Christmas Show Reports

[Michigansk8er]

I survived my club's Christmas Show today, with a clean skate!!!! :D I made up for that camel I blew at Buckeye too. I skated to "Mary Did You Know?" by Clay Aiken. We didn't get a warm-up this year. It's the first time I've ever done that. Quite a shock to this old body, but all went well anyhow (except for my coach starting my music before I got into my starting position).

How has everyone else done in their Christmas/Holiday shows, and what did you skate to?

[skaternum]

My friend Michele & I skated to George Winston's version of Carol of the Bells. It was an easy fluff piece, and it went just fine. We were scheduled to start the first warmup at 9:30 am, but since there was nothing happening on the ice, they let us on at about 9:15. That was the first time I've ever had a 20 minute warmup! And since there wre only 4 elements in our program, we ran through each of them about 10 times. :D

[mikawendy]

I didn't skate in any shows, but I got to see flo's--see my post and starskate6.0's post in the lessons/practices thread: http://www.skatingforums.com/showpost.php?p=209207&postcount=35

as well as starskate6.0's separate thread.

It was really nice to have the free ice afterward to skate on with all of my friends from that club. Everyone there is very friendly and helpful.

[Aussie Willy]

Our show was one of the best we have had in years. It went for about an hour which was great in keeping people's interest. Of course there was the drama over the guy collapsing (but check out my other thread for that). But we also had a larger audience than before and I had done some additional publicity which helped.

What is nice that many of our higher level skaters (which we have not had that many of in recent years) are really starting to develop their artistic skills - it really showed and made the show very entertaining.

As usual the Wednesday Morning ladies group did a group number to start the show to Funny Girl and it was a big hit and great way to start the show. Pink feathers were everywhere.

I got to do the announcing which I didn't realise I would be so nervous but got through it and most people said I did a good job.

Overall the show was a great way to finish off a very successful and fulfilling year for our small skating community.

[Mrs Redboots]

Our Winter Festival is a competition, usually with technical classes for the younger skaters, a semi-technical, semi-artistic class for adults, then two group classes (minimum 2, maximum about 10, I think), one for kids and one for adults. Actually, there's no maximum age in the kids' class, and one number had adults and kids in it. Partly because one skater's daughter (or sister - both Mum and Daughter skate) is a wheelchair user. They did a "Scooby-Doo" routine, and the wheelchair user did have skates on, but sat on a toboggan all the way through, which worked very well. In fact, that was the routine that won, and deservedly so - they were very funny and a great team. In spite of their coach's despair because they hadn't managed to have one single rehearsal with everybody there!

There were four entries in the adult class - all married couples, oddly enough, although one had two other women with them, and another should have had another woman, but on the day she was ill. However, the wife managed to rechoreograph the piece as she went along, and in the end it was they who won, deservedly. Husband and I came last, oh what a surprise - NOT - although it was very close. The foursome who just pipped us had far less technical in it but were much funnier; I don't think there can have been more than a point in it. But that's okay - they deserved it, and there's so much more we can do with ours. And next year, unless we go to Dunkerque again, we'll do our Leader of the Pack programme, which is funny, so.....

[Mel On Ice]

My synchro team opened the Friday night show with a shortened version of our Michael Buble/Cherry Poppin' Daddies program "Come Sway With Me/Dancin' Fool". We did great, but know we have a lot of work ahead of us to finish the program in time for our next competition.

I had a solo, and was the 30th act out, nestled among the senior and novice ladies! I performed my "Gabriel's Message" almost perfect. The spotlights disoriented me, and I started off my mark and squinted my way through a loop jump. I landed it though and my only mistake was 3 turning out of a back pivot so I had to make up an ending on the spot.

I plan on having Saturday pics up on our club website in the next day or two!

[Skate@Delaware]

Last night we opened "Nutcracker on Ice" which turned out very well overall. The spotlights were disorienting. I was in 2 synchro numbers (Mirliton cakes & Waltz of the Flowers which involved a very quick change of costumes). We hit most of our marks. I was debating whether to keep or ditch my glasses, but kept them, which was good because it was dark and hard to see where I needed to be with my glasses! :roll:

We played to a standing-room-only crowd! Hopefully, it will be packed again today for our final performance!

It's been lots of fun! Everyone's routine is very nice and the audience seemed to have a good time. Surprisingly, I haven't been nervous-my daughter said she was a bit nervous.

[NCSkater02]

I opened my program doing a spiral and a half flip straight into the spot light. :roll: I didn't fall, and only ran out of program a little before I ran out of music. The adult number was partially improvised because the third skater dropped out Monday.

The rest of the show went well, no major spills. One spectator broke his arm walking on the ice rather than the mats, but nothing else happened.

[NoVa Sk8r]

I opened my program doing a spiral and a half flip straight into the spot light. :roll: I didn't fall, and only ran out of program a little before I ran out of music.

Thanks so much for reminding me about this! Last year, in a dress rehearsal--in my first ever pairs program--I rounded the corner and was BLINDED by the light, so to speak. Loops had to be the seeing-eye partner, as we were headed straight into our side-by-side flips, and she had to alert me when to jump.

Glad to hear everyone's programs have gone well so far. It's pumping me up for my show on Thursday. I'm hoping that practice early tomorrow afternoon goes well. ... >>crosses fingers<<

Loops, we can do it ... AND I've thought of a new loop lift exit--be afraid, be VERY afraid!!! ;)

[CanAmSk8ter]

Thanksgiving weekend I skated in the Nutcracker at the rink where I teach. My best friend and I choreographed one of the little kids' numbers but I guess we made it a little too tricky because I found out two weeks before the show that I was going to be on the ice skating with them! They did well though- much better than at any of the rehearsals. They're a good group of kids.

My synchro team's show was last night. I didn't skate the program- I'm an alternate at least for now b/c I just joined three weeks ago- but I got to get dressed up and made up and in the team photo :lol: And I skated in one other number. It was a fun day all around b/c we were together all day and I got to spend some time with my teammates, several of whom I hadn't met before joining the team.

[CaraSkates]

I skated in the "Nutcracker on Ice". It wasn't at my home rink, but at another rink in my town. I was a soldier in two numbers, both which went very well. We had to sit on the ice for 30 minutes before/inbetween our numbers and were positivly frozen by the time we got off. The only thing that went wrong was someone's sword falling onto the ice, right where we had to do a pinwheel. I gave it a good hard kick when I came around :D and someone pulled it behind the scenery and handed it back later.

[NickiT]

I have just finished seven performances of Cinderella on Ice over five days. I was in the adult number along with Batikat and we opened the second half of the show in the ball room scene. We had a lot of fun as we always do and apart from only just making it onto the ice in time on one performance, we had no major mishaps. Now I'm absolutely shattered but it was well worth it!

Nicki

[Michigansk8er]

Wow, sounds like some of you have GREAT holiday shows. What fun!!!!!!

[Andie]

I wasn't in any Christmas show. At my rink they want you to be tested to be eligible, and my highest passed test was not equivalent to my actual skill level. (I'm tested at about only Gamma/Delta level, while I actually skate about FS 3 or 4.) I also can never make up my mind about doing a performance, because as exciting as it might be, I'd be too nervous.

My coach has told me I should consider going to watch a competition or show at a rink so I can get an idea of how it goes. But I didn't do that, either. The rink is kinda far away too, so it's not like my mom wants to drive there more than necessary and she won't let me drive that far.

Maybe within the next couple years I'll be in a show/competition.

[skatingatty]

Hi guys,
I watched the 1st half of the Garner show and only saw a few skaters at the Iceplex show, so unfortunately I didn't get to see NCSkate02 and Skaternum perform. We had a rehearsal at the Reczone that morning of the Iceplex show. As for my own group number, I managed to get through our adult "New York, New York" number despite the big bruise on my left bunion-- it was so cold that my foot was numb! At the beginning of the program, the women had to wear trenchcoats, which we took off in the middle of the program. It took longer than I expected to get mine off (I wore someone else's and didn't rehearse with it on), and another skater and I were behind the music, scrambling to get into our so-called kickline. Everything else went pretty well though- whew! That'll be last last time I'll be in a group number. We even met at 5:45am Friday to practice. Happy holidays, everyone! :)

[NoVa Sk8r]

Loops and I survived our show this evening--actually it was a *qualified* success!
We even skated in the opening number, wowing ( :P ) the crowd with our axel lift and then side-by-side sit spins.

As for our program (to Josh Groban's "Believe" from "The Polar Express"), it went well, I thought. I was a bit nervous, but got it together once the music started. They even announced us as "Fairfax Arena's own pair team" or something like that. We were the only adult skaters and pair team in the show.
We skated with more speed than we had been doing in our practices and ended the program a tad early. Our lifts were smooth and easy, our two throws were good (Loops overrotated the throw loop--a good problem--time for the throw double loop! 8-)), and joyfully, we nailed our side-by-side camel spins (I missed mine yesterday in the dress rehearsal). On one or two instances, I slightly changed the choreography, but it didn't disrupt the program.

A lot of folks complimented us on the performance, which was very nice. Technically, this was our hardest program to date, so I'm happy.

But the cool part was at the end of the show ... Tim Goebel skated (to his Elton John exhibition number). It was a nice performance. After the show, Tim signed lots of autographs for the wide-eyed kiddies.

Now, it's back to the competition program--um, Loops, do we still remember it? :?? ;)

[Terri C]

Everyone's show reports are GREAT!!
NoVa, you and Loops do not surprise me one bit!
There will be one more show report, that one coming from me-my holiday exhibition is tomorrow afternoon!

[NoVa Sk8r]

Thanks, Terri! Our pair elements are getting easier, baby step by baby step.

Oh, here's a link to a pic of our costumes (http://www.chem.duke.edu/~stephen/Pairs/Xmas2004.JPG). Thank God we chose those colors ... practically everyone else was wearing red (of course, right?).

[singerskates]

I skated 7th out of 21 skaters. The show flights were completely
mixed up as far as skill level. Our Junior Men's Reg. Canadians hopeful
had a beautiful 3 flip, flying spins, foot work and presentation
but nearly went out of the rink on a splat on his double axel and only
doubled his triple lutz. We only got a two minute warm ups, so he
did pretty good skating cold.

I held onto all of my jumps and spins including my back breaking
layback (I was temporarely pregnate with pillow pretending to be
Mary Mother of Jesus skating to Amy Grant's Breath Of Heaven (Mary's
Song)). Before I started my number, I did as if my back was killing
me from being 8 and half months pregnate on the ice. You would have
thought I was a female version of Dan Hollander. At the end, I
hammed it up again pretending that I was just about to give birth. I did a
lot of animated acting through out my program, but the big seller
was my Michelle Kwan like forward right outside to inside no touch down
or leg going down decently high spiral to my back left inside
spiral, which took up more than half of the ice in a serpentine pattern.
The audience was laughing at my acting and clapping and hooting for my
spirals. This is what happens when I don't have to work before
skating. I'm not stiff anymore and can move. I did a few double
threes and a few hip twists in my footwork too. My coach and
choreographer couldn't believe my performance when they saw it.
They were smiling from ear to ear.

Wish I could have been injury free in Ann Arbour last year, but
when you get nailed head on while doing a spin from a competitive junior
level skater doing a double axel, you're going to go down and tear
something or worse break something. That's why my spirals went no
where last year. As far as my spins last year, I didn't have a
proper spin entry to save my life. I cheated all my spin entries last
year, even at Adult Canadians. This year, I'm cheating nothing (except
two footing loops and flips because I haven't discovered how to keep my
legs crossed after take off. Tech coach says that as soon as I get
a proper loop landing with legs crossed in the air to touch down,
I'll have the double loop and flip because these jumps are fully rotated
with my legs wide open now for one rotation. I actually hold back
on the waltz jump, toe loop and salchow so that I don't over rotate
these.

Anyway, back to the Christmas show on ice.

Cindy Loohoo made an appearance after escaping the Grinch. She was
soo sweet and had an axel, double loop, double toe and double
salchow. The youngest skater who was 3 (learn to skater) was a
rebel and complained that people were snitching on her and that she was
getting nothing for Christmas. The audience fell in love with her.


Next year, I want to do a comedic number but still share the
message of Jesus' birth. I wonder what music I can find for that?

This was the first time my tech coach and my choreographer saw me
skate in front of a crowd. I've never taken them to my competitions. But now
they understand that I skate better with an audience and finally believe
me.

Brigitte

[skateky]

Our club put on Nutcracker on Ice for the first time this year. It is to be an annual show. There were three shows, Fri, Sat and Sun, and each show was sold out (over 400 guests each) and Sunday's show sold tickets to guests who bought them despite knowing it was standing room only. All the hockey glass in front of the seats came down and the boards were lined with white lights all around. Volunteer parents wearing Santa hats ushered each ticket holder to a seat as music from Polar Express played overhead. A fantastic set put together by a high school theatre arts department with lighted trees on each side provided the backdrop; a different scene was on each side (turned around at intermission).

The star soloists who appeared in Acts One and Two included: Clara (age 15 regional Intermediate medalist and 2004 Novice); Uncle Drosselmeier (a 78-year old retired Air Force Lt. Colonel who toured with the Sonja Henie show and Holiday On Ice years ago); the Snow Queen (age 14 regional Intermediate medalist in 2003 & 2004); Sugar Plum Fairy (age 14 Intermediate); Nutcracker Prince (2001 USFS Adult Nationals Gold Medalist and Gold Medalist in FS and MIF). Also appearing in Act One were the Party Guests (10 skaters ages 9-adult), the Dancing Doll (age 13 pre-juvenile/juvenile), the Mice (ages 5-10 Bridge skaters) and their Rat King (age 12), the Soldiers (ages 5-10 Bridge skaters) and their Nutcracker Soldier (age 10). Act Two was the Land of Sweets with the following solos, similar pairs and small groups: Poshka (age 15 Intermediate), Marzipan (age 16 Novice and Silver Medalist in MIF), Coffee & Tea (15 & 16 Prelim), Candy Canes (ages 8 & 9 Prelim), Cake Flowers (four skaters ages 9-11 Prelim), and Mother Ginger (adult) and her Gingerbread Cookies (ages 3-4).

The skaters did a terrific job in their numbers. There were very few bobbles or falls in the first show on Friday night, there were no falls or bobbles on Saturday (unless you count the fall by the Rat King doing nothing), and only one fall and one bobble on double jumps during Sunday's show. By Sunday, the skaters clearly were more relaxed and settled into their show roles. Clara, Sugar Plum Fairy and Snow Queen were breathtaking in their solo numbers in each show. Drosselmeier was a real treat and inspiring to all adult skaters. Drosselmeier's number with the Dancing Doll was really cute as he wound her up to skate. (Drosselmeier, by the way, is involved in many local theater productions and commercials and is a good actor to boot; what an honor to have him in the show.) The mice and soldier fight scene was adorable too, especially when the mice squeal and race to the rescue of the Rat King to drag him off the ice by all fours after the Nutcracker Soldier defeats him.

The little 3 and 4 year old Gingerbreads were simply adorable in their costumes that made them look like edible gingerbread; several Gingerbreads downright played to the audience and everyone agreed that they stole the show. Mother Ginger wore a bright red wig and an out of this world costume complete with bright blue boot covers and big red buttons on the sides, all very fitting for her role (she made her own costume). The Snowflakes were simply enchanting as they skated and spun around with lighted hoops in a well choreographed number while the Snow Queen appeared to work her magic on them; their finale was dazzling as they all spun in the bright lights to the music's grand finale just before intermission. All I can say is "wow"!

The cast of 50 were introduced individually at the end to loud applause afterwhich they stayed to sign autographs for the crowd at the boards. On Sunday, an extra treat was Santa's arrival, the rink sponsored "Skate with the Stars" during the first 30 minutes of public session after the show, and a wonderful Holiday Bazaar. I'm sure the show instilled the desire to skate in some youngsters, that is, if the hoard of little ones with their parents at the boards getting autographs after each show is any indication. I overheard the skating director talking to some parents after the show about learn-to-skate classes.

What a great experience for the skaters, parent volunteers and coaches. The costume and set designers deserve a round of applause. The volunteer parents deserve a round of applause for literally giving up the last shopping weekend before Christmas to throw themselves into the show to make it a success (especially now that we've had two more shopping days taken away by an unforeseen snowstorm that dumped 8-12 inches of snow and ice on us in the last 48 hours). The co-directors especially deserve much applause for a job well done. They already have visions of sugar plum fairies and plans for next year's shows dancing in their heads.

[Terri C]

My holiday show was today. Yeah I know, Christmas Eve, but we had contracted the ice out as club ice months ago, and were unsuccessful with changing the time with rink management, so we did it this way, rather than spend $$$$$ on a weekend time slot.

I skated my Adult Interpretive that I'll be doing at the New Years event. The music is "Some Enchanted Evening"- the version by Jane Olivor. It wasn't bad for the program being only two weeks old, but there is some tweaking to do!
It was good just to get it out and get the feeling of the program before competition.

[NoVa Sk8r]

Terri,
Congrats on your performance ... can't wait to see it at New Year's!

[samba]

Our Winter Festival is a competition, usually with technical classes for the younger skaters, a semi-technical, semi-artistic class for adults, then two group classes (minimum 2, maximum about 10, I think), one for kids and one for adults. Actually, there's no maximum age in the kids' class, and one number had adults and kids in it. Partly because one skater's daughter (or sister - both Mum and Daughter skate) is a wheelchair user. They did a "Scooby-Doo" routine, and the wheelchair user did have skates on, but sat on a toboggan all the way through, which worked very well. In fact, that was the routine that won, and deservedly so - they were very funny and a great team. In spite of their coach's despair because they hadn't managed to have one single rehearsal with everybody there!

There were four entries in the adult class - all married couples, oddly enough, although one had two other women with them, and another should have had another woman, but on the day she was ill. However, the wife managed to rechoreograph the piece as she went along, and in the end it was they who won, deservedly. Husband and I came last, oh what a surprise - NOT - although it was very close. The foursome who just pipped us had far less technical in it but were much funnier; I don't think there can have been more than a point in it. But that's okay - they deserved it, and there's so much more we can do with ours. And next year, unless we go to Dunkerque again, we'll do our Leader of the Pack programme, which is funny, so.....
Hi Annabel
Leader of the Pack, I remember you doing that at Bracknell, one of the funniest numbers I have ever seen, go for it!!
Best of Luck

[Mrs Redboots]

Hi Annabel
Leader of the Pack, I remember you doing that at Bracknell, one of the funniest numbers I have ever seen, go for it!!
Best of LuckWe will! We will, I hope, be doing it at Bracknell again this summer. It'll be a lot better, as last time it was all acting and no skating, except Husband did 2 cherries.... this time we have far more elements we can put in, and we both skate a lot better than we did then! Husband has even found the old waistcoat he wore... but he's so much balder now he'll have to wear an Elvis wig, or something....

[samba]

We will! We will, I hope, be doing it at Bracknell again this summer. It'll be a lot better, as last time it was all acting and no skating, except Husband did 2 cherries.... this time we have far more elements we can put in, and we both skate a lot better than we did then! Husband has even found the old waistcoat he wore... but he's so much balder now he'll have to wear an Elvis wig, or something....

I can't wait to see it again, the wig sounds like a great idea, maybe you could wear a long blond one, or is your hair already quite long I did notice you had it up at the British Adults and yes your skating has improved.

[samba]

Back to the subject of the Christmas show, I did my very first solo this year, it was a packed house and I felt like a Christian being thrown to the lions the audience were doing Mexican waves etc before I went on so they were really fired up and I thought oh no they are going to expect something really good here (I'm in my 50's and only do single jumps) but they were great and clapped at everything I did and didnt do, the next performance was a bit worrying when my coach fell over behind the curtain and badly injured her leg, the ambulance came and she was lying there with a drip in her arm and still telling me what to do, what a professional!! :bow:

[skatingmozzie]

My clubs show was a total stuff up. I didn't do the show because of chicken pox but I watched it on the DVD and it totally looked like the organiser only new how to put people in skate school into preliminary groups and throw in heaps of wheels. :giveup: :frus: :evil:

[Michigansk8er]

Samba,

Congrats on doing your first show solo. That is terrific!!!!!

Hope your coach is ok.

[Mrs Redboots]

I can't wait to see it again, the wig sounds like a great idea, maybe you could wear a long blond one, or is your hair already quite long I did notice you had it up at the British Adults and yes your skating has improved.Thank you! I've had my hair cut quite short again, and lightened it, but what I might do is blag a "schoolgirl wig" from a friend at my rink who has one (the skater who did a mix of St Trinians and "I do like to be beside the seaside" at this year's Bracknell). And I think I'll go for a more 1950s-style skirt, too (again, I think I can blag one, but if not, they're easy enough to make!), rather than the 1960s-style I wore before whiich seems to have ridden up under my shirt:

http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/photos/Leader3.jpg

[samba]

Thank you! I've had my hair cut quite short again, and lightened it, but what I might do is blag a "schoolgirl wig" from a friend at my rink who has one (the skater who did a mix of St Trinians and "I do like to be beside the seaside" at this year's Bracknell). And I think I'll go for a more 1950s-style skirt, too (again, I think I can blag one, but if not, they're easy enough to make!), rather than the 1960s-style I wore before whiich seems to have ridden up under my shirt:

http://www.amsmyth.demon.co.uk/photos/Leader3.jpg

Great picture Annabel, brought back some memories, I think your ideas for the new one will definately work.
Cheers
G

[samba]

Samba,

Congrats on doing your first show solo. That is terrific!!!!!

Hope your coach is ok.

Thanks for the encouragement Michingansk8er, my coach is making slow progress she is going to need a lot of physiotherapy, I will let her know that people across the water are thinking of her.