It’s hard to believe, but 2025 is right around the corner! One tradition that remains constant in Cleveland each January is the return of Disney On Ice! The 2025 edition will take place from January 15 – 19 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse {DETAILS & TIX}.
This year’s production, Disney On Ice presents Let’s Dance! , will include Disney fan-favorite characters Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, who will serve as DJs throughout the night! Fans will be encouraged to sing along to their favorite chart-topping Disney tunes throughout the show!
This year’s production will also feature favorite stories geared towards children of all ages, including Wish, Frozen 2, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Moana!
CleveRock’s Maddie Shook conferenced with Disney On Ice performer Morgan Johnson via ZOOM a month before the show skates into Cleveland to get the scoop on her fun career and some insight about the show!
The Lakewood, New York native is thrilled to be part of the production and is excited to return to Cleveland in January.
When asked for the scoop about the show:
“This brand new show is called ‘Disney on Ice presents Let’s Dance!’ We feature some of your favorite Disney characters. We have Frozen 2, Moana, Wish, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King. So, something for everyone,” she said. “Probably my favorite part of the show is I get to portray one of the daughters of Triton and we’re actually in an aerial act that’s above the ice on the Lyra Hoop. So into my training, I had five weeks over the summer where I learned how to not just use my legs, but use my arms above the ice as well!”
Let’s Dance! has been on the road for almost four months, and Johnson briefly explained the preparation that helped the show come to fruition.
“Back in June, we kind of started from the ground up with a clean slate with just some ideas, and a choreographer came in and a director, and they built the show from the ground up, and I’m so proud of what it’s become, and it’s been a huge success so far,” she said. “We first debuted at the end of August, so we’ve been on the road for a little bit.”
Cleveland is a short two-hour drive from Johnson’s hometown, meaning she’ll be busy scribbling names on the guestlist while in Cleveland!
“This is the closest the tour comes to home, so I have a lot of family and friends coming to Cleveland. I’m excited,” Johnson said. “I’ve done the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I’ve been to the Christmas Story house and I just have a lot of friends here who even went to college not too far from here as well. I’m just excited to be close to home.“
Anyone who has laced up skates will tell you that even a short time on the ice can leave one winded, accompanied by sore legs. (And that’s speaking about the leisure side of skating!) The physical demands of skating professionally, specifically performing for an extended period, can absolutely take its toll! We asked what gives her enough energy to power through multiple shows in one day.
“It’s definitely a physically and mentally demanding job, but once you’re out there and you see the kids smiling, singing along, it’s like, okay, it makes it worth it, and it gives you that extra energy boost to keep going,” Johnson said. “And I grew up going to Cleveland! That’s where I would go to see Disney On Ice. It’s crazy to come full circle now to be able to share my love of skating and Disney and performing with the audiences here.”
Of all the career fairs hosted during high school and college, always absent were professional ice skaters, let alone Disney On Ice performers! Thus, a cloud of curiosity shadowing how one gets involved with this niche career.
“My parents put me in a learn-to-skate program when I was four years old, and I just kind of took to it. I started taking private lessons, then grew up competing, and I’ve always loved to perform,” she explained. “I was involved in community theater as well, and my ice skating coaches, they were involved in professional ice shows and so I always knew this was an avenue to take. I went to college for two years, and then I was like, ‘You know what, I’m not done skating!’ So then, I finished college while on the road and just auditioned, sent in a tape, and got in. And this is my seventh year with the company, so they can’t get rid of me! This job has brought me to places I would’ve never been able to go otherwise.”
Those fortunate enough to have traveled to Disney World or Disneyland know it is truly the most magical place on earth. The enchanting Disney stories are also magical! It must be incredibly gratifying to spread that magic to kids across the globe, especially those who can’t make it to one of the theme parks.
“I think especially when we bring the Disney magic to places that Disney isn’t as accessible to them, that’s what we always say. Some people, they don’t get to go to Disney World or Disneyland the way that some of us get to, but when we can bring that magic to them, or even to show them when it’s snowing from the ice, some people never get to experience that. So it’s fun to share those experiences with them,” she said proudly. “I mean, definitely going over to the Middle East and just being in Europe was just crazy. All of it is so special. As long as you can make the difference in one kid’s life, it’s worth it!”
While helping kids discover their passion for all things Disney, she has simultaneously fallen back in love with her craft through doing these shows!
“I fell back in love with skating once I joined ice shows,” Johnson said. “It’s not as technical. I love to skate and I love to share that with everyone without being judged on what jumps you do or whatever you’re putting out a performance. When I first joined, I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll skate for the company for one or two years,’ then, here I am seven years later. I just absolutely love it. And I especially love that I went to school for communications, so I love the PR side of it and doing interviews and sharing the brand. This company is just; it spreads so much joy and brings so much happiness to people. And I love promoting it in that sense. And I’m glad that I could combine my school knowledge with my skating knowledge. And yeah, I’m just surprised how much I do enjoy it and never want to let it go, I guess. Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life!”
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