Ben Collins, middle, of Crystal Lake speaks with Ryan Santee of Park Ridge, who is a star in the Disney On Ice “Dare To Dream” show at the Allstate Arena. Collins, a former Special Olympian, was with a group of special skaters from Chicagoland Ice Theatre Inpsirations that presented its own show to the Disney skaters at the Allstate Arena Friday, Jan. 26.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
A group of former Special Olympics athletes, now skating with the Chicagoland Ice Theatre Inspirations, based in Crystal Lake, performed for the Disney On Ice stars recently at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont.
The costumed and choreographed skate featured about a dozen skaters and their mentors, dressed as elephants, giraffes, lions and zebras, as the Disney stars of “Dare To Dream” watched from the front row seats between their shows on Friday, Jan. 26, at the Allstate Arena. After the performance, many of the Disney stars put on their skates and joined the Ice Theatre skaters on the ice, to the delight of the athletes and their parents.
Special Olympics Illinois dropped skating from its competitions in 2017 because of a lack of skaters. Parents of local athletes kept the group of skaters together and they now perform with the Chicagoland Ice Theatre.
The Disney On Ice “Dare To Dream” show continues at the Allstate Arena through Sunday, Feb. 11. Tickets start at $20; call (800) 745-3000 or visit www.disneyonice.com/.
Carlie Reuter, foreground, of Woodstock, and fellow skaters Abby Stanton, 18, left, of Lake in the Hills and her sister Isabelle, 11, as well as Ben Collins, background, of Crystal Lake, perform during their own presentation to the stars of the cast of Disney On Ice "Dare To Dream" at the Allstate Arena Friday, Jan. 26. The former Special Olympians now skate together with the Chicagoland Ice Theatre Inspirations.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Performers from Disney On Ice "Dare To Dream" show applaud former Special Olympians from Chicagoland Ice Theatre Inspirations after they performed at the Allstate Arena.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com
Brianna Hansen of Crystal Lake makes loops around the ice as former Special Olympians from Chicagoland Ice Theatre Inspirations meet the cast of Disney On Ice at the Allstate Arena last week.
John Starks/jstarks@dailyherald.com