Photos provided by Christian Bennett.

Christian Bennett spent more than a decade as a competitive ice dancer, but his latest chapter has been about something very different: creating magic. After joining Disney On Ice’s Let’s Dance! tour last year, Bennett traded score sheets and judging panels for storytelling, travel, and live audiences eager to be entertained. The transition challenged him to embrace new skills, and discover the freedom that comes from performing for joy rather than points. In this interview, he reflects on his first year in show skating, the lessons he’s learned on tour, and why he believes a skater’s journey can continue long after competition ends.

What did it mean to you to join Disney on Ice for your very first professional tour?

I would be lying if I didn’t say I had certain anxieties when it came to joining Disney On Ice. Excited as I was to begin this new chapter, I’d been a competitive Ice Dancer for over 12 years. That’s all I knew about skating. That being said, there was a certain refreshing excitement about the prospect of a “Whole New World,” pun intended, and performing strictly for the sake of entertainment and pleasure.

What was the name of the tour?

The first show that I traveled with was called Disney On Ice, “Let’s Dance!” I can say I was lucky enough to start with them and will be continuing with them in the upcoming tour

How did the experience differ from what you expected going in?

I made it a point to go into this new chapter without expectations. I knew I wanted to skate and perform, and I knew I wanted to travel. This was the best thing I could’ve done. So much so that I could not advocate more for the perspective of going into new opportunities with little to no expectations. This way, you experience everything in the moment. Also, there can be no letdowns since there were no preset assumptions.

How did your background in ice dance prepare you for performing in a show environment?

I think being an ice dancer is a wonderful foundation for a Disney On Ice skater. Your strong foundations in basic skills make most, if not all, of the set choreography feel comfortable and appear effortless. Our emphasis on choreography over the years made learning the numbers in a short amount of time, as well as executing them, feel very second nature. Lastly, becoming an adagio pair skater certainly posed its own challenges, but having a strong understanding of lifts and partner skating certainly set me up for success.

Did you have a primary character or characters that you portrayed in the show?

I joined as a member of the ensemble cast, which opened up lots of room for understudying principal characters such as Prince Eric from The Little Mermaid.

Did you skate most of your numbers solo, or were you paired with a partner?

I found myself doing a good mix. Most of my ensemble numbers were solo, but pair skaters are given step-out roles in certain numbers to do lifts as well.

What was it like to skate in ensembles?

Skating in the ensembles is really fantastic. While people would suspect them to be more of a background role, you find yourself creating stories and characters that manifest themselves like Easter eggs in the back of numbers. Having goodies with other ensemble skaters that you do every time you go out, or interacting with the audience, becomes both rewarding and exciting with every repetition.

What were the biggest adjustments moving from competition to performance?

I would say the biggest thing was letting go of the overemphasis on perfection and the fear that comes along with slight technical falters. The idea of “show clean” becomes a mantra for the average show skater. If a move was executed but maybe not as clean as you would’ve liked, a turn was scratched, or choreography was done in a slightly different way than was intended. The audience does not know or care as long as they are being entertained, and you do not show that you have messed up. That being said, even when you do fall or mess up severely, we do up to nine shows a week and sometimes three a day. You have so many opportunities to skate well that there is little to no point in being upset when things go wrong. It was quite an adjustment, but a very freeing mentality to adopt.

What does a typical day on tour look like for you?

A regular show day would involve getting up, grabbing coffee/breakfast, and making the most of one’s morning, assuming there was some free time before we need to be at the venue. It is then policy to be at the venue an hour or so before the top of the show. This is either accomplished by walking to the venue or taking a bus, depending on the location. The next hour is spent warming up, stretching, and receiving notes from our directors and line captains, not unlike the warm-up process for skating competitions. As the top of the show rolls around, we get our skates on, prepare our costumes, and culminate backstage, preparing for the show to start. Throughout the show, rest is taken between numbers while keeping abreast of possible changes or other unforeseen events. When the show is finished, costumes are hung up, the set is reset, and the process repeats itself depending on the number of shows. At the end of the evening, we all find our way back home for dinner and recreation independently or in groups.

What’s been the most challenging part of touring life—physically or mentally?

Touring itself seems to be the most difficult part of touring. Living out of a suitcase in a new hotel every week is certainly an adjustment. It is hard to complain about being able to see so much of the world while also doing what many would consider to be a dream job. However, the constant relocating, inconsistent means of buying food, and the occasionally intense show schedules can definitely be an adjustment. That being said, once adjusted, you find yourself developing new skills in preparation, organization, and resourcefulness.

Which character or number did you feel most connected to, and why?

I would say the Little Mermaid skateless pair number was the one I developed a deep intimacy with. After only being with my new partner for a few weeks and having to learn adagio pairs from scratch, we were able to construct this daunting, yet beautiful number to a satisfactory level. The number itself consists of a 3 1/2 minute rendition of “Kiss the Girl” and “Part of Your World” where Eric carries Ariel and performs the whole number while only he is in skates. It is one of the greatest physical challenges I’ve ever faced in my skating career, and to overcome it and also grow it to a level of being graceful and powerful was by far one of the most rewarding accomplishments of this tour. Anything that develops such heavy feelings as anxiety, accomplishment, passion, and willpower can lead to an extraordinary bond with a character and number.

How has your ice dance training influenced your partnering and performance quality in the show?

It allowed me to add an elegant aspect to my partnering to contrast the sharp dynamics of pairs. The beauty of ice dance comes from its immersion in each program. The character and dance start with the music and end with the music. When you are taught to embrace an entire number and perform it from start to finish, applying it to a Disney character in a show, it fits like a glove. Ice dancers have a beautiful ability to become characters not only through their skating but through their physical performance and embodiment. I’m very thankful for my years of training because they certainly helped me in this area.

Did touring change the way you connect with your partner on the ice?

It absolutely did. I was lucky enough to be partnered with Lydia Smart, a world-class pair skater from Great Britain. As you can imagine, coming from two different backgrounds, we found a lot of diversity in our skating. While some people might have seen this as a negative, we used it to our complete advantage. We respected each other’s specialties and embodied complete flexibility and compromise. When it came to the lifts, that was certainly her department, and I very much let her take the lead in those areas. However, when it came to choreography and subtle detail, she respected my knowledge and experience as an ice dancer and allowed us to “draw from each other’s wells” without either of us having to relinquish control.

Are there elements of competitive ice dance you miss—or don’t miss at all?

Of course, I miss competitive ice dance. I believe it is impossible to do something for so long and not miss it when the time comes that you no longer partake in it. I miss what it’s like to have an ice dance partner. Yes, there is partnering on tour, and you become very accustomed to skating and lifting together, but having a partner in the competitive world is unlike anything else. The sheer amount of hours spent working, training, and learning together is something that I believe can never be replicated in any other aspect of skating. That being said, I do not miss the scores. I don’t miss going to competitions to perform for scores alone. I don’t miss that an excellent performance is only as rewarded as the quality of edges and turns determines. I don’t miss only getting a handful of opportunities a year to showcase decades plus of hard work, knowledge, and athletic talent. That’s one of the reasons why I always encourage people who love to perform to consider doing shows after competition.

What’s it like performing for audiences that may not follow figure skating closely?

I would describe it as a freeing feeling. After being judged for so long from both technical and spectator positions, to be able to perform, entertain, and captivate children and adults alike is one of the greatest things about touring. There is so much more accomplishment in performing for those who desire so greatly to be entertained than in doing it for a score. Also, as previously mentioned, there is so much less pressure for perfection. Most of your audience knows nothing of technical skating, nor are they there for the sake of judgment, so when things go wrong, your audience likely will be unbothered if they notice it at all. I have since learned, that removing the fear of failure increases one’s capabilities to succeed. Disney magic comes from performance, not perfection.

Have you had any memorable fan interactions during the tour?

You learn how important what you do in the show is when you see how it touches others. Being able to perform for children from “Make a Wish” or kids who were brought from the hospital just long enough to watch a Disney On Ice show changes your perspective entirely. You realize that the second you pass through that curtain, it is no longer about you; it is about everyone else. I would argue that every interaction with a fan could possibly be more important than I would ever know. The child who’s hurting, the parent who’s grieving, the inner child of the man distracting them from the anxieties of adulthood, the little girl who always dreamed of being a princess inside every adult woman or mother. That is where the magic comes from, and that is what the magic does.

How do you adjust your performance energy depending on the crowd?

Even if we are exhausted after three shows and we come out to a crowd that is roaring and interacting and excited, we can muster up energy from unknown reserves to perform. Call it the Disney magic in action. We make it a point to always give 100% of what we have that day to give, because the audience always deserves 100%. Many of the people who come to see these shows might never get to come to the Disney parks. We have the privilege of bringing the Disney magic to them.

In what ways do you feel you’ve grown as a skater and performer over the course of the tour?

Joining the tour has opened so many new opportunities for learning. Whereas in ice dance, there was always a steady improvement and mastery of certain skills, but being surrounded by so many skaters from so many disciplines has unlocked opportunities to draw from a variety of places and people. Learning show tricks like butterflies, Russian splits, and backflips are not skills that are widely available to Ice Dancers in the competitive world. Also being able to learn adagio lifts, which is a beautiful combination of ice dance and pair lifts. Throughout my whole career, I was never allowed to lift over my head, and now it seems to be just about all I do. I can say that there are many opportunities for growth for those who are interested in pursuing it on tour.

What was your favorite city you visited on tour?

I would say San Francisco was probably my favorite city. It’s a beautiful place to explore, the food is phenomenal, and the crowd is exceptional. When I look back at our tour of the West Coast, that definitely sits near the top.

What is your go-to off-ice activity when you have downtime?

I’ve always had a passion for line dancing, so finding places to go dance in between shows is definitely a go-to. Also, just exploring the city, seeing the sites, and meeting the people. There is so much to learn and see everywhere we go and I make a point to experience as much as I can when I’m there.

Do you see yourself continuing in touring shows, returning to competition, or following another path?

I will definitely continue doing shows. I have signed up for the next tour, where I look forward to touring Asia and Australia. In the meantime, I am continuing to coach ice dance and adagio pairs between tours along the East Coast.

What advice would you give to ice dancers considering a similar path?

Ice dance is an incredible discipline. It is one we all share a passion for. That being said, if you ever find yourself in a place where your passion for competition is waning,  you feel the pressure of perfection extinguishing your passion, or you need to change your scenery while continuing to grow in new areas, do it! Join Disney On Ice! It’s a fresh start that also benefits from all our hard work. You’re not limited by your competitive accomplishments. Everyone is welcoming with open arms because everyone has a part to play. You can make lifelong friendships and incredible memories. Your story doesn’t end with competing if you continue to take new steps and set new goals. As my brilliant coach Carol Lane often said, “the journey remains as important as the goal.” Consider this a new path for your skating journey to grow.