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Kurt Browning's Messages from Artistry on Ice 2012
In June 2012, Kurt travelled to Taiwan and China for
the first time in his career with the Artistry on Ice tour. While on
tour, he sent notes and photos to post on his Facebook page and on the
Kurt Files. Here is the collection of Kurt's messages from Artistry on
Ice.
(Tue, June 19)
Hey everyone,
Yup, 46 !! Closer to 50 than 40 now...wow !
Thank You everyone for the birthday wishes, awesome. I would have
loved to have been on a golf course but sitting on a plane all day was
a close second. ( place sarcasm here ) Tina said you all enjoyed the
pics from China,, I am glad. Sorry I do not do that stuff more often,
guess I got inspired by just how far away from home I was and how new
everything seemed since it was my first visit.
Have a great summer all. I plan on becoming invisible and doing
tons of thinking about a plan for next year.
Again, thanks for the support of skating and myself.
Cheers,
Kurt
A pic (Sun, June 17)
(Sat, June 16)
Check out the amazing prop that I sat on during a group number right
out on the ice.
I asked but nope, was not allowed to keep it.
:)
Last arena (Sat, June 16)
Such FUN architecture here. Here is our last arena in the modern city
of Shanghai
Lulu and Denis! (Sat, June 16)
Hi everyone,
No red shirt, so no problem. Everyone had a great show. Watched Plushenko who
seemed to not like his landing of triple axel so he just skated to the other end
and did a perfect one. I had the wonderful pleasure to visiting with Denis Petrov
and Lu Chen. Having met on Stars on Ice they are now living here with their two
children. Beautiful
Up yet again very early and more buses and planes and press conferences await us today
Sigh
Kurt
A funny 'missed' translation into English (Sat, June 16)
Yes we have costumes! (Sat, June 16)
Rumor has it that some of you out there have active imaginations. Here
are a couple of photos to prove that we are wearing more than just
hats n helmets out on the ice.
My name on the clothing rack |
Plushenko cruising past our costume rack |
Another bus (Thu, June 14)
Shenzhen Bay Sports Center (Thu, June 14)
I have to laugh at my attempt to do some blogging for the Kurt Files,
like taking a picture of a picture as I have here but renting the
helicopter to get this shot was expensive.
Anyway, here is our arena in Shenzhen. This complex is amazing. The
rink is somewhere in the right side of the building. It is beautiful
in person.
Today we rehearsed and I just watched practice. Maybe I am old
school, or just old, but I have no clue how Skaters can jump when the
lights are going all over the place and even sometimes turning
completely off as well. Amazing really! It is a good cast. Plushenko
looks good as does Johnny and it is exciting to think we will get to
see them both compete again.
Time to get on another bus, AND, go for a swim. Yah
Outside cool arena |
Rocky Buttle Balboa |
Like an alien beehive |
Finally, some sightseeing (Tue, June 12)
OK, it may not be a bird's eye view of the Bird's Nest, but it was
still cool to see in person. Notice another picture through a dirty
bus window. The blue sky is not with us today.
Yesterday the show felt long and some how more 'serious'. The arena
has that tone and the audience was more subdued as well. They asked me
to wear the red shirt I had brought for the finale. I said fine, there
is a red theme to the show, but it caused me some problems during the
Feeling Good solo. Being a hot arena to skate in, we were all super
sweaty when we got off the ice. My sticky arms did not let my rolled
up sleeves slide on my arm and when I tried to jump they would not let
me pull in properly since the material did not stretch. Popped my two
triple toe jumps into doubles. What a weird way to mess up?
Just for an added note, the only red shirt I had was the one I wore in
Tall In The Saddle when we filmed skating on the lake. And yes, that
means that I skated in that shirt over twenty years
ago. Hilarious
(Tue, June 12)
Warming up in the gym where so many athletes have trained in the
'protected' old building for our second show.
Jeffrey, seen jumping in the next photo behind me, said he competed
here in 1998. I think it is called the Capital Gymnasium
Good Leaping Jeffrey
Costumes lined up for second show (Tue, June 12)
Arena in Beijing (Tue, June 12)
On a clear blue sky day, we arrive for practice at the arena here in
Beijing. It is an old building and quite different than the arenas I
am used to performing in.
Notice the souvenir shop right in front selling Canada based
items. Maple Syrop anybody?
Kurt
Arriving in Beijing (Tue, June 12)
This is a pic of the parking lot at the airport
Fanciest parking lot ever!
First Show Over (Sat, June 9)
Hi Everybody
10,000 people? 13,000 people? I am not sure how many came to the show tonight but 'wow' what a feeling! The show went well for everyone. My legs came back for a two hour visit during the show. What timing!
It is such a privilege to be a part of the cast during the retirement shows for Shen Xue & Zhao Hongbo. They are such great skaters, champions and even better people.
Kurt
I'm Yours...in Chinese (Sat, June 9)
We are doing a dress rehearsal today. I, with help of course, wrote
I'm Yours on my back. I hope the audience likes it. I am super tired
and worry about my skate. I feel my legs are not there because of time
change. Sigh?
(Thu, June 7)
Day 1..or is it day two?
Feel pretty darn good for only a few hours of sleep. A hearty
breakfast, North American style so far, and lot's of skater hugs in
the lobby and we are off to the rink.
The first impression is 'compressed'. As I would expect, the use of
space here is creative. I also just noticed that there must be a lane
only for motorbikes as I saw about 20 if them waiting for the light to
change. Started watching, and then counting, as they went by on the
green light. I guess the number of bikes, almost all of the scooter
variety, that went by were around 175! And that would be during one
light change only! Back home that would be a Scooter Biker Rally, if
they existed?
Jeffrey @ on ice press conference (Thu, June 7)
Jeffrey doing his best impression of Coco Rocha
Hung Bo is about to announce that they will finish their skating
career together after these four shows. 20 years together on the
ice. Wow
My view of China so far (Wed, June 6)
Must be getting close to 24 hours of travel now and this is my view as
I sit and wait for a very late plane to arrive to take us, Joannie,
Jeffrey & I, to Taipei.
At least the ceiling is nice.
Should I sleep? Should I eat... More peanuts? Learn Chinese?
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