Skater Stories: Alaina Theis
An experienced show skater who dreams of skating for Disney on Ice someday, Alaina also soars through the air, combining artistry and athleticism.
For more than 15 years, Alaina Theis has found a home on the ice. But rather than turn it into a series of competitions, Alaina has focused on the show skating world, skating as a performer in multiple shows both on the ice, and above it! Her aerial skills make her stand out and have taken her all around the world. Before she headed back to Europe for another show, she took the time to talk to me about her career, the feeling she experiences on the ice, and her goals for the future.
Q: First question, going all the way back: You’ve been skating for 15+ years now. What made you want to take it up?
A: I started skating when I was 6 years old. There was a local learn to skate program and my mom saw an ad in the paper and decided to sign me up for fun.
I fell in love with it from the beginning and my passion has only been growing ever since.
Q: Did you always know you were going to pursue a career in professional show skating? At what point did that start to feel like a realistic goal to you?
A: I would have to say yes, I’ve always wanted to be a pro show skater. I remember watching Disney on Ice since it was a little kid. As I got older the skaters became celebrities to me, eventually I started to recognize tricks and skills and realizing it was possible with enough hard work. Outside of skating I was a part of theatre and show choir, I’ve always loved being in the spotlight. My coach used to skate for Holiday on Ice, she was a big inspiration and mentor for my show skating dreams.
Q: Now you've had the opportunity to skate in a couple different Rosstyn shows. Could you run those down for people who might not be familiar with those productions?
A: ROSSTYN and his wife used to be a pair team for Holiday on Ice and eventually got married, started a family and created their own company that would tour the United States for different fairs and events. Now the company is mostly based out of Florida and typically does a couple of the big county fairs where there are also other forms of entertainment and circuses.
Their shows are usually about 30 minutes long and you perform 2-3 times a day. The cast is usually made up of a female and male soloists, pair teams and ensemble girls. There is usually a theme and they just create a show that is entertaining and enjoyable to watch for audiences of all ages (usually with big feathered, glamorous, and light up costumes 😍).
Q: What's your favorite part of skating in a show like that?
A: I feel glamorous, like a classic showgirl you’d see in Vegas.
Q: And how much practice does it take to learn the various roles in a show?
A: DO you mean understudies and swings?
Q: Yeah, I'd imagine there's a lot of preparation that goes into something like that, being ready to fill in a particular spot when called upon.
A: IT depends on the show and what the role may be.
As an understudy it can be a lot of pressure learning a big role in the show where you know you’ll have a big moment or various big moments in the spotlight and you just want to make sure you do your job and meet the expectations.
As a swing it can be just as much pressure and even more stressful because you have to learn everyone’s choreography, timing, and spots on the ice. And if you make a mistake, you can mess up everyone else’s choreography etc.
The biggest stress of being a swing or understudy is the possibility and circumstances when you have to go on unexpectedly.
Q: That does sound stressful! How do you deal with that, and manage that stress to be able to perform so well night after night?
A: I have to admit I’m not perfect and had my moments of panic. Any time I learn choreography (for myself, as a swing, or understudy) I like to write it down in my own words in a notebook and will sometimes draw out the pattern on paper. Then I will practice the steps off ice with the music, and finally transfer it onto the ice. I would find myself practicing in the morning, in between shows, in the evenings until everything became muscle memory. Then I would just have to trust my body would do what feels natural under the spotlight.
I also liked to have distractions so I wouldn’t overthink, and receiving encouragement from my friends was always helpful 🫶🏼
Q: In addition to being an incredibly accomplished skater, you’re also an amazing aerialist. How did you get started in that?
A: THANK you 🤍
The first time I really was introduced to the aerial arts was just finding it on YouTube randomly. I saw a video of Rapunzel and Flynn doing their silks on Disney and it really caught my eye, then I did more researching and found more ice skaters creating art with silks and other aerial specialists in professional and non professional settings. It was a type of art that was new to me, it was captivating and I was so curious. I was a teenager at the time which made things complicated and had to wait until i graduated high school.
Once I was an adult I had my own money, my own car, and my own time to decide what to do with. I was lucky because there was a pole and aerial fitness studio 30 minutes from my house. That is where I started for fun and for exercise. It was so different from skating and gave me a different kind of joy and confidence than I had ever experienced in my life before. I was hooked. I would assume it’s the way a runner's high would feel?
Q: That's incredible. What's it been like for you being able to incorporate those skills into skating shows?
A: IT has been a dream come true!! There is just something magical about flying over my cast members and audience. The joy brings tears to my eyes.
Europapark was a great place for me to learn and grow. They have different shows every season with different, themes and storylines. Sometimes with and without aerial. Last year they decided to add my Spanish web which was exciting because it was the first time in Europapark Eisshow history that they ever had a Spanish web! I had a lot of help from the choreographer and the other skaters with circus experience creating an act. Some of my favorite memories at europapark is practicing after the show for fun and just flowing to the music.
I love aerial, and wearing my skates doing aerial just gives me a little more confidence.
Q: I also saw that you’ve also been a Gambler Girl for the Green Bay Gamblers junior hockey team. First, what does that entail during a game, and what was that experience like?
A: BASICALLY a I was an on-ice promotional skater for the Gamblers Hockey team. This meant that I would interact with the audience on and off the ice, organize games and entertainment and throw t-shirts and other free items into the people. While there was not much real skating involved, it was a great way for me to get comfortable being in front of that many people.
Q: Shifting gears, to skating in front of very few people, I wanted to ask about one specific Reel you posted back in March of last year. You’re skating on a frozen pond, and the soundtrack is “Pure Imagination,” and you just look so incredibly happy. Can you try to put into words what that feeling is like, for those of us who have never (and likely will never) experience that?
A: THIS was one of the few times I have personally skated on an outdoor lake or pond.
I am a big nature person and I love winter. It was at my family cabin which always feels like an escape from the world, but to be able to escape from the world AND skate AND be in nature. It was pure bliss and so peaceful.
Q: So what are your goals for the next phase of your skating career?
A: THAT’S a hard question!!
At the moment I’m fortunate to be able to focus on pair skating with my current partner. Ideally my goal is to make it to all the different ice shows out there in the world eventually and I guess find what’s right for me at that time in my life. I would like to ultimately continue skating as an aerial specialty act or as a pair girl (combining pairs and aerial would be the dream 😍).
I have also had thoughts and motivations to give aerial a try without the ice skates!
Q: I absolutely love the pairs aerial segments in Disney on Ice, so that would be amazing if you got to do something like that.
A: I would love that!!
Q: Okay, if you're up for it let's wrap up with a little lightning round here. Favorite move to perform on the ice?
A: Ina Bauer.
Q: Favorite costume you’ve worn in a show?
A: My gold goddess costume from the Halloween Vampire Circus show at Europapark.
Q: All-time favorite song to skate to?
A: Hmm that changes depending on my mood 😂 my go-to is usually Broadway’s Hunchback of Notre Dame soundtrack. Specifically “Esmeralda.”
Q: Such a great soundtrack! All-time favorite figure skating movie?
A: Hmm. Blades of Glory haha.
Q: There are six kinds of jumps in figure skating: loop, toe loop, flip, salchow, lutz, and axel. Which one is your most hated?
A: Flip 🤮
Q: And lastly, where can our readers see you skate next?
A: Popelka (Cinderella Musical on ice) in the Czech Republic ☺️. Which is also a European tour!
Q: Oh, that sounds wonderful! I'd love to see that (sadly, probably won't be making it over to Europe anytime soon). Thank you so much for taking the time to do this!
A: Of course! I appreciate your interest and care to learn about my story and experiences.
