Oct. 10th "Skate for the Heart" show (to air Jan. 16 on NBC)

[Sylvia]

Here are a couple of local articles about today's show in Youngstown, Ohio:

http://www.vindy.com/news/2010/oct/0...day/?newswatch

The show, which features a dozen world-class ice skaters as well as vocal group Straight No Chaser and singers Ruben Studdard and David Archuleta, will be broadcast nationally by NBC on Jan. 16 at 4 p.m.
...
The show will be hosted by Olympic medalists Peggy Fleming and Michelle Kwan. Skaters include Joannie Rochette; Meryl Davis and Charlie White; Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto; Caydee Denney and Jeremy Barrett; and Sasha Cohen, Rachael Flatt, Jeremy Abbott, Johnny Weir and Ryan Bradley.

The skaters practiced last night at the Mentor Ice Arena: http://www.news-herald.com/articles/.../nh3150365.txt

If anyone attends the show, feel free to post your reviews and/or impressions here!

[dinakt]

I am going and will definitely write.

[mmscfdcsu]

It is close by, but I just can't get excited about this kind of show. Bring on the competitions. The weather is great. I'm heading to the beach.

[centerpt1]

Wish I could go- this year they have better music than last year.

I just hate the televised versions of these shows- the skaters routines are all cut up, and you see 3/4 singers and 1/4 skater.

Looking forward to reports! Especially who skated to what.

[dinakt]

I went to SFTH tonight- sorry no videos, only the report...
It was a wonderful evening. I know how much I missed live skating because seeing the ice I simply could not stop smiling.
I was a bit trepidatious about live singing- I love all kinds of music, but if singing is off- key a lot, I am literally in pain. Should not have worried- performers were very good. Straight No Chaser did nice complex a- capella numbers, Ruben Studdart and David Archuleta were very good as well. David sang pop numbers- both upbeat and ballads from his new album, Ruben Studdart did a couple of ballads.
Skating was wonderful, really everybody was "on". Of course skating to live music often was not as complex as skating to recording, but really, everything was very well done.

There was no Meryl and Charlie. I hope they are OK!!!- they were supposed to participate. If anybody knows why, please share.

I'll tell my absolute favorites in this post and then go number- by- number in another one. I tried to write some things down, but will inevitably forget smth.
Absolute highlights:
- Jeremy Abbott's Short program. He was the only person to perform a full- out competitive program. And I am in awe of that short, it is gorgeous, complex and over too fast. It also shows a fiercer side of Jeremy Can't wait to see it more in competitions. Jeremy fell on the first combo- he redid it at the end of the show- but continued with a great 3A. There is so much intricacy and beauty. I think it might be slightly altered from the ATS Korea.
- Johnny Weir's " Heartbroken". Everything was there- jumps were good- felt true emotionally- it's a very musical program, with actual skating content. Soooo beautiful- and public actually gasped when he was sliding on his knees across the ice.
- Belbin/ Agosto- "Fix You" with live singing by Straight No Chaser ( beautiful rendition, BTW). I am starting to feel bad I did not root for them more when they were a competitive duo- because they are just beautiful show skaters, they command attention and Tanith is soooo gorgeous and projects it to the audience.

To be continued in the next post

[TanithandBenFan]

- Belbin/ Agosto- "Fix You" with live singing by Straight No Chaser ( beautiful rendition, BTW). I am starting to feel bad I did not root for them more when they were a competitive duo- because they are just beautiful show skaters, they command attention and Tanith is soooo beautiful and projects it to the audience.

They skated to "Fix You?" First, they do one of my favorite Jason Mraz songs and now one of my favorite Coldplay songs. I am loving their new pro career!

[dinakt]

They skated to "Fix You?" First, they do one of my favorite Jason Mraz songs and now one of my favorite Coldplay songs. I am loving their new pro career!

Yup! Tanith in flowing white, Ben in black. A flowing, elegant performance.
There were actually quite a few men in the audience and let me tell you they screamed for Tanith

[shan]

There was no Meryl and Charlie. I hope they are OK!!!- they were supposed to participate. If anybody knows why, please share.

I think they were originally on the list, but I haven't seen it on the www.meryl-charlie.com schedule in awhile.

[dinakt]

So I'll attemp to remember everything in order. Just a few things before that: the auditorium was not completely sold out, but it was quite full. The public was diverse- i was glad to see that- from dumpy to all- decked- out, young and old and everything in- between, many families but also many dates- and more men than usual for a skating event. Overall the crowd was warm and supported the skaters as well as singers.

Michelle K and Peggy Fleming made the introductions- Peggy F. in pastel/ pinkish, Michelle in a red dress.

[TanithandBenFan]

Yup! Tanith in flowing white, Ben in black. A flowing, elegant performance.
There were actually quite a few men in the audience and let me tell you they screamed for Tanith

Sounds like their costumes from "Use Somebody." I wish this was going to be on TV sooner than January!

[dinakt]

Opening -
all skaters, Straight No chaser singing "I'm Yours"

Rachael Flatt- new haircut ( short, but not very short, below the ears above the shoulders- looks very good on her) and black dress. I thought it was the best I've seen Rachael look- more adult, and her posture was better. She performed to a ballade sung by Ruben Studdart. No mistakes and nice impression.

Caydee Denney/ Jeremy Barrett. Caydee in hot fuschia with lace, Jeremy in a darker shade. Skated to a recording- starts as piano music ( atmospheric, not classical), then becomes orchestral. Perhaps a competitive program? I like them, but they were the only ones in that bunch of stellar skaters who, I felt, do not have show experience and do not yet have seamless transitions between elements. Caydee did a strange death spiral with her butt sticking up- perhaps it adds points, but it is not nearly as beautiful as a traditional spiral. The season is very young, though, and so are they- I wish them a great season.

Sasha Cohen. Cabaret. Sasha was SPOT ON. In fact, she was spot- on the whole night. A great 2A, i think some triples ( it is starting to blur together already...), but not a tiny mistake on jumps, no pops, good energy build- up, as always great spins. The audience loved her.

Johnny Weir. Bad Romance. I LOVED the costume IRL. The number itself has too much posing and shoulder- twitching for my taste ( unlike his second number, which was sublime), but hey, i enjoyed it anyway. And no, he is not fat, LOL, he looks great. Johnny causes such strong reactions from people! There were some people with children behind me who walked out in the middle of the number (though maybe they were taking the kids to the bathroom, I dunno. BTW, I think they were the only ones who left). And a group of women with kids near me- who came, i think, more for singers though they knew something about skating- just LOVED Johnny with passion. The woman near me kept repeating "O, he is so great, so great!"

Ryan Bradley, in blue jeans. Jackson medley performed by Straight No Chaser. How can one not like Ryan. Not the most complex choreography, but lots of charm and great sense of humor. He had all kinds of funny, musical touches. Did a backflip, and some show- jump with throwing the leg out ( do not know how to describe it).

Joannie Rochette, in a very pretty light pink, skating to a slow ballad sung by David Archuleta ( don't remember the title). Joannie is in great shape and was beautiful to watch. Also perfect performance, no stumbles anywhere, a couple of effortless triples. The public was good to her, but I kept thinking how they would roar in
Canada for her, and deservingly so. I was impressed.

Jeremy Abbott. Performed to a medley of torch songs, sung by Straight No Chaser. Flowing effortless skate. I always enjoy watching Jeremy skate, but this particular performance was overshadowed for me by his- here I go again- unfreakingbelievable short in the 2nd half.

Tanith/ Ben. Fix You- sung by Straight No Chaser. As I said before, they were one of the highlights for me.

[dinakt]

Sounds like their costumes from "Use Somebody." I wish this was going to be on TV sooner than January!

I am not sure... I checked on youtube and the costumes I saw are different. Not THAT flowing dress on Tanith. More like her first dress from last year ( Cup of China), but with no gold. Very pretty. But please forgive me if I am mistaken- my visual memory is terrible.

[dinakt]

Second Half. I'll be more brief- am starting to fade.

Opening- Sasha, Tanith, Joannie and Johnny. Lovely.

Rachael- Summertime, then becoming smth rhythmic/ jazzy. Good, clean. Some touches from last year's SP.

Ryan Bradley- costume tailored like his Baroque costume last year, but different colors. Music from " Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"- " Come into my imagination" ( or smth like that) and "Oompa- Loompa". Ryan makes a perfect Willie Wonka- made me wish he did a show playing the part. Adorable. Again- not too complex, but lovely musical touches and an ocean of charm, another backflip and a very good overall impression.

Joannie Rochette. My Immortal- in her black / sparkly dress. Really, Joannie was great. Not a foot put wrong.

Johnny. Heartbroken. Black leotard- like in ATS. No problem with jumps. I love that EX from him.
Caydee/ Jeremy. Sorry i forgot- maybe I'll remember tomorrow when i am not so tired... Good, not great.

Jeremy's Tango Flamenco. new costume- the most sparkle I've seen on Jeremy. Black pants, top- as if there is white shirt and sparkly jacket underneath a black suit, but a sleeve and a side of the jacket are missing, so one sleeve is white, another black, sleeves a little puffy. I missed the bare arms from ATS Korea- because in spins when Jeremy changes arm positions it is less noticeable with big sleeves. I wish , if he needs sleeves, they might be see- through. But I cannot say enough about how fabulous that short is live ( IMHO)))). The precision it takes to execute something like that! Methinks the steps became better since ATS korea, but I might be full of it, I think I stopped breathing for the duration of that program. Jeremy decided to go for competitive content- and fell on the first combo, only to follow it with a great 3A. He redid the jump at the end of the show- so on TV it should look clean.

Tanith/ Ben. " If it kills me". Charming as always.

Sasha- in a black dress with open front and black bra showing- with Straight No chaser doing Marvin Gaye's " I heard it through the grapewine". Once again, no mistakes on jumps and full of confidence.

Group number with Straight No Chaser- Three Dog Night- " Jeremiah"
I apologize if I forgot smth, i think my eyes don't see anymore

[alilou]

Thanks so much for your great reports

[meteor16]

Thanks~ dinakt ~

[tarotx]

Funny thing about Tanith&Ben's music! I know they didn't choose Fix you but both music selections are epic Travis Wall dances <3

[museksk8r]

Wonderful reports, dinakt! Thanks for giving details! Do you know if the combination Jeremy fell on in his SP run-through was quad toe+triple toe or quad toe+double toe? He was doing this SP combination back in the 2008 season and I am wondering if it is making a return?

[LaLola]

- Belbin/ Agosto- "Fix You" with live singing by Straight No Chaser ( beautiful rendition, BTW). I am starting to feel bad I did not root for them more when they were a competitive duo- because they are just beautiful show skaters, they command attention and Tanith is soooo gorgeous and projects it to the audience.

Thank you so much for your report!
Great to hear positive comments on Tanith and Ben.
Tanith wrote on twitter today:

Tanith Belbin TanithJLB
Great feedback from "Fix You" last night.Thinking about throwing in new lifts and making it our new show# over "Use Somebody".Thoughts?

[L'amour]

Thank you so much for your report!
Great to hear positive comments on Tanith and Ben.
Tanith wrote on twitter today:

Tanith Belbin TanithJLB
Great feedback from "Fix You" last night.Thinking about throwing in new lifts and making it our new show# over "Use Somebody".Thoughts?

no1 haha forget about If it kills me...everybody saw that now

my friend went to teh show and she have some videos, as soon as she can she will post here

[Iceman]

but the audience will have to wait until Jan. 16 to see the greatest television magic: how the director makes it look like the show played to a full house or even a mostly full one.

Even with a large section of the seats blocked off because of the staging, no more than half of the available seats were filled.

http://www.tribtoday.com/page/blogs....he-Heart-.html