Pandora Holiday Celebrations on Ice (open practice)

[dlbritton]

At LTS tonight they told us the Pandora Holiday Celebrations on Ice (in Greensboro) is having an open practice/rehearsal at 9 AM tomorrow (Nov 11) at the Greensboro Ice House. Just sent my supervisor an email that I will be coming in late tomorrow.

Cast is:

• Olympic Champion, two-time World Champion and four-time U.S. Champion, Brian Boitano
• 2014 Olympic Champions and two-time World Champions, Meryl Davis and Charlie White
• the two-time World Champion Adagio pairs team of Elena Leonova and Andrei Khvalko
• World Champion and six-time U.S. Champion, Todd Eldredge
• World Champion and U.S. Champion, Kimmie Meissner
• Three-time U.S. Champion and two-time World bronze medalist, Michael Weiss
• Two-time U.S. Champion, Alissa Czisny
• U.S. Champion, Ryan Bradley
• U.S. Champions, Caydee Denney & John Coughlin

[skategeek]

Have fun!!!

[icedancer]

Wow what a blast to watch that!!

Have a great time.

Back in the '90s Stars on Ice were going to have a dress rehersal at a rink in one of the malls that Dorothy Hammill had recently purchased (not the mall, the rink - the one where Tonya Harding skated) - they somehow announced it on the radio that they were going to do the whole show for free for anyone that showed up.

Of course I went - there was no way I could afford an actual ticket to the show - there were HUNDREDS of people there to watch - it was quite the scene.  BUT for some reason not all of the skaters were there (they were coming in on different flights and one of the flights got held up) so they didn't actually do the dress rehersal per se - but it was a lot of fun just to watch - certain people really worked it - I remember Kurt Browning was going over something again and again to get it just right (working with Michael Siebert) - Katarina Witt and Katia Gordeeva didn't skate much but they were just kind of hanging out - one of the pairs teams (Elena Bechke and Denis Petrov?) did some pairs lifts and stuff - anyway, it was fun just watching them and being there - no dress rehearsal - Dorothy was there to greet everyone - she didn't skate... but seemed so happy -

Anyway, I am sure you will have a good time - I want to hear all about it!

[dlbritton]

I have a commitment out of town or I would go to the show on Friday night. Same thing with the US Nationals last year but I did get to see some practice sessions.

[dlbritton]

It was fun watching the practice. Stupid me wasn't sure if photography was allowed so I didn't take my camera.

Mostly it was warm up and practicing the opening. Didn't really see any of the actual performance.

The skaters mainly worked on warm up moves and played around a little on the side. They all seemed to do basic moves like 3 turns, consecutive edges and change of edge patterns as part of their warm up. Guess that is why those basic moves are so important to master.  I got to see an impromptu figures competition between Brian Boitano, Todd Eldredge and Charlie White. Brian did some loops in both directions and then Todd and Charlie tried to go over his tracings. Later Alissa Czisny, Brian and Ryan Bradley did the same.   

Alissa was the most fun to watch and did the most warming up. I got a good appreciation of what truly deep edges are when she did some 3 turns and cross rolls. Later she teamed up with John Coughlin to do over the head lifts and death spirals.

Leaning against the plexiglass surround is definitely the best seat in the house.

[icedancer]

Well, that is great - so fun to see world-class skaters having a good time - even if it is just a warm-up!!

I wonder if those edge-things and turns were part of the opening or closing number - I notice over the years that these are usually kind of the same - edges and turns - easy for skaters of that calliber to do and with the lighting and all it can be really effective.  When you see it just in practice on a normal rink it just looks like... edges and turns - yes the basics of skating!

Love the figures battle!  How did Charlie hold up against Brian and Todd (since he did singles and competed after figures were eliminated - he may have done some figures as a kid but I kind of doubt it somehow...) -

[dlbritton]

Well, that is great - so fun to see world-class skaters having a good time - even if it is just a warm-up!!

Love the figures battle!  How did Charlie hold up against Brian and Todd (since he did singles and competed after figures were eliminated - he may have done some figures as a kid but I kind of doubt it somehow...) -

Neither Todd or Charlie did a great job of staying on Brian's tracing. Alissa, Brian and Ryan were across the ice so I could only tell they were doing the same thing but couldn't see how well they did.

[sarahspins]

An interesting side note about Todd, I met him at a competition last year (he was coaching), and I was immediately shocked that he wasn't nearly as tall as he always looked on TV 

VERY nice guy though