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November 4, 2003

KRISTI YAMAGUCHI SALUTE TO AMERICAN MUSIC

by Jill M.

I got tickets to the show last night as a graduation present, and what a great present it was! The tickets were third row at almost center ice. I was next to the guardrail, and about two or three feet below me sat a guard for the event. This didn't make much sense to me until later.

The show was really good! It's going to be on television November 30, 2003 from 4-6 pm, so everyone will get to see it then. Kristi looked amazing, but she did not skate that night except for a little in the opening number. Everyone wore jeans for the opening number, and Katya wore a bluish/purple shirt.

Paul Wylie skated first. As I was watching him, blonde hair caught my attention in the  pit next to me. I turned just to see why someone was down there-and it was Alexei Yagudin! He was standing right next to me! Then out came Kurt Browning and Steven Cousins. They all just stood down there next to me watching Paul skate. Alexei stayed down there for almost the entire show, except when it was his turn to skate.

Katya skated first to her new number that she did at the Viktory for Kids show. It's an interesting program. I don't normally like unitards, but it goes with the program. I don't think you'd be able to see everything she does with the ribbon if she wore a dress.  She fell only once, but it was a really big fall. Otherwise it was a really good program.

After this program Katya came out to the pit that was next to me. She is so tiny, and pretty! And very serious. While Alexei was talking to her, and while she was watching the other skaters she didn't smile once. She and Alexei seem to be friends, they spent a while talking to each other. I was practically bouncing out of my seat at this point, having Katya and Alexei standing right next to me! I took dozens of pictures.

After intermission the group skated to Evanencense (sp?) "Bring Me to Life". There were dancers on platforms on the ice, and everyone skated around them.  Lots of stuff with people sitting/laying/kneeling on the ice.

For Katya's second program she skated to Eda James- I think the song is called "A Sunday kind of love". This was a beautiful program!!! Her dress for it is beautiful!! It's long and purple with plum sequins on it. Jeff Billings was standing in the pit then with I think LeAnn Miller. I could hear them discussing the program. They both agreed that this program would be amazing with more practice. She skated beautifullly to this program-no mistakes! She seemed very proud of it after she got done skating. Does anyone know if she's skated this number before?

As they did the retakes I went to where they were signing autographs. I speak Russian, so as Katya walked by I called out "Please sign this" in Russian. I think she was shocked, because she kind of looked around for the source of the voice. I gave a quick wave and she came over and signed the sign I made. We talked quickly in Russian, she said I spoke it well (that was a thrill!). I told her I thought her last program was beautiful. She smiled and said thank you. The woman next to me told her she's doing a great job raising her girls. This really made Katya smile and she said something like "Thank you, I'm trying." She only had to do one retake. As she came back she and Kristi hugged each other. They seem really close.  Kristi said wonderful things about Katya in her introduction, it was very sweet.

I talked to Kristi as she was signing an autograph for me. I asked her how she got back in shape so quickly after having a baby last month. She laughed and said "I knew I had this show tonight-I didn't have a chioce!"

Overall, it was such a wonderful night. Everyone seemed to really enjoy the show. I've met Katya a couple times now, and I must say that everytime I've talked to her she is just the sweetest most graceful person. I'll try to send Su-jan some of the pictures I took. I used a digital camera so some aren't that clear, but at least it's something!