SOI Rumors

[PAskate]

Rumors on skatefans that Yuka Sato has been signed for the full tour. In addition, Oksana will be making guest appearances in several cities. This sounds like good news. This sounds like a more well-rounded cast list.

[Alexeiskate]

I saw Oksana on the latest issue of IFS, and she looked and sounded really good. She was honest in saying that some of her past performances have been more about being a "drama queen" than actually skating. She is now ready just to be a skater again. I hope I get a chance to see the new Oksana on TV soon this season.

[Vicki]

I would LOVE to see Yuka skate in SOI this year!

[DancerFan]

I have ALWAYS wanted to see Yuka on Stars, and always wondered why IMG wouldn't give it to her. I hope this is true!! :D

[Pupiczech]

I heard that Yuka will be in SOI from a Canadian friend the other day. How she knows, I have no idea. I just talked to Yuka a week ago and she didn't say anything about it.

[SkateSand]

Your friend probably saw it posted on one of these sites last week, although the IFS newsletter also mentioned Yuka:

http://www.kurtfiles.com/

http://savviscenter.net/events/stars.html

Laurie

(for some reason, I can't get one of these to direct link - check tour news on the Kurt Files site)

[jcspkbfan]

Originally posted by Pupiczech
I heard that Yuka will be in SOI from a Canadian friend the other day. How she knows, I have no idea. I just talked to Yuka a week ago and she didn't say anything about it.

The link to the Savvis Center site has been there for about a week or so now (and posted on a few other skating boards and mailing lists), so maybe your friend stumbled on one of those? It's strange Yuka herself wouldn't mention anything about it, though (maybe she was just being modest).

I agree it's great to see Yuka back on the tour, though (hopefully she'll come up to Canada this time!) I wonder why Oksana's not a full-time SOI cast member, though? I'm sure SOI would love to have two full-time ladies singles skaters on this year's tour if they could (especially one who happens to be an Olympic champion), especially considering their smaller-than-average cast this year. I understand why Scott, Kurt, Kristi and Katia would no longer be interested in doing the entire SOI tour (since all four are now parents, or will be by the time this year's cast hits the road), but why not Oksana?

I'm also disappointed there's no dance team in SOI this year and that it doesn't look like Steven Cousins will be back. True, Steve might not have the competitive résumé or "headliner" status of most of the other SOI cast members, but he's still very popular among fans of the show and if he's still interested in doing the tour (which appeared to be the case last spring, at least), you'd think he'd be hired back just to balance out the full-time cast (which is, right now, about 75% pairs skaters), if nothing more.

It'll be interesting to see how (or if) the "special guest stars" will be worked into this year's group numbers--and how many of them will show up for the first show in Lake Placid. :)

[VGL]

Originally posted by jcspkbfan

I'm also disappointed there's no dance team in SOI this year and that it doesn't look like Steven Cousins will be back. True, Steve might not have the competitive résumé or "headliner" status of most of the other SOI cast members, but he's still very popular among fans of the show and if he's still interested in doing the tour (which appeared to be the case last spring, at least), you'd think he'd be hired back just to balance out the full-time cast (which is, right now, about 75% pairs skaters), if nothing more.


Gee, I can think of an ice dancer with a COI contract that would be a good fit in SOI now that Steven is gone.

[Teenes]

It's true - got the cast list and guest star list straight from IMG. From what she told me, Alexei, Todd, Yuka, S&P, B&S, M&S, and I&Z are the core cast, and any further negotiations right now are in signing guest stars. They've got five for sure now (Scott, Kurt, Kristi, Katia, Oksana) and may add a couple more, guest star list and schedule will be finalized and available in October.

Laurie - you can't get the direct link to my tour news page working? Bizarre. Doesn't seem to like php links or something. Ah well, like she says, you can get to it from the main page of my site.

[jcspkbfan]

Originally posted by Teenes
It's true - got the cast list and guest star list straight from IMG. From what she told me, Alexei, Todd, Yuka, S&P, B&S, M&S, and I&Z are the core cast, and any further negotiations right now are in signing guest stars. They've got five for sure now (Scott, Kurt, Kristi, Katia, Oksana) and may add a couple more, guest star list and schedule will be finalized and available in October.

Gee, it sounds like this year's SOI show will include almost as many special guest stars as full-time cast members. :lol: This year's show should be very interesting indeed...

[Alexa]

That is a really small cast with a lot of pairs. I like the guest stars of course, but even if I could go to the show, I would hesitate buying a ticket without knowing who would be at the show I would be going to. Will they have that information on their website?

Why no Tara? Is she still not completely healed? Or just concentrating on acting now?

[Blade1]

I too can think of an Ice-Dancing Team that would blend VERY WELL with the SOI Cast !!! If that could only come true !!

[SkateSand]

They are going to announce which specific guest stars will be at which specific dates on the SOI website next month. In any case, you will know which guest stars will be appearing in which cities before tickets go on sale to the general public in November. I think the Ticketmaster on sale date is November 17th (whatever it says on Ticketmaster for the dates already listed there, which are about five as of yesterday). They usually have an internet pre-sale before that, though, but I don't think it will be before November.

Laurie

[Oracle]

Just as long as Todd is appearing in SOI, I could care less about who else shows up. (I would love to see Yuka, tho.)

[Schmeck]

I was just looking through the latest Entertainment coupon book (the kind sold for fundraising at schools, etc) and there was a SOI coupon in there. On the side, it listed the above mentioned skaters (except Yuka) and it also said Tara Lipinski as well. Any news on that front? She's one of the skaters that I have not gotten an autograph from on my little autograph-skates, and I'm really trying to get hers, and Kurt's as well. (Alexei would be great too!)

[ellen]

Those of us who fill out the forms for tickets for the next year that are on our seats at SOI are getting screwed again. Last year they changed the price for on-ice seating AFTER we had paid. This year we have no clue as to the guest skater. TECO Arena in SW FL billed my credit card this month ... for a March event. I'm getting tired of their "creativity".

[Blade1]

That's why I never fill out the cards that are left on our seats at SOI. Because I'd like to know where I am sitting. Sometimes people are lucky, and get great seats, and other times people get disapointed in their seats, and just complain. So I wait till tickets go on sale to the public, my chances of getting a great seat, where I want to sit are still as greater a chance than pre-ordering them.

[SkateSand]

It looks like when your Entertainment booklet was printed up, they thought Tara would be back with the regular cast. I think what might have happened is that things fell through with Tara so then they added Yuka to the cast instead. But I think it's possible you could see Tara as a guest star.

I've had my best luck with getting good seats with the internet pre-sales. It just seems I've gotten better seats that way than with advance ordering. But sometimes I've gotten on ice seats on the day of the show. I'm usually too paranoid to wait that late, though. I've also gotten great seats by just waiting out Ticketmaster since they usually sell section by section online. I just keep checking back regularly until I time it just right and they've opened up a new section. But you have to be diligent about checking often.

Laurie

[SkateSand]

The Stars on Ice website has been updated - cast info, schedule info, breaking news - Scott and Tracie have had their baby.

http://www.starsonice.com/

Laurie

[Blade1]

Thanks so much for the heads up !!!

[Snowbunny]

does anyone know when the schedule is due to come out???

[Teenes]

Schedule's already out. Check the link Laurie provided above for the Stars on Ice website.

[Snowbunny]

sorry didnt even see that!!!!