An Evening on Ice 2015

This weekend I made my annual journey to L.A. for the US Foundation's Evening on Ice show. It's always such a fun event with world-class skating. This year's post-show Meet and Greet was also especially fun as it was set up so we could mingle and talk more with the athletes. It was so great to talk to some of my favorite skaters and meet some new ones!

Here's a run-down of the show with a few thoughts:

Gracie Gold - "I Am Here" by Beyonce. Jumps were a little scratchy but she looked very engaged with the music.

Meagan Duhamel & Eric Radford - "One" by Bono & Mary J. Blige. I LOVE seeing Meagan and Eric perform live. They really have a dynamic quality together.

Jeremy Abbott - "Black Skinhead" by Kanye West. Very modern and intense program. I prefer his more lyrical exhibitions, but this one was definitely entertaining.

Kimmie Meissner - "Latch" by Sam Smith (cover). There is so much joy in every movement Kimmie makes across the ice. She spoke to the crowd after the show, and she said five years ago she was really down about skating, and Nick and Tricia Laroche invited her to be part of the first Evening on Ice show and encouraged her to start skating again. It helped her find her love for the sport again, and she hasn't stopped performing since then!

Yuka Sato - I don't think I've ever seen Yuka skate live (unless she was on the '94 COI tour, which my old brain can't remember). Her blades are so quiet, and she looked so happy and peaceful in her performance.

Madison Chock & Evan Bates - "Interrupted Flight." I never get enough of seeing my faves! They bring so much elegance and beauty to the ice, and they are two of my favorite skaters off the ice, too. Get ready for a stunning free dance from them this season! ;)

Brendan Kerry - "Troublemaker" by Olly Murs. This was my first time seeing Brendan skate. He looks to have good basics, so I'd like to see how he can progress in the future.

Alissa Czisny - "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" by Madonna. Her jumps and spins were a bit off, but her simple glide across the ice is always so graceful and beautiful to watch.

Polina Edmunds - "California Dreamin" by Mamas and the Papas (cover). This was a new, edgier look for Polina, and I think she pulled it off. She did her trademark magnificent twizzle, which I love.

Shawn Sawyer - "We No Speak Americano." Shawn knows how to entertain, and his flexibility never ceases to amaze me. I could watch him spin and do spirals all day long.

Rohene Ward - "A House is Not a Home" by Luther Vandross. Very emotional performance from Rohene with some beautiful moves, including a killer layback and a hydroblade.

Richard Dornbush - "Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin. He pulled off a great triple Axel and had his usual playful style working with the crowd.

Daisuke Murakami - "Bring Him Home." I really like the bones of this program and am excited to see its progression as his short program this season. Daisuke said at the M&G that Frank wanted to stretch him as a performer this year with this piece.

Courtney Hicks - "Amazing Grace." This was such a beautiful performance! I can see that Courtney has been working hard on the artistic side of her skating. It was one of my favorites of the evening.

Karen Chen - "Nessun Dorma" by Luciano Pavarotti. It looks like Karen has grown a bit, and it's helped her look more mature on the ice. She skated with wonderful speed and did a great triple Lutz.

Beatrisa Liang - "Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran (piano version). I'm now obsessed with this version of the song and need to find it STAT. Bebe always picks great music and shows her love for skating in her performances.

Jonathan Cassar - "Bridge Over Troubled Water" by Simon & Garfunkel. The only way to describe Jon's skating is gorgeous and heartfelt. We all know he has killer spread eagles, but everything he does on the ice is special.

Derrick Delmore - I wasn't familiar with the song, but it sounded like Ricky Martin? Derrick can't stop smiling while he's skating, and it's obvious he's another one who loves any chance to get out there and perform.

Leah Keiser - "On My Own." Leah has grown so much and really has a striking presence on the ice. Loved her Ina Bauer.

Douglas Razzano - "Your Song" from Moulin Rouge. Any time I can see Doug skate and then chat with him afterward is a good day. I was very happy to hear he'll be a team leader for the Challenge Skate in Salt Lake City this year. He is a one-of-a-kind personality!

Braden Overett - "Feelin' Good" by Michael Buble. Braden has comedic skating down to a science. He was one of my favorites back when he was competing, and I'm so happy he's still performing. You can't buy that kind of charisma.

Here are all my photos from the show and the Meet & Greet plus a couple of videos. I wanted to take more, but I had some obstruction issues. => PHOTOS & VIDEOS

An Evening on Ice 2014

I made my annual trek to Los Angeles this weekend to visit a good friend and attend An Evening on Ice. Nick and Tricia Laroche always put on a great show, and this year there were some huge names in the cast.

We got to see a couple of short program debuts by Adam Rippon and Doug Razzano. I captured Adam's on video. I love the new jazzy look on him. It was very fun, playful, and high energy. The program was choreographed by Catarina Lindgren. Doug's music was a beautiful Spanish guitar piece that was used on Dancing With the Stars last season.

Jonathan Cassar and his swoon-worthy spread eagles are always a highlight of the show. He skated a soulful number to I Can't Make You Love You. Watch it here!

Two duos who were also highlights for me were Madison Chock/Evan Bates and Meagan Duhamel/Eric Radford. Madi and Evan did their "Sorry Seems To Be the Hardest Word" program, and Meagan and Eric skated to "Say Something." I captured part of Meagan and Eric's program on video.

Richard Dornbush provided the comic relief with his toreador program. And young Tessa Hong showed why she has so many people talking about her already. Her "The Prayer" performance was mature beyond her years.

Check out all my photos from the show and the Meet and Greet here!

An Evening on Ice

I attended the third annual An Evening on Ice show this weekend in L.A. and wrote up a quick report on the action! I also took a few videos. Nick and Tricia Laroche always do a wonderful job with this show, which benefits the US Athletic Foundation. My report is after the videos:

Alissa Czisny

Adam Rippon

Jonathan Cassar

Vincent Zhou

Kimmie Meissner

Bebe Liang (skating to Emily & Sergei's song!) Douglas Razzano

Chelsea Liu & Devin Perini
  

Starr Andrews

Finale

The show began with a jazzy performance by Dyllan McIntee, Juvenile Girls Champion. I hadn't seen her skate before and I was impressed! Team Fusion, a synchro team, was next and they did a cute program with a Little Red Riding Hood theme that started with "She Wolf" by Shakira. Alexe Gilles followed and had some trouble on the jumps, singling all of them. Leah Keiser skated to "Stay" by Rihanna and looked really lovely! Douglas Razzano lightened the mood next, skating to "Don't Stop the Party" by Pitbull. I think he needed to let go just a bit more with the energetic music and really go to town with it. After Doug was Bebe Liang, and I was super excited that she skated to one of my favorite Alicia Keys songs, "Un-thinkable." She still has great presence on the ice. Vincent Zhou skated to what sounded like a Broadway number. His jumps were as impressive as always! Next was one of the highlights for me -Jonathan Cassar. He always entrances the crowd when he skates. Such beautiful movement and emotion. He is a true dancer on the ice. Tyler Pierce followed Jon and did a really sweet number to "I Wanna Hold Your Hand." The lone pair in the show, Chelsea Liu and Devin Perini, performed their short program and looked ready to compete. Their lift was very impressive. Closing out the first half of the show was Adam Rippon, and he was another of my highlights. He skated to Elliot Yemin's "A Song For You" and his skating looked so powerful and fast. We got to see a gorgeous Rippon Lutz, too!

Starr Andrews started off the second half of the show. I'd never heard of her, but I'm sure I'll be hearing more about her in the future! Her spins were awesome and so was her stage presence. Rachael Flatt was next, and her program to "Clair de Lune" might be the best program I've ever seen from her. From the layout it appeared to be her short program. She really felt the music and had some beautiful moments. I wish I would've recorded it! Derrick Delmore was another skater I wish I would've captured on video. He skated to "When I Was Your Man" by Bruno Mars, and he did some huge jumps and was flying across the ice. Next was Emily Hughes who skated to "Hallelujah." She looked like she enjoyed every second of the program. Polina Edmunds followed with a cute program that sampled a variety of music from show tunes to Michael Jackson. After her was Shotaro Omori. His Latin program was perhaps his new short? Courtney Hicks had some problems with her triple jumps, but she exhibited powerful skating between the jumps. Next was Kimmie Meissner, who I always love seeing on the ice. She skated to "In Your Eyes" and did a triple jump, which I hadn't seen her do in a show in quite awhile. Joshua Farris was supposed to follow Kimmie, but he couldn't skate because of illness. I was so bummed because he was one of the skaters I most wanted to see. The final skater was Alissa Czisny, and she skated to music from the soundtrack of The Notebook - beautiful music that I wish more skaters would use! Her performance was so gentle and flowing and lovely.

An Evening On Ice/Warner Bros Studio Tour

Sorry it's taken me a few days to write up my thoughts on An Evening On Ice! I spent the last few days exploring the Los Angeles area, catching up with friends and enjoying the beautiful weather. One of my favorite parts of the trip was the Warner Bros. Studio Tour I took on Tuesday morning. I've included a little summary and my photos from the tour below, but first a quick report on the show!

Braden Overett acted as the emcee of the show, and he has such a fun personality that he's perfect as a host. Between skaters, Richard Dornbush also provided some entertainment, reminding me of when Kurt Browning clowned around on Stars On Ice one year between the numbers. Ricky was dressed as a nerd, and he stayed in character for his program to "Let's Get It On" and "Staying Alive," which was hilarious. And his jumps looked great! He even threw in a triple axel.

Grant Hochstein was one of the first skaters, and his performance to "Collide" was a great showcase for his lyrical style. His skating is as smooth as ever. Alex Johnson skated to a very unique piece of music that was a different look for him. He has better spirals than many female skaters!

Chelsea Liu/Devin Perini did their short program to "Dueling Banjos," and they had a very impressive lift with multiple position changes. Alexe Gilles skated to "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" and she was a beautiful presence on the ice. Her jumps looked solid, too! It was so great to see Courtney Hicks back after her injury. She skated to a really pretty song (wish I knew the name!). Leah Kaiser skated to Adele's version of "To Make You Feel My Love" and showed off some nice jumps and a lot of joy in her skating.

Tiffany Vise/Don Baldwin skated to "Come What May" and did some cool pair tricks. Derrick Delmore showed he's still a great jumper as he skated to "Apologize" with really good attack and speed. He was also sporting a cool mohawk. Nick Laroche, one of the founders of the US Athletic Foundation, used to be a mainstay at Nationals, and I always enjoy seeing him skate again!

Sean Rabbitt had the crowd with him from his first step, and he gave one of the most memorable performances of the afternoon with his self-choreographed program to Cabaret. The new team of Lindsay Davis/Mark Ladwig skated to "Too Afraid To Love You" by The Black Keys, and I was impressed by the crazy entrance to their lift. They appear to be meshing well as a pair. Beatrisa Liang was another mainstay at Nationals that I was happy to see once again. She skated a fun program to "The Way I Am."

Doug Razzano had a few problems on his jumps, but he had solid skating in between as he skated to "I Love  the Way You Lie" by Colton Dixon (loved this rendition!). I was a huge fan of Kimmie Meissner when she skated competitively, and I'm so glad she's continuing to do shows! She looked beautiful and happy on the ice.

Braden is one of my favorite skaters, and he treated us to a half lyrical/half comedic performance that was made of awesome. He's such a great performer. Mary Beth Marley/Rockne Brubaker have definitely grown together as a pair, and Mary Beth looks more mature this season. I like the new low ponytail style she's sporting. They have a nice soft, romantic style, which was showcased in their program to Louis Armstrong tunes.

Adam Rippon was barely recognizable without his signature curly hair, and he debuted a new style of program for him with upbeat dance music. Joannie Rochette closed the show to a Christina Aguilera song, and she had great charisma and audience connection.

I hope the US Athletic Foundation will continue to put on the show year after year! It's a great event to benefit a great cause, and it's also an excuse for me to annually visit L.A. :)

On Tuesday morning, I did the Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Burbank, and it was such a cool experience! I highly recommend it if you visit L.A. Fans of Friends, The Big Bang Theory, the Harry Potter movies and Pretty Little Liars will especially enjoy it. We were able to sit in the sound stage where they film The Big Bang Theory and see some of the sets (the hallway with the broken elevator and Leonard and Sheldon's apartment). We couldn't take photos in the sound stage, unfortunately. The sets looked so small compared to what you see on TV!

The tour guide also took us to the Central Perk set from Friends. It was relocated from one of the sound stages to the prop warehouse. They did allow us to take photos there!

Some of the outdoor sets we saw from Pretty Little Liars were Rosewood High, Jason and Allison's house, Toby and Jenna's house, and Emily's house (see photos of these in my album below!) In the museum, which was part of the tour, the masquerade ball costumes from PLL were on display - Melissa's Black Swan costume, Aria's and Spencer's dresses, and Lucas's creepy costume with the white mask. It was so cool seeing them up close. No photos were allowed in the museum :(

The museum also held tons of costumes from other TV shows and movies, and the entire second floor held props and costumes from the Harry Potter movies. There was a dummy of Hermione that looked so much like Emma Watson that I couldn't stop staring at it. It was really remarkable.

While we were touring a house that's used in the TV show Hart of Dixie, two of the actors from the show, Wilson Bethel (who plays Wade) and Scott Porter (who plays George), were practicing a fight sequence on the lawn next door. I couldn't believe my luck in seeing two actors from one of my favorite shows! I'll always call Scott Porter "Jason Street" because of my love of Friday Night Lights. We weren't allowed to accost the actors, but I did snap a bunch of photos of them :)

Here are all the photos I took on the tour:

Warner Bros Studio Tour

An Evening on Ice

Yesterday I attended An Evening On Ice, a wonderful show to benefit the US Athletic Foundation. The show was held at the Toyota Sports Center in El Segundo, California and featured an all-star cast of National, World, and Olympic medalists.

I'll post a detailed report of the performances later, but I wanted to post my photos and videos first!



Find the photos here!

Adam Rippon

Richard Dornbush

Braden Overett

Alex Johnson

Kimmie Meissner

Lindsay Davis/Mark Ladwig