January 20, 1998--Denver
From Ann:
I attended SOI Denver last night. This was the best show yet (of course I say that every year!) It was great to see Scotty Hamilton in his hometown! His girlfriend Karen was in the audience, as was Larry Walker. Nice to see a baseball player interested in skating. Everyone skated really well with a few doubles or bobbles here and there.
Poor Katia Gordeeva is really having trouble with her jumps this year. She fell on both double lutz attempts and two footed the double axel and triple toe. I really don't care if she jumps because she is so enjoyable to watch, but I hope she can get her confidence back on the jumps. She is just darling.
It was thrill to see Kristi Yamaguchi land a triple loop in person. I haven't seen her do that jump at SOI for a few years. Her jazz number was entertaining. I like her best doing something romantic and lyrical though. She can do any music well, that's for sure.
Kurt Browning usually brings down the house, but he was struggling with the triples a bit last night. He doubled many jumps. He did hit an amazing triple axel during the Olympic skit though. He is just the best in the World right now IMHO. The hockey skates were great!
I loved Scott's serious number "With One More Look at You." He did not get a standing O on this one though. He did when he came out in the opening and after his Wizard of Oz number, which was a test of stamina for sure. He landed a gorgeous triple lutz right in front of me, also saw triple salchow and toe. He hasn't skipped a beat.
Paul Wylie was my favorite of the night. I was very emotional both times he skated, knowing he will not return to the tour next year and I won't have the privilege of seeing his gorgeous skating. He got a standing O from many audience members after his "Go the Distance Number." "Sleepers" was also wonderful and vintage Paul.
The Olympic parody skit was the best ever done in SOI. Myself and all around me were just howling with laughter. This was so good and so creative--I loved it. With all the heightened tension that goes with the Olympics this year, this skit was a real stress reliever and made me laugh at the goofiness of the whole thing. I loved the judges skating around and Katarina with her glasses and white wig on. The ice dance about the endangered S.A red
ant and Kurt doing 2001 Space Odysey. Paul Wylie was priceless as the coach. Just superb creativity and comedy.
Finally the finale to Stairway to Heaven was absolutely awesome. Very dramatic and great footwork and edgework in the group skating. I look forward to next year. Maybe we will see Todd Eldredge, Nicole Bobek, Meno & Sand and Punsalan & Swallow on the tour next year. That would be my wish list! Also of course Torvill & Dean and Jill Trennary who were not in Denver this year.
From Laura:
Hi Joelle,
Tuesday night we saw SOI in Denver. It was fantastic! Everything we expected and more. I've never done a review of any kind of show before, so I hope this works. I don't know a whole lot about technique and I can't always tell the jumps apart, so hopefully someone else who was there that night and knows more about that can give you those kinds of details. This is definitely a "lay-person's" impressions.
Opening Act: The whole cast, sans Scott, comes out in their tight leather pants and stands under "dark" lights, to the sound of drums.
The mood is immediately very exhilarating and up-beat. When Scott comes out a little later the audience goes crazy - a standing ovation.:) He just stands there for a couple minutes looking at everyone and smiling. Everyone is so happy to see him back on the ice. He looked great in those tight leather pants and red T-shirt - as did all the guys! :)
I've always liked Led Zeppelin and it was sensational for all these opening numbers - lots of excitement and high energy. Kurt Browning does some cute stuff with hockey skates. It was fun and everybody cheered loudly but I don't know if it was mostly because it's Kurt Browning and he's always exciting when he skates or if they really realized that he was doing these amazing things in hockey skates - someone behind us didn't know the difference till someone else pointed it out to him ("really?!"). Paul Wylie's solo - wow! - some very sexy skating. I wish we could see him do stuff like this more often. I like the way he manages to convey that kind of mood through *skating* only and not by posing around, flirting and winking. Thank God. Paul's skating is always fantastic, no matter what the style, and the audience definitely agreed. Paul and Scott were the only ones to get standing ovations. Bechke and Petrov's "Whole Lotta Love" was so powerful. They are very impressive.
After the Zeppelin numbers these "muses" come out and do some fun little skating around. I'm glad I had heard about these because otherwise I definitely would have wasted a lot of mental energy trying to figure them out. As it was, I expected them and just enjoyed them. They didn't come out before every single number, and it was fun to see when they would "appear" again.
They (the muses) introduced Katia's Gershwin number and actually skated with her for a few seconds before leaving her alone on the ice. I love the abstract feel of this piece. No specific storyline - just great skating. She fell once, but did do several double jumps. She seemed insecure on all her jumps throughout the evening but IMO it doesn't really matter. Her skating is so effortless, so beautiful; and she's actually able to make me feel her emotions through her skating (she and Paul are the only ones who can do this for me). I think her white bodysuit with the lacy black cropped top is perfect for this number.
Kristi's "Swak:" Her jumps were on, as usual. Cute and sassy number. Kristi is one of my favorite skaters but this is not one of my favorite programs - too much posing around. As she was leaving the ice, a girl screamed "I love you, Kristi." Then Paul was seen already coming onto the ice, so this same girl screamed again - "and I love you too, Paul." Everybody laughed. :) :)
I had only seen Paul's "Sleepers" program once on TV and although I liked it I wasn't sure I understood it. Well, I still don't think I understand it, but hey, I don't have to, to appreciate great skating. It was absolutely beautiful. He doubled some jumps, but it was intense, breathtaking - I could watch him skate all night. *Huge* applause.
Then came Scott "With One More Look at You." Two serious numbers back-to-back but it worked because they're both so different. Scott can deliver serious very well. He looks so comfortable and his skating is as smooth as it ever was, you'd never know he'd been sick. Again, very loud cheering from all his fans.
I love Katarina's "Man of La Mancha." She skates it with passion and she's right on with the music throughout the whole piece. I usually haven't liked her in her pants' costumes but I like this one very much. She looks trim and elegant in it.
"Fun and Games:" This is hilarious. Everybody stays in character the whole time. There's a part where Paul skates with Kristi and Katia that wasn't shown on TV. It was really cute. He takes turns "telling" each girl how perfect she is for skating and how she has all the "required elements" for being a star. Scott compared the "mind-boggling" experience of being a sportswriter at the Olympics to "Elway kicking Green Bay's butt" (or words to that effect - sorry, I don't remember the *exact* wording). That remark had an electrifying effect on the crowd. Everyone went *wild* - it was almost a standing ovation. :) Paul was the funniest. He stands at the side and goes through the choreography with each skater as they do their thing - Gorsha and Sur, Katia, Kurt - waving his arms, swaying back and forth to the music, and making all the appropriate expressions "required" by the music and/or the choreography. Did anyone know this guy was a great comedian? The judges have their own little skating dance, too. That wasn't shown on TV either.
At the end of intermission the muses are out again and they walk up and down the stairs and across the arena. My kids got all excited, they thought they were going to get to follow their skating idols around - like the Pied Piper - but a guard prevented my three little fans from leaving our section. Aw shucks. :(
Renee Roca & Gorsha Sur - "Time to Say Goodbye." When I first saw this on TV I hated the beginning and Roca's pelvic posing, but seeing it in person was very different. Everything worked together just fine and it was gorgeous. It all flows sooo smoothly, with no awkward transitions. I must say, I've never cared for this couple before - this was the first time I loved both their choreography and their outfits. I do wish she'd get rid of that dog collar, though.
Brian Orser's "The Story of My Life" - just beautiful. Very heartfelt. It's good to see him back with SOI.
The next Muse - Scott Hamilton, I'm sure - does his little thing and then skates with Rosalynn a couple seconds before her program "Sweet Rosalyn." IMO Stars on Ice underuses her (but they sure do have Kristi in every scene possible). Rosalynn's skating is lovely.
Kurt Browining's "Antares" is dramatic and thrilling. He almost tripped once and I'm pretty sure he popped one of his jumps, but he skates sooo well to this kind of music. Huge reaction from the crowd.
"It's a Man's Man's World" - Katarina Witt. This just doesn't work for me. When she first came out there were lots of cat-calls. The lady next to me leaned over and said: "That's what my husband thinks too but he just kept it inside." :) To me, this number is like a cliche for Katarina. I get tired of seeing her do this kind of thing. At least she wasn't wearing butt-hugging sequined pants. I did like her dress.
Bechke and Petrov - "Joue Jusque'au Matin." It was positively stunning. They were completely on with all their jumps, throws and lifts. I hope I can see this on TV sometime so I can get it on tape. This one is to watch over and over. Real crowd-pleasers.
Next was Paul Wylie's "Go the Distance." I can't stand Michael Bolton (doesn't he sound like he has severe stomach cramps?) but I don't even notice that it's him singing when I see Paul skate this number. His jumps weren't on this night, but IMO he doesn't need to do any jumps at all - his skating would still mesmerize me and make me cry. He pulls you in emotionally and there's just an impression of excellence, beauty, passion. What can I say - I love this guy. He got a standing ovation. He'll be so missed. Sigh.
The Elvis Medley: This was charming. I loved Katia (she fell once), Kristi (even though she does some more posing and flirting), the outfits. Kurt's solo was a little too long and too slow (albeit still great skating from Kurt). I liked the last part best, where they all skate together. IMHO, although Katia's skating is as fast and lovely as ever, she doesn't seem entirely comfortable playing the seductress.
Scott's number from The Wizard of Oz is amazingly ingenious and whimsical. Only he could pull this off.
The finale is dazzling -- the high-energy music, the incredibly fast skating, the brilliantly-colored costumes. I loved it. It was too short.
Well, that's what I remember. I wish I could see it all over again. If you can go, it's definitely worth the time and money (make sure you take cash to buy stuff!!).
Laura.
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