Laura was 'Statue of Liberty' in a show of her home club

[maija]

Espoon Jäätaiturit (Laura Lepistö's home club ... and mine, too) has every spring an ice show in Laaksolahti, Espoo, Finland. The show is usually based on a fairy tale. All the skaters from the club perform in the show, youngest ones are three years old and eldest ones adult skaters.

The show (four performances) last weekend was fairy tale of Pekka Töpöhäntä (in Swedish: Pelle Svanslös, in English something like 'Peter-No-Tail'. Pekka Töpöhäntä is a cat without a tail.

Laura Lepistö's role was Vapaudenpatsas (Statue of Liberty)
Jenni Vähämaa was Kissaemo (Cat Mother)
Matthias Versluis was Palopäällikkö (Chief Fireman)

One photogallery of the show
Another photogallery of the show

... and I had made the manuscript

[briancoogaert]

What a beautiful statue

[Ziggy]

This is deliciously bonkers.

[lowtherlore]

Laura is beautiful even in silly costume
I hope we get to see Jenni next season.

[maija]

Laura Lepistö

Jenni Vähämaa

[sk8gr8h8]

Thanks for posting, maija! Laura looks beautiful in white. What a -worthy lady she is!

[IceIceBaby]

Jenni looks in that costume. Why do they have to humiliate Laura and Jenni like this... I don't think any of the world's top skaters would have agreed to dress as a Statue of liberty or a cat for a show?

[MR-FAN]

Jenni looks in that costume. Why do they have to humiliate Laura and Jenni like this...

Humiliate I think they're such good sports for doing this and having fun with it

I don't think any of the world's top skaters would have agreed to dress as a Statue of liberty or a cat for a show?

I couldn't resist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwO542dGDH4

[MR-FAN]

Thanks for posting, maija! Laura looks beautiful in white. What a -worthy lady she is!

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/11878...40630200_Luo9T

[maija]

Jenni looks in that costume. Why do they have to humiliate Laura and Jenni like this... I don't think any of the world's top skaters would have agreed to dress as a Statue of liberty or a cat for a show?

Because it was a fairy tale, a story, not a show with separate 'numbers'. Everyone had an individual or a group role (or both like Jenni) in the show. Jenni was also one of these girls.

In fact Laura had the same costume than in the 'end show' (I forgot what is called in English) in the Europeans and in the Worlds. She only had a 'toga' over it in the beginning and of course something on her head.

[maija]

In this photo:
- 'Manhattan Jim' on the left is Nea Viiri (Finnish Novice Champion)
- 'Manhattan Mary' on the right is Seidi Rantanen (Finnish Novice Silver medallist and Nordic Champion)

In this photo the blue dressed girl on left is Nelma Hede (Finnish Novice bronze medallist, born 1998). This was the first club show for her (because their family returned to Finland a year ago) and she enjoyed it very much!!!

[IceIceBaby]

Humiliate I think they're such good sports for doing this and having fun with it



I couldn't resist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwO542dGDH4

OMG I have never seen this before!
But one of the recent comments says: "Oh, no, not again.... I'm the person who made this video and first posted it on YouTube. It's true - Stéphane saw it and asked a mutual friend to ask me to delete it., which I did immediately. I felt bad about it, because I never intended to cause Stéphane any embarrassment."

So he is embarrassed of it.....


Anyways, is Jenni competing next season?

[sk8gr8h8]

http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/11878...40630200_Luo9T

That one is my favorite! I also love this one, too. She looks like having so much fun:
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/11878...40634323_8cHjD

[akikosuzukifan]

I hope they are not humiliated by it... if they skate at that club, I think it's wonderful that no matter how many national and international level titles they win, they still consider themselves a part of the club, just as the 3 year old beginners are! It looks like fun to me!

[maija]

I hope they are not humiliated by it... if they skate at that club, I think it's wonderful that no matter how many national and international level titles they win, they still consider themselves a part of the club, just as the 3 year old beginners are! It looks like fun to me!

The system here in Finland is different than in many other countries. The club hires ice time (from town and other ice hall owners), hires the coaches and organize practice group and practices.

All the skaters belong to a certain practice group, f.ex. Laura Lepistö belongs to this K1 group in our club. She practices there with other 10 skaters six days a week. There are two coaches on the ice (for these 11 skaters).

[maija]

Better late than never:

I made finally a small piece of news with photos to Laura's home page.

[Finnice]

I hope they are not humiliated by it... if they skate at that club, I think it's wonderful that no matter how many national and international level titles they win, they still consider themselves a part of the club, just as the 3 year old beginners are! It looks like fun to me!

They actually are very important role models for the younger skaters in their club. I thunk one of the reason for the current Finnish succes in ladies skating in the club spirit. There are more talented skaters to come in this club EsJT, thanks to Laura, Jenni and of course, the wonderful coach.

I would never think thay would feel humiliated, vice versa! Proud to be part of this wonderful show.

[Jot the Dot Dot]

Jenni looks in that costume. Why do they have to humiliate Laura and Jenni like this... I don't think any of the world's top skaters would have agreed to dress as a Statue of liberty or a cat for a show?

I have it down on VHS video somewhere in my collection, can't find it on YouTube, but Liz Manley dressed in a cat costume, skating to the musical "Cats" (surprize!).

Hey, be glad they weren't dressed as Barney the Dinosaur.

[Jaana]

All the skaters belong to a certain practice group, f.ex. Laura Lepistö belongs to this K1 group in our club. She practices there with other 10 skaters six days a week. There are two coaches on the ice (for these 11 skaters).

Is Laura really never able to practice with a smaller number of other skaters on the ice together with her?

[maija]

Is Laura really never able to practice with a smaller number of other skaters on the ice together with her?

During the season with fixed timetables (from September to March) she has had now two seasons one extra hour a week only for her (and sometimes also Jenni Vähämaa) and her coach. It was before noon.

In a regular week there was also two morning hours in Helsinki for Team Finland skaters. I suppose there were less skaters on ice.