Figure Skating

[Grace]

Very interesting!
I know it can be hard to find the right partner both personality wise, compatible work ethic-wise and size wise!

This reminds me, I wanted to check tv listings to see if I could find if any of the other countries Nationals is on tv. I used to be able to catch Europeans and Canadians.

Living so close to Canada, we get those on CBC - along with Hockey Night in Canada

[Grace]

Michelle Kwan - the most decorated figure skater in American history (two Olympic medals, five world titles, nine national championships) now totes a backpack crammed with books, a computer and a Kindle.

[Bonny]

That was an interesting article about Michelle. I have always liked her but couldn't figure out why she kept going out was it to win more titles, trophies, & metals or was it to prove something to herself? Here it was none of the above. I just couldn't figure out why she hadn't gone professional like most of the other champion skaters? I am happy for her & always felt she had a good head on her shoulders. She had a big adjustment to make like she said going from elegant skating to skating for points. More like acrobatics on ice is what I call it, the more perfected jumps the more points, especially towards the end of your program when your legs are like sphagetti. Ugh! I guess I miss the beautiful elegance & what I would call ballet on ice. But we can still see that on tv specials. Yeah!

[cassiesmom]

MT4FF, did you see Pelletier and Sale providing commentary for the Canadian sports network? If they ever skate around here again I would definitely go see them. Which got me thinking - whatever happened to Katya Gordeeva? Has she retired from skating? I know she has a daughter.

[Grace]

Which got me thinking - whatever happened to Katya Gordeeva? Has she retired from skating? I know she has a daughter.

She married again, Ilia Kulik, and had another daughter. Her oldest child, Daria, will be 18 this year.

She did skate in some of Scott Hamilton's ice shows, but I haven't seen her recently. I read that they moved back to southern California, after living in Connecticut for several years.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

MT4FF, did you see Pelletier and Sale providing commentary for the Canadian sports network? If they ever skate around here again I would definitely go see them. Which got me thinking - whatever happened to Katya Gordeeva? Has she retired from skating? I know she has a daughter.

Hi Elyse,
I saw a brief video clip showing Jamie & David but we couldn't hear them.
Stars On Ice will be at the All State Arena in Chicago on May 8, 2010. Jamie & David are not on the cast list, though.
Jamie and David were not with Stars On Ice last year in Philadelphia, but they might be on the Canadian leg of the tour, or doing guest spots. Stars On Ice is not coming to Philly this year, so I haven't paid any attention to who is in the cast this year.

Katia was recently in a show that was on television but I don't remember which one it was. She has skated solo in many shows and was doing partial legs of the Stars on Ice tour up til recently. I've seen her many times. She and Sergei were in the very first Stars On Ice show I saw, but I was still learning who-was-who at that time...several months later, she lost her Sergei.

Katia did indeed marry Ilia Kulik. They have a daughter, Elizaveta is her name and they call her Lee-za for short(I think I have that right but could be wrong). Katia & Sergei's daughter, Daria, is a very good skater. Up until a year or so ago, the whole family used to participate in Kristi Yamaguchi's "Friends and Family" show...but this year not only were Katia & Ilia absent, the children were not on the show with their parents. That was a disappointment.

Here's a video clip from 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3vAsZ40RRA

If you search around, you'll find others. Daria looks just like Sergei and Leeza looks just like Ilia.

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

That was an interesting article about Michelle. I have always liked her but couldn't figure out why she kept going out was it to win more titles, trophies, & metals or was it to prove something to herself? Here it was none of the above. I just couldn't figure out why she hadn't gone professional like most of the other champion skaters? I am happy for her & always felt she had a good head on her shoulders. She had a big adjustment to make like she said going from elegant skating to skating for points. More like acrobatics on ice is what I call it, the more perfected jumps the more points, especially towards the end of your program when your legs are like sphagetti. Ugh! I guess I miss the beautiful elegance & what I would call ballet on ice. But we can still see that on tv specials. Yeah!

Bonny, any of the skaters that were coming up in the Michelle/Tara/Sarah/Nicole/Todd, etc., era, would have a hard time adjusting to the new scoring system. I absolutely hate it. Unfortunately, sloppy skaters like Evgeni Plushenko who can hit technical stuff but does not make all his other movements look like they mean something, can work the point system and win. I don't like skating that is not aesthetically pleasing to watch. Some skaters are getting choreographers that can work with this new system now, and the "in betweens" are improving some, though.

My heart has always lied more with the professional skaters.

I do not like the fact that all the pro shows these days have to share the screen with musical artists. I tried to watch the show the other day that had some musical group that a bunch of teens were just screaming their heads off about. I couldn't stand it and had to turn it off.

I have BEEN to some of those shows live, but not with groups teenagers were screaming about...and at least there live, you can keep your eyes on the skaters. One of the better shows like this that I attended was with Sarah Brightman as the musical guest.

I was never a big fan of Michelle's. I understand she was an icon and a good role model, but her skating programs seemed to be the same moves in the same spots of the ice just with different music. She was a bit more enjoyable to see live than to watch on tv. The last time I saw her, I believe was 2006, she did not do any jumps because she was still recovering from/fighting her injuries.

[Bonny]

Tonight is the long program for the pairs at the Olympics. I liked the retired comeback Chinese pair & also the Germans. My husband was watching the short program & said gee, they all seem to be doing the same thing over & over with each pair. I told him well that is the new system. I didn't think he was really paying attention, he is a sharp old fart. LOL!

[Momto4FemaleFelines]

Bonny, I am looking forward to watching the long programs tonight! I just hope Shen/Zhao can hang onto their lead.
If it hadn't been for the 1.00 deduction that Pang/Tong got, they would've taken the lead over Shen/Zhao because their lead now is less than one point! I was looking for an explanation of their deduction all day and finally heard (and this may or may not be the real reason) that their music stopped before they did, so their program ran over the specified time restraint.
The young American skaters did well...they just need more experience and some fine tuning.
I also like the German pair a lot, the ones that skated to Send In The Clowns.
I thought this new scoring system was for preventing things like what happened last night--skaters with stumbles or falls getting ahead of those who skated clean.

[cassiesmom]

I'm rooting for the Chinese couple that got 76+ points last night, Shen and Shao or Zhao (sp? sorry) I thought their short program was just beautiful. It reminded me a little of watching Torvill and Dean's '84 Bolero program.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98
Here's Torvill and Dean. Just the two of them and Ravel's music. The house is so quiet that you can hear a pin drop until their program ends. I remember this so well.