A former competitive ice skater is living out his childhood dream in Syracuse this weekend as Disney on Ice comes to the region for New Year's weekend.
The seven performances scheduled through Monday features dozens of Disney characters on the rink at the Oncenter War Memorial. The traveling show brings joy to children across the country, and around the world.
Performer Alejandro Garcia, who plays a beloved Toy Story character in the show, said he was one of those excited young audience members two decades ago.
"I watched my first Disney on Ice show 20 years ago in Mexico City for my birthday, and that day I said, 'I want to learn how to skate, and I will learn to skate and skate with Mickey and Minnie. One day I'm going to spend the ice with them,'" Garcia said. "And now, I get to do this every day after years and years of hard work."
His hard work started when he was 13 years old. He said he used to watch his siblings on the ice rink in his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico.
"My brothers were hockey players there, so since I was a kid, I used to spend my childhood at the rink, and then one day after watching that Disney on Ice show, I decided to join lessons," Garcia said.
He would go on to represent Mexico internationally in synchronized skating competitions. Now, Garcia plays Buzz Lightyear in Disney on Ice: Let's Celebrate, which features over 50 characters from various Disney movies. AFter ringing in the new year in Syracuse, the show moves on to Connecticut, Pennsylvania and then Ohio.
Garcia said he hopes the show's inspiration to pursue his goal can do the same for children now watching him perform.
"For every single kid that is out there watching the show, never stop dreaming," Garcia said. "That's what I would tell them. Don't stop dreaming. Dream big, big big, work for your dreams, and then keep dreaming bigger."
Disney on Ice has five remaining performances in Syracuse, including the final show scheduled for Monday afternoon.