Tv alert -- Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular

[Marine63]

Skating & Gymnastics Spectacular, Jan. 18, 4-6 p.m. est on NBC. Raven Symone performs during this exhibition of skating and gymnastics hosted by Peggy Fleming, Bart Conner and Nadia Comaneci. Gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson headline the event. The on-ice talent includes Evan Lysacek and Todd Eldredge. Taped Dec. 23 at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center in Rapid City, S.D.

 

[iluvtodd]

Thanks! We'll be taping it, as there will be a little TV competition at home. Our Philly Eagles are playing a critical game with the Cardinals in Arizona today. I'm not a big football fan, but I want the Eagles to win for the sake of our city and its morale. So, my husband will be watching the Eagles on the HDTV. I'll watch the Skating/Gymnastics show on the smaller TV in the meantime.

 

[Johar]

The Gymnastic and Skating Spectacular

I actually look forward to watching this every year, if our local affiliates don't block it and show football instead.

Who's going to be shown?

 

[iluvtodd]

Here's the cast:

http://www.dissonskating.com/gymnasticshome.htm

Let's hope the coverage is balanced. Or is that asking too much? (and I do like both sports - I figure skating, of course, but I really do like gymnastics, even though I don't follow it as closely as figure skating).

 

[Johar]

Oh, Paul Hamm and Raj Bhavsar will be there. Awesome! Too bad gymnast Anna Pavlova won't be there.

I am hyper just thinking about this show.

 

[feraina]

Is anyone watching this show right now?

After Opening, first number is by Shawn Johnson. Oh, my, she's doubled in size since the Olympics (and not height-wise)... A couple of nice twists, but only single back flips. The music/choreography is fun.

Evan Lysacek, but they're mainly showing the singer and dancers, and only cutting to some jumps and spins of Evan's, and quickly cutting back again -- almost no chance to see any "dancing" by Evan. A bit of a shame.

they are having the male gymnasts showing off their muscles before, in between, and after their routines.

 

[feraina]

Rachael skated a fun, rock number, but she looked like she was really concentrated on her jumps (3F, 3Z, 2A), and only really relaxed and got into the groove when she did her circular step sequence.

 

[feraina]

Nastia looks more beautiful and elegant than ever! I'm so glad she won the all-around Olympics gold medal, she really is a wonderful "all-around" gymnast, and she exudes the elegance of a bygone era of gymnastics. She does a very pretty beam routine, including that signature front flip into a one-foot landing into an arabesque position.

 

[HCOSurfer]

That's by far my favorite program Caroline has ever performed.

 

[feraina]

Caroline Zhang skates her Lullaby for a Stormy Night, very, very pretty music and choreography. So gentle and delicate, I feel completely at peace by the time she finishes.

She did three spins, all amazing: the layback into a pearl and then Biellman, the camel spin into the same variation that Yuna does -- upper body turned toward the ceiling, free leg down -- but she has more stretch and holds it longer than Yuna, it looks like she's sleeping and floating on clouds (it is a lullaby, after all). The third is another layback that goes on forever, as she gets into all these really stretched and beautiful positions.

Two jumps: 3F and 3R. The 3F take-off looks a bit better than in her GP's, the 3R is good.

I can't remember if she did her spiral sequence, maybe the gymnastics set-up cut it short or made her take it out altogether. She did a sequence of nice spread eagles in both directions.

 

[feraina]

Todd Eldredge does a fun number, the crowd loves it. It's amazing he still has these triple jumps.

Alicia Sacramone and Samantha Peszek do a double floor routine together. It must be so nice for gymnasts to do these fun routines with nice costumes and fun music. Skaters, even with the increasingly more onerous limitations placed on the composition of their programs, still have a lot of freedom in terms of music and costume, and are still rewarded for their presentation/performance/choreography.

 

[feraina]

Six male gymnasts together do a parallel bars routine. Interesting concept. Decked out in leotards of different colors.

Lots of ads from Progressive (my car insurance company), but they're kind of cute and funny.

My NBC station is going bezerk: blackouts and soundimage distortion. What's going on?!

Now Evan and Tanith doing a number together (Ben was still out of action). Just Tanith skating by herself at the start. she looks lonely out there by herself. Now Evan joins her, but he looks very stiff. They do a kind of a spin-lift together, and then he does a 3F. They are dancing to Simone's live music again, as he did during his first number.

Is anyone reading my descriptions?

 

[Yuunnaa<3]

Yes, and thank you very much for doing this

 

[HCOSurfer]

Did anybody else realize that when they announced the former American ladies OGM they left out Tara?

 

[feraina]

I wonder if they will show all the second numbers.

Well, here's Rachael doing her second number. She's in a very sparkly pink dress, her hair half-tied in the back. It's a pretty look for her. I think this soft, lyrical number fits her style of skating better. Nice 2A, followed 3Z. Camel spin spin in one direction, then the other (into a Biellman). Wow, have I just never noticed before that she has nice camels in both directions?? A high and strong 3F to top off the program.

The transitions, arm movements, and presentation are much better than her first program. That might be my favorite program of hers so far.

 

[feraina]

Caroline is skating to a new number to music I've never heard of before. In her beautiful new blue-ish white dress for her Ave Maria program. Nice 3F-3T (second a little UR'ed, but she ran out of space in the corner of the rink). Very nice 3R-2T-2R.

Beautiful spiral sequence as always. Ooohh, new spin: camel into inside-edge, then half Biellman. Ends with upright spin into ... eh, what's the name of this position, where she pulls her free leg way up next to her face, and here she spins in this position for many, many revolutions. Very pretty ending. Crowd going crazy. I like this number! I'm bummed I missed the first spin (while typing).

I really want to see this program again!

 

[feraina]

Shawn Johnson is doing a beam routine. I really don't like her outfit, it's terrible. Lots of little wobbles and balance-checks She doesn't look happy on that beam...

 

[ks777]

Shawn Johnson looks.. so different.. from 6 months ago.

 

[feraina]

A little plug for National's. So funny the way Johnny Weir says "only on NBC", with almost a wink. It's just a bit surprising to see Johnny plugging for a TV station, somehow.

I've never noticed before, but Evan Lysacek has a completely flat voice when he gets interviewed. Reminds me of Andy Murray (my favorite tennis player). No tone modulation whatsoever. Does he talk like this in person too?

Haha. I was looking at my posts, and I thought, hey, this looks more like FSU than GS, what's going on? Then I realized I was posting on the wrong forum. Oops. Well, FSu just got my unintended 2cents on Rachael & Caroline.Right now, the Hamm brothers (?) are doing a cool floor routine.

 

[czfan]

Caroline is skating to a new number to music I've never heard of before. In her beautiful new blue-ish white dress for her Ave Maria program. Nice 3F-3T (second a little UR'ed, but she ran out of space in the corner of the rink). Very nice 3R-2T-2R.

Beautiful spiral sequence as always. Ooohh, new spin: camel into inside-edge, then half Biellman. Ends with upright spin into ... eh, what's the name of this position, where she pulls her free leg way up next to her face, and here she spins in this position for many, many revolutions. Very pretty ending. Crowd going crazy. I like this number! I'm bummed I missed the first spin (while typing).

I really want to see this program again!

The music is "On My Own" from the musical, Les Miserables.

That was a very beautifully skated performance from Caroline. I loved it.