OU student performs in Moscow ice skating show

Oakland University junior Janina Olivero performed with Holiday on Ice in Russia.

By Eric Reikowski, media relations assistant

Oakland University student Janina Olivero has always had a passion for ice skating. That passion was on display during the 2008 holiday season when she performed with Holiday on Ice, a world-class ice entertainment company that hosts hundreds of live shows in major cities around the globe.

In early December, Olivero traveled to Russia to perform in a six-week tour of Peter Pan on Ice. As a chorus member, she played various background roles, including a fairy, mermaid and Indian girl. She also played the part of Peter Pan’s shadow in the show’s opening scene.

“The schedule was rigorous,” said Olivero, a junior majoring in political science. She added that the company held three weeks of rehearsals led by industry professionals including choreographer Robin Cousins, an internationally-renowned figure skater who won a gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics.

When the tour kicked off, Olivero performed in 32 shows in two weeks, skating in front of thousands of spectators. She was one of two American performers in the Moscow production.

“It was such an experience,” said Olivero, a native of Sterling Heights. “The people there are so different from Americans. Their culture is deeply-rooted in tradition.”

Having experienced the life of a professional skater, Olivero said she is considering taking a year off following graduation to perform with the acclaimed Disney on Ice promotion before enrolling in law school.