THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 18, 1995 TAG: 9510180053
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICKEY WRIGHT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
IT'S THE SORT of story Walt Disney fans love. And this time it's true.
Cameron Medhurst grew up in Melbourne, Australia, not exactly a hotbed of figure-skating activity. In fact, said the new star of Disney's World on Ice production, which runs at Hampton Coliseum through Sunday, there were only about nine rinks in the entire country. He just happened to be having dinner with his parents in a restaurant/rink complex when he spotted his destiny.
From what he calls ``a fluke,'' Medhurst, now 30, went on to championship status in his homeland and competed in international competitions. He went professional in 1992 and was seen in Dorothy Hamill's Ice Capades before joining Disney this year.
Isn't it a little hard to skate while dressed as a real-life version of a cartoonist's unfettered imagination?
``Not really,'' Medhurst said. Fortunately, he's cast in the role of Mowgli from ``The Jungle Book'' - no mouse, duck or dog heads for him.
``It's not very cumbersome, just a body suit and a wig. It's a very tight, streamlined costume, so it's not really different from what I'm used to,'' he explained.
Medhurst, like millions of other kids, wasn't immune to the Disney lure. The skater recalls seeing versions of the studio's road shows, which apparently toured Australia as frequently as they do here.
His formative experiences didn't end there. He moved to Canada and trained under the direction of Kevin Cottam, now Disney's World on Ice director and choreographer. There, Medhurst met two skaters with whom he is reunited in the Disney show, Stephanie Lariviere and Anisette Gent.
Perhaps looking beyond even Cottam's theatrical work, Medhurst is taking singing and dancing lessons.
``I love musical theater, and there's ballet in skating,'' he said. ``I am thinking of a career, and I do want to broaden my talents.''
Medhurst maintains a busy practice schedule, though not quite as rigorous as in his competitive days.
``At first, I was approaching the shows as I would as an amateur,'' he said. ``I went through a lot of mental preparation and stretching, and quickly found that you can't do that with 13 shows a week. In competition, you're only trying to peak five or six times a year, so you train a lot and put a lot into those perform-ances.
``I wasn't involved in rehearsal with the Dorothy Hamill show; I just joined on the road. I've found out how specific it is, the timing - you have to count every step. What we've done in six weeks (of practice) is incredible.''
With Disney's World on Ice just out of its opening stint in St. Petersburg, Fla., expect the crew to be fresh and ready to skate.
Medhurst said it's hard to ignore a cheering crowd.
``You're very aware of the audience, because they're the people you want to entertain,'' he said. ``And in turn, you get back energy from them.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
Disney film characters come to life in the ``World on Ice'' skating
show.
by CNB