- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
The good news: If you live in the Detroit area there is still time to make it to the Compuware Arena to catch the evening show.
The bad news: There isn’t any bad news. (No wait, that's more good news.)
OK, I just got back from the matinee of Tanith and Ben’s big benefit show for cancer treatment and research.
This was the best skating show I’ve ever been to (sorry, COI and SOI
) The thing that impressed me most was Ben and Tanith’s ability to organize such an ambitious undertaking. They had to line up sponsorship (Meier’s Five and Dime Stores was one of the largest donors), get in the talent (well, maybe it wasn’t so hard for Tanith to convince Evan Lysacek to come 
), and arrange a thousand and one details that you don’t even know exist until suddenly it’s crunch time. B&A, this one’s for you: 
Pre-show. I got there almost an hour early, but the parking lot was already filling up. It cost $5 to park, but I recouped my loss at the box office by getting a senior citizen discount (the cheap seats were $18
instead of $22).
The first person I saw was Lysacek, standing under a sign that said, “Do not stand here.” He was talking with some other people connected with the show, but a steady line of people (mostly young girls) came up for autographs and pictures. Yes, Evan is just as tall and handsome in person as he is on TV, plus he has a really nice voice.
As far as I could tell by counting rows and sections, the arena holds about 3600 fans and was about 2/3 full. I would estimate more than 2000 people.
If the evening show draws as many, this will be a huge success. The afternoon crowd was mostly families with young children.
Act I
1. The full ensemble. Lots of choreography. In fact, the whole show was very well structured and well rehearsed. The theme was Christmas presents. Derick Delmore partnered Oksana Baiul sporting a cool Mohawk haircut (that is, Derick had a Mohawk ).
A highlight was Tanith and a little girl playing follow the leader. I think the girl was Ekaterina Shpilband, but if so she was a quick-change artist, because Ekaterina’s solo was the first act up and she had on a different costume.
2. Ekaterina Shpilband. Outstanding performance, she didn’t hold back on the tech. Great combo spins in several positions, four jumps in all, a variety of moves in the field. She was little but she skated big, filling the ice. A real talent.
3. Samuelson and Bates. Very dramatic dance. Lovely holds and extended positions, very full movement. A highlight was a cool waist high carry lift. (But they lost their edge on a hydroblade move at the end.)
Tanith and Ben then took the mic to welcome everyone and introduce the next act.
4. Detroit Skating Club. Twelve young ladies in Christmas tree dresses and four snowmen, LOL. Well-performed choreography, a highlight was a series of jumps in sequence and a spinning chorus line.
5. Four skaters in Santa Claus outfits came out to introduce the next act, a Cirque de Soleil acrobat act (non-skating). Two women acrobats did tricks on hoops suspended above the arena. The most dangerous-looking was when they hung on the hoop just by the back of their heads. An entertaining change of pace.
I believe that the circus acts and Oksana Baiul, together with the director of the show, came in a package from the recent Broadway type stage show that Oksana starred in.
6. Chock and Zuerline and Wingle and Devereaux. (I resisted the temptation to yell, “You were robbed at the Junior GP Final!” to Madison and Greg ). A jazzy version of Baby It’s Cold Outside. Two couples in unison. Again obviously well rehearsed. Costume was outdoor winter clothes.
Ice Dance is by far the best discipline!
No, wait. Synchro!!
7. The Crystallettes. The show started with a series of block movements all around the rink before the lights came on or the music started. I think it was part of the act, but some people in the audience started shouting, “Turn on the Lights.”
Nice performance. The best move was spinning in unison. That was spectacular. Better unison than some pairs teams achieve with only two skaters.
8. Derick Delmore. Black spangly costume, rock and roll music. Amazing speed throughout, real class act. I think he did two triples and one double jump. A lot of dancy moves. Two big split jumps and a death drop into his final spin.
Tanith and Ben came out again, this time in their punk outfits, to introduce the next act.
9. Dance ensemble. A waltz performed by seven couples. Davis and White, Chock and Zuerlin, and Wingle and Devereaux were joined by Senft and Hill, Aronow and Pirogovas, Lichtman and Truesdale, and Shibutani and Shibutani.
This was my favorite act of the show. If I could dance like that, on or off the ice, I would be so stuck up I wouldn’t talk to anyone except Torvill and Dean.
10. Oksana Baiul. Swan lake. She’s still got it! Did a nice triple (?) flip (?), and a double Axel (landing a little shaky on the Axel). Lot of expressive arm movements, a graceful and dramatic program to graceful and dramatic music.
11. Belbin and Agosto. Ben came out first and played a guitar. I think he was really playing it (?) – naw, it was too good. Then Tanith joined him and they got jiggy with Sexy Back. This is not everyone’s favorite B&A routine, but Tanith looked sexy as all get-out in her hip-hop costume (Ben, too). A highlight for me was the straight line footwork sequence.
Intermission. Zamboni guy: TES 70.23, PCS 71.98 = 141.31
I am working on a figure skating song:
“I don’t care if you’re plump or bony,
Let's go riding on a big Zamboni…”
Act 2 to follow.
The bad news: There isn’t any bad news. (No wait, that's more good news.)
OK, I just got back from the matinee of Tanith and Ben’s big benefit show for cancer treatment and research.
This was the best skating show I’ve ever been to (sorry, COI and SOI
) The thing that impressed me most was Ben and Tanith’s ability to organize such an ambitious undertaking. They had to line up sponsorship (Meier’s Five and Dime Stores was one of the largest donors), get in the talent (well, maybe it wasn’t so hard for Tanith to convince Evan Lysacek to come ), and arrange a thousand and one details that you don’t even know exist until suddenly it’s crunch time. B&A, this one’s for you: Pre-show. I got there almost an hour early, but the parking lot was already filling up. It cost $5 to park, but I recouped my loss at the box office by getting a senior citizen discount (the cheap seats were $18
instead of $22).The first person I saw was Lysacek, standing under a sign that said, “Do not stand here.” He was talking with some other people connected with the show, but a steady line of people (mostly young girls) came up for autographs and pictures. Yes, Evan is just as tall and handsome in person as he is on TV, plus he has a really nice voice.
As far as I could tell by counting rows and sections, the arena holds about 3600 fans and was about 2/3 full. I would estimate more than 2000 people.
If the evening show draws as many, this will be a huge success. The afternoon crowd was mostly families with young children.Act I
1. The full ensemble. Lots of choreography. In fact, the whole show was very well structured and well rehearsed. The theme was Christmas presents. Derick Delmore partnered Oksana Baiul sporting a cool Mohawk haircut (that is, Derick had a Mohawk
).A highlight was Tanith and a little girl playing follow the leader. I think the girl was Ekaterina Shpilband, but if so she was a quick-change artist, because Ekaterina’s solo was the first act up and she had on a different costume.
2. Ekaterina Shpilband. Outstanding performance, she didn’t hold back on the tech. Great combo spins in several positions, four jumps in all, a variety of moves in the field. She was little but she skated big, filling the ice. A real talent.
3. Samuelson and Bates. Very dramatic dance. Lovely holds and extended positions, very full movement. A highlight was a cool waist high carry lift. (But they lost their edge on a hydroblade move at the end.)
Tanith and Ben then took the mic to welcome everyone and introduce the next act.
4. Detroit Skating Club. Twelve young ladies in Christmas tree dresses and four snowmen, LOL. Well-performed choreography, a highlight was a series of jumps in sequence and a spinning chorus line.
5. Four skaters in Santa Claus outfits came out to introduce the next act, a Cirque de Soleil acrobat act (non-skating). Two women acrobats did tricks on hoops suspended above the arena. The most dangerous-looking was when they hung on the hoop just by the back of their heads. An entertaining change of pace.
I believe that the circus acts and Oksana Baiul, together with the director of the show, came in a package from the recent Broadway type stage show that Oksana starred in.
6. Chock and Zuerline and Wingle and Devereaux. (I resisted the temptation to yell, “You were robbed at the Junior GP Final!” to Madison and Greg
). A jazzy version of Baby It’s Cold Outside. Two couples in unison. Again obviously well rehearsed. Costume was outdoor winter clothes.Ice Dance is by far the best discipline!
No, wait. Synchro!!
7. The Crystallettes. The show started with a series of block movements all around the rink before the lights came on or the music started. I think it was part of the act, but some people in the audience started shouting, “Turn on the Lights.”
Nice performance. The best move was spinning in unison. That was spectacular. Better unison than some pairs teams achieve with only two skaters.
8. Derick Delmore. Black spangly costume, rock and roll music. Amazing speed throughout, real class act. I think he did two triples and one double jump. A lot of dancy moves. Two big split jumps and a death drop into his final spin.
Tanith and Ben came out again, this time in their punk outfits, to introduce the next act.
9. Dance ensemble. A waltz performed by seven couples. Davis and White, Chock and Zuerlin, and Wingle and Devereaux were joined by Senft and Hill, Aronow and Pirogovas, Lichtman and Truesdale, and Shibutani and Shibutani.
This was my favorite act of the show. If I could dance like that, on or off the ice, I would be so stuck up I wouldn’t talk to anyone except Torvill and Dean.
10. Oksana Baiul. Swan lake. She’s still got it! Did a nice triple (?) flip (?), and a double Axel (landing a little shaky on the Axel). Lot of expressive arm movements, a graceful and dramatic program to graceful and dramatic music.
11. Belbin and Agosto. Ben came out first and played a guitar. I think he was really playing it (?) – naw, it was too good.
Then Tanith joined him and they got jiggy with Sexy Back. This is not everyone’s favorite B&A routine, but Tanith looked sexy as all get-out in her hip-hop costume (Ben, too). A highlight for me was the straight line footwork sequence.Intermission. Zamboni guy: TES 70.23, PCS 71.98 = 141.31
I am working on a figure skating song:
“I don’t care if you’re plump or bony,
Let's go riding on a big Zamboni…”
Act 2 to follow.
Last edited:
and three boys sharp as tacks in black tuxedo pants, white shirts, and red cummerbunds and ties. Never change clothes, guys! 
Red costumes. I did not see any sign of injury on Brooks part. They look ready for nationals. Looked like a competitive program. Good speed in pairs spin, nice height in double twist, strong throw jump (slight turn-out), good execution of side-by-side jumps, straight line footwork, attention to detail throughout, nice lassoe lift with inside-out dismount, superior death spiral. 
