2023 Canadian Stars on Ice Tour

[Sylvia]

Fan meeting pics (2) & clips (Jason, Keegan, Satoko, Kurt, Piper/Paul, Alexa/Brandon, Madi/Evan, Elvis) from the Ottawa show: https://www.instagram.com/p/CrpK-TfOqcd/

4 clips (Piper/Pail, Jason, Keegan, Loena): https://www.instagram.com/p/Crtu0_puFJP/

More photos & clips from Ottawa (Kurt focus): https://www.instagram.com/p/CrrcoCmrNVu/

ETA:

Jason's skater cam for Ottawa (lots of rehearsal clips): https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrucPEEM83f/ (same video on Twitter is linked below)

 

[victorskid]

Jason's video from the Ottawa stop partially explains any issues with the group numbers: https://twitter.com/starsonice/status/1653244305916547073

He shows them rehearsing the group numbers without Jeff there to coach them. Elvis comments that by the 12th show they will be perfect

The shot of the opening number from the end of the ice was taken by a SOI staff member standing just feet from my seat

 

[screech]

Jason's video from the Ottawa stop partially explains any issues with the group numbers: https://twitter.com/starsonice/status/1653244305916547073

He shows them rehearsing the group numbers without Jeff there to coach them. Elvis comments that by the 12th show they will be perfect

You'd almost think that if the choreographer is unable to be there, there'd be a 'designated' member of the cast to take charge in making sure everything is smooth.

 

[Sylvia]

Writer/Photographer Lingyin Wang's review of SOI Ottawa (May 2):

2023 Stars On Ice Canada: an International Cast Gather for Kurt Browning’s Last Tour

For over three decades, Stars On Ice has been a touring figure skating show that draws a cast of elite skaters, including Olympic and World champions. The show has become a beloved tradition among …

iskating.media

Jason's latest photos ("Pit stop in Moncton! ""): https://www.instagram.com/p/CrwixMgMvw4/
Loena's 4 photos ("Day off well spent!"): https://www.instagram.com/p/Crwlv6aORR_/

 

[karmena]

Good to see Loena so happy! My humble request for those who are able to go to Stars on Ice, if you could write a line or video pick with Loena's skating...

 

[dramagrrl]

For those who have gone to the show, approximately how long is it this year (including intermission)?

 

[honey]

For those who have gone to the show, approximately how long is it this year (including intermission)?

About 2 and a half hours I’d guess? It started at 7 and we were back to the car by 10 after a decently long walk.

 

[victorskid]

For those who have gone to the show, approximately how long is it this year (including intermission)?

In Ottawa it started right on time, at 4 p.m., and went a little bit over 2 & 1/2 hr including the 20 minute intermission.

 

[honey]

Some thoughts on the show:

Kurt is in amazing shape. The jumps are looking light and easy still. What a brilliant career and I’m happy I was able to see this farewell. There were a couple of instances of him doing figures in the show and I loved that.

Also happy that the powers that be seen to have listened to complaints in previous years and filled the cast with truly glorious skaters. This is not to say that the cast last year wasn’t good, it’s just that this year was a pretty substantial step up both in terms of technical content AND exceptional talents with respect to basic skating.

I do worry a bit about the future of the tour with no true Canadian stars on the horizon. There is still Elvis to bring in a casual fan, but realistically he’s not going to continue much longer either. The audience LOVED Jason, Alexa/Brandon after they skated, but the applause when they first skated out was a bit tepid because I sensed the audience didn’t know who they were.

It’s the problem is having great skaters that a crowd will love once they are there, but no one to lure in a casual fan off the street with name recognition that extends to people who aren’t hardcore skating fans.

Madeline Schizas has found her look with the bangs and a high bun. She looked great. And also rocking a dress
in the finale that is older than she is

At around 11:40 in this clip you’ll see some familiar costumes. I kinda love when they do this and pull items out of the tickle trunk years later.

https://youtu.be/avxXRWyCB5w

I get Chock and Bates much more having seen them in person. They are very easy to watch because of the clean lines. Sure there’s technical things to pick it, but the overall picture is very smooth and clean and I get why it’s appealing to judges. Her dress in the David Bowie number is spectacular. Truly tv does not do it justice.

I’m very impressed with Jason doing triples with sun glasses on. Please bring him back forever and always.

Also keep Keegan around as long as he wants to keep doing it. Loena too. Beautiful triple lutz from her and charisma for days.

Alissa’s one solo spot was a beautiful program highlighting everything that’s great in her skating. I’d tell her to not even bother trying those pesky jumps, she doesn’t need it.

Alexa is in her queen era and it’s great. I really loved their Shallow program. Would have made a good competitive piece for them honestly.

The group numbers were all really strong, except perhaps the finale which was pretty short and standard. But specifically the act 1 finale and act 2 openers were great, with well thought out, intentional choreography. Not just a slapped together “let’s skate in formation” style thing that sometimes we’ve seen.

All in all a great show and a great cast. There was real excitement in the arena and I think the rest of the audience loved it as well.

 

[Dave of the North]

My sister-in-law and a friend went to the Moncton show, which they enjoyed very much. (the friend is a very casual fan - she said to my sis-in-law "Who's the bald guy?" ) The next day my sister-in-law took her friend to the airport as she was traveling to Toronto -many of the cast were there to go on the same flight, so my sister-in-law got pictures of her friend with Elvis, Kurt, and Keegan.

 

[Anemone]

I'll agree with @victorskid and say this was definitely the largest audience in Ottawa in a few years. I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I think the ticket prices were lower than they have been in the past though.
I actually thought Elvis's first number this year is probably one of the programs with the most expression from him that I've seen - at least in terms of show programs.
I did get a good laugh out of the Kurt/Elvis number, although it was one I was looking forward to as I have been following skating long enough to remember the impromptu original the year they went 1-2 at Worlds.
It was a stellar cast, and although there were errors here and there, worth watching!
I took two of my nieces this year, 11 & 14 years old. They have watched the odd program or two with me over the years, but really know very little about skating. They had a great time & enjoyed it very much. Their absolute awe moments were Messing & Browning's backflips. They enjoyed it all, but their favourites were Messing's Grace Kelly, both of Jason Brown's numbers, and the Bond group number.

 

[Sylvia]

Jason's latest photos ("Pit stop in Moncton! ""): https://www.instagram.com/p/CrwixMgMvw4/
Loena's 4 photos ("Day off well spent!"): https://www.instagram.com/p/Crwlv6aORR_/

Jason's skater cam on their Moncton stop: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr00it8L2Jb/ & https://twitter.com/starsonice/status/1654142581821800451

 

[YukiNieve]

I have a question - those who went to M&G, can you give the skaters a card?

A Japanese fan was strongly impressed by the group number "To Build A Home."
In the beginning, it almost seemed that Kurt was drawing figures on ice.

https://twitter.com/hinoxnatsu/status/1654700804517814272

ETA: I fixed another typo...

 

[DE93]

I have a question - those who went to M&G, can you give the skaters a card?

A Japanese fan was strongly impressed by the group number "To Build A Home."
In the beginning, it almost seemed that Kurt was darwing figures on ice.

https://twitter.com/hinoxnatsu/status/1654700804517814272

You can!

 

[YukiNieve]

You can!

Thank you!
Then I will bring Kurt a card to thank him for showing us such memorable performance.

 

[4rkidz]

I went to the Hamilton stars on ice, it was the best one I have been too. I especially enjoyed the group numbers, lovely music an choreo. Jason an Patrick were so good and Kirk an Elvis so entertaining.

 

[victorskid]

I understand that the Hamilton show was filmed for TV broadcast later in the year and that there were some retakes afterward.

 

[4rkidz]

I understand that the Hamilton show was filmed for TV broadcast later in the year and that there were some retakes afterward.

Yes we stayed and watched. Jason splatted bad on his big split jumps he is so well known, that was a shocker so he did a retake, along with Messing, Chan, Schizas,

 

[Sylvia]

SOI's Instagram stories about last night's TV taping in Hamilton start here: https://www.instagram.com/stories/starsonice/3097637547768646554/

Jason & Satoko + Patrick & Loena clip shared by Jeff Buttle from the Toronoto show: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cr48ZVxASsF/

 

[JoannaLouise]

I always love watching the retakes, so I'm a bit sad to have skipped the Hamilton show. But they actually have a show in Kitchener this year, and the 10-minute drive is just so much more convenient.

 

[4rkidz]

I always love watching the retakes, so I'm a bit sad to have skipped the Hamilton show. But they actually have a show in Kitchener this year, and the 10-minute drive is just so much more convenient.

You will love it! I actually liked the group numbers the best, I could have skipped a few of the solo skates from some skaters and had more group numbers. The music and choreo was excellent.

 

[Sylvia]

Beverley Smith was at the Kitchener show and has written stories about Kurt & Patrick:

Kurt Browning Farewell - Bev Smith Writes

KITCHENER, Ont. The rain fell in torrents on Kitchener, Ont., and two hours away in Orillia, Ont., too, on May 7. A soggy Sunday for the ages. It was a time for final curtain calls, all on the same day: one a visitation for songbird Gordon Lightfoot, who died May 1 at age 84, and […]

bevsmithwrites.com

Patrick Chan Reborn - Bev Smith Writes

For the past couple of years, Patrick Chan has done no skating. None. None at all. Nada. It’s hard to believe that a skater so highly revered by others, with unmatchable edges and speed and flow and power and glide, has put those skates on in recent years only to do a bit of coaching […]

bevsmithwrites.com

ETA link to Danielle Earl's photos from this program: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsB2mx7r1Q3/

As well as her photo of Chock/Bates in the Hamilton show: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr_LvBurB1C/

ETA #2 - phone cam of Patrick's "Wicked Game": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kN3BRdrbAMc

 

[victorskid]

Bev Smith has added a story about Keegan: https://bevsmithwrites.com/keegan-messing-climbing-every-mountain/

 

[Sylvia]

Jason's "skater cam" for the 3 Ontario shows ending with the TV taping in Hamilton: https://twitter.com/starsonice/status/1656356664604258309 & https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsEkgjbpDzO/

Loena Hendrickx enjoyed a trip to Niagara Falls: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsB_zpFOdco/
She also went up the CN Tower in Toronto: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr2OkKFuN57/

Madi Chock's Toronto photos included visits to Ripley's Aquarium and Aloette Restaurant: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr_wLHhyQ6T/

Maddie Schizas got to spend some time at home with family: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsCn_u7r5pM/

Piper's dog Scout was very popular in the SOI women's locker room: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr8bx7-OIiQ/

Jason was honored by and performed at the Ice Theatre of New York show on Monday and flew to Winnipeg yesterday (Piper too, after her appearance on CTV's The Social yesterday).

 

[Sylvia]

2-minute clip from the "To Build A Home" group number: https://twitter.com/sharilynj/status/1656079155954589698

Kurt was on CTV Winnipeg's morning show today (5-minute video segment): https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2684487

Saskatoon StarPhoenix article by Kevin Mitchell (May 9) before Thursday night's show:

Saying goodbye, at long last: Kurt Browning skates into Saskatoon on farewell tour

Kurt Browning's Stars on Ice farewell tour is stopping in Saskatoon Thursday, 41 years after he placed third in a novice event here.

thestarphoenix.com

 

[SkateGuard]

Another video of Kurt and Elvis’ duet:

Elvis and Kurt - Stars on Ice 2023

youtu.be

 

[Sylvia]

Jason's fan cam, posted yesterday, documented the "longest day of tour" from Winnipeg to Saskatoon: https://twitter.com/starsonice/status/1657409801045803008 & https://www.instagram.com/reel/CsMDpOPAKKX/

Katia Gordeeva & David Pelletier attended last night's Edmonton show (3rd pic): https://twitter.com/starsonice/status/1657683446066495490 & https://www.instagram.com/p/CsN-3QRuKih/
Katia shared a clip from the end of the "To Build A Home" group number in her Instagram story: https://www.instagram.com/stories/katiaagordeeva/3102523520449638966/

If you'd like to see the whole group number tweeted in 4 parts:

A Japanese fan was strongly impressed by the group number "To Build A Home."
In the beginning, it almost seemed that Kurt was drawing figures on ice.

https://twitter.com/hinoxnatsu/status/1654700804517814272

 

[fruchick]

2-minute clip from the "To Build A Home" group number: https://twitter.com/sharilynj/status/1656079155954589698

Whole number in 4K that this clip is from is on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwKt8stgoSI

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Thanks @fruchick! 2 more CSOI Hamilton videos that were uploaded today at the same account:

Kurt's "Please Forgive Me": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CB7nbZSvQM

CBC retakes intro with Kurt Browning and Elvis Stojko: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i73lReFUujI

 

[Teenes]

My very long review of the Toronto, Hamilton, and Kitchener shows:

https://kurtfiles.com/soi/soireviews/csoi23review.php

Also, it's going to take me a very long time to actually process all the photos and get them on my website (have some other Kurt-related projects I'm juggling, and US shows to see and shoot), but I've been putting up a selection on my Instagram from the Kitchener show.

First act: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHOQklPXgz/
First act part 2: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsHQVu2vUZe/
Kurt & Elvis "Raise a Little Hell": https://www.instagram.com/p/CsKGwnzPcR6/