Imperial Ice Stars

Name

Imperial Ice Stars

Legal name

Imperial Ice Stars Ltd

Website

https://imperialicestars.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Theatrical Ice Entertainment

NAICS

Dance Companies (711120)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Dance Performances (THAJAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA)

Keywords

• Ice dance performances
• Theatrical ice productions
• Figure skating shows
• Touring ice spectacles
• Live entertainment

Headquarters

HQ city

Denbigh

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Live Performance Ticket Sales: Imperial Ice Stars generates revenue through ticket sales for live theatrical ice performances at venues globally. Shows run in limited engagement periods at theatres and arenas, with tickets sold through third-party platforms.
2. Touring Production Licensing and Co-production: The company creates and stages theatrical ice productions in collaboration with local promoters and venues, sharing production costs and revenues through co-production arrangements.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Imperial Ice Stars produces and tours contemporary theatrical ice dance performances that adapt classic ballets and fairytales (Swan Lake, Cinderella, Nutcracker, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, and Fairytales) for the ice stage. Productions feature over 250 Olympic, European, and World champion skaters performing high-speed acrobatics, dramatic choreography, elaborate costumes, and special effects on ice rinks specifically built for theatre stages.

Product overview

Imperial Ice Stars is a theatrical ice skating company founded in 2004 by Tony Mercer, producing grand ice productions featuring Olympic, World, and European champion skaters. The company offers a portfolio of classic fairytale productions performed on ice, including Cinderella on Ice, Nutcracker on Ice, Swan Lake on Ice, Sleeping Beauty on Ice, Peter Pan on Ice, and Fairytales on Ice. Productions feature high-speed acrobatics, dramatic choreography, elaborate costumes, special effects, and advanced projection technology. The company has performed in 31 countries across 5 continents for nearly 15 million viewers, including performances at Royal Albert Hall in London.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sleeping Beauty on Ice The first production of The Imperial Ice Stars, premiered in July 2004. Created in collaboration with James Cundall and former speed skater Vladislav Olenin as a theatrical ice adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty fairytale performed by champion figure skaters.
• Cinderella on Ice The Imperial Ice Stars' third production featuring stunning skating feats performed by Olympic and World champion skaters, with elaborate sets, special effects including fire and rain, flying, and state-of-the-art projection. World premiered in New Zealand in July 2008 and toured 22 countries over two years to over one million people.
• Swan Lake on Ice The captivating ice version featuring graceful swan dancers and a dramatic story of love, betrayal, and redemption. Noted as one of the world's most important shows, showcasing extraordinary acrobatic performances by Imperial Ice Stars.
• Nutcracker on Ice A fairytale journey on ice featuring high-speed acrobatics and dramatic scenes performed by more than 250 medal winners. Choreographed by Tony Mercer with costumes designed by Veronique Pasternak. Aimed at audiences ages 7 to 77.
• Peter Pan on Ice A theatrical ice adaptation of the Peter Pan story originally created as a one-act version for Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland in 2018 and later expanded to a two-act version for a 3-month theatre tour of South Africa in 2019.
• Fairytales on Ice A theatrical ice production launched in late 2023 featuring new design ideas involving projections and 3D mapping. Watched by nearly 100,000 people over its 4-week initial run in Spain and given its first theatre stage run in 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• First ice skating show to win a theatrical award for 'best special entertainment' (Swan Lake on Ice)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• MoneytoliaflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerMoneytolia is a sponsor for Nutcracker on Ice and Swan Lake on Ice performances at Istanbul Ice Island in 2025. The sponsorship enables large-scale theatrical ice productions at the venue.
• BWO EntertainmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBWO Entertainment collaborated with Imperial Ice Stars for Nutcracker on Ice staging in Istanbul, providing production support and local expertise.
• Turkish Ice Hockey FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated with Imperial Ice Stars for Nutcracker on Ice production in Istanbul, supporting the local ice sports community connection.
• Istanbul Ice IslandflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIstanbul Ice Island serves as the venue host for Nutcracker on Ice and Swan Lake on Ice performances, providing the 2,400-capacity facility for the productions.
• James CundallflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJames Cundall, one of the theatre world's leading producers, co-produced the first tour of Imperial Ice Stars (Sleeping Beauty on Ice, July 2004). He previously worked with Tony Mercer in Hong Kong (1998) and on Nutcracker on Ice in Australia and New Zealand (2003).
• Vladislav OlenincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVladislav Olenin, businessman and former speed skater, co-produced the first tour of Imperial Ice Stars in 2004, providing both business acumen and ice sports expertise.
• Let's Go Productions (Spain)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLet's Go Productions collaborated with Imperial Ice Stars to launch the new arena production of Fairytales on Ice at the end of 2023, including new design ideas involving projections and 3D mapping, watched by nearly 100,000 people over its 4-week run.
• Tony MercerflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerTony Mercer is the founder and Artistic Director of Imperial Ice Stars, created the company in 2004, and is widely regarded as the world's leading ice director and choreographer with over 30 years of experience.
• Evgeny PlatovcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual Olympic gold medallist and four-time World Champion Evgeny Platov co-conceived and choreographed Cinderella on Ice, bringing elite figure skating credentials to the production.
• Albena Denkova and Maxim StaviskicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner2006 and 2007 ice dancing World Champions co-conceived and choreographed Cinderella on Ice, contributing their championship expertise to the theatrical production.
• Eamon D'ArcycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEamon D'Arcy, one of Australia's top scenic designers, created one of the most expensive sets ever for a theatrical ice show, including three-dimensional scenery depicting a Siberian village square and black and silver art deco theatre.
• Albina GabuevacoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAlbina Gabueva, head designer at Moscow's famed Stanislavsky Theatre, designed 77 opulent costumes for Cinderella on Ice, with ten costumes costing more than £4000 each, made by the Bolshoi Ballet's costume cutters.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• The Ice Crew: Australia/NZ-based ice entertainment production company staging ice shows and themed ice experiences. Comparable in theatrical ice show production and the Australia/NZ touring market where Imperial Ice Stars has historically performed, but with a more regional rather than global footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: The dominant premium touring live entertainment company, producing large-scale theatrical shows globally. Comparable in premium positioning, theatrical production values, and global touring model, though its core competency is circus/acrobatics rather than ice skating and it operates at a vastly larger scale.

Emerging players

• Le Patin Libre: Montreal-based contemporary ice dance company performing original choreographic works on ice. Comparable as an emerging theatrical ice dance ensemble pushing the art form beyond competition formats, though smaller in scale and focused on contemporary rather than classical repertoire.
• Ice Theatre of New York: New York-based nonprofit promoting ice as an art form through original choreography and theatrical performances. Comparable as a creator of theatrical ice productions, though operating at a smaller scale and primarily US-focused rather than globally touring.

Direct peers

• Moscow City Ballet: Touring classical ballet company performing full-length ballets internationally with full orchestral accompaniment. Comparable in touring business model, classical narrative focus, and premium theatrical positioning, though performed on stage rather than ice.
• Russian Ice Stars: Touring ice show featuring Russian and international champion skaters in theatrical productions. Comparable in elite skater talent pool and theatrical ice show format, competing directly for the same family and theatre audiences in international touring circuits.
• Art on Ice (Switzerland): Swiss-produced touring ice show combining elite figure skating with live music and theatrical staging. Comparable in the fusion of Olympic-level skating and theatrical production values, with a similar premium positioning and limited engagement run structure.
• Disney On Ice (Feld Entertainment): The largest touring ice show operator in the world, presenting character-driven ice skating productions to family audiences globally. Directly comparable in business model (touring theatrical ice shows, ticket-driven, family entertainment focus), though anchored to Disney IP rather than classical ballet storytelling.
• Stars on Ice: Touring ice show featuring Olympic and World champion figure skaters, primarily in North America. Directly comparable in elite-skater talent sourcing and theatrical ice performances, though its format emphasizes competitive skating showcases rather than narrative-driven classical ballet adaptations.
• Holiday on Ice: One of the longest-running touring ice show brands (founded 1943), producing large-scale theatrical ice spectacles across Europe and beyond. Comparable in delivering premium, choreographed ice entertainment to mass audiences, but with a broader show format rather than ballet narrative focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ImpIceStars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imperial-ice-stars-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Imperial Ice Stars