February 23, 1997
STARS ON ICE
by Su-jan Yip
I arrived at the Civic Center (CC) at about 2.00 p.m.. The show wouldn't start until 7.00 p.m.. So I had lots of time to kill. Well, therefore I went to the Hartford Wadsworth Museum (the shops were closed). The museum was very nice. I came back to the CC at about 4.00 p.m.. The ticket windows were open then and I just asked the lady if there's still a first row seat available. And to my pleasure there was... ;-) So, additional to my order in advance ticket (row C) I got that seat. Well, during the next hours I read John Irving's "The world according to Garp". So, if any of you saw an Asian looking girl reading that novel on Sunday the 23rd at the Hartford Civic Center - that was me! [g]
At 6.30 p.m. or so, we were allowed to enter the hall. I first bought the autographed picture of Ekaterina and then a picture of the entire cast. I went to my section (114) and looked for my seat - #7. It was a great seat. In front of me there was that "barrier" and that line of chairs. I thought those were for VIP's... Well... Later I found out it wasn't quite the way I thought... ;-) Well, so, I spread myself all over the place (putting my back pack there, my jacket here... [g]). Then an elderly couple - very nicely - asked me if I could get up because it was *their* seat. I just said "Oops! I'm sorry. But isn't this row A??". "Nope, it's row C!". At that point I finally realized (yes, it took me quite a while) that I really have front row seats. One metre and I could have stepped onto the ice! And then... My seat was also centre ice...
Some people have more luck than brains. But there was this one problem... I had lost my ticket and I wasn't allowed to enter row A without that little piece of paper. Believe me, I was so... Gosh, I was so mad at myself! How could I have lost my ticket - one minute after I entered the arena??? So, I went to some security people and explained my situation ("Can you help me? ... I am so depressed...") and lucky me, I got my first row centre ice seat anyways... By the way, the next day I found my ticket again. It was hiding between some pages of the John Irving book...
Well, even before the actual show started I was so happy. I just smiled and smiled. All the time I was thinking to myself: "I can't believe that I got this great seat!!!"
The show was wonderful. This time I was a better spectator then in Innsbruck. This time I applauded for everyone - except for Witt, B/P and T/D. Well, I just have to repeat myself, but my seat was simply perfect. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
Well, I tried to take photos of Ekaterina. It was pretty hard because she's SO fast. One second she was there and a blink of an eye she was on the opposite side. Eventually, I just took photos of her while taking her bows (and that was hard, too... ;-).
In the introduction she made those funny steps (like running on the same spot) while being in line with the others again. She made her peers as the audience laugh. And Ekaterina giggled herself. It was wonderful to watch her. I like her costume.
After the intro it was Kristi's turn. Okay, I admit it, I wasn't really watching her because I was much more interested in watching that adorable little blonde girl dancing like crazy over there at the skaters' entrance. Yes... Daria and her grand-parents were at the show (so were Bob Young, Galina, Viktor and Nina Petrenko, Scott Davis). It was so funny to watch that little girl dancing. She was jumping up and down and was really into Kristi's performance. Actually, Daria was probably even more lively than Yamaguchi - which means quite a lot because Kristi definitely got it going... But Daria was really rocking and dancing... Wow. You know, at the beginning of that number she was still sitting with her grand-parents. Then she stood up, walked some metres (to have some space) and she was doing that dance. I couldn't help but to think that it looked like she was kind of making jumping jacks... ;-) Daria is such an exuberant child and is simply a joy.
The Bach number. I love, love, love it (okay, I'm only referring to Ekaterina's part, of course... ;-). She skated so beautifully. I tried to take pictures of her during those minutes. Nah... Impossible. She was too fast... I love that costume and I've always liked it when she has her hair down. Ekaterina was very beautiful.
Hat trick... I was never thrilled with that number on tv, but it's a little better in person. Still, I think this ensemble is way too long, in my opinion. Needless to say I found the programme much more interesting when it was Ekaterina's turn... ;-)
Intermission. Great! I didn't go out. I just remained at my place... Hm... Well, after some minutes Debbie Nast and Daria were approaching my section to meet some of Debbie's friends (they had a little child with them). I was so excited when I saw Daria coming to me. Of course, I couldn't resist and I said "hello" to her and she returned my little greeting. So, Debbie and Daria were about two arm-length away from me talking to those friends. Dasha was playing with that little child. She's a very well-behaved girl - but at the same time, really out-going. She was laughing a lot. By the way, Daria has an American accent. Absolutely. I don't believe one would think she's of Russian descent by just listening to her English... Oh, I had a funny little incident with her. Well, at one point I just asked her "How are you?". It was kind of noisy around us. So, she couldn't hear me properly. Daria was looking at me "Huh?". So, I asked again. "How are you?". She still couldn't hear me. She frowned a little and then turned away. It was very funny. I can tell you, "meeting" Daria and seeing her close-up, my impression from tv footage was more than just confirmed. This girl is one of the most exuberant, most happiest girls I've ever seen in my life.
Elegy. Absolutely breath-taking. So beautiful. So - the words fail me... It was a great performance. Ekaterina hit all her jumps. She glided over the ice so smoothly. Watch her face... So much expression. I was very moved. She got one of the loudest applause of the evening. And she was really on this night. By the way, in Hartford she had her old Elegy costume on. The one with the flower...
Four Women. Guess whose high chair was about two metres away from me? Exactly, Ekaterina's. Needless to say that I missed part of that group number because I was busy watching her. Oh, it was simply great. You know, several times Ekaterina looked into my direction and she smiled. I don't know if I was just dreaming, but I think she was sometimes smiling at me. Everytime she looked/smiled into my direction with that wonderful, wonderful, wonderful and so warm smile, I looked over my shoulder and thought: "Did she smile at *me*?? It seems so... Hm... Really??" Perhaps it was just self-deception, but I do think she did... ;-).
During those smiles I can't say how happy I felt. I would love to think that during those few seconds when we smiled at each other (hey, can you resist her smile? I can't... And, besides of that I'm usually a smiling person anyways) that there was some "connection" between us. It's what I like to think of this encounter. It simply made me very happy.
Hm... I don't know about you, but I thought Ekaterina's part - compared to the ones of the other ladies was kind of short. She double-footed her triple toe-loop, but apart from that she was great. The audience cheered really loud. I think not just because she lives in Simsbury, but also because she was really one of the best solo performers of the evening. You know, most of the others fell during one time. I like her costume.
The finale. Ekaterina and Rene. It was so hilarious. She was so funny! It just cracked me up when she was totally absorbed in admiring her ring and therefore totally ignoring Rene. She was looking at everything - except him. He was holding her some centimetres above the ice and she just wouldn't pay attention to him. Well, at least he got a good view at her..., while she was looking at her ring... [g] It was very hilarious.
The rest of the number was funny, too. Although, I must admit it at some point I didn't pay attention (believe it or not, but at some point, I did NOT watch Ekaterina... ;-). You know, Paul Wylie came over and seated himself next to me. We shook hands, said "hello". It would have been kind of impolite to ignore him... Well, I asked him what he was reading and he showed me his book: Robinson Crusoe. And he explained the character he was playing. "I'm this guy who's really absorbed into this novel, who's really into it..." (I'm para-phrasing). Well, and therefore I missed part of the finale. Mostly the part when Ekaterina and the other ladies were doing this section with Scott... Sigh...
Nope, at the end, I did not get to shake hands with Ekaterina, but this wasn't really important because the evening was great already. After the skaters took their final bows, Daria stretched her arms towards her mum and Ekaterina carried her daughter backstage.
That front row centre ice seat was simply perfect. I couldn't have had a better place for this evening. I got to see Ekaterina - who looked beautiful and relaxed. Daria was saying "hello" to me. What could have I wished more?
Su-jan.
the G&G corner - Copyright © Su-jan Yip, September 1996 - 2007