HOUGHTON — The figure skating season is a long one. In some cases, it is as long, or even longer, than the hockey season. After all those months of lessons, long, late nights in cold ice arenas, and grueling test sessions, it would stand to reason that skaters would enjoy the opportunity to show off what they have learned.

Members of the Copper Country Skating Academy (CCSA), and their friends, will get to do just that this weekend with their annual Ice Show at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena.

“I think it’s really a time for our community of skaters to come together and celebrate what we have all accomplished,” said Debra Charlesworth who is a member along with her husband, Paul. “We have everything from Learn to Skate skaters to parents to high school hockey players participating. It’s really a big community event that involves more than just the skaters in our club.”

Every year, the Ice Show committee chooses a theme, and the costumes, music, and skating numbers all revolve around that choice. This year’s theme is an oldie, but a goodie: Broadway on Ice.

The CCSA has added a twist this year, including music from shows old and new, but not necessarily the songs one would expect to hear from a given show.

“We are featuring songs from current, past and future Broadway shows,” said Debra. “It’s going to be a great mix of old favorites that everyone has probably heard before, along with some new things you might not even have known were coming to Broadway.”

Some of the more off-beat choices that skaters will be moving around the ice to include “I’ll Cover You,” from Rent, “The Jellicle Ball,” from Cats, and “Dear Theodosia” from Hamilton.

In all, there are 25 performances, not including the national anthem, which will be sung by senior Rachel Nulf. Included in the performances are five numbers by Michigan Tech’s Learn to Skate program, an elementary school number, a middle school number, one high school number and a high school team number and a guest performance from skaters from the L’Anse-Baraga Figure Skating Club.

The CCSA is very excited to have to 10 skaters from L’Anse-Baraga this year who are going to come in and do a group number. The performance is actually one the same group did in their own ice show in March.

“The guest skaters this year are from the L’Anse-Baraga Figure Skating Club,” said Debra. “We’ve taken the opportunity to outreach outside of our local community and to showcase skating from outside our little area.”

Having guest performers from other clubs helps promote skating in other areas. The CCSA hopes to continue to build these types of relationships.

“In return, a couple of our skaters skated in their show,” said Paul. “This might be a synergy where we get together (each year).”

The Ice Show will be held Saturday night at 7 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale at the door at a cost of $10 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and children under 5 are free.

SPECIAL SENIORS

The Ice Show is also a chance for the club to say goodbye to a group a seniors by giving them a chance to show themselves off with a solo performance. This year, there are five such solos.

Geneva Archer will skate to “How can a Moment Last Forever” from Beauty and the Beast. Her program was choreographed by Madelyn Romps.

Archer attends Houghton High School and after she graduates, she intends to study astrophysics and neuroscience.

Sierra Slis will skate to “One Day I’ll Fly Away” from Moulin Rouge, choreographed by Jessica Comfort. Slis has been skating since she was in 7th grade and, after graduation from Houghton, she intends to study pre-medicine before attending medical school.

Malone Jepson will skate to “Feeling Good” as performed by Michael Buble from the show The Roar of the Greasepaint. Her performance was choreographed by Mollie Boswell.

Jepson attends Houghton High School and is planning on going to college at Northern Michigan, where she can continue skating for the university team while studying biology.

Deanna Maki will skate to “Out Here on My Own,” as performed by the cast of Glee, from Fame. Her performance was choreographed by Jane Summersett.

Maki has been on ice since she could walk. The daughter of CCSA coach Jessica Maki, Deanna has been spending her time teaching the Learn to Skate beginners the basics they need to become the next generation of skaters.

Nulf will skate to “From Now On,” from The Greatest Showman, choreographed by Sara Rutz. The Hancock High School student has been performing with the Keweenaw Symphony Orchestra when she is not on the ice, and intends to study flute performance in college.

THEME ROTATION

The last time the CCSA used “Broadway on Ice” as its theme, Summersett was a guest skater, along with her competitive dance partner. Now, she is a coach in the CCSA, choreographing numbers for this year’s show.