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Artistry on Ice: Red Temptation - Taipei, Taiwan - Jun. 9, 2012
written by Sachi
The arena is huge and it was mostly full. They installed more seats
(around the ice) than they did at 4CC in the last season but the ice
still looks like an Olympic size.
There were four TV cameras including one on a crane, and one temporary
camera I think for TV news. It looks like the cameras are only for the
screen rather than for broadcast, but I just do not know.
There is a big screen on a short end and they put introducing video of
each skater before they skate in the act I.
Thanks to a great friend in Taipei, we got tickets on an advance sale
for Amway members and they gave us a teddy bear with the amway
ticket. The bear is wearing
blades. =)
The format of the Artistry On Ice is a bit different from other ice
shows I know. There is a host lady and she talks between the programs
(I do not speak Chinese and I have no idea what she's talking),
introducing celebrities in the arena (also I have no idea who they are
or if they are anything to do with the show or just came to see the
show), and introducing the skater who's skating next.
The ice surface looks covered by water in a big part of the rink.
Right before the show they accidentally played a video saying "the
first half of the show was finished; the show resumes in 20 minutes
after the intermission." LOL. Then they played the correct one for the
beginning of the show, and the show started.
Act I
1. Opening - Moulin Rouge
First four fans appeared
between the curtain on the front end. Then ladies holding the
fans came in through the curtain.
Then guys came in, each in a tux with a cane and a hat.
The program was very cheerful and fun. Xue was playing the Nicole
Kidman's role to the Diamond song.
After it finished, each skaters took off the ice as MC called their
names one by one.
The host lady (I think her name is Miranda Lu but not really sure)
came by the ice and talked for a while. She introduced Katie Holmes
("show ambassador"), Tiger Huang (singer in the show) and some other
people in the audience. And she introduced Li Lixue.
2. Li Lixue
In a light blue dress. She was doing a great job in the big
crowd.
The host talked again. I think she talked between every skater
during Act I. The runlist shows the next skater is Jeffrey but it was
Johnny who was waiting by the rink. It turned out they changed the
skating order here and there from the printed one.
3 - Johnny Weir - Chopin
In black. Following
Johnny took the ice, someone walked on to the ice. First I thought it
was one of the staff, then found out it was Edvin Martin. While he
passionately was playing the violin, the music sounded like recorded.
Johnny's jumps were good but not as good as top competitive men
yet.
4 - Joannie Rochette - Formidable
Joannie skating to Formidable
The audience is very responsive to her flirting moves.
There is no ice seat so she did not use the scarf as she does in Stars
On Ice but just waved it.
5 - Fiona Zaldua/Dmitry Sukhanov - Angeles and Demons
Zaldua/Sukhanov skating to Angels and Demons
Her unitard looked exactly like undies, and he was half naked. With
their acrobatic moves the audience was responsing with big woo's and
ah's.
6 - Jeffrey Buttle - Big Love
Jeffrey skating to Big Love
Jumpwise it was not his day, but I really love this program.
7 - Shizuka Arakawa - El Flamenco
Shizuka skating to El Flamenco
This is a program from a few years back but I think she brought it
back because the show theme is "red temptation." I am glad she did so
as this is one of my favorite programs of hers. After she quit
competing her consistency is incredible. She hardly misses any jumps
and she keeps growing as a performer. So it is no surprise that she
performed this program with spark and with perfect jumps. Big respect
to her.
8 - Kurt Browning - I'm Yours
Kurt, waiting for his introduction
The audience welcomed him with a really big cheer when the host lady
introduced Kurt and the music. As he posted on FB his shirt says "I'm
Yours" on the back in Chinese. The crowed loved it a lot too and gave
him another big cheer when he showed it.
I'm Yours in Chinese
Kurt was on. The feets look so light and playful. Even more than his
usual high standard. I thought it was so worth coming to Taipei just
for this performance.
Kurt skating to I'm Yours
IIRC the program has a 3S but this time Kurt did a 3t there
instead.
He accidentally ran into the jacket but managed to land a 3T soon after
that.
After the performance the host said "thank you for being ours." Then, I
was not watching but gathering from her and the crowd's reaction, I
think he hugged or kissed her, or did something like that.
9 - Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo
There was a big crescent hung from above. First Xue came in
alone and skated for a while then got on the crescent.
Xue's solo
Xue on the crescent
Hongbo got on the ice, singing to a microphone. He is not a bad singer
at all!!
singing Hongbo
Then the singer Tiger Huang took it over and Xue and Hongbo started
skating together. It was a romantic program with a big throw
jump.
Shen/Zhao got on the moving stage and talked with a female singer,
Tiger Huang for a while. Do not ask me what they're talking.
10 - Tiger Huang
Tiger Huang singing
The female singer sang two songs on moving stage on the ice.
11 - Evgeny Plyushchenko - The Storm
Evgeny and Edvin Marton
Before he skated, the host interviewed a huge fan of Evgeny. As
she talked about him she looked like she's moved to tears. But again I
do not speak Chinese and I do not really know what they're talking.
The program was one of his typical gala programs of recent years with
Edvin Martin, who was holding a violin, playing it or not. I used to
love Jenya's skating very much but lately I am rather getting tired of
his programs. But at least he landed a 3A, and he still has charisma
to make crowd crazy.
(intermission)
Act 2
Act 2 started with some guy talking very long. Once again I have no
idea what he was talking about.
I saw Kurt standing by the rink and listening to him through the long
talk. I wondered why then found out that he was there because he's one
of the first to skate in the next program.
1 Group Number - Batman
There were two motorbikes on a temporary stage on the ice. Kurt and
Hongbo appeared and put helmets on, then mounted on the bikes, and did
some poses to the music.
Kurt on the bike
Other skates came in a triangle formation. Guys were all wearing
helmets. Kurt and Hongbo left the bike and joined to the group.
The concept was interesting but not much as a skating number. I was
wondering if they used motorbikes because BMW is one of the show
sponcers.
The choreo look a bit too slow to the music. The program may have been
more interesting if they did it more crisp and a bit more in sync,
but, well, this show is not Stars On Ice.
After the group number, Katie Holmes, "the celebrity ambassador of the
show" and the host talked for a while. While they talked in English
I did not understand if there's any kind of relation between Katie and
the show other than the business deal. I do not think they even tried
to make one up.
Katie and the host
2 - Li Lixue
I think she singled an axel but again her performance was enjoyable.
3 - Jeffrey Buttle - Both Sides Now
Jeffrey skating to Both Sides Now
His edges are gorgeous, but that is not news. =)
4 - Joannie Rochette - Indestructible
Joannie skating to Indestructible
During the Stars On Ice this year she looked like a bit struggling
with this program to me. Then here in Taipei she finally looked
like comfortable with it.
5 - Fiona Zaldua/Dmitry Sukhanov - Morphine
Zaldua/Sukhanov skating to Morphine
Again her costume is very sexy, almost dirty. The program did not look
very different from the first one.
6 - Kurt Browning - Feeling Good
Kurt skating to Feeling Good
The audience gave Kurt big woo's and aah's at rights moments of
flirting moves, and laugh when he rubbed his butt. Kurt stroked his
head with both hands at somewhere in the middle of the program, which
I do not think he did in the past with this program. Was he checking
if his head feels as good as the butt? ;)
Kurt rubbing his head
Kurt was on again and only obvious mistake was a single axel at the
second jump of 2A-2A sequence.
Unlike in Stars On Ice, he did not use a hat in the program.
They used strobe lights for some part of this program. I found it a
bit a too much. It may have been good if it was for a shorter period.
7 - Shizuka Arakawa - Listen
Shizuka skating to Listen
Again Shizuka brought a program back from a few years ago, but the
costume is new. The song is powerful and she used it very well.
8 - Johnny Weir - Fighter
Johnny skating to Fighter
So, three songs of powerful music with strongest vocals in a row. I
felt a bit exhausted for that. And I WAS exhausted physically, for
real. So perhaps it was me but Johnny looked a bit overpowered by the
music.
9 - Evgeny Plyushchenko - Tango (w/ Edvin Marton)
Evgeny with Edvin
Agh, strong music again, but at least there was no vocal. All I
remember about the performance was that he landed a 3A again.
10 - Shen Xue/Zhao Hongbo
A medley of musics of their past memorable programs. This program made
me feel a bit sentimental.
11 - Finale - violin playing w/ Edvin Marton
I remember there was a male singer singing with a program but I do not
remember which program it was. Perhaps it was finale?
My memory of the finale is a bit blur (like my pictures =), but the
cast were in red and black. IIRC the choreography was rather simple
like a gala after competition.
bow at the finale
After the cast once disappeared, they came back and go around the
rink.
Taipei audience was really wonderful. They were very responsive and
give big cheers, applauses, laughs, and woo's. And I did not hear any
distracting conversation during the show. It was very easy to focus on
the show in the crowd like this.
Apparently standing ovations are not in their custom but I saw some
doing so in a certain section. Perhaps they are from foreign countries
(like me), or local hard-core fans.
Taipei is also a great city to visit with great food, and people I met
there were all nice and kind.
It is also very easy for me to visit as the flight from Tokyo takes
only 3 hours, with only one-hour time difference. Hope figure skating
keep coming back to Taipei even after Shen/Zhao retire.
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