April 1, 2005
STARS ON ICE (Raleigh, NC)
by carole56
I went to SOI Raleigh last night. It is a wonderful show as a whole. GO if they are still coming to your city. Like everyone has said, you will not regret it! The RBC center was half full at best. Lots of empty seats and the upper bowl was empty. The crowd was not hugely enthusiastic, but seemed to get into it more in the second act. This is more a collection of random thoughts than a detailed number by number review. There are already so many of those out there. ;-)
I'm sorry I didn't meet up with people, (I know Angie was there and maybe Judy Alexandra and AandEsMom too) but I bought my ticket at the very last minute. I was seven rows back, row F, dead center ice. It was perfect, not to close, not too far. I don't like on ice b/c you can't see the big picture of what's going on as well.
First things first, Katia: Katia recieved the most applause of anyone, with the possible exceptions of the pairs, when she was introduced. She had a big cheering section at one end of the arena. She never fell and is in amazing shape. Her conditioning and fitness level seemed on par with the full time cast members with the exception of Sarah :-D She did pop out of a jump in the fianle, not sure which one. Awakening is amazing! I knew I would like it from the video, but it was by far my favorite number of the show. Heartburn was better in person than on the video. I appreciated Katia's skating and the song more live. That costume is something else when she spins! :-D
Katia's bio in the program is a shortened version of the one on the SOI website (nothing about her parents and childhood, just mentions of profesional accomplishments, her partnership with Sergei and her life now with Ilia). Daria's last name is listed as Grinkova. (both girls full names are listed, as opposed to last year's bio with just first names.) The photos in the program are one from Stella and two from IHYD in the blue dress.
One last Katia note. She was not in the thing with the scarf. It was Elena and I'm pretty sure Anton, instead of Katia and Todd.
Other highlights: Alexei, both his numbers were great. I also loved the opening number and the numbers in red that close the first act and open the second act. Kyoko and John just keep getting better and I loved seeing them live. I enjoyed Sarah's second number, even though Eva Cassidy has got nothing on Judy Garland. She is slower than the other skaters and having trouble getting height. She made a mistake coming out of a spin and laughed a little bit. It's great that her sense of humor is intact. I didn't like Raindrops but more cause of the music than her skating ability. It's the type of over produced pop that I can't take.
I expected to like the pairs from SLC more. I guess b/c they are a real life couple I could see Jamie and David doing the conventionally romantic If I Could and, ironically, B&S having some fun with Radar Love. I don't think the producers have figured out how to let B&S cut loose and have fun without taking it too far over the top. The Kid was fun and playful without it being as far out of their (OK Elena's) comfort zone as the Dance Mix number. She sat on a guys lap right in from of me during that number and she did seem to be genuinely into it, so she is loosening up and expressing herself more. Jamie and David's second number didn't do much for me. They are all amazing athletes and there were some great moves and tricks in all their programs.
After the finale Katia came over and shook hands right in front of where I was sitting. Now that is why you get on ice seats. ;-) She had skated over to the other side of the ice before and greeted two blond women who had given her an ovation at the end of Heartburn. I thought they might be posters here? It was nice of her to notice them and go back.
OK, those were some of my main impressions of the show. I hope everyone else who went had as much fun as I did!
I wanted to add that I loved Steven's program, but I enjoyed his funny parts in the group numbers and the interludes (Step Sisters, TKO, others)just as much as his actual solo. He's a natural born comedian. I guess he didn't have a second solo b/c he figured so prominently in the group stuff. I wish he had done a second number that was more funny and upbeat.
About the scarf interlude. . . I was not trying to contradict others who said Katia was in it. I realized what I said might sound like that. For whatever reason she wasn't in it at this stop. Maybe they thought it would be fun to have a pair try it.
Re the review from the SOI board talking about Katia's family. They may have been there, they do travel to different stops. The women I saw standing at the end of Heartburn were not members of her family as far as I can tell. I didn't spot anyone who looked like Daria. That recent interview with Ilia implied that the girls don't do much traveling with the tour (at least not far from CT). They are both in school. This could have been the final weekend of spring break for them, so that may have given them the time to come along.
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