'On the Edge of Royalty' Diamond Edge skaters perform this weekend

WILLMAR - The Diamond Edge Figure Skaters present "On the Edge of Royalty" at 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Willmar Civic Center.

Over 50 skaters from age 3 to adult will take to the ice to highlight kings, queens and the staff that surround royalty.

The show will feature familiar musical renditions and include a lights-out number, which is always an audience favorite.

Solo skates will be presented by April Goff, and seniors Ashlyn Bergh and Kayla Norling.

There will be three guest skaters from the St. Paul Figure Skating Club.

Lily Podgorak, 12, was second at the Upper Great Lakes Regionals in Juvenile Ladies, and fifth at Midwestern Sectionals.

Annie Bai, 11, and her 13-year-old brother, Andrew Bai, were born in Los Angeles and used to skate at Pasadena where Olympian Mirai Nagasu trained. They moved to Minnesota in 2015 and started skating competitively in 2016.

They were introduced to pair skating in early 2017. In September, they got first place in their first Juvenile Pairs competition at the Greater Chicagoland Fall Invitational. In November, they won Pewter Medals in Midwestern Sectional Championships and won a spot to compete at the 2018 US National Championships in San Jose, where they got 6th place in Juvenile Pairs.

They both go to Lake Middle School. They spend their after school time skating together, playing piano, attending orchestra and band, and playing (or fighting) with each other like typical siblings.

In addition to pairs skating with his sister, Andrew is also a competitive skater in boy's events. He won Minnesota State Championships two years in a row: Pre-preliminary in 2016 and Preliminary in 2017. He then quickly moved up to Juvenile for the rest of the 2017-2018 season. His goal in the 2018-2019 season is to move up to Intermediate Men with a solid double axel.

Advance tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for students with age 3 and under free with a paid adult. They are available at Cash Wise Foods in Willmar or on line at diamondedgeskating.com. Tickets at the door will be $12 and $7.

1/6: Erica Dischino / Tribune Bailey Erickson twirls during a dress rehearsal Monday for the Diamond Edge Figure Skaters show “On the Edge of Royalty.” The show will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Willmar Civic Center.

2/6: Erica Dischino / Tribune Jessica Hedtke performs an arabesque during a dress rehearsal Monday at the Willmar Civic Center for this weekend's Diamond Edge Figure Skaters show.

3/6: Erica Dischino / TribuneThe emerging synchronized skating team skates in a line during a dress rehearsal Monday for the Diamond Edge Figure Skaters show “On the Edge of Royalty.” The show will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Willmar Civic Center.

4/6: Erica Dischino / TribuneSkater Kayla Norling performs during a dress rehearsal Monday for the Diamond Edge Figure Skaters show “On the Edge of Royalty.”

5/6: Erica Dischino / Tribune Amber Ronning takes a lunge with fellow skaters during a dress rehearsal Monday for the Diamond Edge Figure Skaters show “On the Edge of Royalty.” The show will be held at 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Willmar Civic Center.

6/6: Erica Dischino / Tribune Skaters Kayla Norling, left, and Bailey Erickson perform during a dress rehearsal Monday for the Diamond Edge Figure Skaters show. “On the Edge of Royalty” will be presented this weekend at the Willmar Civic Center.