Olympic Figure Skaters Will Perform in Leesburg, VA on June 15 to Celebrate Ice Arena’s Grand Opening (Michael Weiss Foundation benefit show)

[Sylvia]

Olympic Figure Skaters Will Perform in Leesburg This Weekend to Celebrate This $25 Million Ice Arena’s Grand Opening - Washingtonian

A 100,000-square-foot ice arena with two NHL-sized rinks will open in Leesburg today, making it the largest structure of its kind in the area. The Ion International Training Center's weekend-long grand opening celebration will include performances by figure skaters such as Nathan Chen and Mirai...

www.washingtonian.com

A 100,000-square-foot ice arena with two NHL-sized rinks will open in Leesburg today, making it the largest structure of its kind in the area. The Ion International Training Center’s weekend-long grand opening celebration will include performances by figure skaters such as Nathan Chen and Mirai Nagasu, both of whom won bronze medals in last year’s Winter Olympics.
The team behind the facility is husband-and-wife duo Luiz Taifas, a former Olympic figure skater from Romania, and Mitra Setayesh. Taifas has lived and coached in Loudon County for 18 years, and the couple currently resides in Leesburg.
It’s long been a dream of Taifas’s to bring a center of this caliber to the area, he says, and, with activities for all levels of athletes, it’s his hope that “at some point, everybody from this community will walk through these doors.”

You can celebrate Ion’s grand opening with free public skating and hockey matches throughout the weekend, as well as the Saturday evening performance by Chen, Nagasu, and other renowned figure skaters Nam Nguyen and Dan Hollander. The performance will be hosted by Figure Skating Hall of Fame member Michael Weiss

Ticket info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ion-it...-michael-weiss-foundation-tickets-62341877233
(I'm glad to hear the Michael Weiss Foundation still exists.)

 

[OrioleBeagle]

Olympic Figure Skaters Will Perform in Leesburg This Weekend to Celebrate This $25 Million Ice Arena’s Grand Opening - Washingtonian

A 100,000-square-foot ice arena with two NHL-sized rinks will open in Leesburg today, making it the largest structure of its kind in the area. The Ion International Training Center's weekend-long grand opening celebration will include performances by figure skaters such as Nathan Chen and Mirai...

www.washingtonian.com

Ticket info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ion-it...-michael-weiss-foundation-tickets-62341877233
(I'm glad to hear the Michael Weiss Foundation still exists.)

I wonder if any of the Wheaton Ice Dance teams will be performing.

 

[Debbie S]

Avonley Nguyen just posted on her IG that she and Vadim will be performing.

 

[Sylvia]

Nathan watching Mirai perform earlier tonight: https://www.instagram.com/p/BywOpewBh6S/

Kevin Aymoz also performed in the show... @YukiNieve has details/links!

 

[YukiNieve]

The show at the Ion International Training Center (June 15)
It was so nice to see a show that benefits the Michael Weiss Foundation again!!

The skaters' list:
https://twitter.com/YukiNieve/status/1140016551468392454 (Kevin is listed twice but he skated once like others)

- Impressed by Jenna Hauer & Christian Bennett. They did beautiful and creative moves.

https://twitter.com/YukiNieve/status/1140083905913073664

• The skate by Capital Theatre on Ice was very entertaining.
• Isabella Quintero (solo dancer) was really impressive, too.

- Avonley & Vadym skated to Demons. Really nice.

• Nam riled up the audience most!
• I was very happy to see Kevin's SP (from last season) and Mirai's skate again!
• Needless to say, Nathan excited the crowd most - he skated to Next to Me and got standing ovations.

Some of my photos/movies are here:

https://twitter.com/YukiNieve/status/1140085781303824384

 

[Sylvia]

Thanks so much for sharing, @YukiNieve!

Mirai wore the white dress in which she performed "Halo" (sung by Madilyn Bailey) on the SOI tour... here are 2 photos with a young skater in the show: https://www.instagram.com/p/BywcZSGBfTL/

Nguyen/Kolesnik's "Demons" was the first half of their successful Junior free dance this past season. Here's Vadym's IG photo with Avonley & Nathan: https://www.instagram.com/p/BywHHcmJWXs/

Photo outside the rink of Kevin, Nam, Nathan & Michael Weiss: https://www.instagram.com/p/BywAiSKgI3d/

 

[Vark]

Some of my photos/movies are here:

https://twitter.com/YukiNieve/status/1140085781303824384

Do you have any photos or movies of the other skaters? The ones in your post are very nice!

 

[Sylvia]

Kevin Aymoz performed his "Horns" SP from last season: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IavFGQfP_-I
Another fan cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecrpTWznYks

Nathan's "Next To Me" (introduced by Michael Weiss): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjsUX0jF6Fk

Mirai's "Halo": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1U5oRDE9Q

Nam Nguyen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=346E6pme_ao

Nguyen/Kolesnik's "Demons" clip (just under 2 mins.): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySO-5U92yXc

 

[YukiNieve]

I am far from a skilled videographer, but here's another one:

Nguyen and Kolesnik "Demons: Avonley's line is so beautiful.

Nguyen/Kolesnik Demons (2019 Michael Weiss Foundation benefit show)

www.youtube.com

 

[deltask8er]

Another fan cam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecrpTWznYks

Nathan's "Next To Me" (introduced by Michael Weiss): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjsUX0jF6Fk

Mirai's "Halo": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ii1U5oRDE9Q

Nam Nguyen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=346E6pme_ao

It's a beautiful facility. (Photos) The only thing that was a bit off to me, though, was the speakers and audio. They sounded muffled. But, you know, something is determined to not quite work on opening day.

If the DC area ever gets U.S. Nationals, that might be a better facility than Capital One Arena.

 

[Sylvia]

Local TV report on the new facility (June 25): https://www.wusa9.com/video/enterta...sburg/65-69508230-a811-49ac-81e6-b2ee8738fbe1

The new Junior dance team of Jenna Hauer/Christian Bennett & the Mullen siblings (Intermediate) are shown practicing.