Omaha Stars on Ice, Feb 1, 1999

The night after the show I wrote up a long review using notes and my fresh memory and then I left the notes and the review in the hotel. Oh well. Have to go on my memory best I can.

I usually go to the show in Milwaukee--but now that I've moved to Iowa--Omaha is about two hours away--actually closer than Milwaukee was before.

Thanks to Brad Miller who runs Tara Lipinski's official web site, I got four seats--center ice--right behind the on ice seats. They were wonderful. Only my daughter and I ended up going, but I met up with an internet friend Karen who had nosebleed seats so I invited her and her friend to come down and share the view.

I had trouble with my printer and was unable to print off a backflip certificate--but there really was no opportunity to give it to Scott anyway. He did 3 backflips and we had $16 per flip in pledges. Karen made a sign "We are counting Scott's Backflips!" and held it up anytime he came near--but we don't know if he saw it.

Omaha is a very enthusiastic crowd. Of course Scotty was a favorite, Ilia had some loud fans, as did Steven Cousins, and Tara Lipinksi was well received. In fact, there were quite a few people who did not wait for the "who are we missing" schtick and began yelling "Where's Tara?!" right a way. Everyone was received enthusiastically. Crowd was very appreciative of Scotty's "Omaha you look as good as you sound!"

Lots of merchandise for sale--I bought a photo of Scott in a black and white shirt, one of Tara for my daughter and a cast photo wearing opening number costumes. I was very annoyed that my program did not come with a sheet with the names of the programs. :-( -- So I cannot be specific about the numbers.

General Comments

Steven Cousins: He's a good warm up man--but after awhile I thought the skits were too long, dragged and interfered with the flow of the show. I would have preferred another cold spot from any of the skaters with the time the skits took. I didn't much like his cold spot either, seemed like mostly posing and crosscuts to set up for jumps than much real skating. But the crow loved it. Sarah liked it a lot too--especially when he glowed in the dark.

Ilia Kulik: The height of his jumps are impressive and his spins have improved. He really covers the ice well. I thought the tap footwork program was sloppy and I kept wishing for the guys from 4 minutes of icing. He did a slinky number with a female star in the closing number (cannot remember who) that was very nice and I think he is better suited for the long edge, slinky, strecthy kind of skating than fast footwork.

Tara Lipinski: I enjoyed all of her programs--but especially "Second Element". She really seems to get into the music with that one. My daughter's favorite number was the first one and she loved the costume from My Fair Lady. Tara flows across the ice quite nicely. The accusation that she only jumps is really no longer valid --she has lots of interesting connecting moves and footwork and nice spin positions--there is a very interesting combination spin in Second Element. I do agree she needs to figure out what to do with her hands--her arm movements are looking more natural--but her hands don't seem quite right. But it's a small criticism.

Tara was in her element in the clown number--she was really into her

character. I loved the skating part where she does her sad "Nobody will let me be a clown" program. I am not surprised that CBS is impressed with her acting ability and are interested in a longer summer part in Young and the Restless--she very much is an actress.

I was VERY annoyed at some the green haired other unknown clown for performing some kind of antics on the side BLOCKING MY VIEW of Tara and Scott doing the Harpo Marx thing. Ugh. I wanted to yell "DOWN IN FRONT!"

Roca and Sur - I didn't care much for last year's "Time to Say Goodbye", but this year I loved both their numbers--especially the first one - Sur was very animated and they both just really got into the tension of the music. Wonderful holds and lifts.

Katia: I was pleased to see she hit her 2 axel--but under-rotated and two footed the 3 toe. The double lutz (it was meant to be a double) was very nice. I think she has a lovely two lutz. I agree with those who say the yellow is not particularly flattering -- but it's a nice dress. This program is full of fast footwork that keeps going. Okay it's not Kurt Browning--but it's more than most ladies put it their program. And she had lovely combination spin that ended with the Toller hand on knee position that I think is so pretty. Sarah's comment "Pretty skating"

Scott: " One Week" -he doubled the toe loop and yes he's slowing down--but he was faster than earlier performances and he had a wonderfully centered fast scratch spin that reminded me of his scratch spins as an amateur--when his wispy hair would fly out and all you could see was a blur. Haven't seen him do a scratch spin that well in a while

"Keeping the Customer Satisfied" --this program is a love fest between Scott and his fans--and if you aren't a particular fan you probably won't appreciate it as much. Because it's more about Scott and his fans--it's better appreciated live than on TV. He's added the lutz but from all the reviews I've seen I don't think he's landed it--I was really sending him good thoughts--but he doubled it. The 3 sal was clean. But this is a man who's proved himself over and over again, and the fact that he's still trying the 3 lutz every night, two years after chemo and less than a year after having his entire ankle rebuilt--well any slowing down or mistakes is pretty irrelevant as far as I'm concerned and the standing O was for all the years and for what he continues to give his fans, in spite of all his body has gone through to still be on the ice giving to his fans night after night. A well deserved standing O IMO.

Kristi I much prefer this kind of skating from Kristi to her sex kitten routines. Violin Concerto was just pure beautiful skating--including a gorgeous layback. She held the landing of her 3 lutz into a nice back spiral. I loved the poem number she skated to. There is something about the silence of her skimming across the ice that is very effective. Sarah had a different opinion "Skaters should stick to music"

Roz Warm reception from the audience. Singled a flip and her axel. She had a particularly nice combination spin and I loved the sequenced of stag jumps in the program. Warm reception by the audience. Thanks for the years Roz--you will be missed!

Bechke & Petrov -The music provided a very nice forum for all their great tricks. I think these are the best pairs skating today. And being that close--Denis Petrov has VERY NICE body.

Chen Lu: That pony tail thing is *so* Kristi. But because everyone has agreed that this is a Kristi program I decided to concentrate on what about it was particular to Chen Lu--there was something in the way she stroked that I couldn't explain until I saw Kristi skate later. Kristi is much lighter on the ice--she seems to skim the ice, where Chen Lu has more of a power and gets more into the ice. Sarah's comments "Wonderful program! But the music is kind of scary"

Meno & Sand I thought their skating suited the sexy blues feel of it. Yea it was typical Meno and Sand but I like that so I enjoyed it. There was a kind of mini version of a leap of faith that I've not seen before.

Four Corners I kept thinking "Who do I watch?" There was a long back spiral Ilia and Katia do that was gorgeous. What is also impressive about this number is you have 4 very fast and powerful skaters on the ice at one time. Unfortunately I thought Elena was kind of superfluous in this number. And there was one life where Denis holds Katia high that if you looked at her you could swear it was Sergei holding her. Same expression on her face.

I liked the show --I got my money's worth (well except that the tickets were a gift--but I'd have been happy to pay for this show). But the last two shows I've attended I was sad and sorry when it was over--I wanted the show to go on forever. This show when it was over, I was ready for it to be over.

It will take some time for this cast to jell and find it's style. Hopefully Kurt will return but I have to accept Peter and Kitty and Brian Orser, and Paul Wylie are not likely to come back, Sergei and and Tracy Wilson & Rob McCall for sure are not coming back and times change. This new cast are top notch skaters, this was good skating to watch--I hope they stay a few years a build a new personality for the show. I'll be back next year.

Joelle

 

 

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