Columbia Ice Rink

For those who love to watch ice skating -- but hate the stress of competitions -- the Columbia Figure Skating Club has entertainment without the judges."

Today Ice skating The Columbia Figure Skating Club presents its "Musical Festival on Ice" at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Road. Event includes more than 80 performers ages 4 to adult and high-level skaters. Tickets are $10, free for children younger than 2. For more information, call 410-813-4026. Fundraiser The Horizon Councils and Rotary Clubs of Howard County are the hosts for Soup 'r Sundae from noon to 2 p.m., featuring soups from area restaurants to raise money for Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center.

The Columbia Association seeks volunteers to help Special Olympics athletes participate in an "Ice Skating Social" from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday at the Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Road in Columbia. Volunteers will receive free skate rentals and food from the snack bar. Call 410-715-5523 to volunteer and for more information.

The Columbia Association seeks volunteers to help Special Olympics athletes participate in an "Ice Skating Social" from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday at the Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Road in Columbia. Volunteers will receive free skate rentals and food from the snack bar. Call 410-715-5523 to volunteer and for more information.

April Fools! for Families' Absolutely nothing will be happening Saturday at the Kraushaar Auditorium... April Fools! A lot will be going on as Tom Hall and the Choral Arts Society perform Toch's "Geographical Fugue," Rossini's "Cat Duet" and Mozart's "Alphabet Song." Children will be introduced to classical music in an interactive atmosphere; Peggy Sachs, developer and teacher of the "Music for the Young Child" program, will lead the audience in sing-alongs; Michael Allman will lead the Riderwood Elementary School Chorus in song; and children can learn about and play percussion instruments in the lobby before the concert.

Ice ExtravaganzaThe Columbia Figure Skating Club will perform its "Dual Spring Ice Extravaganza" this weekend at the Columbia Ice Rink. The show includes routines from the popular Disney features "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas," performed by more than 135 skaters from the Baltimore area, most of them children. The audience can also expect a spectacular performance from guest skater Michael O'Rourke, who has toured with the Ice Capades and choreographed the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1992 Olympics.

Holiday musicHear talented young musicians create sweet holiday music Monday at the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis. Visitors will be treated to a free concert featuring the Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of CYSO music director David Ik-Sung Choo; the Repertory Orchestra, led by conductor Jason Love; and the String Orchestra with guest conductor Deborah Greitzer. The orchestra's new Flute Choir, made up of 11 advanced flute players, will perform under director Cynthia Rugolo.

Fantasia on Ice'Skates will be dancing across the ice this weekend, as the Columbia Figure Skating Club brings its spring ice show, "A Fantasia on Ice," to the Columbia Ice Rink.See more than 135 trained skaters, including more than 100 children, perform to the music of "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas." And enjoy the classic French children's story "Madeline" as it is brought to life on the ice through expressive skating and Parisian music.Performances will be on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Road in Columbia.

A 46-year-old felon was convicted this week in Howard County Circuit Court of forcing a woman to drive him from the Columbia Ice Rink to Jessup, where he robbed her and tried to sexually fondle her.Glenn Vincent Rhodes of the 9300 block of Indian Camp Road, in Columbia's Oakland Mills village, was convicted Tuesday night of kidnapping and carjacking -- each of which carries a 30-year sentence -- and of a third-degree sex offense, robbery, theft, battery, assault...

IT MAY be spring, but some local residents have no intentions of hanging up their ice skates just yet. Members of the Columbia Figure Skating Club are busy preparing for a slick production of "The Wizard of Oz on Ice" this weekend at Columbia Ice Rink. The show is based on the story of "The Wizard of Oz," and will be followed by a variety of short segments with themes from "Aladdin," "My Fair Lady," "Annie" and "The Wiz." Preparations for the show began late last year, well before the club's December program, "The Nutcracker On Ice," said Joan Rosenhauer, one of the show's directors.

Wendelyn R. Jones, A young figure skater glides across the ice, concentrating on the moves required to go up in skill, while three judges make notations, watching for a wrong edge, an incorrectly placed toe. This isn't a competition in which marks are awarded and a winner declared. This is more technical, behind-the-scenes stuff. It is a test. It is a series of prescribed elements that determines at which level a skater is classified. Actually, it is two tests occurring simultaneously.

IT MAY be spring, but some local residents have no intentions of hanging up their ice skates just yet. Members of the Columbia Figure Skating Club are busy preparing for a slick production of "The Wizard of Oz on Ice" this weekend at Columbia Ice Rink. The show is based on the story of "The Wizard of Oz," and will be followed by a variety of short segments with themes from "Aladdin," "My Fair Lady," "Annie" and "The Wiz." Preparations for the show began late last year, well before the club's December program, "The Nutcracker On Ice," said Joan Rosenhauer, one of the show's directors.

TAKING IN a performance of "The Nutcracker" is a holiday tradition for many families. But for some folks in east Columbia, taking part in the performance has become a family tradition. It is a slick performance - "The Nutcracker on Ice" - a production of the Columbia Figure Skating Club in Oakland Mills. Members of the Buckler family have skated in every performance since the club's first "Nutcracker" 11 years ago. Mom Alicia and daughter Amanda, 16, have not missed a performance, and daughter Amy, 11, joined the cast as soon as she was old enough to skate.

April Fools! for Families' Absolutely nothing will be happening Saturday at the Kraushaar Auditorium... April Fools! A lot will be going on as Tom Hall and the Choral Arts Society perform Toch's "Geographical Fugue," Rossini's "Cat Duet" and Mozart's "Alphabet Song." Children will be introduced to classical music in an interactive atmosphere; Peggy Sachs, developer and teacher of the "Music for the Young Child" program, will lead the audience in sing-alongs; Michael Allman will lead the Riderwood Elementary School Chorus in song; and children can learn about and play percussion instruments in the lobby before the concert.

Holiday musicHear talented young musicians create sweet holiday music Monday at the Chesapeake Youth Symphony Orchestra's holiday concert at the Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts in Annapolis. Visitors will be treated to a free concert featuring the Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of CYSO music director David Ik-Sung Choo; the Repertory Orchestra, led by conductor Jason Love; and the String Orchestra with guest conductor Deborah Greitzer. The orchestra's new Flute Choir, made up of 11 advanced flute players, will perform under director Cynthia Rugolo.

THIS IS the story of the Snow Queen. It begins in a mythical country up north. The Snow Queen keeps the land in a permanent chill. Once a year, she looks at herself in a magical mirror that reflects back to her the opposite of what she is. When she sees the image of summer looking back at her, warm weather arrives. But one year, ice trolls steal the mirror to ensure that it will always be winter. They throw the mirror off a mountain and it smashes into tiny bits. People in the village below mistake the falling pieces of glass for snow.

TAKING IN a performance of "The Nutcracker" is a holiday tradition for many families. But for some folks in east Columbia, taking part in the performance has become a family tradition. It is a slick performance - "The Nutcracker on Ice" - a production of the Columbia Figure Skating Club in Oakland Mills. Members of the Buckler family have skated in every performance since the club's first "Nutcracker" 11 years ago. Mom Alicia and daughter Amanda, 16, have not missed a performance, and daughter Amy, 11, joined the cast as soon as she was old enough to skate.

When the 65 members of the Columbia Figure Skating Club take to the rink this weekend for their annual spring show, it will be the icing on almost a year's worth of detailed planning and practice."

Fantasia on Ice'Skates will be dancing across the ice this weekend, as the Columbia Figure Skating Club brings its spring ice show, "A Fantasia on Ice," to the Columbia Ice Rink.See more than 135 trained skaters, including more than 100 children, perform to the music of "The Lion King" and "Pocahontas." And enjoy the classic French children's story "Madeline" as it is brought to life on the ice through expressive skating and Parisian music.Performances will be on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the Columbia Ice Rink, 5876 Thunder Hill Road in Columbia.

IT TRULY MUST BE spring!Columbia's Figure Skating Club is presenting its annual spring show this weekend at the Columbia Ice Rink on Thunder Hill Road in Oakland Mills Village.This year's production is "A Fantasia on Ice" -- including interpretations of "The Lion King," "Pocahontas" and the children's story "Madeline."Pat Muth -- a Thunderhill resident and the rink's numero uno professional and artistic director -- is aided and abetted by Rob McBrien, who directed and choreographed the second act.Rob was ensemble director for "The John Curry Skaters" during its appearances at London's Royal Albert Hall and at New York's Metropolitan Opera House.