Olympic Champion Dorothy Hamill and Two-time US Olympic Team Member JoJo Starbuck are excited to bring IDI’s theatrical ice show Grace, to Greater Palm Springs at the Berger Foundation Iceplex on March 18th at 7 pm.
Grace features an ensemble company of ten world-class figure skaters, 5 of whom are from the LGBTQ community including Karina Manta and Joe Johnson. Karina and Joe are the first LGBTQ couple to compete for the United States at Grand Prix Events and have medaled internationally. Karina is the author of On Top of Glass, published by Knopf, an autobiography about growing up Queer in figure skating. IDI is directed by Founder and Artistic Director Douglas Webster, a gay man, who states that IDI is an ensemble that celebrates the legacy of John Curry. John Curry is the 1976 Olympic Champion who worked to change the perception of figure skating from sport to art. Both Dorothy Hamill and JoJo Starbuck were part of The John Curry Company. Curry passed away from AIDS in 1994.
Grace features choreography by 2022 OLYMPIC Choreographers’ Benoît Richaud, Rohene Ward, and leading choreographer for Disney on Ice, Cindy Stuart.
Ice Dance International’s work has been seen prime time on Los Angeles’s public television station KCET which aired IDI’s “The World of Ice Dance International” and “In Flight: The Art of Ice Dance International” from 2018-2020. Performances from the two public television specials will be seen in Grace.
The Ice Dance International Company:
Alissa Czisny (Toronto): 2 x United States Champion and Grand Prix Final Champion
Collin Brubaker (Chicago, IL): United States International team and 2022 US Open Champion
Carly Donowick (Buffalo, NY): United States International team
Joseph Johnson (New York, NY): US International team and first openly LGBTQ competitive ice dance team with partner Karina Manta
Adam Kaplan (Barrington, RI): Ice Dance International company member since 2017, LGBTQ community
Jean-Simon Légaré (Miami, FL): Star of ice shows across the world, LGBTQ community
Karina Manta (New York, NY): United States International and first openly LGBTQ competitive ice dance team with partner Joe Johnson. Karina is the author of On Top of Glass, an autobiography about growing up Queer in figure skating
Kseniya Ponomaryova (Geneva, IL): Originally from Ukraine, Kseniya is the 2022 US Open Champion
Lara Shelton (Weymouth, MA): Featured in the 2022 Radio City Christmas Spectacular
Neill Shelton (Weymouth, MA): Featured in the 2022 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, LGBTQ community
“Grace is a theatrical journey on ice with dynamic, athletic movement that showcases artistic ensemble skating,” says Webster. “We have created new repertoire with a talented group of skaters and choreographers. The choreography and music, combined with the ability of our powerful skaters, promises to transport the audience to a state of grace.”
For tour information and tickets visit the IDI website’s events page: www.icedanceinternational.org
Tickets for March 18 are $15 for youth (16 and under) and $30 for general admission. VIP tickets are $50/adults and include prime seating and a post-show meet and greet with the cast. Fan tickets are $40 and include meet and greet with the cast. Tickets include free parking.