Disney high school musical the ice tour: we're all in this together as the Disney megahit makes the seamless transition from the small screen to a large arena ice surface

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I'VE SEEN BOTH movies a zillion times--hey, it's not my fault; I have an 11-year-old--been to the concert, listened to the CD soundtracks over and over again, memorized the lyrics, watched my daughter execute all the dance moves, and even played the Nintendo DS and Wii video game versions.... What could be left? No, not "High School Musical 3" (at least not yet, anyway), but "High School Musical: The Ice Tour," billed as "a live celebration of music and moves."

So, what could I do except take my posse of 'tweens (ages 10, 11, 12, and 13) and head off to Madison Square Garden? First off, forget those yeah-it-was-okay ice shows of the past; you know, where your kids' favorite cartoon or storybook characters skate in and around two-dimensional props while wearing oversized costumes and waving to the audience. This Kenny Ortega (three-lime Emmy winner who directed both "HSM" movies) and Feld Entertainment (which handles all Disney on Ice productions) show has three separate touring units performing in 100 cities throughout the U.S., Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe, and Australia over the next year. Not surprisingly, with Tony Award-winning director Jeff Calhoun guiding the action, production values prove paramount. As one reviewer marveled, "Aided by a drive-in-size video screen, countless metal props, and enough scaffolding to paint Danielle Steel's house twice, the frosty surface of the arena was transformed at different times into a karaoke bar, a school cafeteria, a baseball field, and a golf course." He forgot to mention a swimming pool.

Then there are the storylines. In Act I--or, "High School Musical"--it's the start of something new at East High. Star athlete Troy and super-smart Gabriella shake up the status quo by auditioning for leads in the school musical, which had been the exclusive territory of Sharpay (still my favorite, whether on TV, the stage, or a shiny ice surface) and her brother Ryan. However, after the callbacks, the science decathlon, and the big game, they realize they're all in this together. Right from the get-go, the sell-out crowd is swept into the now-classic storyline of Troy and Gabriella chasing each other, Sharpay chasing herself, Ryan chasing whatever Sharpay wants him to, and everyone chasing their dreams.

East High's popular characters take on a new dimension on skates as they perform hit songs from the Disney Channel original movie, including "Start of Something New," "Get'cha Head in the Game," "Breaking Free," "Stick to the Status Quo," and "We're All in This Together."

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The second act--or, "High School Musical 2"--opens at the beginning of every student's favorite time of year ... summer vacation. It's no lazy summer, though, as it seems that all of East High is working at the Lava Springs Country Club, except, of course, Sharpay, since she's a member and once again vying for Troy's affection. She plays the smug, spoiled brat teenager to perfection, and even starts to turn the pure-as-milk Troy into a suddenly not-so-likable character. Ryan, though, saves the day, when he befriends Gabriella and the rest of the staff and helps them choreograph their number for the summer talent show. Once again, in the end, all is forgiven, and the Wildcats are one big happy family, performing such hit songs as "What Time Is It?," "Work This Out," "I Don't Dance," and "You Are the Music in Me."

While the ice show boasts worldclass skaters (with world-class moves) from around the globe, "High School Musical" movie stars Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, and Corbin Bleau were nowhere to be found, except at the red carpet premiere. No matter, maintains Charles Klapow, choreographer of both the ice show and the "High School Musical" movies (he won an Emmy for "HSM"). "I don't think the fans notice that the ice show doesn't have the stars from the movie--and that doesn't matter for a second," he tells the press. "The characters [audiences] fell in love with ate the characters of Troy and Gabriella, who they loved long before Zac and Vanessa became anybody. When they see the characters, they go crazy."

The through-the-roof television ratings that pairs skating and ice dancing traditionally pull in also prove that audiences are drawn to fluid (and romantic) choreography on ice. "The ice show is all about movement all around the ice," Klapow said in one interview. "There are things you can do in shoes that you can't do on skates, and there are things you can do on skates, all sorts of movements that you can't do in a dance. You want to take advantage of that, but since these kids know the choreography from the film inside and out, you have to keep the upper body movement intact. In a way, choreographing an ice show is a little bit like doing a puzzle."