Kiira Korpi – The Snow Queen

Five-time Finnish champion and three-time European medalist Kiira Korpi is starring in the role of The Snow Queen.

Silja Dos Reis – Gerda

Silja Dos Reis will charm as the brave Gerda.

Felipe Montoya – Kai

Felipe Montoya was born in Colombia. When he was 8 years old he moved to Spain with his mother. At the age of 13, he passed by an ice rink and saw kids skating, and at that point he wanted to skate. Felipe has won seven international medals and is an eight-time Spanish national medalist. He also participated in the Winter Olympics in 2018.

As a professional skater, Felipe has performed in shows in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, USA, Morrocco, and finally in Finland with the production of Snow Queen. Outside the skating rinks, Felipe is a graduated graphic designer and a passionate dance and music enthusiast.

Dmitry Semykin – The Raven / Hobgoblin

Dmitry Semykin was born and raised in Yekaterinburg, Russia. He entered a figure skating school in his childhood and trained professionally for 15 years. He was part of the Russian junior national pair skating team and the winner of various figure skating competitions. Dmitry received the category of master of sports in figure skating and graduated from the Olympic Reserve School and the University of Sports and Physical Culture.

After finishing his career in sports, he has worked as an an ice skater and a performer in over 30 ice shows around the world, such as Ballet on Ice in Russia and the first ice show of Cirque Du Soleil, in the ice circus Ermanos Fuentes Gasca tour in Latin America, in amusement parks in the United States, on cruise ships as a soloist pair skater in various ice shows, and in figure skating gala shows.

Susanna Rahkamo ja Petri Kokko – The Twin Wizards

European champions, European and world class ice dancing multi-medalists Susanna Rahkamo and Petri Kokko are cast as the mystical Twin Wizards.

Laura Lepistö – Spring

The most successful Finnish solo figure skater of all times, Laura Lepistö, will charm on ice.

Mila Kajas – Snow Queen’s Counsel

Finnish figure skater Mila Kajas is seen on ice in the role of the evil Snow Queen’s Counsel.

Marigold IceUnity – The Snowflake Soldiers / The Villagers

Marigold IceUnity is the most successful synchronized skating team in Finland, and the team that has won the most World Championship medals in the world. The team has won gold in 15 National Championships, silver 10 times, and bronze twice. Marigold IceUnity has represented Finland in World Championship competitions 18 times, starting in 2000.

Marigold IceUnity has won gold in 5 World Championships (in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2014, and 2018). They won silver in 2003, 2010, 2011, 2015, 2017, and 2019, and bronze in 2000 and 2005. The current head coach, the legendary and beloved Anu ”Jääskis” Oksanen, took the helm in 1993.

This senior level synchronized skating team consists of 23 athletic and determined skaters. Marigold’s goal is to bring something new to the sport every year, while not forgetting traditions. The team radiates athleticism and fair play, which are hallmarks of Marigold. The team’s positive and energetic attitude helps the members keep their spirits high even when faced with adversity.

With excellent guidance from Anu and the other skating coaches, tough workouts provided by fitness, ballet, and dancing coaches, and through each skaters unrelenting work, Marigold has managed to maintain in their skating style all the things they are known for world over: choreographs that compliment the music, and the ability to empathize and perform.

In the Snow Queen’s choreographs you will get to witness new and sometimes daring moves as well as the joy of skating that can be felt by the audience and skaters alike.

Reija Wäre – Director and choreographer

Reija Wäre has made a uniquely versatile career for herself in Finland, working as a director-choreographer among many different types of performing arts – from opera to street dance, from television to live stage, and from sports to mass events.

Reija received the Finnish Cultural Fund’s award for cultural deeds in 2020. In the argument, she was called “boundary-crossing person, who makes others move in never-before-seen ways.”

Reija has been part of the production of over 80 dance performances, plays, and musicals for the biggest theaters in Finland, and also worked for many independent and international productions. 

Among her works as director-choreographer was Turku City Theater’s Tom of Finland, which was touted as one of the greatest cultural experiences of 2017 by the biggest newspaper in Finland, Helsingin sanomat.

Reija has also made a name for herself in the music industry, and has produced stadium shows for the likes of Antti Tuisku, Jenni Vartiainen, Robin Packalen, Kaija Koo, and Anna Puu, as well as Cheek’s farewell concerts at the ski jump pit in Lahti.

On television she has been a trailblazer for large-scale productions such as the New Music Competition, for which she was a stage director, one of the concept artists, and the main choreographer. She has also worked as a choreographer for many televised concerts as well as the shows Dance and Masked Singer.

The younger members of the audience may have seen Reija’s work in the two latest Risto Räppääjä movies. She was lured into the world of skating originally by her work with the synchronized skating team Helsinki Rockettes.

Tuomas Kantelinen – Composer and producer

The score of the Snow Queen was composed by the award-winning Tuomas Kantelinen, who is one of the most internationally famous Finnish movie composers. During his career, Tuomas has composed music for nearly one hundred domestic and international movies. Among his repertoire, you can find powerful dramas, historical epics, animations, thrillers, Hollywood action films, and children’s movies.

Tuomas is also no stranger to the world of classical music. You could say Tuomas’ music speaks to the hearts of a nation, and every household can certainly hear his work daily, as the Channel 3 News comprise of his music.

The score of the Snow Queen is beautiful, heart-wrenchingly melodic, full of powerful emotions and large group shots – and of course not without its humor!

Mikki Kunttu – Visualist and lighting designer

The show’s visualist and lighting designer is Mikki Kunttu, who has showcased his works in the biggest of arenas and as part of some of the biggest productions. Among other things, Mikki has worked as a lighting designer for Cirque du Soleil in Montreal.

Mikki’s fingerprints are all over television, art, and music productions. He has worked as a lighting, screen, and st designer for many large-scale productions and tv galas, such as the National Opera, Danish Royal Ballet, Boston Ballet, Tero Saarinen Company, the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, and the Eurovision song contests in 2007, 2013, and 2016.

Mikki has worked as a visualist for many concerts and tours. He is also a sought-after lecturer in the biggest events of his field.

Melissa A. Thompson – Scriptwriting

The Scriptwriter & Concept Designer of The Snow Queen is Canadian writer Melissa A. Thompson. Writer and interdisciplinary arts specialist Melissa first joined Cirque du Soleil as a Fine Arts Consultant and went on to found the Creative Intelligence team, an in-house think tank focused on identifying emerging cultural trends, people of interest and resonant new directions for the organization. She also held the position of Concept Designer/ Creative Lead at Cirque du Soleil where she developed a broad range of projects including installation-based exhibits, experiences and live theater concepts over her 15-year career with the company.

Her work has also been recognized through several collaborations with the Musée des Beaux Arts de Montreal where she has held the role of Creative Director of their annual ball (2018–2020) and has collaborated on a wide range of exhibits, installations and performances. Melissa holds a BFA in Interdisciplinary Fine Arts & Creative Writing from Concordia University and a MA in Visual Arts from Goldsmith’s College, University of London.

Erika Turunen – Costume designer

Erika Turunen has designed wardrobes for modern dance, ballet, opera, and theater since 1990. She has a freelance contract as a costume designer for the Finnish National Opera and Ballet, where she was the head of her department from 1995 to 2009.

Some of her latest works include Tampere Opera’s Carmen (2020), the National Opera’s Das Rheingold (2019), Savonlinna Opera Festival’s The Abduction from the Seraglio (2017) and The Queen of Spades (2018), as well as Compania Kaari Martin’s dance performances in Anna Karenina (2018) and Tero Saarinen’s Third Practice (2019). Erika has received praise especially for the costumes she has designed for modern dance.

Erika has worked with, among others, the choreographers Tero Saarinen, Kenneth Greve, Javier Torres, Jorma Elo, Susanna Leinonen, Kaari Martin, Jorma Uotinen, Jeroen Verbruggen, and Kenneth Kvarnström. Erika’s unique style has also made her a sought-after partner for many international collaborations. She has designed outfits for the Nederlands Danse Theater, The Danish Royal Ballet, Korean National Dance Company, and Czeck National Theatre Ballet.

Minna Pilvinen – Makeup designer

Minna Pilvinen graduated as a hair stylist from the vocational institute in Rauma in 1996, and as a special hair stylist from the vocational institute in Turku in 1998. Minna graduated as a special makeup designer from the vocational institute in Turku in 1999, as a teacher from Helia polytechnic university in 2003, and as a beauty specialist from the polytechnic university in Turku in 2008.

Minna has worked for theater and television for over 20 years. Starting in 2014, she has worked as a permanent makeup artist for the Turku City Theatre, and she has worked as a freelance makeup artist for the Turku Castle Theatre since 2000. Her recent works include Turku City Theatre’s The Hobbit (2021), Amelie (2019), Hamlet (2019), The Lord of the Rings (2018), and Tom of Finland (2017). She also did makeup design for the Turku Castle Theatre’s revue MS Domino (2021), and for the Turku Music Festival’s opera Eerik XIV (2011), which was the culmination of Turku’s year as the cultural capital.

Some of Minna’s latest works for television and the big screen can be seen in the movies Sieniretki (2021) and Power of Love (2021),and the television series Kentän laidalla (2020). Minna’s hobbies include art, and she held her first art show in the summer of 2020.

Anu Oksanen – Synchronized skating choreographer

Marigold IceUnity’s coach Anu ”Jääskis” Oksanen has led her synchronized skating team to five World Championship gold medals, and15 National Championship gold medals. She was also responsible for guiding the junior team Musketeers to two World Championship gold medals and 11 National Championship gold medals. Anu is also the head coach for the Helsingin Luistelijat skating organization’s synchronized skating team.

Anu has a Bachelor’s Degree in sports science. She has been coaching Helsingin Luistelijat since 1993. Coaches of Finland has selected her the female team sports coach of the year three times in 2002, 2004, and 2006.

Anu received Finland’s Golden Cross award for sports and culture in 2019. The award is given to people in sports and culture for their lifetime achievements. During the same year, the city of Helsinki awarded Any with the Golden Helsinki medal. This is the highest honor the city can grant. She was also anointed among the one hundred legendary sportspeople of Helsinki.