Jackson Free Press

Parents, children and general fans of the "House of Mouse" will see quite a few stories at the Jackson production of "Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream," which takes place at the Mississippi Coliseum from today, April 6, through April 9.

Audiences will likely already know the tales of the pan-wielding Rapunzel from "Tangled" or Tiana from "The Princess and the Frog." But one story they may not know is that of skater Kelsey Blake, a Yorktown, Va., native who joined "Disney on Ice" in 2016, the same year that she graduated from York High School.

"I started skating when I was 4 years old, I've been at it for 15 years now, and it was always my dream to be a show skater, to skate professionally at the highest level," she says. "And 'Disney on Ice' is one of the biggest and most well-known ice shows that tours, so for me, that was kind of my biggest end goal."

Blake's audition process included a video submission, with her performing jumps, spins and a variety of moves to showcase her personality in skating, and concluded with a live audition in Hershey, Pa., in spring 2016. Feld Entertainment, the company that produces "Disney on Ice" among other shows, offered her a contract, and she began performing as part of the skating ensemble for "Dare to Dream" around the U.S. and Canada.

While Blake has taken part in competitive skating in the past, she says there's a big difference in approaching that in comparison to show skating.

"Here, we're all on the same team," she says. "We're all working on the same goal. It's very much a family environment, and everyone's here to support each other, whereas competitive (skating) is a little less a family feel. Even just in the training, with competitive, you're focusing on performing a two- to four-minute program that you're going to do for judges, whereas here, we're training to do a two-hour show to make people in the audience smile."

While the atmosphere is friendlier, the training is still intensive, with classes, off-ice training, cast rehearsals and individual workouts throughout the days leading up to each production.

The format of "Dare to Dream" plays out a bit like a story time, with Mickey and Minnie Mouse segueing the audience through songs and scenes from Disney princess films such as "Cinderella," "The Princess and the Frog," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" and "Tangled." As Blake is an ensemble skater, audiences will have plenty of chances to cheer along with her during the show's big numbers—and one opportunity for some kid-friendly frights, as she also plays the role of Lady Tremaine, Cinderella's evil stepmother.

"I think that's one of the best parts of our show is that the audience can be so involved with the skaters as the performance is happening," she says. "So for me, that's the most exciting thing is to see the little kids in the front row singing along or dancing or getting a high-five from Mickey Mouse."

Even though the stories and songs may be familiar, Blake says "Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream" presents them in a unique way when pairing the signature magic of those stories with the artistry and athleticism of skating.

"To combine that with the typical Disney stories that everyone knows, I think that just makes it that much more spectacular," she says.

"Disney on Ice: Dare to Dream" is April 6-7 at 7 p.m., April 8 at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and April 9 at 2 p.m. at the Mississippi Coliseum (1207 Mississippi St.). Ticket prices start at $15. For more information, visit disneyonice.com.