Christmas at Rockefeller Center (NYC) | Golden Skate

Christmas at Rockefeller Center (NYC)

S

SkateFan4Life

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The attached link takes you to an interesting website featuring stories on the lighting of the 2004 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on Tuesday, November 30. It's a two-hour live television broadcast on NBC-TV. Granted, the program is very, very, very long and includes all kinds of "entertainment", much of which has little, if any, connection with the Christmas season. Still, it's a wonderful tradtion, and if you're available, you might want to tune in.

Every year's show features performances by several well-known figure skaters. I recall the show of, perhaps, seven or eight years ago, in which Katarina Witt skated an absolutely stunning interpretation to "Silent Night", which was played by Kenny G. 👍

In 1998, the featured skater was Kristi Yamaguchi, who was then newly engaged. Her parents accompanied her to New York, and they told Al Roker that this was their first trip to the Big Apple. Kristi skated several lovely pieces, and, boy, did she look beautiful. 👍

A number of years ago Scott Hamilton was the featured skater. Unfortunately, the weather was terrrible - a pouring rain - and Scott skated all of his numbers in driving rain. He managed to skate well, despite the soaked ice, and he showed a lot of class and humor at the situation. I guess it was a situation in which all you could do was laugh. 👍

Kathryn Healy was the featured skater for one of the shows. Kathryn did not win any major figure skating competitions, yet she had an incredibly balletic style, with gorgeous spread eagles, split jumps, and other artistic moves. 👍

Elaine Zayak was the featured skater when she was 15 - just a few weeks before winning the US title (in 1981). She zipped around the rink and landed several of her patented triple toes. 👍

http://www.nyctourist.com/xmas_rockcenter1.htm
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Scott also skated in 2000... Scott wore a red turtle neck and black pants if I'm not mistaken... he skated twice I think...
 
S

SkateFan4Life

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JoJo Starbuck and Ken Shelley also skated in this program - a number of years ago, of course. 👍
 

Eeyora

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
I remember one year Katia skated. I believe it was to a live Micheal Bolton performance.
 
S

SkateFan4Life

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Eeyora said:
I remember one year Katia skated. I believe it was to a live Micheal Bolton performance.

Tai Babilonia and Randy Gardner also skated in this show once a number of years ago. They were wonderful, as always. 👍
 
S

SkateFan4Life

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Sarah Hughes - Christmas at Rockefeller Center

2002 Olympic gold medal winner Sarah Hughes will be skating at the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lightning show, which is being broadcast NOW on NBC television.

Not to nitpick, but this show is two hours long. It's far, far too long and, IMHO, far, far too schmaltzy. Some of the singing groups are, well, not exactly my favorites. Whatever happened to the likes of Barry Manilow, Kenny G, and musicians of that caliber? IMHO, of course.
 
S

SkateFan4Life

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Sarah Hughes just skated to "Silver and Gold", sung by Vanessa Williams. Sarah skated only two jumps - double loop and a double flip - both of which were beautifully landed. She had great spins, a gorgeous layback, Ina Baer, beautiful spiral, and nice choregraphy. She has gained some weight and doesn't look to be in top physical shape - at least not yet - but she looked lovely, and she skated very, very well. Clearly, Sarah is still a wonderful figure skater.
 

Lotta

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Saw Sarah Hughes skate just a few minutes ago also. That layback is still so damn gorgeous. :)
 

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I'm glad I checked into the forums when I got home. It's 5:45 here on the west coast, and the tree lighting in Rockefeller Center isn't going to air out here for another hour and 15 minutes, and I will be watching. :agree:

Incidentally, I was able to stop in at the Healthsouth Center on my lunch break today. Nothing really unusual going on. Frank Carroll and Ken Congemi were both on the ice, coaching five different skaters in tandem, of which Yebin Mok and Evan Lysacek were the only two I recognized. One of the other skaters was this slightly chubby little girl who looks about 14, but has a killer double lutz jump. I have no idea what her name is, but If she ever makes it to television, I'll be able to say "I Saw Her When."
 
S

SkateFan4Life

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IDLERACER said:
I'm glad I checked into the forums when I got home. It's 5:45 here on the west coast, and the tree lighting in Rockefeller Center isn't going to air out here for another hour and 15 minutes, and I will be watching. :agree:

."

I'm glad I was able to give you a heads-up on Sarah Hughe's performance. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit in about ten minutes!!
 

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Out here, they showed a brief clip of her skating while Chicago was playing something, and then a complete performance to Vanessa Williams. By any chance, did they show the Chicago thing complete on the east coast?

Anyhow, she's looking great. :agree: I think the reason she was doing doubles might've had to do with the smaller dimensions of that rink in Rockefeller plaza, which is definitely not regulation hockey size. At the end of the show, they showed her standing next to Paul Hamm and Carly Patterson, and they all appeared to be about the same height. I had no idea that the Hamm brothers are only about 5'5.
 

lil chrissy

Rinkside
Joined
Aug 15, 2003
I have to disagree about Sarah looking great. She looked overweight, especially in that particular costume and out of shape. I don't know why some skaters can't seem to cover the fatty portion of their lower derriere. Doesn't she have a mirror that shows her backside????
There have been some discussions about her competing in 2006. Are you kidding? She is a lovely "once was" skater as in Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamil. People still remember them fondly and flock to see them and the best of what they once were is still there but....... As in most sports life has moved on and so should Sarah.
 

euterpe

Medalist
Joined
Sep 4, 2003
Sarah wasn't doing doubles because of the size of the rink. A recent article mentioned that Sarah had all her double jumps, but as yet was unable to progress to triples. She has been in training for approximately 6 months, and perhaps it's due to her weight gain that she's 'hit a wall' in her return to skating.

It's not only the weight, but Sarah has a completely different body shape than the one she had winning the OGM. That changes jump dynamics, and she may or may not ever get all of her triples back. Clearly, if she does have thoughts of competing in Torino, she will have to get back into shape, and that won't be easy while touring with SOI.
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
There are some nice pictures of Sarah at this event (not skating) at the Stars on Ice site.

http://www.starsonice.com/home/us.asp#

Click on photos, 2005 tour, and scroll down to see a BIG picture of Sarah, Carly Patterson, Paul Hamm and the mayor of new York. (Click now and you can be the fourth person to view it, LOL.) On pages 2 and 3 there are some more pictures of Sarah with various celebrities, fo instance Vanessa Williams.

Mathman
 
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S

SkateFan4Life

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euterpe said:
It's not only the weight, but Sarah has a completely different body shape than the one she had winning the OGM. That changes jump dynamics, and she may or may not ever get all of her triples back. Clearly, if she does have thoughts of competing in Torino, she will have to get back into shape, and that won't be easy while touring with SOI.

I agree with you that Sarah Hughes seems to have a completely different body type - or at least she appears to have a different body type - than she had in Salt Lake. Three years ago she was fit, trim, and in fighting shape. Not so now.
If she has any ambitions to return to the eligible ranks and to be competitive in that arena, she has her work cut out for her. I, for one, think she's capable of regaing the triples and the competitive desire, if she chooses to do so.

Anyway, it was really nice to see Sarah skate last night at Rockefeller Center!
 

bronxgirl

Medalist
Joined
Jan 22, 2004
Sarah may have all the desire to return to her competive form, but I think Mother Nature has selected a different form for her, and one that doesn't go well with doing triple jumps easily, if at all
 

IDLERACER

Medalist
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
bronxgirl said:
Sarah may have all the desire to return to her competive form, but I think Mother Nature has selected a different form for her, and one that doesn't go well with doing triple jumps easily, if at all
As one of the few heterosexual males who regularly posts here, I would just like to say that I, for one, happen to prefer her new "form," and after Kristi, Oksana & Tara, it's a nice change of pace to finally have another person with a Katarina body type as the current olympic gold medalist. :love: In a few years from now, when she does a Playboy spread, I'll be the first to purchase a copy. :biggrin:
 
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