SOI in Wenatchee WA

[NanaPat]

While we still enjoy attending SOI, we do miss what used to be the international flavor of the cast (and that includes the Canadian skaters ). We totally support Team USA, but we really appreciated that mix (Katia, Ilia, the Kerrs, Yuka, Joannie Rochette, Shawn Sawyer, etc.). It would also be cool to see the Canadian SOI tour, but we live nowhere near a major Canadian city. We are grateful that Kurt had done the US tour for so many years!

I have the opposite problem. Wenatchee is easier and closer for me than Vancouver, but I'm Canadian, so.... I would so go to Vancouver if I still had a daughter and a bed there.

 

[el henry]

Could it have been "Torvill and Dean and the Russian All-Stars" tour?

Wow, I had to google that, what a show I honestly don't remember, but I think it was closer to the 84 Olys, although i went to a few shows back in the day when I finally had the finances and wherewithal.

Sadly, none of them with Toller:sad46:

 

[Lenny318]

Thank you. I hope to see videos of her performance recently. Her latest photos with USFA Olympic PR makes me kinda worried.

I thought I was the only one a little concerned after that... more cause everyone has been blowing up their social media with their pics and I've seen very very few from her...

 

[Tonichelle]

Does stars on ice only include American skaters or can Canada be a part of it too? Just curious. I wonder how other skating federations handle their summer tours.

Yes they do have Canadian skaters as SOI tours in Canada and the USA... not sure if the casts are the same, usually there's a little change up in the cast, but I honestly haven't followed the show in a few years. I'm one of the ones that jumped ship after they acquired COI and the quality went downhill.

 

[Tonichelle]

I have false memories, understand, but I remember the completely different feel of COI and SOI. COI in my memory was more about Champions doing their programs, which I really enjoyed. There was nothing wrong with skaters doing skits, etc on SOI, and I attended many with my wife sitting on the ice....but when competition came to Spokane in 2002 (SkateAmerica), the desire for me to attend shows wained...I was hooked. I attended a few more shows before they went away here....but it wasnt the same....

I only ever got to see the shows on TV, except for the shows that came up in 1999... COI just wasn't as much fun as the group numbers and themes of SOI. I mean the Elvis segment one year, or the Beatles finale... or the Rolling Stones finale... the Spaghetti Western... and the year they did the mock olympics skit was awesome (the Canadian Version was better than the US version!)

Competitions are completely different to the shows. But I don't find them as entertaining.

 

[Bluediamonds09]

Yes they do have Canadian skaters as SOI tours in Canada and the USA... not sure if the casts are the same, usually there's a little change up in the cast, but I honestly haven't followed the show in a few years. I'm one of the ones that jumped ship after they acquired COI and the quality went downhill.

"COI"? What's that?
Has everyone jumped ship on stars on ice? Seems to be selling NO tickets!

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Yes they do have Canadian skaters as SOI tours in Canada and the USA... not sure if the casts are the same, usually there's a little change up in the cast, but I honestly haven't followed the show in a few years. I'm one of the ones that jumped ship after they acquired COI and the quality went downhill.

The casts are completely different with the US and Canada tours. The last time there was a crossover of a Canadian on the US tour was when Patrick and Joannie were part of 2015 cast.

 

[Tonichelle]

"COI"? What's that?
Has everyone jumped ship on stars on ice? Seems to be selling NO tickets!

COI is Champions on Ice - I'm showing my age I suppose.

 

[Perfume]

I thought I was the only one a little concerned after that... more cause everyone has been blowing up their social media with their pics and I've seen very very few from her...

The current Gracie Gold looks like she really needs a lot of harsh training to get back to her top skating form. I don't know if she can come back for Olympic.

 

[ice coverage]

I am not a super-fan of Gracie (although I do like her), and I would not count her out.

In the most recent IceTalk discussion, Nick Zaccardi said that he was very favorably impressed by Gracie at the NBC promotional shoot.

I'm paraphrasing, but he basically said that her mental strength sounds very good -- better than he would have expected after her 2016-17 season.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

The photo that Gracie posted today was from her 2014 promo shoot with Nike...it's NOT recent.
She looks nothing like that now...she's not in tip top physical "fighting" shape anymore, she's been doing singles and a few doubles in her Stars on Ice programs...it's not pretty whatsoever. She may be in "top mental shape" according to Zaccardi, but she's not in top physical.

A number of those photos (as the one she posted today) were taken in the locker room in Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo CA where she used to train with Frank Carroll.

http://news.nike.com/news/good-as-gold-gracie-gold-s-core-confidence-n-tc-workout

 

[CoyoteChris]

The photo that Gracie posted today was from her 2014 promo shoot with Nike...it's NOT recent.
She looks nothing like that now...she's not in tip top physical "fighting" shape anymore, she's been doing singles and a few doubles in her Stars on Ice programs...it's not pretty whatsoever. She may be in "top mental shape" according to Zaccardi, but she's not in top physical.

A number of those photos (as the one she posted today) were taken in the locker room in Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo CA where she used to train with Frank Carroll.

http://news.nike.com/news/good-as-gold-gracie-gold-s-core-confidence-n-tc-workout

Singles and doubles? Ouch.....makes me not want to go to Wenatchee.....saw the pic on FB of GG today and wondered.....
Chris disappearing for a week.

 

[CoyoteChris]

I believe I have a seat near the middle rows. Unfortunately not in the front!

Bet you could walk down no problem....

 

[Perfume]

I am not a super-fan of Gracie (although I do like her), and I would not count her out.

In the most recent IceTalk discussion, Nick Zaccardi said that he was very favorably impressed by Gracie at the NBC promotional shoot.

I'm paraphrasing, but he basically said that her mental strength sounds very good -- better than he would have expected after her 2016-17 season.

Reports of her current jumps are not promising though.

 

[solar]

Bet you could walk down no problem....

I'm sure those seats would be nicer! If they allowed me to move

 

[Barb]

The photo that Gracie posted today was from her 2014 promo shoot with Nike...it's NOT recent.
She looks nothing like that now...she's not in tip top physical "fighting" shape anymore, she's been doing singles and a few doubles in her Stars on Ice programs...it's not pretty whatsoever. She may be in "top mental shape" according to Zaccardi, but she's not in top physical.

A number of those photos (as the one she posted today) were taken in the locker room in Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo CA where she used to train with Frank Carroll.

http://news.nike.com/news/good-as-gold-gracie-gold-s-core-confidence-n-tc-workout

singles and doubles? and the other girls are doing triples? I mean, Ashley and Karen?

 

[iluvtodd]

We've attended both COI (from 1988- 200_?) and SOI (1993-the present). Back in its heyday, it was exciting to see the current/rising champions in COI. We enjoyed SOI the most for the core cast of professionals, the group numbers, and the opportunity to see them many times during the show - each full time cast member got to do 2 solo performances, plus appear in the group numbers, small group numbers, transitions.

We enjoyed the SOI show in Hershey on Thursday evening, but I agree there was a lot of music that were "downers" or just weird particularly in the first half. Meryl & Charlie were fabulous in both programs, ditto for Ashley. I loved both of Karen & Nathan's programs. Very thrilled that Chock & Bates did their Free Dance "Under Pressure" (one of my favorite free dances of the season) in Act 2. Loved their tango, too. I was glad there was a tribute to Jeff Billings, but I found that I was watching the screens more than the live cast because I was very interested in seeing clips of the previous SOI skaters in his costumes. Always a pleasure to watch Adam. I enjoy Jeremy's skating, but I couldn't get into his second program (and, may I ask, what did he do to his hair?).

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

singles and doubles? and the other girls are doing triples? I mean, Ashley and Karen?

Yes. Ashley and Karen have been skating great in the show and doing triples and doubles.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

We've attended both COI (from 1988- 200_?) and SOI (1993-the present). Back in its heyday, it was exciting to see the current/rising champions in COI. We enjoyed SOI the most for the core cast of professionals, the group numbers, and the opportunity to see them many times during the show - each full time cast member got to do 2 solo performances, plus appear in the group numbers, small group numbers, transitions.

We enjoyed the SOI show in Hershey on Thursday evening, but I agree there was a lot of music that were "downers" or just weird particularly in the first half. Meryl & Charlie were fabulous in both programs, ditto for Ashley. I loved both of Karen & Nathan's programs. Very thrilled that Chock & Bates did their Free Dance "Under Pressure" (one of my favorite free dances of the season) in Act 2. Loved their tango, too. I was glad there was a tribute to Jeff Billings, but I found that I was watching the screens more than the live cast because I was very interested in seeing clips of the previous SOI skaters in his costumes. Always a pleasure to watch Adam. I enjoy Jeremy's skating, but I couldn't get into his second program (and, may I ask, what did he do to his hair?).

Jeremy's second program has a story behind it and he dyed his hair (it compliments the two numbers he does in the show and it looks better in daylight compared to showlights), and I'm sure his regular color will be back in no time!

 

[meem]

That's the thing about the ice shows/exhibitions when many of the skaters select their favorite music, maybe skating to something that means something to them (the heck with meaning anything to the paying public though). I was a COI fan because they had a nice blend of "amateur" and "professional" skaters, and the amateurs usually skated their competitive programs. Last year at Worlds exhibition, Cappellini & Lanotte performed a hilarious number that was truly entertaining. They didn't skate to music that meant something only to them, thereby shutting out the audience. But that's a rarity these days, IMO.

snip

We enjoyed the SOI show in Hershey on Thursday evening, but I agree there was a lot of music that were "downers" or just weird particularly in the first half. Snip