2022 US Stars on Ice

[Dogo]

I'm going to the Providence show tomorrow and will do my duty to report back Can't believe I'm seeing them all live in a few hours!!

 

[Dogo]

And for the folks who are still deciding whether to come or not from Boston, take the MBTA at a weekend rate!

 

[el henry]

I'm going to the Providence show tomorrow and will do my duty to report back Can't believe I'm seeing them all live in a few hours!!

Please do, so happy for our members who give reports.

Also happy to see that the shows appear relatively well attended.

 

[alyssamarie]

I can report back from the Boston show and m&g. The t takes roughly 2.5 hours to get from my house to providence so in 2018 it's really not the easiest to get to for me. Not even the money that I was worried about. If the t ran faster on weekends then I'd reconsider.

 

[el henry]

I can report back from the Boston show and m&g. The t takes roughly 2.5 hours to get from my house to providence so in 2018 it's really not the easiest to get to for me. Not even the money that I was worried about. If the t ran faster on weekends then I'd reconsider.

Thank you; I think it is so interesting to hear what different posters liked and didn't like, and how the crowd reacted. Also the new style "M&G".

 

[skylark]

Vincent did two triple axels I believe (the hardest jump in the event) and just emoted.

This is what I've always loved so much about Vincent. He gives his best, gives his all, and gives his heart.

Thank you for this great review!

 

[casualfan]

Last night my 11yo and I went to the show in Hartford and we had a great time. She’s not into watching figure skating like I am but she was amazed seeing it in person. Helps that we had good seats, 3rd row. We really enjoyed all the skaters. I didn’t really connect with Alyssa Liu but that’s probably because I wasn’t into her music (Squid Game theme and anime? J-pop?) Mariah popped a double axel but other than that everyone’s jumps were landed well. For me it’s especially impressive to see the couples live with their lifts and K/F’a throws and twists. I really enjoyed seeing H/D Rhythm Dance and my daughter thought it was really cool to see C/B’s alien dance. For me Nathan and Vincent were equally good but Jason is something special. The Elton John themed finale was great. All in all a really enjoyable show. My daughter was a bit disappointed that we couldn’t meet the cast after the show. Maybe another time.

 

[apgold]

I didn’t really connect with Alyssa Liu but that’s probably because I wasn’t into her music (Squid Game theme and anime? J-pop?)

I think it's KPop? I'm glad I wasn't the only one not into Alysa's programs. Did your daughter like her music?

 

[casualfan]

I think it's KPop? I'm glad I wasn't the only one not into Alysa's programs. Did your daughter like her music?

She did like it. She enjoyed Alyssa's younger vibe. She had no idea who Mirai Nagasu was but I was impressed with Mirai's strong technical skills. I always rooted for her. Also, I enjoyed Vincent more live than on the screen. He really does put it all out there.

 

[el henry]

Last night my 11yo and I went to the show in Hartford and we had a great time. She’s not into watching figure skating like I am but she was amazed seeing it in person. Helps that we had good seats, 3rd row. We really enjoyed all the skaters. I didn’t really connect with Alyssa Liu but that’s probably because I wasn’t into her music (Squid Game theme and anime? J-pop?) Mariah popped a double axel but other than that everyone’s jumps were landed well. For me it’s especially impressive to see the couples live with their lifts and K/F’a throws and twists. I really enjoyed seeing H/D Rhythm Dance and my daughter thought it was really cool to see C/B’s alien dance. For me Nathan and Vincent were equally good but Jason is something special. The Elton John themed finale was great. All in all a really enjoyable show. My daughter was a bit disappointed that we couldn’t meet the cast after the show. Maybe another time.

Thank you for the review and also for sharing your daughter's reactions.

I feel I will probably be in @apgold's situation when I do see the show. I wouldn't know a Kpop band or tune if it bit me you-know-where, and that may affect my enjoyment of the programs.

I guess I'm lucky there was a fairly recent movie about Elton John

 

[Dogo]

Sorry for the delayed review! (work gets in the way sometimes..). I was sitting at the floor level close to where the judges are close to the middle of the rink and my ticket got me a Nathan smirk thrown at my audience corner (if that wasn't for me, then let me dream). Below are some of my observations:

Mirai: She still has the technical foundation and is, overall, so nice to watch. If the packaging of her programs was different (music+costume and some choreo changes) she could easily still compete at a National level. She fell once (or twice?) and landed a 2-footed triple flip(?). She needs some time to warm up to the audience to then let herself go, probably because it's been a while since she did Galas. The potential with her is definitely there. There is also a lightness on her lower body that I only saw with Madison Chock and Alexa Knierim from the ladies. Her Beyonce program was fun to watch until the strange music cut.

Karen: She emotes beautifully, that is face and body movements. There is a tiny itty bit of lower body heaviness when she makes her crossovers, but she can hold the longest and straightest spiral I have ever seen with the most elegant posture. She felt twice from triples (loops, I think). But she was determined to land clean jumps. I couldn't connect to her "Dark Horse" program, Idk, there was something about the choreo that didn't clicked with me and her spins where decent on this program (compared to what she usually does). Then a solo dance moment came from a modern dance group piece and she shined SO very bright on her spins.

Mariah: She has long arm extensions and her elongated body naturally helps her to project this. You can tell she skates 'for the audience' (I'll explain this once we get to Jason B.) and is a charming skater. She chose to be safe and only did one jump on her first program (Mirai and Karen did 3 and 2 respectively) and then fell on the first triple of her second program. I still think she has a very tilted air position and then somehow she still is able to land her jumps (albeit, not fully rotated). I was a bit let down by the fact that, for her age, she has a similar facial expression throughout the whole program (smile) and tends to 'pose' a lot through her choreo. Idk if this habit came with Adam, but I wish she could challenge herself with other types of choreo/dance programs because it felt as if I was watching an old school, and not necessarily exciting, routine. Same as Karen on the little bit of heaviness on her lower body in some portions of the program.

Alysa: Everyone around me kept saying 'oh look how adorable she is!' and she is a very cute teen (think 'cute puppy' level). She skated way differently than when I saw her at the Cranberry cup and you could see the tiny bit of embarrassment on her face while dancing to two Korean pop songs. Her face was trying to compute all the moves and you can tell that this particular style of dance, because of the awkwardness on her face expression, really comes new to her and she is still getting used to be more confident on it (she literally started dancing this 2 months ago). From all the women, she has the strongest tech and her jumps felt more natural. Also, she just doesn't fall ever. Like ever. Her determination to not cut corners and do multiple jumps for her gala programs (as if it was easy peasy) is quite admirable and says a lot about her tenacity. She rotates really fast in the air and has a very tight air position even after going through the recent changes on her body. On the modern dance group piece she went back to the Alysa I love to see with soft body gestures and natural expressions. She has immense potential. If she keeps working on her jumps and gets a bit more of height on them (although none of the other ladies had jumps higher than hers) I could really see her regaining her most difficult jumps (quad and completely cleaning out that 3A) because of how good her air position + spatial jump awareness + rotational speed is. She has the longest and most beautiful Biellman with the nicest body posture.

Vincent: He was serving us on every bit of his program music. This guy was non stop getting lost in his music and fully committed to the extensions, the choreo, the edges, the speed, the long glides, the quick tricky steps. I was a bit teary watching his Starry Night program. It should really be criminal (even to USFS) to not have given him more than a 100 on his SP on his artistic expression + challenging tech (yes, even AFTER whatever claims of underrotation that some may claim). If he was amazing at Cranberry cup, he was Magical here. I would pay again to watch Vincent and the men skate. What a dancing treat. I could only hope that he continues his career because, man, he is really really good and deserves to be high on the world standings. Also, I wonder if the key to make him loosen up and get him in the zone is to just let him skate to contemporary music. I know he wanted to bring back "Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon" for the Olympics, but maybe now is the time to go bold with whatever he can strongly connect because it does wonders to his quality of skating. He is a very special skater and did two amazingly timed (with hard entrance + tons of speed and beautifully high & well air positioned) 3 Axels. Not even Nathan did that.

Jason: Well, what else can we say for dear Jason? Is "Sinnerman" the epitome of a superb-packaged and amazingly choreographed program built only for Jason? 100% Yes. This program just fits him like a glove and makes him shine so very bright. He literally plays with you, the audience. He doesn't give you a second to think. He toys with you, smirks, leaves you hanging, and then he quickly runs from you, miles away saying 'why' to the heavens doing that iconic arm gesture that we all know. He doesn't skate just 'for the audience', he skates because it's the only vehicle by which he can truly emote music. I was right next to where he did the last choreo part where he takes his leg high up with one arm and does a slow spin, god, what-the-heck. That should be illegal (because he is that good). He was THAT magical that my friend seating next to me (male, who likes jazz and Nina Simon and is straight w/o any previous knowledge of figure skating) had to stand up and applaud him at the end of his program. The audience did the same. He is a dancer and an artist. No discussion about it.

Nathan: OH, the men are such a treat, I swear. This guy, when you see him glide, you're like "yeah, he was always meant to skate". Like there was probably some sort of predetermined destiny that he had to fulfill in the Ice. He literally draws you in. He has ALL of these little nuanced movement things on his arms and his legs and on the steps he does, it's crazy good. He captivates you. He doesn't skate for you, he skates for himself and for the skating gods. On his new cosmic/Gala program it almost felt as if I got lost in the woods and somehow saw him skating alone in some sort magical pond with the stars shinning on him. What a beautiful skater he is. And the stamina he has, ufff is insane. He did 3 backflips and was never cutting on the artistic delivery of his programs. He was working hard the audience and then, suddenly, he was back to being lost on his own dance. Also, he is VERY light on his feet and has an amazing body coordination. His lower body moves so light and his posture is divine. I could keep talking about the men for hours..

C/B: They both move and cut the ice with SUCH precision that it's really crazy good. They also 'draw you' into their dance ritual. Madison's body coordination is WILD and has to be something from a different world. At least being that close I could see how she, in such a different way from the single skaters, can set a tone or an entire mood just be lifting a leg in a certain way. Her movements where coordinated to the end of her fingers and her spins are the prettiest and most beautiful thing I watched during the whole night. She was like a majestic doll being grabbed by Evan who made her spin in crazy positions with her fingers and legs still being choreographed to the nano-second. Her upper and lower body are just SO in sync it's crazy. I guess I now understand what Marie France said about her moving like silk (and yes, Madi is a true gem). She also emotes beautifully on every music accent. Watching them close I can see why Evan is such a great partner for her. Because she did one 'partner spin' with Zach and I thought he could have a bit of hard time understanding how to properly showcase her complex entrances and exits on the spins. Evan blends so well with Maddie and you can really see how GOOD they both are synced as one during the "Symphony" Gala program. Their Alien program was so good I had to stand up and applaud them. It was not the full musical cut which was a shame bc I have memorized all the edits/cuts. I also wished I could have seen their Billie Eilish rythmic dance because Evan has been developing a very particular 'spark on his eye' attitude on this program since Nationals. Overall, they were pretty fast on the ice and had the same speed than H/D, which took me a bit by surprise.

H/D: They bring a lot of attitude on the ice that is very unique to this pair. Zach has a lot of charisma and Madison is always working up the audience. They both can be very very sexy while skating, but it can take some time for them to warm up to this. They both have good edgework but the speed sometimes fluctuates, surprisingly so. It's like, when they are into their choreo they can get distracted and start to deviate from the intended speed. And then they go back to full speed. Also, if you let Zach just go on by himself he can probably skate on his own and will try to steal the performance haha. They are very nice to watch and for all of their accomplishments I'm happy they are retiring on a great note.

K/F: I'll be honest, I was not a fan of this pair (although, I have much respect for them) and it took me seating right at the front to understand that Alexa is a very special girl. She skates really really well, fast, and has good upper/lower body coordination which really makes her a gem if you combine the fact that she goes really high on the throws and has SO much amplitude on her assisted throws. I know I was rooting for other upcoming pairs couples, but after watching her and Brandon they should both seriously think into not retiring. I thought she was on the older side for competitive skating, but, man, she is really good. She looks and skates like the current top pairs in this discipline and they both deserved the win at Worlds. There is nothing from B/K that I would pick compared to them. And M/G come off as to much on the younger side for me sometimes (and T/M are crossed of my list for obvious reasons..), so I would think that if they focus on the emotive portion of their programs and on trying to display more Brandon (because he is also really good), they can aim to remain in the top positions.

The arena looked very full and the people were very effusive. It was a very memorable night

 

[CoyoteChris]

Sorry for the delayed review! (works gets in the way sometimes..). I was sitting at the floor level close to where the judges near to the middle of the rink and my ticket got me a Nathan smirk thrown to my audience corner (if that wasn't for me, then let me dream). Below are some of my observations:

Mirai: She still has the technical foundation and is, overall, so nice to watch. If the packaging of her programs was different (music+costume and some choreo changes) she could easily still compete at a National level. She fell once (or twice?) and landed a 2-footed triple flip(?). She needs some time to warm up to the audience to then let herself go, probably because it's been a while since she did Galas. The potential with her is definitely there. There is also a lightness on her lower body that I only saw with Madison Chock and Alexa Knierim from the ladies. Her Beyonce program was fun to watch until the strange music cut.

Karen: She emotes beautifully, that is face and body movements. There is a tiny itty bit of lower body heaviness when she makes her crossovers, but she can hold the longest and straightest spiral I have ever seen with the most elegant posture. She felt twice from triples (loops, I think). But she was determined to land clean jumps. I couldn't connect to her "Dark Horse" program, Idk there was something about the choreo that didn't clicked with me and her spins where decent on this program (compared to what she usually does). Then a solo dance moment came from a modern dance group piece and she shined SO very bright on her spins.

Mariah: She has long arm extensions and her elongated body naturally helps her with this. You can tell she skates 'for the audience' (I'll explain this once we get to Jason B.) and is a charming skater. She chose to be safe and only did one jump on her first program (Mirai and Karen did 3 and 2 respectively) and then fell on the first triple of her second program. I still think she has a very tilted air position and then somehow she still is able to land her jumps (albeit, not fully rotated). I was a bit let down by the fact that, for her age, she has a similar facial expression throughout the whole program (smile) and tends to 'pose' a lot through her choreo. Idk if this came with Adam, but I wish she could challenge herself with other types of choreo/dance programs because it felt as if I was watching an old school, and not necessarily exciting, routine. Same as Karen on the little bit of heaviness on her lower body in some portions of the program.

Alysa: Everyone around me kept saying 'oh look how adorable she is!' and she is a very cute teen (think 'cute puppy' level). She skated way differently than when I saw her at the Cranberry cup and you could see the tiny bit of embarrassment on her face while dancing to two Korean pop songs. Her face was trying to compute all the moves and you can tell that this particular style of dance, because of the awkwardness on her face expression, really comes new to her and she is still getting used to be more confident on it (she literally started dancing this 2 months ago). From all the women, she has the strongest tech and her jumps felt more natural. Also, she just doesn't fall ever. Like ever. Her determination to not cut corners and do multiple jumps for her gala programs (as if it was easy peasy) is quite admirable and says a lot about her tenacity. She rotates really fast in the air and has a very tight air position even after going through the recent changes on her body. On the modern dance group piece she went back to the Alysa I love to see with soft body gestures and natural expressions. She has immense potential. If she kept working on her getting a bit more of height on her jumps (although none of the other ladies had jumps higher than hers) I really could see her regaining her most difficult jumps (quad and completely cleaning out her 3A) because of how good her air position awareness + rotational speed is. She has the longest and most beautiful Biellman with the nicest body posture.

Vincent: He was serving us on every bit of his program music. This guy was non stop getting lost in his music and fully committed to the extensions, the choreo, the edges, the speed, the long glides, the quick tricky steps. I was a bit teary watching his Starry Night program. It should really be criminal (even to USFS) to not have given him more than a 100 on his SP on his artistic expression + challenging tech (yes, even AFTER whatever claims of underrotation). If he was amazing at Cranberry cup, he was Magical here. I would pay again to watch Vincent and the men skate. What a dancing treat. I could only hope that he continues his career because, man, he is really really good and deserves to be high on the world standings. Also, I wonder if the key to make him loosen up and get him in the zone is to just let him skate to contemporary music. I know he wanted to bring back "Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon" for the Olympics, but maybe now is time to go bold with whatever he can strongly connect because it does wonders to his quality of skating. He is a very special skater and did two amazingly timed (with hard entrance+tons of speed and beautifully high & well air positioned) 3 Axels. Not even Nathan did that.

Jason: Well, what else can we say for dear Jason? Is "Sinnerman" the epitome of a superb-packaged and amazingly choreographed program built only for Jason? 100% Yes. This program just fits him like a glove and makes him shine so very bright. He literally plays with you, the audience. He doesn't give you a second to think. He toys with you, smirks, leaves you hanging, and then he quickly runs from you, miles away saying 'why' to the heavens doing that iconic arm gesture that we all know. He doesn't skate just 'for the audience', he skates because it's the only vehicle by which he can truly emote music. I was right next to where he did the last choreo part where he takes his leg high up with one arm and does a slow spin, god, what-the-heck. That should be illegal (because he is that good). He was THAT magical that my friend seating next to me (male, who likes jazz and Nina Simon and is straight w/o any previous knowledge of figure skating) had to stand up and applaud him at the end of his program. The audience did the same. He is a dancer and an artist. No discussion about it.

Nathan: OH, the men are such a treat, I swear. This guy, when you see him glide, you're like "yeah, he was always meant to skate". Like there was probably some sort of predetermined destiny that he had to fulfill in the Ice. He literally draws you in. He has ALL of this little nuanced movement things on his arms and his legs and on the steps he does, it's crazy good. He captivates you. He doesn't skate for you, he skates for himself and for the skating gods. On his new cosmic/Gala program it almost felt as if I got lost in the woods and somehow saw him skating alone in some sort magical pond with the stars shinning on him. What a beautiful skater he is. And the stamina he has, ufff is insane. He was did 3 backflips and was never cutting on the artistic delivery of his programs. He worked the audience and then he was lost on his own dance. Also, he is very light on his feet and has a amazing body coordination. His lower body moves so light and his posture is divine. I could keep talking about the men for hours..

C/B: They both move and cut the ice with SUCH precision that it's really crazy good. They also 'draw you' into their dance ritual. Madison's body coordination is WILD and has to be something from a different world. At least being that close I could see how she, in such a different way from the single skaters, can set a tone or an entire mood just be lifting a leg in a certain way. Her movements where coordinated to the end of her fingers and her spins are the prettiest and most beautiful thing I watched during the whole night. She was like a majestic doll being grabbed by Evan who made her spin in crazy positions with her fingers and legs still being choreographed to the nano-second. Her upper and lower body are just SO in sync it's crazy. I guess I know understand what Marie France said about her moving like silk (and yes, Madi is a true gem). She also emotes beautifully on every music accent. Watching them close I can see why Evan is such a great partner for her. Because she did one partner spin with Zach and I thought he could have a bit of hard time understanding how to properly showcase her complex entrances and exits on the spins. Evan blends so well with Maddie and you can really see how GOOD they both are synced as one on the "Symphony" Gala program. Their Alien program was so good I had to stand up and applaud them. It was not the full musical cut which was a shame bc I have memorized all the cuts. I also wished I could have seen their Billie Eilish rythmic dance because Evan has been developing a very particular 'spark on his eye' attitude on this program since Nationals. Overall, they were pretty fast on the ice and had the same speed than H/D, which took me a bit by surprised.

H/D: They bring a lot of attitude on the ice that is very unique to this pair. Zach has a lot of charisma and Madison is always working up the audience. They both can be very very sexy while skating, but it can take some time for them to warm up to this. They both have good edgework but the speed sometimes fluctuates, surprisingly so. It's like, when they are into their choreo they can get distracted and start to deviate from the intended speed. And then go back to full speed. Also, if you let Zach go, he can probably skate on his own and can try to steal the performance haha. They are very nice to watch and for all of their accomplishments I'm happy they are retiring on a great note.

K/F: I'll be honest, I was not a fan of this pair (although, I have much respect for them) and it took me seating right at the front to understand that Alexa is a very special girl. She skates really really well, fast, and has good upper/lower body coordination which really makes her a gem if you combine the fact that she goes really high on the throws and has SO much amplitude on her assisted throws. I know I was rooting for other upcoming pairs couple but after watching her and Brandon, they should both seriously think into not retiring. I thought she was on the older side for competitive skating but man, she is really good. She looks and skates like the current top pairs in this discipline and they both deserved the win at Worlds. There is nothing from B/K that I would pick compared to them. And M/G come off as to much on the younger side for me sometimes (and T/M are crossed of my list for obvious reasons..), so I would think that if they focus on the emotive portion and in displaying more Brandon (because he is also really good), they can aim to remain in the top positions.

The arena looked very full and the people were very effusive. It was a very memorable night

Great Review! Could you see Mariah's new tatoo? LOL! can't get my wife interested in going....but I can understand her fear of covid....sure you can wear a mast...but if the person next to you is an asymtomatic spreader, like the VPotus, its only an N95 mask after all. I have been fortunate enough to see these skaters many times live and many this year.....this is one event I would suggest everyone try and make.

 

[el henry]

whole post

Great review, Dogo, thank you!

Can't wait until tonight (and it's a good thing someone in our meet-up group asked about bag policies, I have not been to an event since the Before Times. Since I don't have a small see through bag, breaking out those gallon baggies as we speak )

 

[ladyjane]

Thank you @Dogo. What a wonderful review. I am so jealous of you and your friend (in the sense that I would have loved to see it too. But you really brought it to life!). Wow, wow, Wow!

 

[ManyCairns]

Sorry for the delayed review! (works gets in the way sometimes..). I was sitting at the floor level close to where the judges near to the middle of the rink and my ticket got me a Nathan smirk thrown to my audience corner (if that wasn't for me, then let me dream). Below are some of my observations:

Mirai: She still has the technical foundation and is, overall, so nice to watch. If the packaging of her programs was different (music+costume and some choreo changes) she could easily still compete at a National level. She fell once (or twice?) and landed a 2-footed triple flip(?). She needs some time to warm up to the audience to then let herself go, probably because it's been a while since she did Galas. The potential with her is definitely there. There is also a lightness on her lower body that I only saw with Madison Chock and Alexa Knierim from the ladies. Her Beyonce program was fun to watch until the strange music cut.

Karen: She emotes beautifully, that is face and body movements. There is a tiny itty bit of lower body heaviness when she makes her crossovers, but she can hold the longest and straightest spiral I have ever seen with the most elegant posture. She felt twice from triples (loops, I think). But she was determined to land clean jumps. I couldn't connect to her "Dark Horse" program, Idk there was something about the choreo that didn't clicked with me and her spins where decent on this program (compared to what she usually does). Then a solo dance moment came from a modern dance group piece and she shined SO very bright on her spins.

Mariah: She has long arm extensions and her elongated body naturally helps her with this. You can tell she skates 'for the audience' (I'll explain this once we get to Jason B.) and is a charming skater. She chose to be safe and only did one jump on her first program (Mirai and Karen did 3 and 2 respectively) and then fell on the first triple of her second program. I still think she has a very tilted air position and then somehow she still is able to land her jumps (albeit, not fully rotated). I was a bit let down by the fact that, for her age, she has a similar facial expression throughout the whole program (smile) and tends to 'pose' a lot through her choreo. Idk if this came with Adam, but I wish she could challenge herself with other types of choreo/dance programs because it felt as if I was watching an old school, and not necessarily exciting, routine. Same as Karen on the little bit of heaviness on her lower body in some portions of the program.

Alysa: Everyone around me kept saying 'oh look how adorable she is!' and she is a very cute teen (think 'cute puppy' level). She skated way differently than when I saw her at the Cranberry cup and you could see the tiny bit of embarrassment on her face while dancing to two Korean pop songs. Her face was trying to compute all the moves and you can tell that this particular style of dance, because of the awkwardness on her face expression, really comes new to her and she is still getting used to be more confident on it (she literally started dancing this 2 months ago). From all the women, she has the strongest tech and her jumps felt more natural. Also, she just doesn't fall ever. Like ever. Her determination to not cut corners and do multiple jumps for her gala programs (as if it was easy peasy) is quite admirable and says a lot about her tenacity. She rotates really fast in the air and has a very tight air position even after going through the recent changes on her body. On the modern dance group piece she went back to the Alysa I love to see with soft body gestures and natural expressions. She has immense potential. If she kept working on her getting a bit more of height on her jumps (although none of the other ladies had jumps higher than hers) I really could see her regaining her most difficult jumps (quad and completely cleaning out her 3A) because of how good her air position awareness + rotational speed is. She has the longest and most beautiful Biellman with the nicest body posture.

Vincent: He was serving us on every bit of his program music. This guy was non stop getting lost in his music and fully committed to the extensions, the choreo, the edges, the speed, the long glides, the quick tricky steps. I was a bit teary watching his Starry Night program. It should really be criminal (even to USFS) to not have given him more than a 100 on his SP on his artistic expression + challenging tech (yes, even AFTER whatever claims of underrotation). If he was amazing at Cranberry cup, he was Magical here. I would pay again to watch Vincent and the men skate. What a dancing treat. I could only hope that he continues his career because, man, he is really really good and deserves to be high on the world standings. Also, I wonder if the key to make him loosen up and get him in the zone is to just let him skate to contemporary music. I know he wanted to bring back "Crouching Tiger/Hidden Dragon" for the Olympics, but maybe now is time to go bold with whatever he can strongly connect because it does wonders to his quality of skating. He is a very special skater and did two amazingly timed (with hard entrance+tons of speed and beautifully high & well air positioned) 3 Axels. Not even Nathan did that.

Jason: Well, what else can we say for dear Jason? Is "Sinnerman" the epitome of a superb-packaged and amazingly choreographed program built only for Jason? 100% Yes. This program just fits him like a glove and makes him shine so very bright. He literally plays with you, the audience. He doesn't give you a second to think. He toys with you, smirks, leaves you hanging, and then he quickly runs from you, miles away saying 'why' to the heavens doing that iconic arm gesture that we all know. He doesn't skate just 'for the audience', he skates because it's the only vehicle by which he can truly emote music. I was right next to where he did the last choreo part where he takes his leg high up with one arm and does a slow spin, god, what-the-heck. That should be illegal (because he is that good). He was THAT magical that my friend seating next to me (male, who likes jazz and Nina Simon and is straight w/o any previous knowledge of figure skating) had to stand up and applaud him at the end of his program. The audience did the same. He is a dancer and an artist. No discussion about it.

Nathan: OH, the men are such a treat, I swear. This guy, when you see him glide, you're like "yeah, he was always meant to skate". Like there was probably some sort of predetermined destiny that he had to fulfill in the Ice. He literally draws you in. He has ALL of this little nuanced movement things on his arms and his legs and on the steps he does, it's crazy good. He captivates you. He doesn't skate for you, he skates for himself and for the skating gods. On his new cosmic/Gala program it almost felt as if I got lost in the woods and somehow saw him skating alone in some sort magical pond with the stars shinning on him. What a beautiful skater he is. And the stamina he has, ufff is insane. He was did 3 backflips and was never cutting on the artistic delivery of his programs. He worked the audience and then he was lost on his own dance. Also, he is very light on his feet and has a amazing body coordination. His lower body moves so light and his posture is divine. I could keep talking about the men for hours..

C/B: They both move and cut the ice with SUCH precision that it's really crazy good. They also 'draw you' into their dance ritual. Madison's body coordination is WILD and has to be something from a different world. At least being that close I could see how she, in such a different way from the single skaters, can set a tone or an entire mood just be lifting a leg in a certain way. Her movements where coordinated to the end of her fingers and her spins are the prettiest and most beautiful thing I watched during the whole night. She was like a majestic doll being grabbed by Evan who made her spin in crazy positions with her fingers and legs still being choreographed to the nano-second. Her upper and lower body are just SO in sync it's crazy. I guess I know understand what Marie France said about her moving like silk (and yes, Madi is a true gem). She also emotes beautifully on every music accent. Watching them close I can see why Evan is such a great partner for her. Because she did one partner spin with Zach and I thought he could have a bit of hard time understanding how to properly showcase her complex entrances and exits on the spins. Evan blends so well with Maddie and you can really see how GOOD they both are synced as one on the "Symphony" Gala program. Their Alien program was so good I had to stand up and applaud them. It was not the full musical cut which was a shame bc I have memorized all the cuts. I also wished I could have seen their Billie Eilish rythmic dance because Evan has been developing a very particular 'spark on his eye' attitude on this program since Nationals. Overall, they were pretty fast on the ice and had the same speed than H/D, which took me a bit by surprised.

H/D: They bring a lot of attitude on the ice that is very unique to this pair. Zach has a lot of charisma and Madison is always working up the audience. They both can be very very sexy while skating, but it can take some time for them to warm up to this. They both have good edgework but the speed sometimes fluctuates, surprisingly so. It's like, when they are into their choreo they can get distracted and start to deviate from the intended speed. And then go back to full speed. Also, if you let Zach go, he can probably skate on his own and can try to steal the performance haha. They are very nice to watch and for all of their accomplishments I'm happy they are retiring on a great note.

K/F: I'll be honest, I was not a fan of this pair (although, I have much respect for them) and it took me seating right at the front to understand that Alexa is a very special girl. She skates really really well, fast, and has good upper/lower body coordination which really makes her a gem if you combine the fact that she goes really high on the throws and has SO much amplitude on her assisted throws. I know I was rooting for other upcoming pairs couple but after watching her and Brandon, they should both seriously think into not retiring. I thought she was on the older side for competitive skating but man, she is really good. She looks and skates like the current top pairs in this discipline and they both deserved the win at Worlds. There is nothing from B/K that I would pick compared to them. And M/G come off as to much on the younger side for me sometimes (and T/M are crossed of my list for obvious reasons..), so I would think that if they focus on the emotive portion and in displaying more Brandon (because he is also really good), they can aim to remain in the top positions.

The arena looked very full and the people were very effusive. It was a very memorable night

I haven't seen the SOI show, but your reviews of the performances align so with my impressions of the skaters and were so nice to read. LOVE hearing how good Nathan and Madi and Evan are in person! And that Madi and Evan had good speed, and such nuance and intricacy with their whole bodies. As much as they have done well, they are underrated in some respects, to me. Really great review - thank you!

 

[Dogo]

Great Review! Could you see Mariah's new tatoo? LOL! can't get my wife interested in going....but I can understand her fear of covid....sure you can wear a mast...but if the person next to you is an asymtomatic spreader, like the VPotus, its only an N95 mask after all. I have been fortunate enough to see these skaters many times live and many this year.....this is one event I would suggest everyone try and make.

I could not see it! Had no idea she had one. She is a very photogenic and lovely girl.

 

[apgold]

Thanks, @Dogo for your eloquent review. I have to agree with what you said, especially with the men and the ice dancers being pretty exceptional.

I'm excited to hear what @elhenry will think of the show as well. I hear you on the bag policy. Newark's was awful - not even clear bags were allowed (which I have). We were only allowed to bring a wallet or wristlet that measured 4 by 7. I was sneaky and put most things in my jacket pockets along with a foldable tote bag. Once I got to my seat, everything went into the bag, lol including the 5 dollar bottle of Dasani water I purchased since you can't bring in outside drinks. What a racket.

 

[Dogo]

Thanks, @Dogo for your eloquent review. I have to agree with what you said, especially with the men and the ice dancers being pretty exceptional.

I'm excited to hear what @elhenry will think of the show as well. I hear you on the bag policy. Newark's was awful - not even clear bags were allowed (which I have). We were only allowed to bring a wallet or wristlet that measured 4 by 7. I was sneaky and put most things in my jacket pockets along with a foldable tote bag. Once I got to my seat, everything went into the bag, lol including the 5 dollar bottle of Dasani water I purchased since you can't bring in outside drinks. What a racket.

A small cup of popcorn was $10 at the Dunkin Donuts Arena. I feel you..

 

[el henry]

So, SOI in Allentown, the report from Section 105, row 6 ( aisle seat in a center section). Arena maybe half full if I'm being very generous, but SOI just isn't a huge draw here.

The men: (the Jason post is going to be three times as long as everyone else, sorry/not sorry)

Jason: . (of course, I'm a Jason stan, but I am trying to be objective) I think he's grown as a performer and in connection with the audience, if that is even possible.

Sinnerman live is so impressive. It was everything I hoped it would be, and I was hoping for a lot. The music has a such a compelling beat in the arena that I didn't get in my 5,365 times watching on video. People are clapping, Jason doesn't stop moving, and as far as I could tell, the choreo and the step sequences were the same as his comp program. Every time he skated around the rink and looked into the audience, you could see in his face how much he loved bringing this program to the crowd. Just magical.

He omitted jumps, so he has the backward lunge, but it's not an entry to a jump. No 3A. Who cares?

His other program (actually it was the first) was a typical exhibition program, with four Russian splits, cartwheels, and sliding on the ice, but the kind of thing Jason does well. Selling it as always.

The audience gave him more love than anyone not named Nathan, (more in the Nathan section, clearly the draw for much of the crowd).

Vincent: He did "Vincent" and some other tune that was full of emotion. He really does commit to the program once he is freed from having to worry about jumps. I could see how much the music meant to him and how honestly it appears he was emoting. What a difference from the tenseness I have sometimes seen in comps. Also, as has been reported before, Vincent is giving his all doing the hardest jumps.

He fell on a jump, pretty hard, maybe an axel? Unfortunately the fall was \ in front of me, and I'm always so sad for the skaters seeing how hard they work and how painful the fall must be. But he got up and got right back into it.

Nathan: Much of this crowd, judging from the homemade signs they were carrying and the merch they purchased, were there for Nathan. Being a gold medalist will do that and good for him.

Nathan fell on a jump too, I wonder if he is still injured? I didn't see any quads. Another sign that the crowd was there for Nathan was that they roared on a jump he performed in the spotlight. The jump was wonderful and clean and rotated, but it was not a quad or even a 3A. (I love seeing jumps in the spotlight, it's not like I didn't clap) I saw him smile more during programs than I have seen in six years and I love it. Throughout the program, not just when the jumps are done.

Ice Dancers:

Madison and Zach They did a sultry bluesy exhibition number, but included the "pairs lift" from their FD. I wasn't expecting it, and clapped for the lift, but hardly anyone else in my section did. I’m not sure how many of them were hard-core skating fans, or how many of them just wanted to see Olympic gold medalist Nathan Chen. They also did the Janet Jackson RD. Again they are so powerful, and I like Zach's OTT facial expressions and Madison's sultry act. So sue me.

Madi and Evan Their programs flowed much more than I thought they would, I don't know how else to describe it. Even the middle part of the Alien seems integrated and not forced, as it sometimes did to me on screen. When watching them live, I am surprised that I watch Evan much more than I thought I would. Again, with the lifts (the one riding on the ice), I'm clapping and no one else is

Pairs:

Alexa and Brandon: It was so great to see pairs at American SOI. They did not do any side-by-side jumps and I didn't miss them at all. They did so many different lifts, they did a semi- headbanger for a pretty extended period of time, and they did a couple twists. That is really all I want from pairs, and the crowd appreciated it.

I have read some people complain about Alexa's smile looking fake, but it doesn’t look fake when you are in an arena and she’s got a gazillion bright lights on her and she's presenting another intricate lift. Looks very genuine to me.

Ladies:
I know I'm not a huge ladies' fan, but I just couldn't get into it. Some of this will sound harsh, but...

Alysa: I like Alysa as a skater in the comp videos I've seen, I know she's 16, I know this is her first show, but

IMO, she is just phoning it in. I always thought when I watched her on video that she had some expression, and here she had almost no expression. She also popped jumps. which was odd. I don't think it's the music, I didn't know most of the music for any of the skaters but still enjoyed their programs. I'm not saying she needs Jason or Madi and Zach levels, but some level of expression. Trust me, based on this one night, she wants to retire.

Mirai : I am sorry, another no-go for me. She had a completely weird program where she went off ice to make a costume change in the middle of the program for no discernible reason, while spoken word played, and from memory I couldn’t even tell you what her other program was. She did land jumps and was technically impressive, but you need more in SOI.

Karen, She was engaged in her programs, and her spiral was beautiful. On a shallow note, her second dress, which I believe her mother made, was just gorgeous.

Mariah She was such a joy, she smiles and plays to the audience. I had not seen her live and she is even more engaging than in videos. She did fall on a jump and I have been hearing that she has been falling at other shows. I think maybe she just needs to do doubles or singles, and go for performance. Most of the people in the audience won't know.

Group Numbers

Waaaay better than 2018, just way better. Spotlights on skaters doing what they do best (dancers, cartwheels, splits). No silly performative programs that only use half the cast, (like whatever that thing was with the table in 2018) but the full cast on all group numbers. Also, Nathan is doing a great job as "team captain".

TL: DR:

Well worth your time if you can go. Jason is born for this (yes, I'm biased) the men, the dancers and the pairs were great, the group numbers were engaging. YMMV with the ladies.

 

[el henry]

Also, not specifically related to the show, but had a lovely dinner with @Bookseller @iluvtodd (and hubby) and @Seven Sisters before the show. They can correct me for everything I probably got wrong.