ent000828-061

* HOLIDAY ON ICE Fantastic Extravaganza What is Holiday On Ice for 1969? Simply the finest skating talent from 15 countries as well as outstanding choreography, costuming, scenic design, lighting and music that Miami Beach's Convention Hall North has ever housed. A film backdrop identifies and announces each phase of the 18 number show.Holiday has several grand production numbers which feature their skaters wearing a variety of tasteful and extravagant costumes and wigs. The first is Hello New York with Helga and Jorge Valle as Lillian Russell and Diamond Jim, slicing in and out of the blue gaslights. Switching to bits from Broadway's George M. Cohan are Tommy Allen and Juanita Percelly whose hand to hand crossovers while they skate low to the ice are perfectly sequenced. Jungalero is an outstanding staging in green of a Voodoo ritual featuring headdressed plumed girls, mystic music and the all brown draped natives who pursue, tiny Anna Galmarini, the Cat Girl. Miss Galmarini appears later in the show as a happy clown and Dorothy from Judy Garland's famous role in the "Wizard of Oz." In Jungalero, however, this small but very agile skater is 1 thrilling as she s p ins and ??eds about *L Just as Hoi i- | day pleases I with costumes land grand 1 numbers, so I does it also ROBERTSON am use its audience. This edition is loaded with humor. It begins with a wonderfully costumed Pooch Parade depicting these canines in outfits befitting their names (the boxer wears gloves, the German Police has badge, belt and gun, and the Bloodhound has a Holmes cap, spyglass and pipe). A giant audience loving Hound Dawg of Alfredo Mendoze and John Ladue pleases both grownups and children alike. Paul Andre, Holiday on Ice's funnyman, whose humorous consistency is equivalent to the Globetrotter's Meadowlark Lemon,appears with Johnny Leech in an exploding and mad-cap car from the days of Bonnie and Clyde. As per usual Andre is in and out of the audience helping to stimulate laughter. Later he returns in his tried and proven sailor role in a number titled Hit The Deck where the sailors Johnny Leech, Gerry Willis and Fred Napier help to soak the ice, themselves and anyone else who cares to be close to their friendly foolishness. The Cook Family, Father Cal and Mother Dori present their young skating family of Kim, Kris and Kelly in Harrigan's Hooligans . Wearing the Irish green, these children complement their father on his stilt skates to create a delightful number. Having been successful in almost every other endeavor, Chimpanzees take to the ice under the direction of Werner Mul ler who has them speed skating, jumping and playing hockey. The chimps never have any balance problems and are really marvelous as they cavort on the ice. Just before intermission, in a tribute to timeless Fred Astaire, Ronnie Robertson, the skating star of Holiday, makes his first appearance. In this number, which is a study in pink, Robertson, a former Olympic winner and native of Palm Springs, California, goes through a rapid series of jumps, swirls and spins which often defy the human eye. His grace and ability are able to capture any crowd and despite the seemingly humpy first night By Paul M. Bruun II ice conditions, his second entrance in the Spanish Flavored Prince of La Mancha is grand. Creator and director of this 24th edition of Holiday on Ice is Donn Arden who is well known in the South Florida area for his nightclub productions. He excels in featuring Holiday's beautiful girls in long lines, and never deviates from a pace which gives the audience nearly three hours of unfaltering entertainment. The final section of this year's show is a presentation of everyone's favorite Hollywood stars sometimes depicted through flicker movies intensified by strobe lights. There are the Marx Brothers, Valentino, Shirley Temple, Fairbanks, Jolson, and others you will recognize. Finally, Ronnie Robertson leads the entire company in a super colossal staging of Hollywood with lighted costumes, a golden background and twinkling lights which enhance the skating string of platinum blondes. During the evening's entertainment by the 75 skaters of Holiday it is natural to develop some favorites. Paul Andre's humor and shenna- nigans are looked forward to every year. Ronnie Robertson, whose spins and form earn for him the top seeded position with this show will always be remembered. Yet, this year the charm and vigor of little Anna Galmarini is the highlight. She is not a very tall girl but her graceful skating should in time earn for her wide acclaim. It was nearly eight years ago when I first met Alfredo Mendoza, whose Hound Dog humor as well as Adagio Artistry and Groucho Marx improvisions give him auti- lity man label- in the show. Alfredo, now 34, only began ice skating when he was 20 while working with Dick Pope at Winter Haven's fabulous Cypress Gardens. Since there was no place other than Miami, Alfredo drove here on his day off to practice. He then joined Holiday ten years ago. The one time water ski champion took me on a tour behind the scenes of Holiday. He still skis at the Gardens in the summer months when he is not touring with Holiday. He introduced me to the comedy star of one of the other five Holiday shows which tour Europe, South America, Asia and the Middle East. Many of the other shows mem bers were in the audience. They are a brilliant cast. Holiday On Ice will be showing at the Convention Hall North through Sunday, April 6 for a total of nine shows. This year's production is consistent with past performances in that the audiences leaves mumbling, "Better than ever." They are right. !&???╜?╜???╜???√ß'