The working day in front of the computer was not made for Quebecer Étienne Rioux, who today runs around the world impersonating the greatest Disney characters.
“I don’t regret anything, that’s for sure,” says 31-year-old skater Étienne Rioux, who gave up his career as a 3D animator to reconnect with his childhood sweetheart; Figure skating. “I was always at the computer; “I missed moving,” explains the man who will play Prince Hans from the animated film “Frozen” during the show “A Magical World,” which will be shown at the Videotron Center starting March 1.
During this performance we also have the opportunity to see the characters from the films Moana, Coco, Rapunzel and Beauty and the Beast.
After proving himself and passing several auditions at Feld Entertainment, the production company behind Disney on Ice, the Bas-Saint-Laurent native is now setting his sights on great success. As soon as he slips out of the skin of Prince Hans, Rioux will fly to Asia and don the costume of Sheriff Woody from the Toy Story saga as part of another performance of Disney on Ice.
“I have always wanted to travel, and here I have the opportunity to visit places I would never have visited and, in addition, to live from my passion,” says the skater, who has almost eight years of experience in the Disney universe .
“There are skaters who don’t dream of the Olympics”
In a country like ours, where ice skating and high-profile competitions go hand in hand, we must not forget that figure skating can also serve as entertainment.
“There are skaters who don’t dream of the Olympics; Some grow up with the ambition to tour and do shows,” notes Étienne Rioux. “Especially in Canada, where there are a lot of skaters and tough competition [aux Jeux olympiques]it’s a great opportunity to practice our sport professionally.”
More than a good athlete
In his youth, Étienne Rioux was perceived as a skater with good potential and quickly realized that his athletic qualities alone would not be enough in the area of entertainment on the ice.
Quebecer Étienne Rioux. Courtesy of Feld Entertainment
“Yes, there is the skating side, but there is also the acting side; We have to play characters that everyone knows, so it is important to interpret them at their true value,” he mentions. “In addition, there are aerial acrobatics or in vehicles that stand on the ice, so yes, basically we are athletes, but over time we are trained in much more,” adds the one who has already had Olympic-level figure skaters as colleagues during his tours with Disney on Ice.
Disney on Ice's A Magical World show runs March 1-4 at the Videotron Center. Place Bell in Laval will host another Disney production on ice called Magic in the Stars from February 28th to March 3rd.