Champions On Ice
Apr. 24th, 2006 03:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bex77Let me say first that sisters are a wonderful thing! My sister gave me a ticket to the Champions on Ice show at the Boston Garden! I had given up on the idea of going. Too expensive for me, and I wanted to make a statement by not forking over that much money. But she took the matter out of my hands.
For those who want to read all the details, they're hidden below:
A gang of us went to the matinee together on Saturday. We got to see about 25 current and former skating medalists. It was great to hear the varied reactions from various skating officianiados and those who don't read 300+ message a day about figure skating.
Programs were $15. Didn't bother. My other sister got one. No list of the show numbers, not even the wonderful list the old programs had of all the Olympic medalists. Just a big article on Sonia Henie and bad photos of the performers.
I started trying to find my seat when an usher came by to help and pointed downward. "Oooh! Front row! Lucky you!" Heh. I prefer being a few rows up for competition, but this was lovely for a show.
I believe the no-shows for today (that I've heard talked about elsewhere) were Stephan Lambiel and Emily Hughes. And no Matt Savoie.
The show started about 15 minutes late...typical in my experience of these matters.
The Garden was perhaps half full. The lower bowl was mostly full. Then the mid-level there was no one. And the upper nosebleeds were maybe half full. Never seen that poor attendance before, but I haven't been to COI in years. It was especially for an Olympic year.
We saw the intro. Fast-paced, group number with rocky music from the 80's mostly, plain costumes in bright colors - yellow, electric blue etc.
Not sure of the order, didn't take notes. But we saw most of the same people others have reported from other stops, but not doing the same programs. I wonder how they choose which to do?
Rudy Galindo, with fur coat, doing his chairsexual routine ending with "Last Dance" by Donna Summer. Still got spunk, that guy.
Surya Bonaly did her accumlation of back-flips. They're fun once, but not over and over and over. She did look very relaxed and happy as she sailed by.
Dan Hollander did his "Olympic Long Program", with Dick Button on commentary. His footwork is astonishing! He did one go -round, then sped up to do it again at almost double-speed. Wow.
Kimmie Meissner did her "Over the Rainbow" number in the gorgeous blue costumes. She is young, but has great presence and even did her 3 jump series at the end!
The dancers Gregory and Petukhov appeared...I couldn't recall others having mentioned them. He had on black pants and a sweater...looked like street clothes... maybe his costume got lost somewhere. She had on a simple white dress with a few sparkles and flayed hem. They did "Impossible Dream."
Evan Lysacek did his gimmick of trying to choose from 3 songs that they showed on TV from the Marshall's cheesefest. He can dance. It is a bit of muscial whiplash to snap from hip hop to country to Elvis.
Johnny Weir has gotten a haircut - looks much better. He skated to "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. His velvet costume seemed wrong for that number...but it looks great when he spins.
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto skated a Latin program in their Olympic costumes. It was good dancing and shimmy, but somehow not what I wanted to see from them.
Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizarat closed the first half with their red costumes/green scarf routine to a slow ballad in French? Spanish? I had wanted to see their Star Wars routine, but was delirious just to see them at all. I believe they've always skipped the Boston stops before, at least when I was attending. You can definitely tell they were pre-COP skaters, and that is a good thing.
Irina Grigorian and her hoops opened the second half. Dan Hollander brought the hoops out to her, wearing a black t-shirt that said "HOOP BOY". It's fun for about 2 minutes, but it goes on forever.
Viktor Petrenko skated to "The Start of the Blues." One "ending" after another. Sorry...yawn.
The acrobats came on - Vlademir Besedin and Oleksiy Polishchuk. Again, 3 minutes would have been fine but it went on forever and ever. Snooze.
Irina Slutskaya skated to "Hey Big Spender" wearing a costume with too much black fringe on the front and silver straps with most of her back bare, fishnet gloves, and a hat. It felt like she was phoning it in today...popped jumps, turn-arounds, sloppy spins. Ah, but she does smile great big.
Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin skated well..so much unison and ballet and power! They are more exciting in person than on TV, and Tat definitely smiled more than I've ever seen her.
Sasha Cohen skated to "God Bless America" sung by Celine Dion. Eh.
Evgeny Plushenko skated to "Tosca" and jumped and kicked...you saw this at Marshall's on TV last week. Angst to both sides of the arena, and the end. Technical brilliance but not so fun.
Michelle Kwan was the final skater and got the biggest crowd reaction. She skated to "A Song for You" sung by Natalie Cole, in that gorgeous blue costumes with the slits. My, her hair has gotten long. Still no jumps, but that's fine. She has crossed into the "legendary" group with Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill, where the jumps don't matter anymore...people can watch her glide from one end to the other.
The finale started off wearing goofy-looking frilly old-fashioned 1890's outfits. They rolled out 6 archways with lights (to block people's view, mostly). It ended to "Sing, Sing, Sing". Can't have skating without that song. *sigh* Standing ovation.
So...I was glad to finally see A&P in person. And I am always glad to see Michelle...never know when it will be for the last time.
For those who want to read all the details, they're hidden below:
A gang of us went to the matinee together on Saturday. We got to see about 25 current and former skating medalists. It was great to hear the varied reactions from various skating officianiados and those who don't read 300+ message a day about figure skating.
Programs were $15. Didn't bother. My other sister got one. No list of the show numbers, not even the wonderful list the old programs had of all the Olympic medalists. Just a big article on Sonia Henie and bad photos of the performers.
I started trying to find my seat when an usher came by to help and pointed downward. "Oooh! Front row! Lucky you!" Heh. I prefer being a few rows up for competition, but this was lovely for a show.
I believe the no-shows for today (that I've heard talked about elsewhere) were Stephan Lambiel and Emily Hughes. And no Matt Savoie.
The show started about 15 minutes late...typical in my experience of these matters.
The Garden was perhaps half full. The lower bowl was mostly full. Then the mid-level there was no one. And the upper nosebleeds were maybe half full. Never seen that poor attendance before, but I haven't been to COI in years. It was especially for an Olympic year.
We saw the intro. Fast-paced, group number with rocky music from the 80's mostly, plain costumes in bright colors - yellow, electric blue etc.
Not sure of the order, didn't take notes. But we saw most of the same people others have reported from other stops, but not doing the same programs. I wonder how they choose which to do?
Rudy Galindo, with fur coat, doing his chairsexual routine ending with "Last Dance" by Donna Summer. Still got spunk, that guy.
Surya Bonaly did her accumlation of back-flips. They're fun once, but not over and over and over. She did look very relaxed and happy as she sailed by.
Dan Hollander did his "Olympic Long Program", with Dick Button on commentary. His footwork is astonishing! He did one go -round, then sped up to do it again at almost double-speed. Wow.
Kimmie Meissner did her "Over the Rainbow" number in the gorgeous blue costumes. She is young, but has great presence and even did her 3 jump series at the end!
The dancers Gregory and Petukhov appeared...I couldn't recall others having mentioned them. He had on black pants and a sweater...looked like street clothes... maybe his costume got lost somewhere. She had on a simple white dress with a few sparkles and flayed hem. They did "Impossible Dream."
Evan Lysacek did his gimmick of trying to choose from 3 songs that they showed on TV from the Marshall's cheesefest. He can dance. It is a bit of muscial whiplash to snap from hip hop to country to Elvis.
Johnny Weir has gotten a haircut - looks much better. He skated to "My Way" by Frank Sinatra. His velvet costume seemed wrong for that number...but it looks great when he spins.
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto skated a Latin program in their Olympic costumes. It was good dancing and shimmy, but somehow not what I wanted to see from them.
Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizarat closed the first half with their red costumes/green scarf routine to a slow ballad in French? Spanish? I had wanted to see their Star Wars routine, but was delirious just to see them at all. I believe they've always skipped the Boston stops before, at least when I was attending. You can definitely tell they were pre-COP skaters, and that is a good thing.
Irina Grigorian and her hoops opened the second half. Dan Hollander brought the hoops out to her, wearing a black t-shirt that said "HOOP BOY". It's fun for about 2 minutes, but it goes on forever.
Viktor Petrenko skated to "The Start of the Blues." One "ending" after another. Sorry...yawn.
The acrobats came on - Vlademir Besedin and Oleksiy Polishchuk. Again, 3 minutes would have been fine but it went on forever and ever. Snooze.
Irina Slutskaya skated to "Hey Big Spender" wearing a costume with too much black fringe on the front and silver straps with most of her back bare, fishnet gloves, and a hat. It felt like she was phoning it in today...popped jumps, turn-arounds, sloppy spins. Ah, but she does smile great big.
Tatiana Totmianina and Maxim Marinin skated well..so much unison and ballet and power! They are more exciting in person than on TV, and Tat definitely smiled more than I've ever seen her.
Sasha Cohen skated to "God Bless America" sung by Celine Dion. Eh.
Evgeny Plushenko skated to "Tosca" and jumped and kicked...you saw this at Marshall's on TV last week. Angst to both sides of the arena, and the end. Technical brilliance but not so fun.
Michelle Kwan was the final skater and got the biggest crowd reaction. She skated to "A Song for You" sung by Natalie Cole, in that gorgeous blue costumes with the slits. My, her hair has gotten long. Still no jumps, but that's fine. She has crossed into the "legendary" group with Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill, where the jumps don't matter anymore...people can watch her glide from one end to the other.
The finale started off wearing goofy-looking frilly old-fashioned 1890's outfits. They rolled out 6 archways with lights (to block people's view, mostly). It ended to "Sing, Sing, Sing". Can't have skating without that song. *sigh* Standing ovation.
So...I was glad to finally see A&P in person. And I am always glad to see Michelle...never know when it will be for the last time.
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Date: 2006-04-24 09:46 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-04-25 03:49 am (UTC)The dancers Gregory and Petukhov appeared...I couldn't recall others having mentioned them.
I've been reading reports on FSU; G&P were at the Hartford show as well. I gather they got a few local gigs. Good for them!
Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto skated a Latin program in their Olympic costumes. It was good dancing and shimmy, but somehow not what I wanted to see from them.
Scuttlebutt has it that their "Skating with Celebrities" routine didn't go over well in DC, so they scrapped it and fell back on a version of their OD.
I really liked Evan's program when I saw it on the Marshall's broadcast. I thought itt was fun and entertaining. I seem to be in a minority on this one, though.