His classic black circle ears are instantly recognizable all over the globe. He is Mickey Mouse and he is the face of one of the most successful companies on the globe — Disney. Since it’s inception in the 1920s, Disney has steadily expanded into many different markets. Movies, music, television, theme parks and all manner of merchandise can all be found under the Disney umbrella. One of the most popular products Disney offers, however, is its ice-skating shows. Since 1981, the Walt Disney Company has connected with audiences all across the world through the magical antics of Disney characters on ice.

This year Disney will present Rockin’ Ever After at the Crown, Dec. 12-16. The performance features many of the newer Disney characters such as Sebastian and the Daughters of Triton from The Little Mermaid, the rowdy pub thugs from Tangled and the spunky and enchanted servants from Beauty and the Beast competing to be the next big superstars. The performance is comical and makes the unique characters even more lovable, but it all culminates with the appearance of the Disney Princesses.

This year Disney on Ice has added some of the newer princesses along with a few of the classic royal characters. Look for Ariel, Rapunzel, Belle and — in her Disney on Ice premier — Merida from Brave.

When speaking about the newest Disney Princess’ arrival on the ice, producer Nicole Feld said, “The most exciting part of bringing a fearless and independent character like Merida to the ice for the first time is knowing that she has a powerful and inspiring message to deliver about finding the courage to determine one’s own fate. We think her story translates well to the ice and will really resonate with today’s audience.”

The beauty of Disney on Ice is that as Mickey and Minnie travel to see these wonderful characters, each story is highlighted so that the audience can experience each character’s triumph. There is something for everyone here because so many stories are shown on the ice, and the energetic music and choreography keeps everything engaging and exciting.

One of the performer’s in Rocking Ever After is North Carolina native Lauren McHenry. McHenry has been skating since the age of 7, and her dedication and skill has won her many different awards including representing the United States at the 2009 Prague Cup International Competition.

“It is an incredible show! We are featuring Ariel, Rapunzel and Belle and their stories are all tied together with a talent show theme, based off reality show life on T.V. Mickey and Minnie are the hosts for the show. They are searching for the greatest talent in the land, and I am an ensemble skater so I am in all the numbers. I am also Arista, one of the daughters of Triton,” McHenry said.

Disney on Ice is always family friendly and full of fun. There will be something there for everyone and it is not just for children, McHenry expresses this feeling by saying, “Everyone who has a chance should come and see it! There really is something for people of all ages. There is fantastic skating and cool special effects, great music that has been revamped and is more contemporary. Everyone should come and see it!”

Disney on Ice Rocking Ever After will be at the Crown Coliseum from Dec. 12 - 16. Performances are at 7 p.m. Tickets are available through the Crown Coliseum at www.atthecrown.com.