TWO East European ice dancers who have adopted Rossendale as their home will be spending most the next six months in a more unusual location . . . Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

For Natalia Pestova and Alexei Kislitsyn are among the star performers in The Hot Ice Show which will thrill audiences at the Pleasure Beach Arena until November.

The spectacular, fast-moving show with its fantastic costumes and line-up of some of the world's finest skaters has become a firm favourite and this year's production will not disappoint.

There are two main pieces in this year's show which each offer The Hot Ice shows offers.

New for 2002 is Quixotic, described as "a romantic and extravagant performance which is a passionate performance of rhythm and free-flowing choreography.

Va Va Voom is, as the name suggests, full of speed, grace, elegance, amazing theatrical effects and dramatic choreography.

But while sell-out audiences gasp in amazement at the grace, precision and skill of the skaters, for Natalia and Alexei it is just another day at work.

The couple, who have become familiar faces in their adopted home of Rawtenstall, were destined to become stars on the ice from a very early age.

Both Natalia and Alexei grew up in the former Soviet Union -- Alexei in the Ukraine and Natalia in Russia. Both started skating when most youngsters are concentrating on learning the alphabet.

Alexei became Soviet Union junior champion and a member of the national ice dance team before joining the Russian All Stars. He was later awarded the title of Master of Sport.

Natalia too was a junior champion and the couple fell in love and got married.

They settled in the UK while touring with the All Stars before becoming featured performers in the Hot Ice Show

This will be the fifth year that

the couple have been in the show, which every year breaks box office records.

This year's production also stars Nicky Scott, who joins Hot Ice from the Folies Bergeres.

Soloists include five-times Finnish champion Oula Jaaskelainen and former French champion Philippe Viel.

Other international stars taking part include skaters from Russia, Canada an Finland.

The show has been produced and directed by Amanda Thompson, a member of the Pleasure Beach-owning dynasty, and award-winning choreographer Phil Winston is the man behind the routines.

Spectacular

seaside

show for ice

dance pair

SPARKLE: The Hot Ice Show offers excitement, glamour and spectacle in the Pleasure Beach Arena

RED HOT CHILLY STEPPERS: The show features an international cast of ice skating stars including, far left, Natalia Pestova and Alexei Kislitsyn, The couple left the former Soviet Union and have now made their home in Rossendale

Ice show

thriller . . .