Above: The Space Coast Hurricanes open TOI team performs a winning Jekyll and Hyde program at 2024 National Theatre on Ice. Photo credit: 828 Studios
By Nicole Buddie
Just a 20-minute drive from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center trains one of the first Theatre on Ice teams in the country.
“We’ll be on the ice practicing, and there are times when a rocket launches into space right over us,” Katie McGovern Nyman said.
McGovern Nyman is the director of the Space Coast Hurricanes. Born and raised in London, she moved to the U.S. in 2003. She founded the Space Coast Hurricanes in 2005. It started with a small group of interested skaters at 6 on Saturday mornings, training at the Space Coast IcePlex in Rockledge, Florida.
McGovern Nyman skated professionally in shows worldwide in the 1980s and 1990s. After coaching a similar program in England and with the growing theatre concept in America, she decided to bring the artistry to the Space Coast.
“We started with 16 skaters and this year we’ve grown to 100 across our four teams,” McGovern Nyman said.
With only one other team in Tampa, the Space Coast Hurricanes have made their mark in the Sunshine State, soaring into three competitive national teams.
In 2024, the Space Coast Hurricanes reached a new milestone. They were selected to represent the United States for the sixth season since 2010 at the Nations Cup, which is now held every two years. Top teams from around the world compete at this marquee event.
In 2023, the preliminary and intermediate Space Coast teams claimed national titles.
In 2024, the same teams progressed to the next level and won the juvenile and open divisions respectively.
“This season’s open team is 70% new as a lot of skaters went off to college. The focus is to build the team up,” McGovern Nyman said.
All three teams are getting ready for takeoff as they are set to compete in Allen, Texas, at the National Theatre On Ice competition, June 24–28.
Throughout the week, each team trains for one hour on ice together. With minimal organized practice, skaters are required to keep up their training. That includes skating anywhere from two to four times on their own, depending on their team level.
“We try to teach that accountability,” McGovern Nyman said.
Artistry, emotional connection and experimenting with how to tell a story are what continue to draw skaters to The Space Coast Hurricanes.
“It’s an hour where they can just let their guard down,” McGovern Nyman said.
Across the teams, you’ll find those competing in singles, dance and pairs, as well as the more elite competitors from the U.S. Figure Skating National Qualifying Series. Theatre on Ice at the Iceplex is for all levels of skaters.
With the biggest competition of the season weeks away, McGovern Nyman said additional practice is key. Some of the skaters across the teams drive more than an hour from Orlando, Florida, to get to practice.
“Theatre on Ice is an opportunity for skaters to thrive in a team environment, learn how to work with others, and sometimes you can’t always wear the costume you want,” McGovern Nyman said.
When it comes to Theatre on Ice, each skater may not have the same makeup, hair, or costume, but it’s the differences that help portray the chapters of the story on ice.
The Space Coast Hurricanes are no stranger to being unique when it comes to selecting music, costumes, or a theme to skate to.
The juvenile team will portray a 1920s beach scene at the National Theatre On Ice event.
The open team will tell the story of Young Frankenstein.
The adults are dressing up as America's fast-food restaurant characters.
The Hurricanes also field an introductory team, which will not compete in Texas.
It will come down to unison and their connection, as they tell these stories together, McGovern Nyman said.
Don't miss the Space Coast Hurricanes when they compete at 2025 National Theatre on Ice next week. For a full schedule, results and more, click here.
