2024 U.S. Nationals Gala Exhibition

[dorispulaski]

For any of you who remember pro competitions, Dorothy Hamill whose hardest jump was a 2A quite often won, despite other woman having multiple triples. But Dorothy's basic skating was so smooth and effortless that it was a joy years later just to watch her skate around in a Celebrex commercial. She was competing in a different sport entirely than the other women.

Jason is like that. Particularly in the gala, every movement, every glide was gorgeous.

And as produced by NBC, the gala was the Jason show. The interview, the artist, the trophy, culminating in the amazingly professional production of Jason plus an on ice orchestra. He was in another league than everyone else, despite them being fine performers themselves.

 

[skylark]

Including F/D was probably an easy decision, due not only to their popularity (and their 7th place result),

And also due to the standing ovation after their incredibly beautiful FD to West Side Story. Bella said that it was like an out-of-body experience, and Vanya said the audience response made them want to "give more."

 

[dorispulaski]

Jason says that kind of response, which he got to his 2014 Riverdance, is why he is still competing now 10 years later.

Hope it works that way for Bella & Ivan!

 

[ramurphy2005]

Efimova & Mitrofanov
"Tout l'univers" by Gjon's Tears
She is not yet released by Germany, so they cannot go to Worlds

She has been released, but they can't compete internationally yet because it hasn't been a year since her last competition for Germany (2023 Worlds).

 

[dorispulaski]

Yes, that is more nearly correct. They will be free to compete internationally next season.

 

[skatingfan4ever]

Nice to see a couple juniors and some of the lower finishers. Max & Z&K did the gala, so I guess they didn't know they were going to 4CC yet. I missed Andrew, of course, but it was worth it to witness his greatness at 4CC. Highlights for me were Jason (of course!), Isabeau, Amber, Kirk, Jimmy, and (unexpectedly) Martins & Bedard and how much fun they had, and a Throw 3S. Their butt spin at the end is one of those "only in the gala" things and I LOVED it. They should pick fun music for their competition programs in the future; they did great with it.

 

[boo69]

I recorded the NBC broadcast.

Interview with Ilia

Started with Starr Andrews "I got the sauce" in a red cat suit.
Great spins & attitude.

Katie McBeath & Daniil Parkman pairs
7 Zark 7
Very split personality music. Very slow followed by aggressive fast stuff- then repeated. This is me watching it

Zingas & Kolesnik
Michael Jackson ( their RD)

Jason Interview on 10th anniversary of Riverdance. He says he got hooked on the large crowd experience, which is why he is still doing Nationals.

Jimmy Ma
"Movie Star" by CIX
A Rap Number with a humorous twist, as I expect from Jimmy

Jason gets the Salchow Button Trophy

Sarah Everhart
Call Me Cruella

Martins & Bedard
Mamma Mia, and Dancing Queen

Flores & Desyatov
Sexyback by Justin Timberlake.
They came up with this in 20 min since they did not expect an exhibition invite. It still was quite good!

Kirk Haugeto
Charlie Chaplin
He has 50 chickens in real life.
Why am I not surprised?


Girls from Figure Skating In Harlem in orange costumes skating to Amanda Gorman's poem into A Brand New Day from the Wiz. Do they have a Synchro team?

Logan Higase-Chen #1 in Juniors
Sing Sing Sing

Levito
Love by Lana Del Ray

Max Naumov
Wherever I May Roam by Metallica

Pate & Bye
Hanging Tree

Jospehine Lee
I wanna dance with somebody by Whitney Houston

Goku Endu
New Girl by FINNEAS
Nice to see him!

A local artist presents a pair of skating boots to Jason that she has painted with Cincinnati skyline and Jason spinning

Jason & Symphony Orchestra & Tchaikovsky
Just gorgeous Jason covers the ice effortlessly.The audience goes wild.
Apparently the conductor suggested this back in August! They never rehearsed this,-- unbelievable

Bratti & Somerville
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road & I'm Still Standing

Efimova & Mitrofanov
"Tout l'univers" by Gjon's Tears
She is not yet released by Germany, so they cannot go to Worlds

Amber Glenn
Vampire
Very emotional performance

Ilia Malinin
I Got You/I Feel Good
Tried a 4a and fell

No gold medalists gala from dance and pairs? Kirk kinda looks like a young Irina Slutskaya.

 

[boo69]

I must commend NBC for actually showing skating this time! I think they showed about 20 programs! Usually they waste so much airtime on repeat performances. So glad to see a couple juniors make the broadcast again... they used to always show us at least one junior (or novice - remember Nathan Chen's Peter and the Wolf!) but the more recent years they have been ignored. So it was nice to see Logan and Kirk. I am on the fence on the On Ice Perspectives cam - I do like it, it just doesn't always work and I wonder how the in crowd audience felt about seeing someone else on ice all the time. NBC did a good job of blending the edit and I only saw the cameraman (Jordan) during the Figure Skating in Harlem number. A lot of errors unfortunately in the programs but a lot of enjoyable programs none the less! I do wish Peacock would include the skaters that didn't make the broadcast though.

In previous years, they used to show the repeat performances 2X especially the ladies gold medal performance during men's free and gala. So it's nice not having to watch repeat performances at all this year on NBC.

 

[dorispulaski]

No gold medalists gala from dance and pairs? Kirk kinda looks like a young Irina Slutskaya.

The dance gold medalists were both ill but skated anyway on Saturday. Not only were they not up for the gala, they had to skip 4cc's, where they had planned to compete.

The pairs gold medalists were competing at 4cc's and went there rather than to the gala. It worked out. They won the bronze there