A lot of unfamiliar faces have invaded Eliot House this weekend, and they're all carrying ice skates--not to skate in the courtyard, but to help raise money for young cancer patients.

Most of North America's top figure skaters have descended upon Cambridge to participate in "An Evening with Champions"--the annual skating show which raises money for research and treatment of children with cancer in Boston.

Since its inception in 1970, the Eliot House show has become the premiere amateur skating exhibition in the United States. At the same time, the show has earned more than $600,000 for the Jimmy Fund, the main fundraising arm of the Harvard-affiliated Dana Farber Cancer Institute.

"It's very prestigious to be invited to come to the Jimmy Fund show, especially for the younger skaters," says the 1986 World Mens' Champion Brian Biotano, who is making his fourth appearance at the annual show.

"Almost every top skater in the past 15 years has participated in our show--before and sometimes, after they became famous," says Carl D. Shannon '87, one of the show's chairmen.

This year's program is no exception. Boitano will be joined by the top American pair skating team, the Canadian women's champion, and several other nationally ranked amateur skaters. Six Harvard students and some younger skaters from the New England area will also get the opportunity to show off their talents.

The skaters will be performing in Bright Center tonight and tomorrow at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. Boston public television will be taping the performances for national broadcast later this year.

Great Charity, Great Parties

Although most of the stars of this weekend's show perform in countless exhibitions across the country, many say the Jimmy Fund show is special because of the quality of skaters it attracts and because it's a lot of fun.

"It's a well-known show and very prestigious for skaters to do. It's for a very good cause, and they give great parties afterwards," says Scott Gregory, who won a silver medal in the 1986 American dance competition with his partner Suzanne Seminick.

"Most exhibitions can only afford two or three of us," says Renee Roca, half of the 1986 American ice dancing champion team. "But because the Jimmy Fund is a charity, the whole world team goes. The show's quality level is phenomenal." Roca and her partner Donald Adair have participated in the Jimmy Fund show three times. This year, however, they have had to cancel their appearance because Roca has tendonitis.

Since the skaters are donating their time, the Eliot House organizers go out of their way to make sure that everyone has a good time, says A. Paul Kienzle III '87, the show's co-chairman.

"It's a very fun show," says Gregory who has participated in the show several times over the years with different partners. "It has a really relaxed atmosphere, and Eliot House treats us great."

In addition to the three shows, plans for this weekend include a formal banquet, a sightseeing trip into Boston and several parties including a Saturday night bash for everyone who volunteered to skate or work on the show.

"The skaters really enjoy themselves because they get to let loose a little," Shannon says. "We usually spend all of Sunday's show praying that no one hurts themselves because they drank too much the night before."