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It's ice to have you back
Hot Ice Blackpool Pleasure Beach Arena
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and if the opening night reception for this show is anything to go by then Blackpool is rightfully very "fond" of Hot Ice.
Hopefully last year's absence was only a temporary blip and the production which sees more than two dozen champion skaters from around the world take part in a show which could hold its own anywhere on the globe is back to stay.
With a run which takes it to September 5 this is very much a limited season but the length of its stay is the only noticeable cut back.
Remember that it was earlier Hot Ice shows which paved the way for the fusion of contemporary skating and athleticism which television then made fashionable.
This year some of the sheer company athleticism of old may have given way to more traditional skating solo and duo skills – and that's not to take anything away from triple spins and dangerously adventurous balancing – but have been replaced with an element of circus.
Male audience members have always had much to admire with some of the most gorgeous female performers in town but now there's one for the ladies with Alexey Kovanov's emergence from a bath into an aerial act.
Silk skills and Balazs Foldvary's BMX and wheel act also fuse well.
The cast is a balanced mix of new favourites and familiar faces – it's always good to see Alexei Kislitsyn and Natalia Pestova as it to note that former favourite Oula Jaaskelainen is back as assistant choreographer alongside Antony Johns.
From classical romance to beat box and drum'n'bass Grahame Maclean's music presses all the right buttons.
The much missed Forbidden provides several of the scenes in act two, some of the dances cleverly transferred from circus ring to ice rink and lending an exciting Latin American feel to much of the proceedings.
Produced and directed by Amanda Thompson's it's great to see Hot Ice back where it belongs.
Robin Duke
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Weather for Blackpool
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 4 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
