This one was harder to type up because the family is here bugging me. Once
again apologies for typos, &#8230's etc.


Act 2

VIKTOR VERSUS KURT

-VIKTOR
Music: gmb with lyrics that included: Checks don't clear
Hunger Like This
Let me swirl
Wish me on my way
Maroon textured satin shirt w black pants
3 toe
3 sal
2 ax
2 ax
leap
knee spin
SCORES: 9.7 9.7 9.8 9.8 9.7 9.9 9.8 TOTAL: 97.6
MY IMPRESSION: This was a very nice performance. Not a lot of bombast and
posing. A calm number for Viktor. I enjoyed it.

-KURT
Big Dog Daddy grey with suspenders
The number opened with Jamie throwing him his hat and saying "Have a good
skate buddy."
3 sal effortless
2 ax
Ina into a 3 t
camel
footwork
2 ax
SCORE:: 9.9 9.9 10 10 10 10 10 TOTAL: 99.8
MY IMPRESSION: I don't know. I was not charmed by this number. For me
there was no WOW! It wasn't like "Nyah" or "Antares" which I immediately
wanted to see again. A portion of his footwork was simple back power pulls.
Perhaps it will play better for me on TV.

NICOLE VERSUS OKSANA

-Nicole
Dust on the Wind white halter dress with silver trim and strands of
silver on the bare back
2 toe/flip?
2 ax
camel-change sit (shoot the duck position)
Slide spiral (appropriate move for the lyric)
Flying camel
Spiral that was long and steady
SCORES: 9.8 9.8 9.9 9.9 9.9 9.9 9.9 TOTAL: 98.8
MY IMPRESSION: I always thought this would be a good number to skate to.
Crowd knows it and it's intense but short time-wise. Nicely choreographed.
She presented the mood of the piece very well. She was crying when she got
off the ice. While she was sitting in the Kiss and Cry she was waving her
hand as if she was verklempt. Kurt gave her a big hug. Nice moment.


-OKSANA
Swan redux white costume with feathers applied to the bodice
Tippy toes
Spiral
Flying camel part of the time w flexed knee
3 toe CLEAN
2 sal may-be two footed
ina bauer
Donut spin
SCORES: 9.6 9.8 9.7 9.8 9.8 9.8 9.8 TOTAL: 97.4
MY IMPRESSION: When her music started the crowd was responsive. I noticed
she must have lost some of her flexibility. Like Shizuka Arakara, in order
to get that donut spin she has to lower that foot below the hips, grab the
skate and then pull it up and in. I can't rave about this but it was
pleasant enough. Trip down memory lane.


ILIA VERSUS BRIAN

ILIA
gmb with the lyric "house is not a home" gray shirt
Axel?
( ) oops I zoned out here
Camel
3 flip?
ina bauer into footwork
Split jump
2 ax
½ split slide across the ice
spiral
SCORES: 9.8 9.8 9.7 9.9 10 10 9.9 TOTAL: 98.8
MY IMPRESSION: I sort of tuned out a bit on this one but I did note it
built to a strong ending.

BRIAN
? more typing, phone ringing tee shirt with suspenders
PROPS: Girl, desk, brief case, typewriter, pad, pencil, note pad, desk
chair, kitchen sink
Number begins with secretary in red 1930's style outfit sitting on other
side of the boards answering hang-up phone calls: "Private Eye Publishing."
I think there were 3 calls. Snore. Then the narration "It all began with a
scream on a cold foggy night in San Francisco."
3 toe- 2 toe?
Skates with pen in his mouth
3?
Camel change camel
Outside spread eagle into inside spread eagle into a 2 ax
SCORES: 9.8 9.7 9.8 9.8 9.9 9.9 9.8 Total: 98.2
MY IMPRESSION: Like I always say when they wheel out the props, look out,
it ain't gonna be pretty." I can only guess that these two numbers are
supposed to be one long number that he's working on for a TV special. I
don't think they translated here. No punch line. May-be Tracie and Verne
will make it all clear. My Bri skating with a pen in his mouth? Ugh! What
's the quote, how far the great have fallen? Blech. I shall continue to
think back fondly to his "I Ain't Missin' You" number with the folding
chair. Now that made good use of a prop. Sigh...


JAMIE & DAVID VERSUS ELENA AND ANTON

JAMIE & DAVID
Who Wants to Live Forever Grayish blue and white costumes
I was engrossed in the program and can't quite make out my notes
Opening pose she, praying
David does great spread eagle
? throw
carry lift
1 legged spin ?
back lift ?
interesting choreography on the beat
double twist
star lift with hand on hip grip
one handed side lift after a long spiral
standing ovation
SCORES: 9.9 9.9 9.8 9.9 9.9 9.9 9.9 TOTAL: 98.8
MY IMPRESSIONS: I really enjoyed this number and found myself looking at
the whole rather than the individual elements. I think that's a good thing.
They really know how to sell a number, not in a hokey or fake way. I look
forward to seeing them in person again. They are delightful.

ANTON AND ELENA
music ? with lyrics "let me fall, let me cry" he: light green
shirt she: bright pink each costume had small half moon

cut outs on the back shoulder
leap of faith on lyric "catch me"
double twist a big one
throw triple loop with a hard fall and a collective groan from the crowd
cartwheel sort of aided lift
forward inside death spiral
split lift with flip out
spread eagle spiral
pair spin
one handed hip lift
SCORES: 9.8 ? 9.6 9.7 9.7 9.8 9.9 TOTAL: 97.6
MY IMPRESSIONS: I didn't care for the fabric or color of their costumes.
The music didn't do much for me either but they looked more relaxed than
during the first number. I think this was scored pretty fairly (except for
the 9.9). How can you give them that kind of mark with that big fall?

FINAL SCORE: World: 588.9 North America: 588.6

Kurt did this whole thing while waiting for the final score in the kiss and
cry, tapping his foot and looking nervous. The scores were announced and he
hung is head and then made a big deal about slinking dejectedly off stage.
Very cute. Of course after, they were all congratulating each other.

The last person off the ice was Jamie who was accepting the plaudits from
the audience. Everyone else was long gone.

For me the highlights were the two pair teams and Ilia. The two who got me
to buy tickets, Kurt and Brian, were a disappointment in performance, yet I
still enjoy their skating so much, that an off night is still worth seeing
for discussion purposes.

Sitting two rows in front of me and 3 seats over was Dick. That was a
surprise considering this was a CBS event. Once I realized he was there I
enjoyed watching him, watch them, and imagining what his commentary would
be. Funny how he was able to blend in with the crowd in his boring brown
sweater. At the end one elderly lady "button" holed him and was able to
chat with him before he made his escape.

Had a contingent of Eastern Europeans sitting next to and behind me. I
thought they might be connected with one of the skaters the way they
blathered on throughout the night. I had to give one the evil eye as she
blabbed on her cell phone during Oksana's Swan. I wondered if she was
giving someone a play by play. Turns out they must have just been fans
because they were clamoring for autographs at the end.

In front of me was a husband and wife. I thought his eyeballs were going to
go into orbit. He did nothing all night but roll his eyes all evening. I
wasn't sure if he 1) Didn't want to be there. 2) Hated pro skating 3) Was
annoyed by the Viktor fan sitting next to them who was waving a sign 4)
Didn't appreciate standing ovations 5) Had it in for Jo-Jo Starbuck 6) Had
to go, "gotta go, gotta go right now..." 7) or all of the above. They
bugged out before the final bows.

Finally, after attending Skate America this year, it was an interesting
contrast seeing the pros. Although the speed and precision of the amateurs
is very exciting, there's also something to be said about the experienced
"old" guard who aren't pressured into ticking off specific elements in a
given amount of time. Once upon a time I thought I'd scream if I saw one
more Hamilton-Hair, Kadavy-Mambo Italiano or Jumpin' Joe-Springsteen number
(don't jump on me, I like all three skaters, it was just the sheer
repetition of certain performances). Now I miss the seeing the pros and
their contribution to the world of skating. Alas!

Sharon
A SkateFan Librarian