Here's a bit of what I reported on the other thread
I'm watching the LA production of All That Skate right now. Holy cow, when did YuNa get such a gorgeous Ina Bauer? She's bent almost all the way back in her "Meditation" from Thais. Her arm movements have improved greatly also.
And now Michelle is on. She did a lovely double axel, which, considering she's been off studying for her master's degree, is pretty splendid. Her Charlotte is as stunning as ever. It's wonderful to get to see her skate again!
Stephane is a fabulous performer. He did both a solo and a sort of group dance-off against some B-Boys (a kind of hip hop, for those who haven't come across this style) who did their moves mostly on a non-ice surface. Of course the b-boys are very quick, and the only one who really seemed to keep up with them was Stephane with his eyepopping spins.
So as not to double post, I'll just keep editing. Savchenko and Szolkowy are tremendously elegant, and their throws are sooo high. I love the death spiral variation where Szolkowy holds onto Aliona's hand and spins so that she flies through the air. Gordeyeva and Grinkov used to perform that variation, and I've always found it thrilling.
And now here come Shen and Zhao, doing an adaptation of Turandot. It has a different musical arrangement (including a bit of vocal by Pavarotti, if I'm not mistaken--a distinctive honeyed tenor) and of course different choreography. Shen and Zhao are magnificent as always, both lyrical and powerful, and they project such a deep emotional bond with each other. They just did a sort of delayed lateral throw lift. Can they control the movement of the air around them? It sure looks as if they can.
Michelle has skated her Winter Song. It's mesmerizing, with intriguing footwork and unusual positions. I didn't expect a bunch of jumps, considering her schedule, but I'm so glad she has performed something with some choreographic complexity and unexpectedness rather than just posing or drifting prettily across the ice.
Now Tessa and Scott are skating. It's a slow piece, very appealing but of course nothing like the Mahler...although she did just balance herself on one leg on his back. Pretty impressive, that.
YuNa really contributed a lot to skating by mounting this show, and then giving an encore performance in the States so it would be televised here. The performers are wonderful and the choreography is of a very high quality. What a delight to be able to see so much of it for myself.
Final ensemble thoughts: I think I may have just seen the most beautiful dress Michelle has ever worn. It's a simple outfit in her usual silhouette, but midnight blue. YuNa has on a similar dress in deep garnet red, edged with black. I also feel that there ought to be a rule that no ice show should ever be mounted without Stephane Lambiel. He belongs in interpretive shows; he's so quick-moving yet jazzily fluid, and his personality seems so easygoing.
d Stephane's program!!!
