‘Disney on Ice’ at the Times Union Center
The show continues through Sunday
ALBANY, N.Y. >> Sometimes you are surprised by things that shouldn’t surprise you. For instance, during an interview with Daria Krivenko, a principle skater in “Disney on Ice Celebrates 100 years of Magic,” who was born and raised in Russia, she tells you she grew up influenced by Disney characters.
That revelation forces you to realize that the creators of Disney characters work in a universal language that connects with people of all ages and in every country. Why wouldn’t a young girl growing up in Russia be in awe of Snow White or admire Belle from “Beauty and the Beast”?
It’s probably no less surprising that the same young girl who admired so many Disney princesses is now traveling the world, portraying one of the newest princesses in the Kingdom of Disney. Krivenko portrays Anna from “Frozen” in the ice show that plays the Times Union Center through Sunday.
About the character, she calls Anna “fun and vibrant.” Then after a slight pause, she adds “and dangerous.” She explains the last by saying, “She lives in the spur of the moment. Just like me.”
Krivenko’s spur of the moment life is exemplified by her decision to join the Disney ice show. She started taking ice skating lessons at age 6. Ten years later, she was a regional champion in her hometown of St. Petersburg. After graduating from school, she skated professionally with the Russian Ice Ballet, which helped her transition from competitive figure skating to show ice dancing.
Linking her love of Disney characters and her ballerina grace on ice – on a whim, she sent a video to Disney as an audition piece
for one of their ice shows.
That was six years and 56 countries ago. Krivenko did spend a short period of time with the tour of “Princesses and Heroes” but almost all of her experience is with “100 Years of Magic.” She admits the traveling can be arduous and that the schedule can also be demanding. ( The show is in town for 7 shows; five takes place over Saturday and Sunday).
But, she insists that despite the workload, she loves the opportunity to travel the world. “We have a couple of days off every week, which gives me a chance to explore a new city,” she says. Her favorite thing is finding unique local restaurants and exploring regional cuisine.
Despite the excitement of performing in 56 countries, strangely, it is her time on the ice in front of an audience that most thrills her. “Skating is like walking for us [the cast]. When we do it to beautiful music in happy costumes and hear audiences applauding, it is wonderful. Being in this show makes me very happy.”
Though her “star moment” is portraying Anna skating to the song “Let It Go,” Krivenko often skates anonymously as one of the other 50 Disney characters who appear in the ensemble numbers. She also understudies several other princesses.
But she believes the most positive aspects of her experience with Disney is her growth as an individual and the bonds of friendship she has with the other members of the team. “I often miss not seeing my family,” she says. “But in a sense, I have a second family. We encourage each other, celebrate holidays together and support each other.”
Nonetheless, she admits being on tour tends to be a solitary experience. “It has forced me to grow-up. I now think of myself as an independent, mature person who is able to take care of herself. I like that.”
How much longer will she stay on tour? “When I took the job, I thought it would be for maybe 2 or 3 years. It’s been 6. So, who knows. I love what I’m doing and seeing the audience smile after I finish my number is still one of my favorite things. I’ll know when it’s time to leave. I just know it’s not now.”
“Disney on Ice, Celebrating 100 Years of Magic” at the Times Union Center, Albany. Through Sunday. For tickets. 1-800-745-3000.