When we think about athletes, we like to think about discipline and endurance. The ideal athlete is up at dawn, going for a jog, doing situps, pushups, eating right, always placing mind over matter. The goal, in almost every work of fiction, be it literary or cinematic, has been to win.
When the star athlete wins, the credits roll. That, we are told, is the end of the athlete’s story.
For professional skater Pavel Viugov though, all of that discipline, technical mastery, and physical boldness is akin to a guitar player making sure he knows his scales, or practicing regularly. Skating has always been as much about artistic expression as it has been about athletic control.
Fortunately, as principal male soloist for the Cinema of Dreams 2025 European Tour, which kicked off this month and will eventually hit 21 cities, he has the freedom to create.
“The producers have given me almost total freedom to experiment,” says Viugov. “I have the ability to push the boundaries of what’s possible on the ice. It’s both exhilarating and terrifying.”
Built on Discipline
Viugov was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, a city that rushes with water and, in winter, freezes over with ice. By the age of five, a young Pavel was already present on the ice, learning not only to skate but to develop his own swing.
His coaches prepared him for life as a professional athlete, hammering into him the skills to pull off jaw-dropping spins and leaps. (Viugov has even made the back flip a signature move, something one can only see to fully appreciate). But he wanted more than just the ability to pull off a polished skating performance.
Viugov was restless and he had an artistic temperament. “At first, I only wanted to skate faster,” he recalls, “but later I became interested in using the artistry of skating to tell complex stories.”
So Pavel Viugov began his transition from a competitive skater into a consummate artiste.
But there were other stops along the way.
A Long Voyage
In 2018, Viugov joined the cast of Royal Caribbean’s Once Upon a Time, a sea-bound retelling of Andersen’s fairy tales. As part of the roving performance, he was cast as Hans Christian Andersen himself. One can only appreciate the notion of an artist playing another artist.
Yet he pulled it off with aplomb. “The audience liked that I wasn’t just an athlete, but a performer,” he remembers. “Every move I made moved them in some way. There was a kind of dialogue.”
After a performance, the cast members would retire to their cabins, only to rest in preparation for a new day and a new challenge. Royal Caribbean’s ships were floating worlds unto themselves. The sea wind mixed with the memories of applause. And Viugov continued to perfect his craft.
“Behind the scenes, there’s a lot of camaraderie,” says Viugov of his life among other skaters. “Touring can be relentless, you see how much work it takes, and casts learn to lean on each other. We support each other in the midst of that routine. We hang out and tell jokes,” he says. It’s a real family.”
After Royal Caribbean, Viugov received a promotion of sorts when Disney knocked on his door. He joined the cast of Disney on Ice, playing a range of characters. For Viugov, it was an opportunity that allowed him to tap into his reservoir of talent.
One day he would play Hans from Frozen, the next day he would be Miguel from Coco. And the greatest challenge was the Genie from Aladdin. “The Genie was something else, that role was wild,” says Viugov. “It was hard not to start laughing. But I loved playing Hans as well. As for Miguel, he was just all heart, I think.”
As with any art, Viugov was developing but having so much fun that he barely noticed himself change. The ice became his stage, and he again was ready to turn the page to the next chapter.
Cinema of Dreams
Viugov is now about to embark on the Holiday on Ice Cinema of Dreams European Tour, which will see him perform in 21 German cities. The first show will take place on 19 November in Grefrath and the final performance will take place on 26 April 2026 in Düsseldorf.
The performance pages through the film world, toying with nostalgia, glamour and glitz. In his role as principal boy soloist, Viugov will draw on all his talent as a skater, both in terms of technical finesse and artistic expression. The music couldn’t be better: Cinema of Dreams employs pop, rock, and ballads to accompany its performances.
Some of Viugov’s tricks challenge him too. He will pull off adagio lifts and aerial acts — ideas he picked up from street and circus performers. “I’ve always loved acrobatics,” he says. “I try to stay flexible enough to fill any role that needs me.”
He also likes the road life, though he acknowledges it can be emotionally and physically demanding. “In big touring productions you get to see all the work that has to be done by the technical team, which is amazing,” he says. “There’s a lot that happens on load-in and load-out days” says Viugov. “So, yes, I am very much looking forward to this tour with Holiday on Ice.”
