No.Is this only for US/North American shows?
Here’s another great, clear video of Unholy choreographed by Kaitlyn Weaver!! Really enjoyed it! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsaeAxyJsmM/?igshid=MmJiY2I4NDBkZg==
This reminds me of Ovision Ice Arena Fukuoka (and Daisuke used it too for Ice Explosion 2023, which was great). It was supposed to close as well but the Japanese skating community (and many skaters) organized and supported it to find sponsors and re-open. It's nice to see the rinks surviving, but the costs to maintain them seems to get higher and higher...This article gives a brief summary of the event with mention of the Rinkai Sports Center's history, which was on the verge of closure in 2012, but eventually saved with the help of fundraisers/charity events – many of which were organized by the skaters, who used to train there at the time (one of which was Daisuke):
https://www.nikkansports.com/sports/news/202305210001718.html?mode=all
- Tiffani Zagorski
- Jonathan Guerreiro
- Aleksandr Selevko
- Anastasia Galustyan
- Angelina Kuchvalska
- Mykhailo Medunytsia,
- Phillip Warren
- Sofia Sforza
- Clément Pinel
- Anastasiia Arkhypova
This reminds me of Ovision Ice Arena Fukuoka (and Daisuke used it too for Ice Explosion 2023, which was great). It was supposed to close as well but the Japanese skating community (and many skaters) organized and supported it to find sponsors and re-open. It's nice to see the rinks surviving, but the costs to maintain them seems to get higher and higher...
I suspected it when Ice Explosion Fukuoka was announced! A nice way to highlight it.Yes, the reason for holding Ice Explosion at the Ovision Ice Arena (formerly "Papio Ice Arena") was to promote the renovated rink.
I think Shun, Kao, Marin, Rinka, Rio Nakata, Rion Sumiyoshi, Ami Nakai, Hina Takeno and Maria Egawa were among those attending the official reopening on 1 April. I assume that many of them were involved in the activities you mentioned to preserve the facility?
According to this article they were able to reduce energy costs by about 40% by installing a more efficient refrigeration system:
https://www.fukuoka-now.com/en/news/ovision-ice-arena-fukuokas-skating-revival/
A lot of rinks in Japan seem to face similar problems. I don’t have the link at hand, but I recall that Tatsuki once wrote an analysis about Japan’s increasing rink shortage and identifying rising energy costs as one of the main causes.
Adding the confirmed Cast for Friends on Ice 2023:Japanese off-season shows
Friends on Ice 2023 (produced by Shizuka Arakawa)
https://www.friendsonice.com
Dates: 25-27 August
Venue: KOSÉ Shin-Yokohama Skate Center (2-11 Shin-Yokohama, Kohoku, Yokohama, Kanagawa prefecture)
Cast:
- Shizuka Arakawa
- Kana Muramoto & Daisuke Takahashi
- more to be announced
August 26 is now Nathan Chen.Sun Valley On Ice has some skaters lined up and more to come. So far (with dates):
July 3-Mariah Bell
July 22-Isabeau Levito
July 29-Knierim/Frazier
August 5-TBD
August 12-TBD
August 26-TBD
September 2: TBD
Tickets will be on sale soon!
This show is underway, and it seems the Saga citizens enjoyed the show in their brand new arena:Prince Ice World in Saga City
https://gakuon.co.jp/piwsaga/index.html
Dates: 10-11 June
Venue: SAGA Arena (2-1-10 Hinode, Saga City, 849-0923)
Cast:
- Shizuka Arakawa
- Takeshi Honda
- Javier Fernandez
- Shoma Uno
- Kana Muramoto & Daisuke Takahashi
- Miki Ando
- Nobunari Oda
- Keiji Tanaka
- Marin Honda
- Miyu Honda
- PIW ensemble skaters
This show is underway, and it seems the Saga citizens enjoyed the show in their brand new arena: