A special cross-country holiday tour featuring world champions and Olympians Kurt Browning and Elvis Stojko is making its only Saskatchewan stop on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at the Moose Jaw Events Centre.
Stars on Ice was the project of 1984 Olympic gold medalist Scott Hamilton and his manager Bob Kain and put on its first shows in 1986.
The idea was always to recruit a lineup of world-class skaters and combine it with a high production value. Each season has unique music, lights, and choreography. The costumes, celebrity stars, and skill level have grown the show to its current status as arguably the biggest figure skating production in the world — often featuring the full Canadian or American Olympic team once the Winter Olympics have concluded.
“Stars on Ice has got a great track record in Canada,” said Ryan MacIvor, general manager of the Moose Jaw Events Centre. “Figure skating is an iconic Canadian sport, and we’ve seen so many amazing figure skaters represent our country in the Olympics, and at Worlds, and all these different sporting events across the world.
“To see some of these stars come to Moose Jaw to show their skills and wow the local crowd is kind of a unique opportunity for the community.”
Hailing from Alberta, Kurt Browning is a four-time Canadian national champion and four-time World Champion, as well. Browning was on three Canadian Olympic teams, carried the Canadian flag during the opening ceremonies of the 1994 games, is an Order of Canada recipient, and has been called the Wayne Gretzky of figure skating.
Co-headliner Stojko is a two-time Olympic Silver Medalist, three-time World Champion, and seven-time Canadian Champion. Stojko was born in Ontario and began skating at the age of four, winning his first trophy at 11. He’s been successful in several other sports, such as kart racing and Chinese martial arts, and has ventured into acting.
Although not every cast member of Stars on Ice appears at every tour stop, there’s a chance of catching these figure skating stars too:
- Jeffrey Buttle, Olympic Bronze Medalist, World Champion, and three-time Canadian Champion, who has been the show’s choreographer for the past three years
- Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje, three-time Canadian Dance Champions and three-time World Medalists
- Kirsten Moore-Towers and Michael Marinaro, three-time and reigning Canadian Pair Champions
- Nam Nguyen, two-time Canadian Champion
- Elladj Baldé, Canadian Junior Champion
- Satoko Miyahara, two-time World Medalist and four-time Japanese Champion
- Mariah Bell, the 2022 U.S. Champion
- Alissa Czisny, two-time United States Champion.
“I think of this as like a Christmas present opportunity,” MacIvor said. “Mom taking grandma to the show, or the kids taking mom, because you really don’t see this very often.
“This is a world-class event held right here in Moose Jaw, instead of having to go to Saskatoon or Regina, so I think people can really make a night out of it.”
Tickets to the Saskatchewan performance at the Moose Jaw Events Centre are available from Sasktix.ca.
