Frozen magic comes to Macau

The first Disney on Ice shows were in the 1980s, but this is the first time a show has come to Macau. It's suitable for all ages - I thought it would be too young for me, but I was amazed by the spectacular ice skating, colourful costumes and dazzling special effects.

The show includes four stories: Cars, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King and Tinkerbell Fairies.

Anders and Lingen both love what they do. Lingen was born in Minnesota, US, where "everybody there gets on the ice sooner or later". For her, it was sooner - she started skating at four and fell in love with the elegance and speed.

Anders started skating at 13 after seeing a friend perform. He and his friend partnered for years before he joined Disney on Ice four years ago.

Disney on Ice brings the best loved Disney characters onto the rink for a vibrant and dazzling performance. The costumes and set provide a colourful and upbeat atmosphere as the actors perform a stunning show of twists, turns and jumps. Fans of Disney welcome back characters such as Ariel, Timon and Pumbaa, and Tinkerbell.

Gliding on the ice, the movements of the characters are graceful, and the special effects bring the stories to life.

Soames says they want the show "to bring joy and magic to the audience".

The director of the show wants Disney on Ice to become a winter tradition in Macau. After what I saw, it's bound to happen.

Disney on Ice is a fresh take on Disney classics with a lot of heart and a stomping, infectious enthusiasm. It was particularly enchanting to watch dancers skate around with blue, indigo and purple sheets streaming from their necks to depict the movement of the water during a scene in The Little Mermaid.

The marvellous acrobatics of Ariel and her prince were breathtaking too, both in their grace and their high risk level; it was exhilarating but also lip-bitingly scary to watch the two do somersaults, lifts and flips while zooming round the rink.

The recreation of the African prairie animals in The Lion King was amazing: skaters carried poles attached to silhouettes of buffalo, elephants, giraffes and birds. The silhouettes dipped and soared along with the dancers' movements. At the crowning of Simba as the Lion King, the creatures circled Pride Rock under the rising sun, creating a profoundly moving scene. Pumbaa the warthog was particularly remarkable, as the performer had to skate on all fours.

The stars told us a little about their lives on tour. Anders thinks it is wonderful to experience different cultures and meet new people on the tour. Lingen told us ice skating does not hinder her acting, but helps her establish her character.

When asked how they avoid crashing into each other, Anders and Lingen laughed and said "Practice!"

Nola: How do you project your character to the audience?

Performers: We watch videos and read notes to learn more about the stories. We also love the magic of Disney, so our emotions are on display. We add lighting, sound and special effects, and have fireworks to surprise [the audience], too.

Gio: How is Macau different from other places you've performed in?

Performers: The venue is big and one of the best. You also meet different people from different cultures and experience Macau life.

Eunice: Is the show difficult to cast? There are four stories but only a limited number of actors. And do the minor actors have a chance to play the main roles?

Performers: Our talent co-ordinators hand-pick the cast from around the world and choose the best people to play each role. And yes, of course: minor performers learn the main parts in case our principal actors are injured.

Kate: How long does it take to get a production, such as Cars, from the initial idea to finished product?

Soames: Each takes about two years from concept to finished product - a lot of work goes into them!

Alex: How did you get the cars to drive on ice without crashing?

Performers: The drivers practised hard, the wheels have great traction - and we have a lot of Disney magic, so defying the laws of physics is easy!