US Stars on Ice tour (Feb. 18-April 9, 2011): articles, reports, photos, etc.

[Sylvia]

So the U.S. tour kicked off in San Jose, Calif. last night. Did anyone go?

ETA link to official site: http://www.starsonice.com/

U.S. Tour schedule:

February 2011
2/18 San Jose, CA
2/19 San Diego, CA
2/20 Anaheim, CA
2/25 Seattle, WA
2/26 Portland, OR
2/27 Wenatchee, WA

March 2011
3/3 Providence, RI
3/4 Boston, MA
3/6 Washington, DC
3/12 Chicago, IL
3/13 St. Paul, MN
3/18 Sunrise, FL
3/19 Fort Myers, FL
3/20 Orlando, FL
3/24 Binghamton, NY
3/25 Hershey, PA
3/26 Pittsburgh, PA
3/27 Cincinnati, OH

April 2011
4/1 Uniondale, NY
4/2 East Rutherford, NJ
4/3 Cleveland, OH
4/7 Rochester, NY
4/8 Portland, ME
4/9 Bridgeport, CT

[RD]

Going to the DC show, for the 3rd straight year.

[paskatefan]

Hershey & North Jersey for us! We were very fortunate to see the Lake Placid debut show over Thanksgiving Weekend. Having relatives who live in the Capital District of NY State (Albany) has its perks!

[Lanie]

I'll most likely be going to the Anaheim show tomorrow, though there is supposed to be a big rainstorm so driving there is going to suck...

[MikiAndoFan#1]

March 2011
3/3 Providence, RI

That's where I used to live! If I still lived in Providence, I probably would have an opportunity to go to the show.

[Theatregirl1122]

I'm sad they won't be anywhere near detroit.

[IceAlisa]

I went yesterday to the San Jose show and will post impressions a bit later when I have access to a computer--posting with my phone.

[pvkirby]

I went to the show last night in San Jose. I don't usually go to these shows as I enjoy competition much more. I took a 9 year old boy and his mother and they had never seen live skating before this event. They had fun. I mainly went because I was sent a reduced price seats offer after I purchased my US National all event for next year.

There was some good skating. However, they were celebrating the 25th anniversary and the screens that showed these clips were small an in the four corners of the arena. I was sitting in the end section about 6th row and it was difficult to see the screen. I loved seeing Katia Godeeva skate again. She is beautiful. I did not like her music to her first number but enjoyed the second number.

There were two falls. Sasha fell on her double axel in her program from Cabaret and Kurt took a very hard fall in his second number near the end of the program. The lower bowl of arena was pretty filled and they had curtained off the upper.

Jamie Sale and David Pelletier had amazing synchronicity in their skating. I liked the second number of Belbin and Agosto.

I can say that I enjoy watching shows live than on TV.

[IceAlisa]

First of all, I was blown away by the amazing skating of Katia Gordeeva. I would say she is the best skater I've ever seen. Her stroking is so smooth and effortless and powerful, I could just watch her stroke around the ice.

She is now a blonde but I prefer her natural hair color on her. She is beautiful and at 39 is IMO the most beautiful woman in the show, even more so than Tanith.

Everyone is in amazing shape. Sasha has gained the much needed weight since 2020 Nationals and is looking healthy. She did fall on the double axel during her Cabaret program complete with bowler hat and a garter belt. She had a number in the first half skating in a yellow dress with sparkles and brought the house down. It was great to see her do the elements that made her famous, the spiral, the Charlotte and the Russian split, and that amazing layback spin.

I was really impressed with the newly divorced Sale and Pelletier--they are amazingly athletic and entertaining to watch. Jamie did a hand stand on David's arm right in front of me--amazing strength from both.

Ben and Tanith were fun--they did a saloon number with everyone involved. Girls wore those 50s full skirts and pony tails and Tanith showed up in a huge platinum blonde wig and started slithering around on the piano.

The star of the show was Kurt Browning--so much charisma. Oh and Weiss and Eldridge were there too, as well as the Mike Pike and generic male ballad skating.

[Coco]

I'm sad they won't be anywhere near detroit.

The Chicago show is on a Saturday. It would be a haul, but you could take amtrak and priceline a hotel, maybe even see some sights in Chicago. Or just drive so long as you had extra drivers. 8 hours driving + a show would be too much for me in one day.

[skatepixie]

Was Evan in San Jose? Just wondering, since he would have been in New York the night before.

[TalentedButHumble]

I'm sad they won't be anywhere near detroit.

I went to CSOI in Windsor last year & would like to go this year. [PM if you'd like to carpool. ]
http://www.starsonice.ca/stars-on-ic...s-schedule.php

[Theatregirl1122]

The Chicago show is on a Saturday. It would be a haul, but you could take amtrak and priceline a hotel, maybe even see some sights in Chicago. Or just drive so long as you had extra drivers. 8 hours driving + a show would be too much for me in one day.

I'm a grad student.

[IceAlisa]

Was Evan in San Jose? Just wondering, since he would have been in New York the night before.

Yup, lots of Evan, all Evan all the time.

[MichelleTodd]

Yup, lots of Evan, all Evan all the time.

Sounds like my kind of show!

[skatepixie]

Yup, lots of Evan, all Evan all the time.

Okay, my respect for him just multiplied -- and I had a lot to behin with.

[ryanbfan]

No Dallas. No South.

Except Florida. But I cannot afford that. Not one penny.

[IceAlisa]

I forgot to mention Joannie Rochette--it was good to see her join SOI. She and Katia were the only one who did the COE spiral--Sasha stayed on the OE a short time and that's it.

Joannie is looking happy and healthy, although much smaller than I remember at Worlds 2009.

There was a recorded message from Scott Hamilton in the beginning talking about the tour's 25th anniversary and cute banter with Kurt Browning. He (Kurt) really is amazing, still so quick on his feet and so charismatic. He did an interesting number with props: a top hat, a tux and a walking stick being handed to him one by one as he skated to his own thoughts superimposed over the music, things like "lets go, Browning", "don't think about the salchow", "you are thinking about the salchow", "you are thinking about not thinking about the salchow", etc. It was cute and different and suited him very much. He made a joke about his rather nasty fall--after he was done, he said:"Well, you now know this show is live."

Evan wore black for both of his performances, conceding to wear other colors in group numbers only. His second number was Spanish and I am sorry to say I am still underwhelmed by his ability to sell a program. But he was clearly the "designated" star being the OGM, and closed the show.

[Frau Muller]

First of all, I was blown away by the amazing skating of Katia Gordeeva. .....The star of the show was Kurt Browning--so much charisma. Oh and Weiss and Eldridge were there too, as well as the Mike Pike and generic male ballad skating.

Thanks for the report, IceAlisa. I can't wait for the DC show (March 6). I almost gave up on SOI after last year's watered-down edition (more COI-ish and less permanent pro stars) but it sounds as if this year they're closer in style to the SOI of old.

[dancinsk8]

Short tidbits...Went to the show in San Diego and sat in the row behind ice seats (goalie end, opposite of skater tunnel).

Loved Katia's skating, great to see Joannie, Tanith/Ben, and Sasha. Kurt pointed out Debi Thomas in the audience...so cool to see her and applaud. Between the concession stands and the merchandise booths, they had banners for each year of SOI w/ listing of each cast and cast photo (well 87-91 were all mixed in one banner...) and a cardboard not-full-cast-photo where you can stand in front and take your photo 'w/ the cast.' Arena not full, but audience enthusiastic.

If you go, look at the screens when they talk about skaters who were part of SOI in the past (GREAT family photos of Elena/Steven and kids, Lu/Denis and kids, Kristi/Bret and kids, Jeni/Todd and kids...etc...too many to name and it goes kinda fast!).

Fun night, but will probably be my last SOI. Really miss the polished, professional, production of Christopher Dean days...was 2005 (rain/red umbrellas) his last year connected w/ SOI?