Memorable Exhibition Performances

[lulu]

What are some of the most memorable exhibitions, either because of the program itself, or something extra special about the performance, in figure skating?

For me, the list would include:

Rodnina & Zaitsev's "Kalinka" at the 1980 Olympics

Torvill & Dean's "Bolero 1994" at the 1994 Olympics as with Rodnina & Zaitsev's performance, it wasn't just the program, it was the backstory of performance: T&D coming back to the Olympics, 10 years after their history win in Sarajevo, performing the best known program in figure skating history as a tribute to Sarajevo.

Berezhnaya & Sikharulidze's "The Kid" 2002 Olympics

Robin Cousins "Michael Jackson" 1980 Olympics

Debi Thomas' 1986 Exhibition at the 1986 World Championships

Gordeeva & Grinkov's "Reverie" at the 1994 Olympics

Klimova & Ponomarenko's "Ballet" exhibition at the 1987 World Championships

and many others...

[alilou]

Jeff Buttle "I Pagliaci" 2008 Worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xPBwENCElg
Uncle Dickie called it breathtaking.

[spikydurian]

One of my favourites - Pang & Tong's GPF Ex 2009 - Crane's Crying
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpKLli92UbY

[paskatefan]

Plushy's "Sex Bomb" from 2001 Worlds

[paskatefan]

double post - please delete

[briancoogaert]

Michelle Kwan 1996 Worlds East of Eden. The program that definitely turned me into a fan.

G&G 1994 Olympics Reverie. OMG.

Dorothy Hamill 2009 Some enchanted evening. Because she was coming back, and it was so touching.

[kates8]

Way back when, Hough and Ladret had some of the most entertaining exhibition or show numbers - I loved "Are you Gonna Go My Way" and "My Sharonna". I can't seem to find them on You Tube anymore, but they were great showmen.

[arakwafan2006]

Michelle Kwan: Fields of Gold, Kissing you

Gordeeva Grinkov:Kiss, The man I love

Sasha Cohen: Dont Rain on my Parade, Romeo & juliet.

Mao Asada: Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 23, CT. 2

[briancoogaert]

Michelle Kwan: Fields of Gold, Kissing you

Gordeeva Grinkov:...The man I love

[Vash01]

B&S- Impossible dream (99 worlds), The Kid (2002 Oly), Elegy (1998 worlds), Barcelona (1988 Oly)

Michelle Kwan- Dante's Prayer (98?), Red Violin 1999 (she later made it into a LP), East of Eden (not sure of the year)

Oksana Baiul- The Swan 94 Oly, Ave Maria 1993 worlds

M&D- Pan flute number at 94 Oly

Brian Orser- The Story of my life- 1988 Oly

Klimova-Ponomarenko- Tango Ex ,1988 Oly

G&G- Vocalise, The man I love, Reverie 94 Oly Ex, Liebestraum 88 Oly Ex

Paul Wylie- This is the moment- 92 Oly

Viktor & Oksana- Rock around the Clock 94 Oly

Plushenko- Sex Bomb 2001 worlds, 2006 Ex (three numbers that were completely different)

Boitano- Music of the night - 1988 Oly

Kurt Browning- Casablanca Ex (93 worlds)

Grishchuk-Platov: You'll see (1998 Oly)

Katarina Witt- Michael Jackson's 'Bad' (1988 Oly)

[ChelleC]

Grishuk and Platov--You'll See, I think they performed it at the 1997 Worlds and Euros, and also at the 1998 Olympics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOuxo...ure=plpp_video

[timmybopper]

Jeff Buttle "I Pagliaci" 2008 Worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xPBwENCElg
Uncle Dickie called it breathtaking.

This isn't from an exhibition but rather Stars on ice but it's probably one of my fave Jeff Buttle performances of all time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMgoB...eature=related

[lulu]

Viktor & Oksana- Rock around the Clock 94 Oly

I forgot about this number! I remember absolutely loving it at the time.

Great list.

In additions to the ones mentioned, I also liked K&D's "Sad Waltz" from the 1998 Olympics, stylistically it was different from their more dramatic SP & LP, and I felt it was a nice prelude to their "Fly Me To The Moon" routine in 1999.

[Vash01]

I too liked K&D's Sad Waltz.

[Clay]

Kwan had a way of making each performance of Fields of Gold memorable.

The October 2001 debut at Madison Square Garden was breathtaking. Considering the events of the previous month, it was the first sense of calm I felt regarding NYC.

The Olympic exhibition was moving and bittersweet.

Worlds was joy and relief.

All in all, it showcased Kwan's best skating. It never got old.

[alilou]

This isn't from an exhibition but rather Stars on ice but it's probably one of my fave Jeff Buttle performances of all time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMgoB...eature=related

Yes it's one of my faves too. I'm pretty sure this was the one that was to be his LP for the new season, and then he decided to retire. So glad we got to see it anyway.

[spikydurian]

This isn't from an exhibition but rather Stars on ice but it's probably one of my fave Jeff Buttle performances of all time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMgoB...eature=related

Indeed. Thanks timmybopper. That's an ethereal quality to this skating. Love it.

[skatesindreams]

Yes it's one of my faves too. I'm pretty sure this was the one that was to be his LP for the new season, and then he decided to retire. So glad we got to see it anyway.

I adore this one:

Golden Skate Awards 2011 - Jeffrey Buttle - Nimrod from Enigma Variations
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Mk45t4pJIc

Too bad that his performance of this at "The Ice" 2011 seems not to be available on YT any longer.

[Aimless]

Plushenko is perhaps my least favorite champion, but his exhibition from worlds 1998 is my all time favorite exhibition program. Never again was he so hilarious, goofy, sweet, floppy, unguarded, musical, and brilliant. I just laughed with delight to watch it again. It's a hint of the skater he might have been, had he not been so relentlessly styled and packaged (just my opinion, many disagree).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2st17-hWl_k
Also very fond of Yagudin's exhibition also from 98 worlds, to that funky hip-hop Mack the Knife, with those outrageous toe pick bunny hops...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znpjSoq3MKc

[Vash01]

'Sentimental waltz' by Jamie Silverstein& Jusin Pekarek (sp?) at one of the GPs- I don't remember which one and don't remember the year, but it was beautiful.