When British skater Luke Brotherson straps on his skates, he becomes quite the character -- hopefully one that inspires.

Mr. Brotherson is one of the cast on the Disney on Ice: Mickey & Minnie's Magical Journey tour stopping in Augusta this weekend. He said skating as a Disney character, which often involves bulky costumes, does present challenges, but for him that is part of the appeal of appearing in the production.

"There are things that require some extra work and effort," he said in a recent telephone interview, "but that's also the fun. It adds an extra element to what we are doing."

Mr. Brotherson has been skating with the Disney productions since 2003. He said the appeal of joining the tour involved being seen, and the allure of the Disney magic.

''Yes, a big part of it was Disney," he said with a laugh. "The other thing was, in the skating world, this is one of the biggest shows you can work with. There was also the travel."

Mr. Brotherson said the tour's demanding schedule can be grueling both physically and mentally. He said he's been fortunate to remain free of any significant injuries, and he spends a lot of time focusing on remaining healthy.

"So far so good," he said. "I do try to eat healthy and I stretch. I love to stretch, and stretch a lot. I also do extra skating. I really have to do what I feel I need to stay healthy."

The result of all this work, Mr. Brotherson hopes, is that some child in some audience in some city will be inspired by his performance, just as he was inspired watching skating as a teen.

"It's all about that reaction," he said. "A smile on a face, that really is the most satisfying thing. I was inspired by seeing skating and maybe now I can do the same thing."