Ready to rock the Q Arena? You can Friday, January 11 – Monday, January 21, when Disney On Ice presents the Rockin' Ever After tour in Cleveland. Click here for tickets starting at $11.00.
Many of the most magical idols will showcase their talents on the ice to some of the hottest tunes.
Jackson Stevens will be one of the skaters “icing it up” with many of your favorite Disney stars. I talked with the 22-year old while he was touring with the show in Albany, New York.
You could say that Stevens was born to skate. A native of Brampton, Ontario, Canada (near Toronto), Stevens has been skating since he was four years old. He recalled, “I remember getting a pair of beginner skates with four blades that strapped to the bottom of your shoes. As soon as I stepped on the ice, I loved it.”
Growing up in Canada, where hockey is king, Stevens said his dream was to become a professional hockey player. His two younger sisters figure skate. His dad played hockey. His mother, he affectionately admits, “gave it her all,” but skating wasn’t her greatest asset. She was however quite supportive, taxing him back and forth to many practices and games.
He credits his siblings with helping him develop the grace and poise needed on the ice for the Disney On Ice shows. “It’s a bit of a joke. Here I am this rough guy who played hockey and then I do something where it requires grace,” he said laughing. “They can’t believe it. It was a shock.”
Stevens signed on with Feld Entertainment, the producer of Disney On Ice, in 2011. “I was really nervous when I got the chance to come to Disney On Ice,” Stevens said of what he calls an ‘unbelievable’ opportunity.
In high school, Stevens studied dramatic arts, a skill he says will be on display on the ice during the Rockin’ Ever After show. Fans will see superstars from Disney favorites: Brave, The Little Mermaid, Tangled and Beauty and the Beast.
Talking with Stevens, you can tell he’s just as excited about the show as the number of fans attending. “All the princesses are in the show. There’s a lot of energy. We have an archery scene on the ice that’s from the Brave movie,” he added.
Stevens described a knife, fork and napkin costume scene from Rockin’ Ever After, that he says will “wow” the crowd. The guys have a knife that comes up their back and over the shoulder, accented with a fork hat. The girls are in napkin costumes—some of the most glamorous napkins, he says, one can imagine.
Growing up on the ice, Stevens never imagined he would be performing in a Disney On Ice show. He had a goal and he pursued it. While he says the doubters were in large numbers, he never doubted himself. “Those who were supportive, I kept those people close to me,” he said. “As long as you put in the effort, success is an option.”
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