Have you been to any good ice shows lately? | Page 12 | Golden Skate

Have you been to any good ice shows lately?

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009

Bea

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 12, 2012
I was very surprised to learn that a movie had been made of Opera on Ice. I don't know if it was mentioned before. Maybe this information is a bit late, but the movie has only arrived to us now or lately (I'm from Hungary). I'm even more surprised that our local cinema is going to show it. :) It's such a great opportunity for me as I don't really get to go to any figure skating shows or competitions.
 

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/soi2013/tokyo.html

Tokyo venue, 13th Jan.

I am not a super great fan of SOI but if the certain names are on the list I cannot not go. SOI in Tokyo was held on Ariake Coliseum which is not even near Tokyo center. The place is designed for tennis events, i.e. mainly used as outdoor facility unless the roof is closed as it happened today. The place gave cheap feeling of the venue with plastic chairs, very average bathrooms and no decent coffee. Last year SOI was in Yoyogi, the same place where WTT is held. This year it's different. Have no idea why.

Dorothy Hamill was the first one with solo number. It was my first time to see her live, naturally, since she retired from competitions before I was born. She should give a lesson to the current Olympic champion, and not her only, on how to move arms gracefully and in general represent the true Ladyship, the thing that is missing now in women's skating. To share the designer of her outfit would be a good idea too. Maybe then we will see more real gowns, not some ugly dresses in poor taste. She didn't jumps, did the spiral, layback spin and upright spin. That was enough to deliver the real beauty of this sport.
Ryan skated something stupid. A teacher in glasses who can barely jump 3T with poor landing. A lot of posturing and silly antics.
Akiko skated "Umbrellas of Cherbourg" and was her usual self. She doubled the opening flip, then did 2A, 3S and spins.
Jeffrey skated the same ice princess stuff as in MWO exactly in the same outfit. He doubled the opening lutz, did 3T and 2A, spins were very good though.
Kerrs skated their Scottish dance that would made a funny polka as SD for this season. He was in a kilt that he lifted up when bowing like Nathalie in cancan.
Shawn in Ave Maria demonstrated his stretches and wonderful spins, didn't jump much besides 2A.
Kanaka did her EX, 3F with step-out, then did 3S-2Lo-2Lo, 3T. Can someone send this girl to a Russian camp offseason? Like to Bestemyanova&Bobrin, for example. She is getting more feminine than before but just really slightly. I think that she has much bigger potential than her current team can offer.
Phillippe skated Scorpions and did what the audience expects from him- a bunch of his tricks, full of optimism and mere enjoyment of life. He did 2Lu and 3T but it's impossible not to like him no matter what mistakes he makes.
Kim&Brent skated something yawn-ish.
Ilya skated Calvin's "Let's go", did his terribly good 3Lutz with monster edge, a couple of 3T, steps with enegry and joy. They do love him here! There were a lot of Russian flags when Ilya skated and later Yag. Yeah, they have a special feeling to those blondie boys.
As usual in SOI there were some group numbers, pretty much all the same. Except the collaboration of 3 J-skaters (Dai, Mao, Kanako) and 3 Canadian skaters (Kurt, Jeffrey, Joannie). Well, actually Dai was the only one who performed elements: a split jump very high with good back, then 3F and his feature combo spin, while he was doing it Mao was doing her spiral around him. When various skaters are on the ice at the same time, it's the perfect chance to see who is who: who is smoother, softer and sincere. Dai and Mao hit the top.

After Zamboni time Shizuka skated shizuka, i.e. the same set of 2A, 3S, ina bauer, spin, end. The dress and music can be new, the prog is the same.
Johnny was in a hooker outfit, did 2A, 3T quite shaky, was struggling with jumps. Probably he tought that the audience wasn't loud enough, so he "took" the wrong side to exit to get extra attention. It might be not easy to be Johnny sometimes I quess.
Irina skated Malade in her gorgeous green dress, was so passionate and true, she did 3Lo clean from her traditional twizzle-entrance, the only one who tried to do smth other than toe/sal among retired ladies, as well as 2A, her bielmann spin and spiral. Loud cheering for this charmingly strong the mother of two.
Joannie tried to be entertaining in her charlestone with 3S, but that was just that.
Yag skated his Tango, one of two progs that he is going to skate till the end of the days. Did 3T, his only jump now, he was quite slow but his steps were all there. Nevertheless- ovation. Same reason- blondie Russian.
Katya didn't do super well in her Lights. She challenged 2A but managed 1A with heavy step out and touched the ice with the hand, did 2S very low, the prog had no character at all, but her speed was really something.

Then in the very dark (god bless my eyesight) the man in a red jacket showed up and took his position in the center of the ice. I understood who it was and what he was going to skate, but still, who knows, I wasn't sure. Then the light turned on and the music started. The shocked arena exploded with cheering because everyone saw Daisuke skating his SP Rockabilly. That was the hugest surprise for everybody, myself including. He skated Tango in all shows possible, so this time people thought he would skate Tango too. But- hell no! He nailed 4T, one hand went down but didn't touch the ice. Then he did 3Lu and I thought he would stop because there was simply no place for the second jump in that sandbox-like ice rink, the board was too close. But he added 3T to the combo and it felt like he saw while in the air that there was no place for landing it, so he rotated the jump more right in order to escape the board and then pulled it out on the curve on landing. The exit was short though. Then 3A was so high and right in music, steps, spins and all the Dai stuff. Keep in mind that the audience didn't expect him to skate SP there, everything happened so fast! Folks were standing, loud and happily shocked. But the encore wasn't possible.
Then the light went off, then on and Mao was skating her SP too! Not Mary Poppins. She went for 3A, did it downgraded and two-footed, she did 3F-2Lo with deep step out and touched ice with both hands, then she doubled her third jump. Mao is the best dancer among ladies now, great musicality, fully in character, fast choreo and much lightness. But jumps are her main and the only issue now. Real issue.
Kurt was closing this row of three numbers in similar genre with Singing in the Rain. He was like playing music with blades, did 3S and then the real rain started and Kurt was playing with water. Lol. Holy true: there was rain going out of the roof and Kurt's umbrella got wet!
Closing and bowing.
Dorothy, Shawn, collaboration of Dai&Mao, Ilya, Irina, Dai, Mao, Kurt were my favourites of the night. Wish I could do it tomorrow too but seems like unlikely. For now. :)
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 16, 2009
Thank you SO MUCH for such a detailed eyewitness account of SOI Japan. I feel as if I also was there. I'm pleased to hear how much you enjoyed Dorothy. She always had the most beautiful skating posture. Yuka Sato reminds me of her in that regard. I'm thrilled to hear that Ilia has retained his textbook jumps, and that Yagudin and Irina are still skating. As for Kurt, I love your description of him "playing music with blades." I think that's exactly what comes through in his skating. It's wonderful to hear how great Daisuke was and how graceful Mao was (though like you, I am fearful for her jumps). I too wish you could go back and see it again tomorrow. And that I could go with you!
 

giulia95

Medalist
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
thank you so much , Let's talk!! I could perfectly watch every skater through your eyes and your words , from thousands miles away! :)
 

yuki

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Thank you very much for the report, let's talk! Here is the group number with Dai, Mao, Kanako, Jeff, Kurt and Joannie: link
 

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
Here is the group number with Dai, Mao, Kanako, Jeff, Kurt and Joannie: link
Today TV Tokyo aired Stars on Ice but it was Osaka's arena, not Tokyo. I don't know if they're ever going to show Tokyo's venue. I didn't see much of cameras around.
 

yuki

Final Flight
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Today TV Tokyo aired Stars on Ice but it was Osaka's arena, not Tokyo. I don't know if they're ever going to show Tokyo's venue. I didn't see much of cameras around.

I'm not sure from which of the shows this performance is. I simply posted it because I liked the description of the program in your report and I thought that other people would want to see it. Note: Dai's solo part starts at about 2:00 and Dai+Mao is at 2:25 (but the whole program is really lovely).
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
Thank you SO MUCH for such a detailed eyewitness account of SOI Japan. I feel as if I also was there. I'm pleased to hear how much you enjoyed Dorothy. She always had the most beautiful skating posture. Yuka Sato reminds me of her in that regard. I'm thrilled to hear that Ilia has retained his textbook jumps, and that Yagudin and Irina are still skating. As for Kurt, I love your description of him "playing music with blades." I think that's exactly what comes through in his skating. It's wonderful to hear how great Daisuke was and how graceful Mao was (though like you, I am fearful for her jumps). I too wish you could go back and see it again tomorrow. And that I could go with you!

:clap: Me too!

Thank you so much! I could picture everything! :love:
 

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
Thank you let's talk for your review. Sounds like it was a truly wonderful show. I can just imagine the audience going nuts when the music from the Stroll started. I am glad you got to see Dorothy skate she is like a breath of fresh air on a summer night, her stroking and movement on the ice creates a mood that is still first rate.

Thank you also for the link to the SOI show,what a treat! Loved seeing Irina again along with Shawn Sawyer, Johnny, Ilia, Kurt and the rest of the cast.
 

deedee1

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 14, 2007
Thanks a lot, let's talk, for your great review on the show into such details as always. :)
I got to see SOI Osaka show thru TV the other night. And I so much agree with you on Ms. Dorothy Hamil! :yes:

Dorothy Hamill was the first one w...o did not air Shawn's solo program...:disapp:
 

iluvtodd

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Country
United-States
I haven't had a chance to watch the whole show yet, but I do wish they had included Shawn's incredible "Alegria" program! Maybe if we're lucky, we'll get to see it on SOI's US syndicated airing of the tour.
 
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