CLEVELAND, Ohio –When Kaela Kapeikis launches into the air as Rapunzel in Disney on Ice “Jump In!,” the reaction is immediate and unmistakable. You can hear it before you see it: a sharp intake of breath rippling through the crowd.
“The very first trick we showcase, you hear the audience gasping,” Kapeikis said. “That reaction doesn’t get matched. That’s when you feel it. Like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m flying.’”
Kapeikis will quite literally take flight when Disney on Ice brings its brand-new production, “Jump In!,” to Cleveland from Jan. 14 to 18. Portraying Rapunzel, she performs a three-and-a-half-minute aerial silk routine high above the ice, executing five or six tricks suspended roughly 35 feet in the air. The flowing silks represent Rapunzel’s golden hair as she leaps from her tower, aided by special effects that create the illusion of soaring. There is no net below.
While the visual is magical, the focus required is intense.
“Flying is so cool,” Kapeikis said, “but you have to remember where you are the whole time. You have to stay mentally focused to give the audience the best view.”
Aerial silks demand a different kind of athleticism than skating. Performers rely on extreme upper-body and grip strength developed in specialized training programs. Different wraps and techniques within the silk help support the body, but there’s no room for distraction once the act begins.
Despite the height, Kapeikis said fear doesn’t play much of a role once she’s in the air.
“I trust myself,” she said. “I trust my strength, and I trust our automation department. That gives me a lot of confidence.
Kapeikis grew up on the ice, following in the path of her parents who were Disney skaters. She has been skating with Disney on Ice for 11 years and has previously toured through Cleveland, but this season marks a milestone. It’s her first year performing in a lead role, after understudying flying elements for several years.
“Jump In!” centers on creating memories with the people audiences love most, Kapeikis said, whether that’s a child seeing a favorite character for the first time or families watching together.
“Seeing how people light up when their favorite characters come out, that’s why we do it,” she said.
Along with classic Disney moments, the show introduces new stories to the ice. Characters from “Zootopia” appear for the first time in a Disney on Ice production, with Nick and Judy searching for a diamond thief. “Inside Out 2” also makes its debut, bringing the character Anxiety to the ice with visual effects that recreate the inner world of Riley’s mind.
For Kapeikis, the highlight remains that split second when the audience realizes she’s airborne. The gasps echo, the silks unfurl, and for a moment, the ice disappears below her.
Location: Rocket Arena, 1 Center Court, Cleveland
Shows:
• 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14
• 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15
• 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16
• 10:30 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17
• 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 18
RELATED: Disney On Ice Jump In! set for 5-day run in Cleveland
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.cleveland.com ’
