Tonight's the Night!!! - Holiday Festival on Ice (Langley)

Well, I am soon off to the Holiday Festival on Ice show in Langley. It's going to be so exciting to be up close to some of my favorite skaters of all time - Kurt and Elvis and Jeff and Shawn, and Joannie. Wow! I will report back here after the show....

Go Ladskater!

We can't wait to hear from you! Have a great time

Plus Kaetlyn Osmond is performing.

Great show. Exciting-telll us how Osmond comes across in person if different than Tv...a hilight for me from last weeks skating shows was Elvis. I always loved Elvis, and I wish he had won a gold medal. I so preferred him in every way to Urmanov. I also loved his work at Nagano. He was amazing with the serious groin injury. I had not seen him on Tv in years, and there he was with good jumps, good spins-how old is Elvis? He may have stayed active in Canada, but it has been eons since I saw him skate. He is still amazing, one of Canada's all time greats. I miss him as a competitor, and never felt he was lacking artistically. He was very short, short legged, which did not allow long lines, and most skaters who won OGM's for years were taller men. Scotty was an exception.

Anyway, have fun Lad. Sounds great-can't beat it with a stick. Detailed report expected.

Anyone do any video?

hohoho said:

Anyone do any video?

Click to expand...

From what I understand they had a pretty tight grip on media...

That often means there may be a Holiday special on Canadian TV

In which case, videos will eventually be posted, perhaps.

they only allowed the media to take pics of something like the first three routines. Found that super weird...

Any reports from the shows in Langley or St. John's?

Wow, what a great show. Despite the horrible drive in the rain, crazy traffic congestion and poorly planned parking, my husband and I made it to the show on time. It was a very scaled down, but entertaining show and having front row seats ice side made it even better. Of course, Kurt and Elvis were the super stars of the night. They both got a big hand of applause when they skated in the opening number. Jeff was superb as always, he reworked his Ave Maria program somewhat to another piece of music, but still it was flawless. Shawn Sawyer is absolutely made of rubber! He did a program starting out from a headstand on the ice and then it went from there in every sort of twist and turn one could only imagine. Joannie was wonderful. It was nice that they included Kaetlyn Osmond off her recent win at Skate Canada. She skated a couple of peppy numbers.

Kimmie Meisner was another guest skater from the US. She had a couple of falls, but skated two nice programs. The other guests were Sinead and John Kerr from Scotland. They were very entertaining and fun to watch. Nicole Bobek was listed on the program, but did not skate. My husband was really disappointed!

I forgot to add that Elvis skated in great form and can still land his jumps as great as ever. He also has improved artistically - his first program was the most artistic I have ever seen him skate. Great to see Elvis skate again.

Kurt brought the house down with a comic number skated on hockey skates. It was sort of dedicated to Brian Orser and Toller Cranston - he had a tshirt that said "I'm with Toller" on the back. It was a cleaver program. No one but Kurt could pull it off. Of course the highlight of the evening (for me) was Kurt treating us to his "Singing in the Rain" program at the end. I attempted to record it on my little camera. I got most of it, but with the lighting it looks a little washed out. We were all standing on our feet when he finished.

I had a ticket for the meet and greet so after the show proceeded to the area while my poor husband waited for me. It was a bit of a wait while the skaters changed. I tried to talk to as many of the skaters as I could in the limited time I had - I did not want to make hubby wait too long. Anyway, I talked to Joannie - she is a real sweetheart. I also talked to Jeff, he is very easy to talk to. Shawn Sawyer is very multi-talented, he told me that he makes his own costumes, does his own choreography and picks out his music! Kurt had a lot of people around him, so I did not say much, but did get a picture with him. I asked Kurt if his son is going to be a skater as well and replied "no." I got my picture taken with Elivs and Joannie. Anyway, it all went by so quickly. I wanted to stay longer, but had to find my husband and head home.

It wasn't a huge show, but certainly worth the money to see the skaters up close and personal. They were all very relaxed and "at home" with the audience. It made for a most enjoyable evening. I am glad I went!

Ladskater said:

Nicole Bobek was listed on the program, but did not skate. My husband was really disappointed!
!

Click to expand...

Ha! I LIKE your husband already...back in the day, I had the hots for Nicole.... My wife and I used to get seats on the ice for all the ice shows that came to Spokane. It was way cool to be next to the skaters.
Then I discovered competition in 2002 and was ruined forever. I think we went to one ice show after that before they disappeared from Spokane.

Glad you had a great time, the show sounds fantastic!

What a lovely show! Thank you so much for telling us all about it.

Thanks for the review! Glad you had such a great time and got to attend the M&G!

That sounds so phenomenal. I'm so glad you got to go to both the show and the meet and greet. Thanks so much for telling us about it.

dorispulaski said:

That often means there may be a Holiday special on Canadian TV

In which case, videos will eventually be posted, perhaps.

Click to expand...

Per SOI website:
The first performance of the Holiday Festival on Ice show -- in St. John's, Newfoundland, in November -- was recorded "for the annual CBC holiday special."
"... The show will air in Canada on CBC on Wednesday, December 12, and in syndication across the USA beginning in mid-December."

So glad you enjoyed the show and thanks for the review! Sounds like it was really a wonderful evening!

Ladskater said:

I had a ticket for the meet and greet so after the show proceeded to the area while my poor husband waited for me. It was a bit of a wait while the skaters changed. I tried to talk to as many of the skaters as I could in the limited time I had - I did not want to make hubby wait too long. Anyway, I talked to Joannie - she is a real sweetheart. I also talked to Jeff, he is very easy to talk to. Shawn Sawyer is very multi-talented, he told me that he makes his own costumes, does his own choreography and picks out his music! Kurt had a lot of people around him, so I did not say much, but did get a picture with him. I asked Kurt if his son is going to be a skater as well and replied "no." I got my picture taken with Elivs and Joannie. Anyway, it all went by so quickly. I wanted to stay longer, but had to find my husband and head home.

Click to expand...

Glad it went well! And yes, it DOES go by very quickly. More quickly than one would like, for sure.

The best M&G experiences tend to be with the skaters who actually initiate a conversation with you. In the early days when I'd get nervous or anxious, such encounters would immediately put me at ease.

It wasn't a huge show, but certainly worth the money to see the skaters up close and personal. They were all very relaxed and "at home" with the audience. It made for a most enjoyable evening. I am glad I went!

Click to expand...

I tend to get more out of the smaller shows than the big productions as a rule. The setting is more intimate and I really appreciate that aspect of it.

FYI, the St. John's show had a musical guest - Measha Brueggergosman - so half the skaters actually did different programs in St. John's than in Langley since they all dropped their Measha programs. Don't expect to see the same programs on the Dec. 12 broadcast.

And Kurt did THREE programs in Langley which was a total surprise and highlight for me. He debuted his new Tragically Hip program (written especially for him by Gord Sinclair, who evidently contacted Kurt and told him he'd been thinking about him and wrote him a song), did his Two Figure Skates number (LOVED that - so hilarious and something only Kurt can do...plus, a beautiful 2-axel in hockey skates!), and then finished the show (before the finale) with Singing in the Rain. Which was appropriate to the weather .

I'm going to write a real review soon. Will post the link when I do. Also have photos of Kurt (wasn't allowed to shoot anyone but Kurt - because I do his website - and the 1st 3 numbers) that will go up later this week.

BTW I saw a number of people on ice filming on their phones, but I have no idea if they'll put the videos online...

Oh, and thank you Ladskater for your review! So glad to hear you enjoyed the show and got to meet some of the skaters. I probably saw you there, but I wouldn't have known =).