Blade
Above
The Rest
Ice Company 1996
celebrates its 25th
anniversary this year
with a salute to
George M. Cohan, an
internationally
flavored folk number
and a Showboat-
themed finale.
wipmzippo
f anyone can testify performance. He's designed cos-
to how much more tumes and sets, choreographed
impressive the numbers and generally assured
Southfield ice show that everything from hairpins to
productions have be- tutus sit just right.
come since the first
It's a year-round task that heats
one 25 years ago, it's up in September with the first "of-
Phyllis Loewen- ficial" meeting (by then, Basten
stein. A recreation- will have all the costumes designed
10b:z
' al skater then living and numbers choreographed).
in Southfield, Loewenstein was Skaters audition in November,
part of a group of volunteers — and rehearsals begin in March.
the main engine behind the show
When Basten took over the
— to organize the premier Ice reins of Ice Company, he shrank
Company amateur skating event. the size of the performance rink,
"It was almost like a (commu- added lights and elaborate sets,
nity) talent show," she says. "But sewed curtains to fit his vision
he turned it all around and put it and began designing costumes to
on the map."
dazzle audiences.
He is Ron Basten, the Bob Fos-
Ice Company now draws am-
se of Southfield's skating com- ateur skaters from as far as Ten-
munity. For 23 years, Basten, nessee and Chatham, Ontario,
recreation program coordinator and includes one evening of pro-
for the city of Southfield and a for- fessional entertainment. In addi-
mer "Holiday on Ice" skater, has tion, there are 75 youngsters who
readied each sequined cast for its are participating in the show —
,
.
drawn mainly from Southfield's
own skating program.
The five adult numbers and one
"kiddie" number are all choreo-
graphed by Basten and Kevin
Bryzek. Basten emphasizes that
Ice Company is "mainly an adult
production. It's not a recital show
by any means."
"I think it's a benchmark" for
locally produced ice shows in the
Midwest, says Loewenstein, now
a Bloomfield Hills resident.
Not only a dedicated patron,
Loewenstein has passed on her
enthusiasm for skating to her
daughter, Judy Roberts, who
skated in the show as a teen-ager
and now helps her mother orga-
nize the event's advertising book-
let. Loewenstein's 8-year-old
granddaughter, AJ Roberts, has
performed in the show the past
five years.
"It's kind of a family affair
here," Loewenstein laughs.
It's also been a fertile ground
for friendships and community
spirit, she adds. "It gives me such
pleasure seeing the creativity and
effort that goes into it," Loewen-
stein says.
"'Me minute I walk in the rink
and smell the smell of the ice, I get
that nostalgic feeling of really
wanting to be part of it in some
way, with my skates on," she adds.
`But you have to pass the torch on,
and that's what I'm doing."
—Liz Stevens
e Ice Company continues this
weekend with shows at 7:30
p.m. tonight, April 26; 1:30 and
7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27;
and 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. Sun-
day, April 28, at the Southfield
Sports Arena, 26000 Ever-
green Road. Tickets are $7-S8.
Call (810) 354-9357 or (810)
354-9603.
This Week's Best Bets
Land and Freedom
A Cannes Film Festival winner,
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human and political story set
against the personal passions and
I.
88
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Sun., 4 & 7p.m.
revolutionary dreams awakened by
the Spanish Civil War. Detroit Film
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Steady Rollin
Bob Margolin
The seven-year Muddy
Waters Band veteran
will combine South Side
Chicago blues, swing
. rock , n ,
j j azz and old time
roll in the cabaret night-
club setting of 7th House
i n Pontiac.
(810) 335-3540.
Fri.p.m.
1 8
Dan Hollander
The 1996 World Team member
from Huntington Woods will
perfo
at the "Reflections on
Ice annual ice show before
Fri., 8 p.m.;
s
Sat., 1 & 7:30 p.m.;
Sun., 2 p.m.
joining the Campbll
e Soup
Tour of Champions. St. Clair
Shores Civic Arena.
(810) 445-5351.
Al Simmons
He's a one-man musi-
cal/comedy cast of
thousands and a fre-
quent guest on 'Fred
Penner's Place" and
"Se ame Street" who'll
perform for the wee
ones at Meadow Brook
Theatre. (810) 377-
3300.
Sate 5 1 1 a.m.
Madrigal Chorale
at Beth El
, 'Celebrate" with the Madrial
g
Chorale of Southfield in a
French bistro setting as it
presents a pops concert spot-
lighting show tunes and musi-
cal comedy. Temple Beth El.
(810) 445-6199.
Sat., 8 p.m.