Dancing On Ice - The Tour
Torvill & Dean's Dancing On Ice skated into the ManchesterArena from Wed 7 - Sun 11 May 2008. Check out the reviews with Your Manchester#39;s top Dancing On Ice posts:
Manchesteronline > Monday 12 May 2008
"SUZANNE Shaw skimming the ice with her long blonde
hair in a daredevil headbanger move, Chris Fountain body-popping in
sequins and Kyran Bracken doing just about anything in tight lycra.
Yes, for the Dancing on Ice addict, the stage version has it all.
And the rink certainly crackled and sparkled with high-energy moves
for the seven-show stint at the ManchesterArena.
Dancing on Ice has come a long way since those first few stumbles
on the ice. Back then critics scoffed when ITV1 announced their
latest offering for reality talent show fans, but three series
later and it's Olympic gold mrdallists Jayne Torvill and
Christopher Dean who are having the last laugh.
Because while the show's celebrity contestants - including
Linda Lusardi, David Seaman, Clare Buckfield and Gareth Gates -
donned their colourful costumes and fake tan, the live show was a
triumph for the spectacle that is ice skating, all wrapped up in
good old-fashioned family entertainment.
Alongside the familiar faces there was a knockabout host (Andi
Peters), foot-tapping music, bright lights and even a pantomime
villain, although bad boy judge Jason Gardiner wasn't on the
greatest form on the opening night, with a distinct lack of those
cutting one-liners.
Audience members on the Friday night show were given an extra treat
though - Bolton comedy superstar Peter Kay joining the judging
panel.
He got a standing ovation before he even spoke, and left the
audience in stitches with his high scores for the skaters and
ongoing battle with show host Peters. He even ended up dancing on
ice himself at the end of the show - slipping and sliding over the
ice to meet and greet fans with the dancers.
But while the opportunities to really get into the boos and hisses
were somewhat lacking the inspiration needed to cheer and whoop was
in full flow. The celebrities have honed their skills on the blades
during the tour with only one obvious slip-up from Clare Buckfield
highlighting their amateur status.
Bonnie Langford can twist and turn her body as if she's testing
the Wii Fit on overdrive. But it was the professional skaters who
gave the audience the real wow factor, with several jaw-dropping
displays on an ice rink that was too small for them to really
showcase their amazingly slick routines.
And the king and queen of the ice - Torvill and Dean - demonstrated
that their moves are still worthy of that memorable full-house of
sixes."
