THE?last time I saw an ice show I was probably about four years old and I think I was taken as a result of a healthy dose of parental guilt.

Apparently my misguided parents having decided - despite both being teachers - that it was appropriate to take a four year old to see the stage version of Up Pompeii had later concluded probably in an effort to prevent permanent mental scarring, that they should find the loudest, fastest and noisiest spectacular possible and make me sit through it.

Thus it was that having relished every second of Up Pompeii, I found myself one August in the early 70s watching the cast of the Bournemouth Ice Follies, as they zig-zagged their way across the ice, damaging me more and more deeply with each gazelle lift and triple axel.

Such was the depth of my despair that it was to be more than 40 years before I could regard ice as anything more than a essential element of a gin and tonic.

With this in mind I wasn't exactly enthusiastic when I received an invitation to the opening night of Holiday on Ice at Birmingham's LG?Arena last week.

However tempted by the lure of a post Christmas jaunt I duly sallied forth bound for the Midlands.

And how ice shows have changed in the past few decades.

No more half hearted pyrotechnics, shivering Tiller girl routines and glitzy costumes loosely bound with a corny story - ice shows for the 21st Century are hi-tech, hi-speed hi energy extravaganzas attracting some of the world's top skaters and performers.

Of course when it comes to ice shows, Holiday on Ice is the name to beat.

According to its own publicity Holiday on

Ice transforms classic ice revues into compelling and spectacular productions on ice and has been the undisputed market leader since 1943 - and millions of fans the world over can't be wrong.

Holiday on Ice proudly proclaims that it 'designs surprising formats that support a refreshing, contemporary combination of theatre, dance, opera, musical and acrobatic elements that appeal to audiences of all ages, around the world with music, choreography, sets, lighting, costumes and captivating story lines combing to create an exciting show for the whole family'.

If that wasn't enough to live up to Holiday on Ice has made a name for itself from Europe to Asia and the Middle east to South America and five different Holiday on Ice shows tour the world on a yearly basis with 250 skaters and 120 crew members reaching an audience in 15 different countries and 80 cities which means that more than 320 million people can now proudly proclaim to have seen a Holiday on Ice show.

So popular is it that The Guinness Book of Records describes Holiday on Ice as the most popular live entertainment show producer in the world.

Of course the glossy publicity and hype would not cut the ice if the show itself did not stand up to scrutiny and thankfully Energia does.

Really, when it comes to spectacle, any show that can offer a fire goddess skating on stilts, wearing a blazing headdress, while juggling flames is sure to be a winner and if you think that's impressive wait until you see them jump through blazing hoops.

In short, two hours at Holiday on Ice with its grace, elegance and almost mesmeric action has cured me of a lifetime aversion to ice spectaculars.

I have to say that at the start when I realised that the two clowns I had taken for the pre-show entertainment were actually an integral part of the show, my heart sank, but as the evening continued Ein and Stein, with their undoubted skating skills and ability to connect with the audience, did grow on me...but only a bit but happily even the annoyance of having two thirds of the Three Stooges at centre stage, could not detract from the delight of the evening as a whole.

At the heart of the show was the amazing set created by Bart Clement, which were it not for the skills of the performers, could have overtaken the on-ice action.

With a Saturn-like planet, complete with rings, at its centre, the all singing, all dancing set complemented the action perfectly and provided a focus for the celebration of life, the universe, time and space....weighty themes for an ice show.

Kicking off with Supernova - a stunning display from the show's principal skaters, the action continued with a celebration of Earth and its elements and the combination of the Golden Swan and Naga the serpent king to create humans. before letting loose with the celebratory theme.

Led by the inquisitive Ein and Stein the action moves from Neptune's underwater world, the setting for one of the most colourful and magical segments of the show, complete with sea horses and mermaids to Venus where lions and zebras create one of the show's highspots before paying a lively visit to Planet Salsa.

Of course amid the elegance and almost balletic style of the evening has to come a healthy dose of kitch and anyone worrying that the action could be in danger of becoming too highbrow need have no concerns, there's more hip-wiggling exuberance than you can shake a stick at before the show reaches its 'feel-good' climax with its anthem like theme.

In short whether you are a seasoned ice dance fan or a newcomer, tempted by the sight of Torvill and Dean whizzing around the studio on a Sunday night, give Energia a go - if you're anything like me, you won't be sorry you did.

•Energia can be see at Cardiff International Arena from 8 – 13 February 2011. Tickets are available from 02920 22 44 88