Stars on Ice - 2010 US

[Isk8NYC]

We went to see Stars on Ice and enjoyed it very much.

Different format - the theme seems to be "Champions - Then and Now" Lots of jokes about Todd Eldredge and Michael Weiss being the senior cast members and Jeremy Abbott the "rookie." Weiss was really good and looked like he was having a blast doing the show. Eldredge has still got it - at one point, he did a circular footwork step where he seemed to be flying at warp speed. Every eye in the place was on him.

For some reason, Ben Agosto came out and played a wireless electric guitar. Twice. While wandering around the rink. It was very good (if you go for electric guitar music) but very strange - I thought it was a prank, so I kept waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did...I guess he was stalling while the others changed costumes or something.

The modern ladies and guys number was really good, but as I said to Looplover, Alissa and Yuka have never danced dirty in their LIVES! Tanith can really rock it and Sasha's not half-bad, either. Guess they've been to frat parties or something, lol.

Lysacek skated a few times, took one spill on a triple jump. I think he was as surprised as we were. The show wasn't being recorded, so no retakes after the show like at the Disson productions.

Sasha's routines were good, she skated in that awesome red dress and performed her 2010 US Nats short program. It was very well-done.

Abbott was really good - very talented skater and well-spoken, too. I didn't expect the latter, given the K&C antics two nationals ago. Maybe it was the coaching change, maybe he just grew up. I've developed new respect for him.

Highlight of the evening: Charlie and Meryl's Indian ethnic dance. I'm not an ice dance fan, but I've seen that routine a few times and loved it. Seeing it live was even more incredible.

Mirai was great, as beautiful as ever. Rachael had on a beautiful blue dress and her program was awesome - just filled with beautiful movements and yes, even a nice catch-foot spin. Her shoulders and back were good, Schmeck, nice posture.

There were a few "commercials" here and there about Stars on Ice and Smuckers. Yawn. More stalling for costume changes, I think.

[Isk8NYC]

Looplover met us at the security gate because we had her ticket. Imagine my surprise to find her chatting casually with Todd Eldredge! I introduced him to my twins as "a friend of Paul Wylie's."

They skated on a freestyle where Wylie was coaching earlier this week. He made quite an impression, doing a few double axels to warm up before coaching, lol.

I had a great time teasing Looplover for not giving Todd her number. (Which I have, if Todd's interested...PM me!)
We both agreed that he's a very handsome guy in person. Not as cute in photographs or on TV.
I think they'd have a good time if they went out.

SOI had a paid Meet and Greet before the show. We didn't have the time to go since we were coming from a skating competition. The girls waited afterward at the security gate, but none of the stars stopped, even though there were only five kids looking for autographs. Must be a policy thing: they did the same thing at the last SOI we went to in Baltimore. They make more money from the paid sessions, but it's still cold in comparison to the days of old.


My husband's a very funny guy and his best schtick last night went like this:

DH: Where were you all day?
Me: At the rink. (Skating competition this weekend)

DH: And where are you now?
Me: At a different rink.

DH: And where are you going at 5am tomorrow morning?
Me: Back to our rink.

I'm NYC, and I am a skating addict...

[Schmeck]

I'm going to SOI this week - I haven't checked to see who the guests will be though.

Good to hear that Flatt is working on her posture - she's a solid, dependable jumper, now she just needs to get flexible without getting injured!


Which Olympic program did Cohen skate - from 4 years ago or 8?

[Petlover]

Looplover and Todd would make a super great looking couple!

[Isk8NYC]

Which Olympic program did Cohen skate - from 4 years ago or 8?Ooops! Never sleep-post. Cohen skated her short program from US Nationals this year. Thanks for asking so I can correct my error.

Looplover and Todd would make a super great looking couple!
They were a fine-looking couple standing next to each other. Someone said Paul Wylie was in the audience that night and Looplover thought that's who Todd was on the phone with when she walked up, so she was right.

[AgnesNitt]

But would SOI been less family friendly if Johhny Wier was there? :lol:;)

[Schmeck]

I'd be happy to see any of Cohen's competitive programs live, and her short programs tend to be intense and well choreographed.

I've met Todd - he's a nice guy, pretty quiet (or maybe he was just baffled when my daughter Piglet squashed by him to get to the seat she wanted at 2001 nationals ladies' practice - the place was empty and she picked the only row someone was in? She didn't know who he was either!) and polite. Even when he gets his toes stepped on by a 7 year old, LOL!

[Schmeck]

I found SOI to be a huge disappointment last night - too many ballads, not enough interaction with the audience (excepting Todd and Ben Agosto), and a very short production. Mirai Nagasu was the only guest skater, and the poor thing skated poorly and seemed very nervous.

I miss Steven Cousins (Michael Weiss cannot fill those skates, no matter how pitifully he attempts to) and Kurt Browning.

I wish they could talk Michelle Kwan into doing just one year of the tour. The arena was only half full, and Sasha Cohen just didn't seem happy to be there or skating for anything but a paycheck.

[Isk8NYC]

I think Weiss and Cousins are both overexposed. I was surprised to see Weiss in SOI; I thought he, like Cousins, only did the Disson skating tours.

I like Weiss' skating more, I think because I've seen Cousins so many times.

[Schmeck]

I want Cousins back purely for a very feminine reason, LOL! Weiss just doesn't have that appeal, although he tries. Maybe he tries too hard, I don't know, but it just doesn't work.

Ben was the only skater to break the skater/audience barrier - he came to our corner and gave us high fives, it was funny. In years past, the skaters would come around to the on-ice seats and interact a whole lot more. Sarah Hughes came and sat with us the year she skated, Jen Robinson thanked us for coming to the show, etc. I miss that.

[dbny]

Just got back from SOI. I pretty much agree with Schmeck, but we sat farther away than ever before, so that could have had something to do with it too. DH and I both felt the show was thrown together, not too coherent, and not fully developed. We think SOI is seriously in need of a good artistic director and better choreography. DH quipped afterwards that they should have hired Johnny Weir as artistic director if they were afraid to put him on the ice. I would love to have seen him skate. I don't get the "family friendly" business at all. All of my gay friends and family are good family people.

I miss Scott Hamilton and Kurt Browning terribly, both for their skating and their personalities. Yuka Sato is a beautiful skater, but does not have much stage presence as an emcee. Evan aced it all, and it was worth the trip to see his jump technique, which was superb. Ben Agosto should have left his guitar at home, yawn. I go to SOI for the skating. Loved Davis & White's Indian number and was thrilled to see it live. Would have loved to see Shen & Zhao, and too bad they couldn't get Daisuke Takahashi, as he's the closest thing to KB on ice these days.

[Isk8NYC]

Johnny Weir's appearing in Ice Theatre of New York's 4/29-5/1/2010 performances. (7pm @ Chelsea Piers)
http://www.icetheatre.org/support-us.html

I think Weir's biggest obstacle is his PR rep - it sounds like the other olympic skaters were already reviewing/signing SOI contracts before the Games opened. He was fending off animal rights activists single-handedly. Not particularly good timing or management, IMO.

Isn't Weir also skating in Russia on a tour with Plushenko? That should be an interesting tour, given Plushy's comments after the Olympics. Since Johnny understands some Russian, they'll have to use dialects to talk about him, lol.

[Schmeck]

I forgot that Emily Hughes also performed in Portland - and had a near-tragic costume malfunction! 8O She wore black leggings and a sweater, and the tush of her leggings started to split midway through her program, so we could see a flesh-colored hole appearing, then her sweater started to rise up, and a lot more flesh was starting to be revealed. She kept her cool, and surreptitiously kept pulling her top down, while spinning, whenever the choreography called for hand/arm movement, etc. Very clever young lady!