Disney on Ice provided a fun, stress-free environment for children and the adults they brought along to enjoy a fun family night. Telling less-known Disney tales, such as that of Tinker Bell, this show turns out to be more relevant for college students than expected.
It was hard to find one empty seat in the Verizon Center Wednesday night — a school night. Kids and adults alike, dressed in costumes of their favorite fantasy characters, chewed on shaved ice in anticipation of the opening performance of Disney on Ice. For two hours, the stress of daily routines outside the walls of the venue was left behind as the audience shamelessly belted out “Under the Sea.”
Verizon Center’s recent showing, run by the Worlds of Fantasy tour, Disney on Ice features vignettes from Disney favorites including “The Little Mermaid,” “Cars” and “Toy Story,” as well as newer stories like Tinker Bell and the Disney Fairies. After an introduction by Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Mater the tow truck and Sally from Disney’s acclaimed movie “Cars” fly onto the ice in convincing replicas of the actual cars. This leads the skeptic to wonder how anyone could skate, let alone see, while wielding a sizeable and clunky car costume on their shoulders. The cars spin around in dizzying formations to the jam “Life is a Highway,” a lead-up to Lightning McQueen’s dramatic entrance.
For Sasha Lanser, who skates as Tinker Bell, Disney on Ice is a family — one that she has been a part of for four years now.
“We totally feed off the audience and the energy. We love to see how happy kids get when they see their favorite characters. Just the reaction on everyone’s faces is great,” Lanser said.
It turns out, the story of Tinker Bell, one of the five Disney tales performed in the show, is more relevant to college students than it may initially seem. Tinker Bell is jealous of all of the other fairies’ talents and feels as though her talent as a tinker isn’t as extraordinary or important. It may seem like a rather simple plotline, but it strikes a familiar chord with Georgetown students comparing themselves to one another on such a competitive campus.
Tinker Bell’s effort to change the talent that makes her unique brings nothing but chaos to Pixie Hollow. Eventually she learns that when she believes in herself, magical things can happen. Point being, you don’t need to be the most talented fairy, or accounting student, to matter.
Lanser’s personal story that brought her to Disney on Ice is also one of adversity. Despite being diagnosed at four years old with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in her knees, Lanser refused to let her condition prevent her from chasing her dream of becoming a professional figure skater.
Lanser said that even though Disney on Ice may not seem like a typical choice for college students, the show offers something to everyone.
“You can go and kind of relive your childhood, all of those great childhood memories. As an adult you have a lot of adult worries, if you will, and it’s really nice to come to this show and leave all of your problems at the door and come for an evening and have a really great time,” Lanser said.
The well-choreographed show is full of energy and visual splendor. Don’t let the costumes fool you; the skaters manage to impressively execute difficult spins and lifts in attire that looks like it’s built more for precious display than athletic endeavors. Elaborately painted sets are used as moving props throughout the show, which are gracefully incorporated into the storyline by the company.
Each Disney story has its own personality and adapted subplot. In “Toy Story,” Barbie and Ken are both given major comedic roles and have an entire solo routine dedicated to their love affair. For the adults in the audience, the “Toy Story” performance includes a mashup of classic songs like Queen’s “I Want to Break Free.” If you are past puberty, the sexual innuendos are almost impossible to miss, which adds another layer of entertainment for the older audience members.
Disney on Ice also incorporates aerial stunts and acrobatics, which one-up Miley Cyrus’s gently swinging wrecking ball. Queen Clarion soars down to Pixie Hollow from the rafters of the Verizon Center in an intricate gown, reminiscent of Glinda’s entrance to Oz. Millennials may not be familiar with the Tinker Bell movie, released in 2008, but the story is easy to follow and fun to watch.
Ultimately, Worlds of Fantasy delivers entertainment regardless of your age. The flips and tricks in combination with the performance of classic Disney hits that most millennials know by heart make it a crowd pleaser. When it comes to D.C. again next year, be sure to buy your tickets and bring some cash along to pick up a souvenir.
