Sunday, February 9, 2025
Disney On Ice’s Frozen & Encanto tour brought two of Disney’s beloved feature films to life at UBS Arena, in Elmont, Jan. 9 through 12.
The two-hour performance, featuring a cast of figure skaters and aerial artists, included 45-minute shows of “Frozen” and “Encanto.” Skaters, dressed in full costume, performed dance choreography to iconic songs from the two films, gliding across the ice as moving set pieces and special effects recreated scenes from the original movies.
But, how much work goes into producing such an intricate performance?
According to Jaden Clements, a tour coordinator for Feld Entertainment, the producer of Disney On Ice, the entire team spends months working together to organize every aspect of the tour. “To create the magic you see at a Disney On Ice show takes an army of people,” he said.
Clements said the team must work out every last detail, conceptually and logistically, of how to coordinate and mobilize the tour. According to the Disney On Ice website, the tour’s cast consists of over 50 performers who travel an average of 13,280 miles per tour. Clements said organizing a production of this scale includes booking hotels and finding spaces to park the 13 trucks that carry costumes and supplies for the show.
Lilia Osorno, an ensemble skater for Disney On Ice, portrays Abuela from Disney’s “Encanto.” While the character is a grandmother, Osorno said she is only 28 years old. She has been figure skating since she was 9, meaning she has 19 years of experience under her belt. She took figure skating lessons as a kid, travelled to skating summer camps and taught skating part-time before landing the job with Disney On Ice in 2021. This is her first professional job as a skater, which is something her family is proud of.
Osorno, from Metepec, Mexico, said she has always loved Disney. “Encanto” is one of her favorites because it portrays a Latin family, which is close her heart. When she saw the casting call for the tour, she immediately knew she wanted to be part of it. So, she sent in an audition tape of her skating and was quickly contacted by Disney for the job.
From there, Osorno travelled to Disney’s corporate office in Florida and began an intensive four-week rehearsal. “It’s hectic those first two to four weeks,” she said. “It’s crazy. We’re rehearsing, going to fittings, doing run-throughs, and doing everything to put it together and perform the best show we can.” Even as the cast hits the road, Osorno said they rehearse every week before their performances.
On top of portraying Abuela, Osorno is the understudy for Isabella, another character from “Encanto.” Isabella performs a number that involves aerial stunts, she said, which means she unexpectedly had to learn aerial choreography, despite never doing it before.
Aerial stunts for the show are performed using silk straps attached to a rig high above the ice, meaning Osorno would be lifted 30 feet in the air. “I was scared of heights,” she said. “That was hard for me, doing something I fear a lot.” However, she said her coach walked her through the entire process, and now she’s flying above the ice with confidence.
Osorno said injuries are common on a job like this, which is physically demanding. She and the other skaters often get bruises and scratches from falling on the ice or strain their muscles during aerial stunts.
However, she said Disney has a protocol for any injury performers might sustain, and they always have medical staff on duty to assess injuries and provide treatment. Performers do sometimes take time off to recover, but Osorno said recovery tends to be quick because they receive high quality medical care.
No one in her tour group has been seriously injured, and she credited Disney for taking necessary precautions. Precautions include extensive training for stunts and safely securing props and equipment on their sets.
Of course, Osorno said, skaters still fall in front of audiences during performances. “It makes me feel embarrassed,” she laughed, referring to falls she’s taken during live shows. “Like, oh God, they just saw me, and now I have to pose in front of them like nothing happened!” But, she continued, the show must go on. Performers are trained to get up and keep going, even after making mistakes. “We just try to roll with it,” she said.
Audience members said between the choreography, stunts, costumes and props, the show is impressive. Vanessa Chin said she and her daughter, Jordan Chin, who attended the show dressed as Elsa from “Frozen,” are big fans of Disney. They have attended several Disney On Ice performances, and plan to come back for more.
Vanessa said she and her daughter were singing and dancing through the entire show, which Osorno said is highly encouraged at their performances. In addition to family-fun audience participation, Vanessa said Disney’s attention to detail is top-notch. “You know when you’re going to a Disney production, it’s going to be well done,” she said. “We are never disappointed.”
For Clements, one of the best aspects of working for Disney On Ice is learning from and building friendships with the cast and crew. “On the road, we’re one big family,” Clements said. “We’re living together, working together, and exploring cities together.” But, he continued, the most rewarding part of producing a Disney On Ice show is seeing families smile and sing along to the songs Disney fans know and love.
As for Osorno, the best part of working for Disney On Ice is turning her love for figure skating into a job. She said she loves exploring countries, learning about cultures around the world and making lifetime friendships with her fellow performers. “I’m grateful every single day,” she said. “It’s the best job ever. I would not be here if I wasn’t having fun.”
For more information about future Disney on Ice performances, and how to get tickets, visit DisneyOnIce.com.
