Following the obligatory opening ensemble number introducing all the skaters, Renee Roca and Gorsha Sur opening the proceedings skating to Bocelli/Celine Dion's The Prayer; I think this is a new program, but it is definitely one that suits them well. It was a nice start to the show.
Lu Chen was up next, a surprise last minute addition, skating to a slow, instrumental piece which suited her much better than some of the jazzy, sexy type numbers she's done in the past, even though she didn't attempt to land anything more difficult than a double axel (which she did quite well).
Todd followed Lulu, skating to Michael W. Smith's Freedom Battle (or so we
have since learned), which Richard told me later is to be Todd's ISU
regulation short program for the new season. It's a powerful piece,
highlighted by a triple axel right on the crescendo of the music (landed
here perfectly), Carmina Burana type footwork - and, a new move for Todd,
barrel rolls! This performance also featured a double axel (meaning the
triple axel will be in combination when the program is used as short
program) and a triple toe (which will no doubt be either a triple lutz or
a triple loop in a short program situation). In what I've come to
recognize as typical Eldredge form (meaning it's not the first time I've
seen him do this
Nancy Kerrigan followed, another surprise last minute addition (no doubt subbing for the advertised but missing Irina Slutskaya) looking remarkably fit. Skating to a Bosso Nova type number, she seemed well prepared and skated rather well, even though forced to put a hand down on a triple toe jump.
Bereznaia/Sikharulidze introduced what I expect is their main SOI number - a number that might best be described as Elvis Presley meets Marilyn Monroe, with Anton costumed in something reminiscent of one of Presley's more outrageous outfits (complete with sequins) and Elena as Monroe in The Seven Year Itch. When they first came out they were draped in sheets, making for a big surprise (read: gasp) from the audience when the sheets were removed to reveal the costumes they were wearing underneath. Their music was a kind of bizarre Elvis/Marilyn medley, featuring the actual singing voices of both celebrities, and in between tricks, Anton and Elena played their parts to the hilt. This is yet more of the kind of entertainment they presented in their earlier "The Kid" program and, playing very different types of roles from what they essayed in that number, yet another illustration of what naturals they are going to be on the permanent show circuit.
Aleksei Yagudin followed B/S skating his Winter program in a black costume. He skated flawlessly, landing a gorgeous triple axel and two triple toes and got a nice response from the audience, but somehow the program seemed to lack the spark it usually has had. I don't know whether it's because Aleksei has performed it *so* many times (including on tour), I have seen it live *so* many times (and I do love the program), or the costume is just all wrong for the program (it might be good for "Night", but it's not "Winter"), but this performance just seemed kind of flat. I don't think it was just me and my reaction to it, because although the performance did get a warm response, it did not getting the universal clamor and standing ovation it usually gets (in fact, this was probably the first and only time I've seen this program *not* get a standing ovation - and I saw Canadian Stars on Ice 4 times).
Jamie Sale and David Pelletier came next with a program to John Lennon's Imagine. It was nice, well skated, but in my opinion, really not up to the standard of previous programs I've seen them do. In other words, I found it a bit flat and decidedly uninspiring. I can't help but hope this is *not* the number they're going to be doing in Stars on Ice.
Kristi Yamaguchi ended the first half skating to some kind of Hip Hop vocal I couldn't identify. The performance featured a textbook perfect triple lutz, the kind of thing that makes me appreciate Kristi all the more when I realize that here she is, ten years away from her eligible days and still doing the hardest jump she had to do in those days. Plus she's just so darn pleasing to watch. Not tremendously exciting, mind you, but never, never boring.
Act Two began with a Pas de Quatre featuring Roca/Sur, Kristi and Todd. It was an interesting number, illustrating if nothing else how well Todd can do ensemble numbers when he puts his mind to it - all the more impressive when you realize that Todd's natural skating direction is opposite that of most other people and so for group numbers to skate with everyone else frequently means skating in the wrong direction!
Lu Chen began the 2nd Act solo routines with her Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend number, precisely the program I had in mind when I wrote the paragraph above about more lyrical programs suiting her more. I've seen this program live a couple of times now and it doesn't seem to improve with age. In this performance she doubled a planned triple toe, and singled a planned double axel, but managed to land a second double axel before exiting the ice.
Nancy Kerrigan followed, skating to Go the Distance, and proceeded to give just about the best performance I've seen her have in years. She opened with an absolutely breathtaking triple salchow, and also managed to execute a double axel and triple toe before exiting the ice. When she skates like this (which, I'm afraid, hasn't been that often in recent years, but maybe she's starting to turn things around?) she's a joy to watch.
Roca/Sur followed, skating their Maria number. It's an old number (a very old number) and I haven't seen it for years, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Todd followed, introducing yet another new program, this one to Andrea Bocelli's Miserere. It was a flawless performance, full of power and featuring a triple loop, triple salchow (!), triple axel (once again on the crescendo of the music), and a triple toe loop. It received a partial standing ovation from the audience and in fact got the loudest response of any program performed that evening. This program was basically on "tryout" as a possible Stars on Ice number; and judging from the response it received here, I wouldn't be surprised if Todd does decide to skate to it on tour.
Sale/Pelletier followed Todd with the Rock With It Baby exhibition number they performed at the Olympics gala exhibitions. This was my first chance to see it live and it was well worth the wait. A very, very clever number and one that showcases Jamie and David's personalities and skills to the max. It features a lift that may have been in the program all along, but which didn't stand out for me before *because* I hadn't seen the program live, but it basically consists of Jamie doing a handstand on David's uplifted hands. Very difficult and very dangerous. They lost their balance on this during the performance, but did it perfectly during the retakes later. This is a number it would be hard to get tired of and is the one I certainly hope they're planning to use in Stars on Ice this year.
The Other Golden Pair followed, skating an exhibition version of their Olympic Meditation program. I was again struck, as I often am with this pair, with how smooth they are and with how fast they skate. A thoroughly enjoyable performance.
Aleksei Yagudin followed with a new program, to what sounded to me like techno-like music. It was a doozy of a program, highlighting his amazing footwork, but also featuring a triple flip, a triple axel and a triple lutz. The audience ate it up and Aleksei seemed to be having the time of his life performing it.
Kristi Yamaguchi concluded with a new program to Imagine - sung by a female vocalist I couldn't identify, another enjoyable performance that was highlighted by a triple loop and triple toe, and which was greatly appreciated by the audience.
Kurt Browning had been present throughout the above proceedings, acting in the capacity of host and MC (he will be prominently featured in the TV broadcast), and to the disappointment of many, since he began the show attired in suit and shoes, it looked like he was not actually going to skate himself. However, as the evening progressed, he got closer to the ice and his footwear started to change. After actually going out on the ice in street shoes, he changed to what looked like either hockey or speed skates (whatever they were, they weren't figure skates) before in fact ending up with figure skates on. But it wasn't until after Kristi skated and when she came out to thank everyone for coming that he really took to the ice, skating a short excerpt to Frank Sinatra's Moon River to Kristi which in turn segued into the closing ensemble number. Needless, wild applause from the audience resulted, making it apparent that Kurt was giving everyone in the arena exactly what they'd been hoping to see.
The one notable (for me) point of what was otherwise an ordinary end-of-show closing ensemble/final bows kind of number were Todd and Kristi doing side by side camel spins - notable especially as they were of course skating in opposite directions.
This was on the whole a very, very enjoyable show, much, much better than last year's Salute to Gold.
Retakes followed, the highlight of which was Todd acting as initial MC while the other skaters got back into their retake costumes. For someone who had had very little (more like next to none) notice that he was going to called upon to perform this role, he did very, very well - managing to keep up the banter and entertain the audience as they waited for the first of the retakes. Eventually, he was given the opportunity in one of the retakes to fix the triple toe he'd botched in the Freedom Battle program.
The show was relatively well attended, considering the extreme lack of local advertising of it.
Fran
FranBuhman@aol.com
