Ice circus skates into Mokdong

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Ice circus skates into Mokdong

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For those wanting a quick, accessible way to escape summer’s sauna-like air for an evening, the “Shangri-La Grand Ice Show” is coming to Seoul until the end of summer. From Aug. 19 to Sept. 10, 30 pros from the Ryshkoff Ice Circus, including jugglers, acrobats, figure skaters and gymnasts, will dance and sing their way on the ice, combining the figure skating genre with circus acts at Mokdong Ice Rink, northern Seoul.
The company, formed in 1991 by Russian choreographer Sergey Ryshkoff, started to tour outside of Russia in 1993 and have participated in the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland and performed during opening ceremonies for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. It has also given shows in Canada, Austria, Belgium, Japan, the United States and Brazil.
Most of the original members of the company were professional skaters before they joined the circus and needed to learn difficult circus routines. The company is the first privately-owned circus in Russia.
Mr. Ryshkoff, the show’s president, founder and director, has introduced new ice performances for almost 20 years. Born in 1950, the graduate of the Russian State College of Circus and Pop Art combined the flamboyant glitz of the circus with the elegant movements of figure skating.
The show consists of two parts ― “The Journey” and “The Ice Planet” ― and includes 22 acts in total. During the first segment, three workmen transform into clowns and six girls enter the stage looking like birds. As clowns, monsters and ghosts perform on the ice, the birds soar through the air.
“The Ice Planet” features the adventures of the birds as they journey through air, fire and ice, battling evil witches and fighting their way to freedom.
With song, dance, clowns, juggling, ice skating and birds flying through the air, the audience should forget the sweltering heat outside and recover from Korea’s summer ― at least for a few hours.


by Cho Jae-eun

The circus will perform from Aug. 19 to Sept. 10, at 2 and 6 p.m. (An Aug. 18 show will be at 7:30 p.m.). The Mokdong Ice Rink is located near Omokgyo subway station, line No. 5, exit 3. The ticket price ranges from 25,000 ($26.77) to 55,000 won. For more information, call (02) 1588-6122.
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