coi winter tour - does no one go????

[shopper]

haven't had a report since orlando...
no one going or just no time to report???

[Amandah]

Actually, three of the Florida stops listed on the tentative schedule on the COI web site were canceled and the skaters got a five day New Year's holiday.

The first show back was Columbia, which I attended, at the just completed Carolina Center. There was a very nice crowd there, both in terms of numbers and response.

Philippe was snowed in somewhere and didn't skate in Columbia. Lloyd Eisler's skates were lost en route, so B & E didn't skate either.

Dan did Doubtfire instead of At Least I Can Skate In Heaven (which I prefer to Old Man, the other number he did).

Rudy did the Prince medley and was splendid in the opulent purple costume (and didn't offend anyone, I don't think). It's a fun number, but he was so sharp and obviously fond of the Rocky Horror program, I felt badly he couldn't do it.

The acrobats performed the slow motion number in the original costumes (sort of suits with short pants) instead of the bullfighting program they did in Pittsburgh. The audience LOVED them and Irina Grigorian.

The finale seemed a little better organized, but I still didn't understand what it is all about.

As far as I know, the show had well-attended performances this week in Hershey and Reading, PA.

Amanda

[shopper]

thank you for your report
did elvis not skate?
dan wanted to do his new number but tom collins requested him to do doubtfire again...
that is unbelievable about lloyd's skates...

[Amandah]

Elvis did skate and was, as always very well received. I didn't mention it because I think he may have skated one different program from the Pittsburgh show, but I'm not certain...Didn't want to look too out of it!

I've come to really appreciate Elvis on and off the ice (from a very few occasions backstage). He does his thing, the audiences adore him, and he's comfortable with himself. In Columbia, he was last through the backstage cattle call, Tom Collins was telling him that he was holding up the bus, and he took his time and went down the line signing autographs and chatting amiably with fans. Good guy!!

Amanda

[shopper]

thanks a lot.
agree with you whole heartedly.
i remember at skate canada one year twice they asked him to leave the ice and he was still autographing books,taking pics etc....

[Dragonheart97]

Originally posted by Amandah
Elvis did skate and was, as always very well received. I didn't mention it because I think he may have skated one different program from the Pittsburgh show, but I'm not certain...Didn't want to look too out of it!

Amanda

He's been skating his Summer program from last year ("That Girl") and "With Arms Wide Open" by Creed... I know he apparently skated to a Bon Jovi song at one of the SK8 with Elvis shows, I wonder if that was it?

I like to compile the music he skates to on CDs, and am curious to know if he did do something new... :)

[Amandah]

I'll be at Manchester, NH this afternoon and will pay attention to Elvis and his music. Will report on it.

Amanda

[SShaste]

Thanks Amanda!

Can't wait to hear if he has yet another new number out there. Has the man done nothing but work the entire year since Olympics, lol!! I agree with you as well about how great of a guy he is. In 1995 I attended the Elvis tour and after signing many autographs the tour manager (I assume) asked Elvis to get on the bus which he did but came back off the bus when he heard his name called and stayed and signed autographs and took pictures for about 15 more minutes! If he hadn't done that I would never have gotten his autograph and pic and it was the only time I met him so I was very thankful!

Shawna

[Amandah]

This is kind of fast and dirty and very free form. It was my third (and last Winter Tour show) and I still don't know the names of the songs so check the COI web site!

Elvis skated the Creed program and That Girl in Manchester. He did have a fall on a jump I'm not certain about what it was meant to be, but he just moves on. Lots of connection with the audiences that I don't remember from past years (maybe didn't watch). I may have imagined he did something different at Columbia.

The Manchester show was much tighter and everyone skated better than the just back from New Year's Columbia, SC, show.

Kerrigan was about 90% better in both the tango number and the female ballad. Jumps were there.

Nicole was quite wonderful--2-3 perfect 2A's and a wonky 3T, and really on. I love to see her like that, and I still want to see a complete "Winner Takes It All" program. Her costume for this Abba medley is perfect. At the first show I saw, she took off the long in back skirt. At the last two, she left it on. She sure can wear bright yellow.

Punsalan and Swallow may be doing the best skating in the show. Their two programs are very different--one is country, one is a gorgeous rendition of "Song of India." Their moves are innovative, the connecting stuff is clever and difficult, and, unlike last year's program that most people "didn't get," these are absolutely clear AND well-skated. (Jerod's western style costume with brown velvet pants and jacket and a cowboy hat is a highlight!

Candeloro closed the first act with the "Proud to be an American" and actually did a bunch of triple jumps, some of which were landed cleanly. He--or probably the flag--got a mini standing ovation.

Victor Petrenko's second number, the would-you-go-to-bed-with-me one still grates, but the first one is gorgeous and he is skating as energetically and well as I have seen in years. He even looks fit.

Kazakova and Dmitriev had a glorious performance of the Matrix puppet program. I've seen it at least 15 times, and this may have been the best. It was flawless and inspired. It's amazing how all audiences respond to this. Their Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole "Unforgettable" has grown on me as they have honed it on this tour. The can do elegantly casual as well as dramatic. To me, he is still the best male pairs skater presenter of his partner out there.

Close to Artur in presenting ability is Lloyd Eisler. He and Isabelle did a slow, pretty program that included just about all the major and some never seen quite like that pairs moves. Really lovely. Their second program is fast and daring. I can't watch the headbanger!

I can't complain about Surya at all. She did a pretty flowing program with lots of triple jumps (not all triple toes, either), all performed better than Philippe's (the flip, too), the audience loved her, and her athleticism is remarkable.

Dorothy Hamill's skating is always a pleasure to watch. In this case, I much preferred her second program to "When Autumn Comes" to the first, James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend." She did some nice single and double jumps in both of them and never laid a toe wrong!

Dan Hollander was a crowd favorite with the Doubtfire program. Kids love it!

Besedin and Polishchuk were huge hits, as usual. Husbands and boyfriends were impressed! I like the miner number where they actually skate and do their thing at speed. Irina Grigorian amazed, as usual. So did the red costume which looked to be backless. How nice to have the body to wear it (and I think she is mid or just past mid 30's). Husbands and boyfriends were again happy.

Someday I hope to get a front row seat where Rudy decides to cast off a piece of his costume. I'd grab the Prince cape and run off with it! He gave us two combinations in Manchester, the 3T landed a little back on the blades, and a bunch of spins and Princely moves. It's a great show number, but, Oh, I loved the Rocky Horror!

The finale was much smoother although still somewhat difficult to interpret. There were some shenanigans going on during it that I suspect will expand as the tour moves on in January (Rudy and Nicole, as well as others). The costumes still look like they were designed by Alexei Urmanov--or his designer. Rudy got the best one--the harlequin jumpsuit!

Sorry this is so long. Yes, people do go to the Winter Tour. The entire bottom section of the Verizon Wireless Arena was filled, and the sides of the upper level were pretty well populated. It was a great audience--several of the skaters remarked on that. They loved everything.

Amanda

[shopper]

thank you for the great report.
i did see the cowboy no from lizand jerod at the elvis tour and it was absolutely wonderful...

[Amandah]

Is there anyone who could provide a Houston review (or Texas since they were there several days)? Just curious as to how the show evolved by the end of the tour.

Thanks

Amanda

[leabird]

I saw COI in Ft. Lauderdale 12/29... Entire cast was there & show was
terrific! Got a Post Show pass and was able to interact with most of the
cast. I'm acquainted with Liz & Jerod and they skating a couple of wonderful programs. Loved the show even though all the eligible skaters were home practicing for Nationals.