova in a spectacular final duet. Add aerialists, fire-jugglers and a creepy monk
who has springs for feet, and you have a rich and entertaining mixture.

I am delighted to become Patron of Wild Rose which as you may know, for many years have produced superb ice shows that have been seen in many parts of the world. This year's show promises the edge of the seat excitement, magic and drama that we have all come to expect from them. The tremendous success of these magnificent shows is certainly due in part to my very dear friend, the producer Vee Deplidge and her very talented support team and of course some of the world's finest Russian skaters.

By this simple act of kindness you will help needy children
find the love and care most children take for granted.

With my warmest wishes,

Aaron Ward Atherton
Lord of Little Witley and Hurcott

Honour for dancing sensation, 11

AN award-winning young figure skater has received a special New Year honour in recognition of her outstanding success on the ice.
At just 11 years of age, Dempsey Andrews has reached the top of her game for her age in Northern Ireland and last night Mayor of Castlereagh Myreve Chambers showed her just how proud the community is of her mammoth achievements.

Spending countless hours on the rink in her quest for success, Dempsey has amassed 15 gold, two silver and two bronze medals in UK open figure skating competitions.

Dempsey – who is currently the youngest person in Northern Ireland to have attained medals at this level – has a demanding year ahead as she prepares to skate with the world famous Russian Ice Stars.
She will be among the stars participating in their UK tour of Beauty and the Beast on Ice, taking place at Londonderry's Millenium Forum from January 16 to 20.

>> Click here to read the full story

SPECTACULAR VERSION OF A FAVOURITE FAIRY TALE

The world-renowned Russian Ice Stars make a welcome return to Plymouth Pavilions with their spectacular version of Beauty and the Beast this afternoon and tonight.It's a timeless story that never fails to delight. The beautiful Belle goes willingly to the castle of the Beast to save her father but is horrified by the Beast's appearance and behaviour. He falls in love with her and little by little her disgust is eroded. And when she finally falls in love with him, the Beast turns into a handsome prince and everyone lives happily ever after!

This magical traditional fairy tale is given that extra touch of Christmas glitter as beautiful ballet is combined with amazing ice skating stunts.

The all-Russian cast is made up of former skaters who have competed
at national, European, world and Olympic levels and are regarded as
one of the world's finest companies.

Beauty and the Beast displays thrilling skating combined with stunning choreography and a brilliant new musical score. This extravaganza will captivate young and old alike.

Ice show is a hot favourite

Beauty and the Beast on Ice at the Forum Theatre, Malvern.

Wild Rose's splendid shows are now becoming a favourite Christmas-time regular at the Forum. Eagerly anticipated, it’s popularity was easy to see as a full house excitedly packed into the auditorium to see the superb Russian Ice Stars in full flow and in such spectacularly colourful costumes.

Once again there was plenty of beauty to admire with a performance which had the audience entranced and enthralled, both with the skills displayed on skates and with the ever-so smooth scene shifts.

Tickets may be hard to come by now, but you would be well advised to get your skates on and try because the effort will be worth it.

Faultless, fascinating, a fairy tale that is an established and firm favourite, and which is definitely designed to bring about that feelgood factor.

Deserved and prolonged applause emphasized there were plenty who were feeling pretty good too.

Get your skates on and get hooked by classic

PETER Pan will be skating into panto at Cambridge Corn Exchange
this Christmas, as the world-renowned Russian Ice Stars perform
a spectacular adaptation of the J M Barrie classic.

All of the characters are here - Peter, Tinkerbell, Wendy, and the Lost Boys - and an outstanding musical score only adds to the spectacle of
the evening.

Featuring a young cast, the production will keep audiences of all ages enthralled throughout the show with sword fights, juggling, rope acrobatics and even fire tricks.

Combining outstanding choreography with amazing musical backup,
this production will provide audiences with a different kind of panto experience for the Christmas season.

But audiences beware... Captain Hook is still there, and as evil as ever!

Lots of icy thrills expected at show

THE Corn Exchange will be taking a trip to Neverland this Christmas.
The venue officially launched its annual winter show yesterday -
Peter Pan on Ice. The Russian Ice Stars - the all-dancing, all-skating performance troupe behind the show, were at the Crowne Plaza Hotel
in Cambridge.

The stage of the Corn Exchange will be transformed into an ice rink using industrial freezer units ahead of the start of the spectacular show on December 19. The show will run until January 5.

Russian All Stars Dmitry Naumkin and Ekaterina Boki - Christina McNally, spokeswoman for the Corn Exchange, said: "In this unique production which combines the fun of panto with the magic of an ice show, the Russian Ice Stars bring the tale to life with a young cast whose talent on the ice as Peter's gang will keep adults and youngsters alike riveted. The show is non-stop action from flying, sword fights and juggling to extraordinary rope acrobatics and feats with fire."

The show follows on from the success of last year's Snow White on Ice
at the venue which saw four tonnes of crushed ice poured onto the stage and 15 kilometres of pipes filled with anti-freeze used to keep the ice at
a constant 15 degrees below zero.

Marina ice joy

LOWESTOFT Marina Theatre bosses say they have achieved the biggest theatrical coup in its 100-year history.

The Journal can reveal today that, for the first time in more than 50 years, a top international ice show featuring some of the world's best skaters will be presented at the Marina in December.

The highly-acclaimed Russian Ice Stars, some of whom are seen here,
will join some of the top names in the entertainment industry and world-renowned Opera and Ballet companies in treading the Edwardian theatre's boards.

From December 12 it will be a case of from Russia with love, as the Russian ice stars bring their brand new production - Beauty And The Beast On Ice - to the theatre.

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The world renowned Russian Ice Stars return with a dazzling new production of Beauty and the Beast on Ice. 

Thrill a minute skating combines with stunning choreography and
a brilliant new musical score to recreate this magical tale in a stage extravaganza that will captivate young and old alike.  Truly a family
show for all the family to enjoy together.

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Peter Pan ice stars fly in for a visit

FIGURE skaters who attend Solihull ice rink were given a treat this
week as they were visited by members of an international ice show.

Bank Holiday Monday saw the Russian Ice stars come to the borough
as part of the publicity trail for the upcoming ice show titled; Peter Pan
on Ice, which is in the Midlands next month.

The international unit which has world and European champions
amongst its ranks were visiting the Monday Figure Skating Club
at the ice rink to talk about the show and talk all things ice.

>> Click here to read the full story

Peter Pan flies in for an ice show extravaganza

Kyran Bracken proved how successfuly flying and skating can
be combined when he scooped this year's Dancing on Ice title.

However, the England rugby star was merely following in the blade grooves of a troupe of Russian skaters who combine the two in a
breath taking display night after night.

The Wild Rose Russian Ice Stars will be in Southport at the end of the month for the spectacular Peter Pan on Ice show. JM Barrie's story of
the Boy Who Never Grew Up will be staged on an ice rink inside
Southport Theatre from Thursday, April 26, to Saturday, April 28.

Choreographed by Cavaliere Giuseppe Arena, who realised Turin's
Winter Olympics opening ceremony, it was his tricky task to switch
from scene to scene, difficult enough in live theatre, but more so
when the surface is slippier than usual.

He said: "There is a great deal of very tight timing incorporating challenging sporting moves which has resulted in a very fast moving production. "I use an artist's individuality to help make the character
they are playing their own, whether a mermaid, Tiger Lily, or Peter Pan and Hook in a fight and skate sequence."

Peter Pan on Ice opens with a Penny Farthing manoeuvring across the frozen floor to represent a London park, before shifting into Wendy's bedroom and then on to Never Never Land. There Peter will battle the dastardly Captain Hook, who in turn will try to avoid the hungry crocodile, and the Darling children join forces with the Lost Boys on their daring adventures.

It is the first time an ice show has been staged at Southport Theatre, and staff are relishing the challenge. General manager Lisa Chu said: "We are delighted to be welcoming a show of this scale to the venue. "Let's hope it is the first of many productions in a similar vein to be staged here."

Ice to see you, to see you, ice

Peter Pan on Ice is coming to the Fairfield Halls Peter Pan on Ice tour director Julian Deplidge has worked with ice skating productions for nearly 15 years, but insists his motivation to put on the best possible spectacle will never diminish.

And as he prepares to bring the hit ice adaptation of the J M Barrie classic to the Fairfield Halls, which is expertly brought to life by the Russian Ice Stars, he says he is still as determined as ever to give the paying public value for money.

He says: "You do not have much choice but to remain focused and motivated. When all the young girls turn up dressed as Tinkerbell and the young lads dressed up as Peter Pan, that is all the motivation I need."

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Ice stars prepare for trip to Neverland

IT may still be March but the Corn Exchange is already planning its Christmas show - nine months ahead.

The venue has announced that this year's fortnight long spectacular will be Peter Pan on Ice. The show will feature top Russian ice skaters and follows on from the success of last year's Snow White on Iceshow.

The show follows the classic JM Barrie story of the little boy who never grew up and his friends Wendy, Peter and Tinkerbell. It is set to feature flying, sword fights, acrobatics and fire.

Choreographer Cavaliere Giuseppe Arena - the brains behind the 2006 Turin winter Olympics opening ceremony is set to return with the show, which will see the Corn Exchange stage transformed into an ice rink
using four tonnes of crushed ice and two industrial chiller units.

Ice skating stars ready to delight audiences

As ice skating becomes the latest dance craze to fill our TV screens,
some of the world's finest exponents will be displaying their skills live
on stage in the latest spectacular to visit Swansea.

The Grand Theatre will be converted into a massive ice rink for the visit
by the Russian Ice Stars next week in a production of Peter Pan on Ice.

Tour director for Wild Rose, Julian Deplidge, believes the combination of world-class ice dancing and aerial acrobatics makes this the company's most spectacular show to date.

"We've got a guy who rides a penny farthing across the ice - and believe me, in training he took some nasty tumbles and falls," said Julian.

"There's a girl who does a fire routine with a hula hoop, we have crocodiles walking on their hands and of course in Peter Pan, the aerial acrobatics are all written in. We also have some performers from the Moscow State Circus who have developed their aerial talents onto ice."

Wild Rose producer Vee Deplidge has pioneered the concept of theatre on ice since the 1990s and previous productions have included ballets such as Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty along with Cinderella and Phantom of the Opera.

The show runs from Wednesday to Saturday, but work for the technicians begins on Monday as they convert the Grand Theatre stage onto an ice rink. Everything needs to be perfect for the ice stars, who risk their limbs in performance.

"It's hard work setting up - 24hours a day," said Julian. "The most important bitis the last quarter of an inch which has to be as near
perfect as you can get it. "When the big guys do their backward somersaults from trampolines, they can make quite a mess of the ice.
It's quite amusing seeing some small girl dancer giving them a mouthful because they've mada a hole where she's got to dance. "These dancers are former European, Olympic or national competitors. Obviously they
are not all champions - we are a theatre show. "But it is very demanding. They give 110 per cent and have to be really fit. They have three hours
of rehearsal a day followed by between two and four hours of performance."

TV has certainly raised interest in the shows and extra performances have been added to schedules at many venues.

Since JM Barrie's Peter Pan came out of copyright last year, Wild Rose has agreed to carry on paying royalties for this tour and to support Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.

The music is a specially commissioned score from Italian composer Silvio Amato, who has been responsible for the scores to major Hollywood films.

Peter dances on icy stage

The producer who pioneered theatre on ice brings a dazzling show to
the Marlowe Theatre. Vee Deplidge, head of Wild Rose Russian Ice Stars has created the stunning Peter Pan on Ice, which includes breathtaking touches such as penny farthings being ridden across the ice in front of
a skyline of a London park with chimney stacks and sweeps.

Speaking about Peter Pan , Vee said: "The ideas behind the story are magnificent - I always loved being able to escape to wonderland whenever I opened the pages. It is satisfying to be able to transport others with our latest production."

She continued: "I use an artist's individuality to make the character their own. They talk with their bodies and every element of the show needs
to make sense. Everybody in the audience must be spellbound by the result."

Vee pioneered the idea of theatre on ice by producing full-length ballet
on ice shows, designed to fit on theatre stages anywhere, allowing audiences to sit close to the action.

She explained: "While watching an ice show in 1991, I was struck with the thought that marrying the danger and speed with the beauty of
ballet could be totally spectacular. Transferring it to ice allows a whole new range of movement, while giving it a much broader appeal to the traditional interpretation of populat stories."

Behind choreography is the Cavaliere Giuseppe Arena, who also created the impressive opening ceremony of Turin's 2006 Winter Olympics.

A specially-commissioned original musical score for the show was written by Italiancomposer Silvio Amato, responsible for films such as Screw Loose, Oscar Wilde and Novello.

Russian stars in a winter wonderland

REMEMBER when winters were reliably cold here, with all the childhood magic of ice and snow? In these days of global warming we now have
to import our winter scenes - particularly if we want them in time for Christmas - and the Corn Exchange has done just that, from a country that knows all about ice and snow.

Neverland on your Doorstep

THE spectacular performance of Peter Pan on Ice is in full swing at the Gaiety Theatre. The Wild Rose Russian Ice Stars started their Douglas
run of the show on Wednesday, and will bring it to a dramatic conclusion tomorrow (Saturday) with a gala performance.

The performers will be joined on the ice by Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon during tomorrow's show. The 26-year-old's efforts will feature
in a 25-minute behind-the-scenes episode of the flagship BBC children's programme.

The show is an adaptation of J. M. Barrie's famous story of the boy who never grew up, featuring all the favourite characters including Tinkerbell, Captain Hook, Wendy and, of course, Peter himself.

It transports the audience to mysterious lands filled with pirates,
Indians and ticking crocodiles.

The production features some unique touches, including a penny-farthing being ridden across the ice as the curtain opens on the skyline of a London park, complete with chimney stacks and chimney sweeps.

The Ice Stars prepared this production, which is touring across the British Isles, with master classes from Igor Moskvin, coach to the Russian national team. It is choreographed by Caverliere Giuseppe Arena, who was responsible for the choreography of the opening ceremony of Turin's 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Music is courtesy of a specially commissioned original score from Italian composer Maestro Silvio Amato, who has been responsible for Hollywood film compositions.

Wild Rose producer Vee Deplidge said: 'What makes Peter Pan so special is that the ideas behind it are magnificent. It has always been a big favourite of mine —I read it often as a child — and always loved being able to escape to wonderland whenever I opened the pages.

'It is truly satisfying to be able to transport others into this fantasy world with our latest production.

Blue Peter's Zoe Salmon to skate at Gaiety

BLUE Peter presenter Zoe Salmon will strap her skates on at the Gaiety Theatre this month in a performance of Peter Pan on Ice.

Zoe will skate alongside the world famous Wild Rose Russian Ice Stars
for the performances on November 25.

The 26-year-old presenter, who has mastered other dare-devil experiences such as barefoot skiing and skydiving, believes this
will be her ultimate challenge.

Her exploits will be broadcast on the flagship BBC children's show
laterin the year in a special 25 minute behind-the-scenes episode.

'It's a real dream come true for me,' said Zoe. 'As a little girl, I was mesmerised for hours by the glitz and glamour of skaters during the Olympics and always wanted to be one.'

Russian Ice Stars bring ice rink to life.

Proving that ice skating is for children of all ages; Peter Pan, Wendy
and Neverland villain Captain Hook took to the ice today (10 November) to launch the Centre for Life’s annual open air ice rink.

The trio, played by the world famous Russian Ice Stars, performed an excerpt from the acclaimed production, Peter Pan on Ice – which appears in full at Theatre Royal Newcastle in February 2007 - to mark the opening of the rink’s 13-week stay in Times Square, central Newcastle.

The Russian Ice Stars, former competitors at national, European, World and Olympic level, will be returning to the region from Tues 20 – Sat 24 February 2007 to perform the full production of Peter Pan on Ice at the Theatre Royal. Tickets are on sale now from the Theatre Royal Box Office, 0870 905 5060.

>> Click here to read the full story

Our production team spent a very busy August in preparation for the arrival of our skating troupe, the Russian Ice Stars.

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On with the Snow

RAIN or shine, summer or winter, indoors or out, a North-East inspired idea of putting top ice skaters on a rink inside a theatre has become big business.

Whitburn-born Julian Deplidge, son of former Sunderland businesswoman Vee, is following his mother's inspired idea of involving the best Soviet skaters in a show by bringing £4.5 million's worth of ice dance to Darlington and Newcastle during the next few months.

A performance of Snow White, with Julian's Russian wife Olga Pershankova in the title role, will wow County Durham audiences in September (12-16) followed by a new tour of Peter Pan, which plays Newcastle's revitalised Theatre Royal in February. Despite nine months of touring with the slippery task of laying a rink weighing ten to 12 tonnes on top of all stages great and small the team running Wild Rose Ice Theatre Productions remains small and hard-working.

continued...

"The main problem we have is that with any other show you can survive without some of the set or the lighting or the PA to get through opening night but you can't do that if you don't have an ice rink. Water only freezes as fast as it wants to. Touch wood we haven't had any problems for many years," says Julian whose team has also had to cope with the rake (slope) of Darlington Civic Theatre's famous old stage. "If we tried to freeze the water to level the slope if would probably take about five days and the skaters would still find themselves going up and down the slope so we use an expert team of scaffolders from Southend who come in and flatten the area," he explains.

The weight of the ice is "the equivalent of three people stood on every square metre, so if the stage is going to hold a decent chorus line it's going to hold the ice". Darlington's small stage area does present problems but the challenge is nothing compared to when the first Olympic and World standard skaters moved from 60 metre by 30 metre rinks to 12x12 or 14x14 spaces. "The first couple of week's rehearsals you can always spot the new guy but within a couple of weeks they've adapted and they're soon doing backward somersaults and lifts. We've been down as far as 10x10 with 25 skaters plus set and props and managed the full show. Some of the performers have been with us for all 13 years so they've seen it all from 38 degree outdoor venues in Cyprus to below freezing and snowing in Denmark."

This tale of Snow White is closer to the original Grimms' fairytale with the princess befriending a band of woodcutters instead of diamond-mining dwarf brothers. "The dwarves are purely a Disney invention because the original characters were outcast woodcutters. But we are a family show so children automatically associate Snow White with the dwarves so a couple of the smaller girls in the cast play woodcutters. Viktoria (Skhlover) gets picked out time and again by reviewers for her performance. We were offered a team of skating dwarves from Russia but we decided against it."

Julian says his three-and-a-half daughter, Sophia, is also on tour with the company and is equally bewitched by the plot. "It's quite funny, we were rehearsing in Telford for Snow White and we got to the bit where the witch gives her the apple and my daughter ran up to Svetlana (Kouprina) who plays the witch and said 'if you poison my mummy any more I'm going to kick you'," he says.

Julian is looking forward to visiting the North-East again and recalls
when his mother, the former press officer for the Empire theatre and Sunderland Flying Club, launched Wild Rose in 1993 after three years
of planning.

"Nobody had ever put a full-length skating show in a theatre before and everybody said it couldn't be done. She said 'pants to the lot of you I'm going to give it a go' and staged the first one at Sunderland. My first job was as a 16-year-old selling programmes as slave labour for about £50
a week. Even when Olga and I got married it was the marriage ceremony in the morning and a show that night," jokes Julian.

The Russian Ice Stars return home having reached the end of our hugely successful 2005/06 tour of Snow White on Ice

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Youngsters from Hull Ice Skating Club scoop
a rare master class with the Russian Ice Stars

Youngsters from Hull ice skating club had the time of their lives
when they took part in a special master class at Hull Arena.


Adrian Jack, club coach, arranged for local children to skate alongside
the stars,gaining valuable advice on their skating careers, before travelling in limos to watch the show at the New Theatre.

Sharon Bingham, Hull Arena manager said; "It is wonderful that the
Ice Stars have found time in their busy schedules to offer such a fantastic opportunity to the city's youngsters. We are delighted that the Hull Arena is able to host this event, which is a coup for Hull."

Russian Ice Stars on Dancing on Ice

The Wild Rose Ice Theatre Snow White on Ice cast met with skating celebrities Stefan Booth and David Seaman at Elstree studios when
the Russian Ice Stars troupe appeared on ITV’s Dancing on Ice Extra.



Over 11 million viewers watched an excerpt from the glittering Snow White on Ice show, the latest Wild Rose production to tour in the UK.

A golden Opportunity for nine-year-old Dempsey

Dempsey Andrews joined us on stage at the Belfast Ice Bowl, as the youngest person in the world to perform on ice with the professional troupe. All at Dundonald International Ice Bowl extend their congratulations to Dempsey, who undoubtedly will have a glittering career ahead of her.