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Canadian Stars on Ice Review - Toronto, ON, Hamilton, ON, and Kitchener, ON - May 5-7, 2023
Written by Tina
It was inevitable that this day would come, that Kurt Browning would
skate his final skate with Stars on Ice, and actually retire from the
tour which has become virtually synonymous with him in Canada. In
fact, he had in essence retired twice before, in 2015 and 2017, and
had basically told me as much at the time, but there was always that
hope and potential of his return, since he wouldn't publicly announce
it. And sure enough, he'd be asked to guest star (in 2016) or outright
return to the tour (in 2019), and there he'd be again, delighting
crowds. But this time is different. He is 56. He has reached the
milestone of 30 years with the tour. And he has decided to publicly
announce his retirement, something he once said he'd never do.
Personally, I am grateful that he did make that decision. I am glad
that fans know that this is their last chance to see him in Stars on
Ice and thus can make the effort to go see him, if possible. And I am
especially glad that Kurt himself has the opportunity to say goodbye
to everybody, to get that sense of closure and let people say goodbye
to him as well.
As for the show itself, it's a good one! It's a large cast this year,
which means a lot of great skates, and a runtime of nearly 3 hours,
though it doesn't feel nearly that long. I really like how Jeff Buttle
structured it. He very much pays tribute to Kurt and his history with
the tour, but the sentimental tear-inducing tribute is in the first
half. The second half fittingly ends on a far more joyous energetic
note, just like Kurt's own two solos.
ACT I
Opening - All These Things that I've Done - Cast
The show opened with Patrick Chan skating alone, which was a nice
welcome back for him. He was soon joined by Jason Brown, Loena
Hendrickx and Satoko Miyahara, all dressed in blue-green
military-esque costumes (evidently inspired by the repeated "I've got
soul but I'm not a soldier" lyric). The song is propulsive in its
driving rhythm, immediately getting things going to a high energy
start. The two dance teams of Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier and Madison
Chock & Evan Bates came out together, occasionally doing the same
moves side by side, but more frequently doing their own variations on
moves on different parts of the ice. This really highlighted their
different styles, while giving the audience a lot to look at. Kurt
took the ice next, getting a bit of solo highlighting before the rest
of the cast joined him. One thing that I really noticed about all the
group numbers on this year's tour is just how tight the group is
during the choreography. It may be because the cast is so large and
need to do it to make sure the whole group fits and has room to move,
but the skaters are much closer together. It made me wonder if it was
difficult for the singles skaters with less experience at group
choreography to adjust their speed and radius of their curves so that
they could stay within the group, and if there were crashes during
rehearsals. Although much of the opening number choreography featured
the cast moving in sync down the ice, there were some breakout moments
when everybody split off to do different moves on the ice, from lifts
(Alexa Knierim & Brandon Frazier, the dance teams) to spins, spread
eagles, and jumps. It was hard to keep track of what everyone was
doing. But the group eventually came back together in a circle and
then serpentine pattern down the ice, before lining up for the
traditional Stars on Ice kickline bow.
Don't Rain on My Parade - Madeline Schizas
The first performer on the ice was two-time Canadian champion Madeline
Schizas, who immediately commanded the ice with her sassy performance
to the Glee version of "Don't Rain on My Parade." It immediately
struck me how much her performance quality and confidence on the ice
has stepped up since last year's tour, where she was a guest star. It
might partly be just the nature of the choreography and music vs her
more moody program last year, but she didn't look down nearly as much,
and made confident eye contact with the audience. This was a fun,
energetic performance.
Grace Kelly - Keegan Messing
Madeline stayed on the ice to do a brief transition with another
two-time Canadian champion, Keegan Messing. He performed his
competitive "Grace Kelly" program, a number that's full of personality
and charm. Keegan is not somebody who has any trouble making eye
contact with the audience. He is constantly engaging the audience with
his facial expressions, unique choreography, and eye contact, all the
while speeding around the ice. He's also someone who likes to use fast
fun footwork, which is exciting to watch.
Evita - Piper Gilles & Paul Poirier
After two high-energy, audience-engaging performances, Piper Gilles
and Paul Poirier changed the mood of the arena with a pensive,
soaring, dramatic performance to music from Evita. I am constantly in
awe of Piper's core strength. I don't even know how they do some of
the lifts and transitions that they do (or how to describe
them!). Piper makes a striking Evita, evoking the wistful longing of
"You Must Love Me" and the triumph and tragedy of "Don't Cry for Me
Argentina," while Paul matches her note for dramatic note. The only
odd bit for me was the abrupt "Or share my coffin" ending. I feel like
the original song repeated that at least once (though it's been a
while since I listened to it), while the program suddenly went to that
line and ended.
Wicked Game - Patrick Chan
It was really nice having Patrick Chan back in the cast of Stars on
Ice. His edges are just gorgeous, the way he sweeps down the ice in
just a few steps, and the way he just holds a long edge. This was a
wonderfully heartfelt performance to a beautifully moody evocative
song. This program didn't engage the audience, it mesmerized
it.
Shallow - Alexa Knierim & Brandon Frazier
One of the things many of my friends commented on for this show was
how much they liked the music. As overplayed as it is, the song
"Shallow" always captivates me when I hear it, and Alexa and Brandon
beautifully interpreted it. They skated to each other, carrying the
audience along on their journey, rather than to the audience, just as
the singers are specifically singing to each other in the song. I also
liked how they performed multiple twists in the show, as well as some
beautiful throw jumps. The audience always reacted with a roar as they
landed each one.
Chasing Cars - Alissa Czisny
Alissa Czisny's one solo of the night was a gorgeous interpretation of
"Chasing Cars" by Tommee Profitt & Fleurie. The music started off
simply and then layered in more and more instruments, building in
dramatic intensity, before tapering off again, and Alissa's
choreography and expression matched it beautifully. She has such
beautiful lines and edges, and her spins are lovely. I honestly didn't
notice that she didn't do any jumps (she fell hard in warmups in
Hamilton, incurring some serious bruises) until someone else mentioned
it.
Everybody (Backstreet's Back)/Larger Than Life - Jason Brown
After a run of four slow, dramatic or poignant programs, Jason Brown
completely turned the energy in the arena up a thousand notches with
his Backstreet Boys medley. Jason was absolutely "Larger Than Life" as
he bounced around the ice, dancing up a storm and engaging just about
everybody in the arena. He is just this ball of nonstop energy and
joy, and this program let him channel that energy into pure
entertainment. At the end, he basically collapsed from exhaustion and
lay there for quite some time, before scrambling up to literally
bounce his way through the bows.
Circus - Loena Hendricx
Five-time Belgian champion Loena Hendrickx was a compelling addition
to the cast this year, bringing an entirely different energy from the
other women on tour. She seems very confident in her skin, and very
confident in a more modern dance style and beat. She also has a very
bendy back, which she uses to great effect in her choreography, and
very solid jumps.
A Symptom of Being Human - Elvis Stojko
The audience may have come to share their love and appreciation for
Kurt Browning in his last tour, but that didn't mean they didn't have
more than enough love to share for Elvis Stojko as well. This program
was a bit more quirky for Elvis, as he acted out the "a little
awkward" and "a little strange" of the lyrics, and acknowledged the
vulnerability of being human. There were some runs of footwork and
choreography that were a bit different in their shifts in pace and
direction. I'm not the biggest fan of repetitive literal choreography
over the chorus, so this wasn't my favorite number, but the audience
loved it.
Nightcall - Madison Chock & Evan Bates
Elvis' number was a bit more pensive, bringing the mood to a quieter
place, and Chock and Bates number went to an even quieter, more
emotional and romantic place. The energy of this number was very
directed towards each other, with the two sharing an intense
connection throughout.
Please Forgive Me - Kurt Browning
I have to admit that my memory of Chock & Bates' program might be a
little obscured by what followed. Kurt's first solo to "Please Forgive
Me" was absolutely lovely, filled with joy and beautiful skating,
moments of humor, small callbacks to past performances, and definite
moments of embracing and connecting with the audience. He has said
that the song doesn't have any particular message to it, that it's
just a song that he and Alissa (who choreographed this number) like,
but as I watched, it actually seemed oddly suited to a farewell number
to the audience. You could almost imagine that he was saying "please
forgive me" for leaving us, while the lyrics, while clearly written as
romantic lyrics towards a particular person, could be interpreted
through the lens of his relationship with the audience. "Feels like
lightning running through my veins, every time I look at you" - the
feeling he gets from the audience as he performs. "All my words are
falling short, and there's so much I want to say. Want to tell you
just how good it feels when you look at me that way" completely
encapsulates to me how he is trying to express his appreciation for
the love he's gotten from (and is getting from) the audience. And it
fits the choreography. When I read his interviews talking about how
they built in space to really take in the audience, I didn't really
understand how that would work, but it totally does. While I usually
bristle at what I perceive to be audience pandering, this was just a
wholehearted expression of Kurt's appreciation for every person who
spent some time to watch him skate. He took the time to skate to every
side of the arena, not leaving out the corners, to really look up into
the audience, smile, and embrace everyone. But what made the program
work was that it wasn't just that. There was real choreography and
real interpretation, changes of pace, fast bits of footwork, a backflip,
spreadeagles, and beautiful heartfelt skating. It being Kurt, the
heartfelt sincerity was leavened by light moments of humor, including
a callback to Raggy and his increasing frustration as he skates in
place. And it made very good use of the long held Antares spreadeagle
as another moment of connection with the audience as he spreadeagled
straight down the entire length of the ice, around the end, and up
part of the opposite side. This was just a warm hug of a program that
beautifully encapsulated the various facets of Kurt Browning.
Jenny of Oldstones - Satoko Miyahara
I have to admit that it was a bit odd and jarring to switch from
Kurt's openhearted program, which would have been a fitting end of act
number, to Satoko Miyahara's very dramatic and plaintive program. It
made more sense after seeing that Kurt opens the Act I closing number,
so they needed to put a program in between so he had time to
change. And Satoko was more than up to the task of redirecting the
energy from the lovefest with Kurt. The music seemed to tell the
tragic tale of a Celtic woman, and the use of repetitive motifs in the
choreography of this number actually served Satoko well in centering
the character and the building tragedy of the music. She sells the
solemnity and tragedy really well, and this was a gorgeously evocative
number.
To Build a Home - Cast
If Kurt's first solo was an opportunity for him to acknowledge and
take in the audience, and for the audience to reciprocate that love,
the first act finale was a tribute to Kurt from the tour. It was
preceded by a wonderful video montage of Kurt's history with the tour,
going through his programs from the early 90s to the present day,
including some iconic ensemble moments, like Cyril Lutz from Fun &
Games and his Elvis number with Kristi and Katia, and even included
his quad toe in Antares. It then opened with Kurt alone on the ice,
starting with figures, and then skating a beautiful extended solo to
the beginning of the song. Eventually, he was joined by the rest of
the cast, who stood as he did a beautiful spread eagle around them. As
he shifted from an outside edge to inside edge spread eagle and faced
the cast, the singer sang "And I will build a home...for you," as he
reached towards them. It was a perfect encapsulation of what he did
for Stars on Ice for these 30 years, in helping to build it into an
institution or skating home that he now passes on to the next
generation. He then stepped back into the group, joining into the
ensemble as he has done for 29 tours before this one. The song was
melancholy and beautiful, the mood solemn, as the ensemble performed
together with occasional longer breakouts for the pairs and dance
teams. Towards the end, the whole group broke into everybody doing a
different individual move, but I have to admit that I only had eyes
for Kurt, and have no idea what most of the others did (spirals and
lifts and spins, maybe?). The ending of the number is what really got
me, emotionally, though. I'm not typically the type who gets that
emotional or teary, but the first time, especially, I saw this number,
I got a big lump in my throat. The skaters all stood separately on the
ice, and Kurt skated to each, giving a hug or other personal
acknowledgement (similar to what Scott Hamilton did at the end of his
last tour). There were cute moments like rubbing Evan Bates' head
(presumably because he is much taller than Kurt and has a full head of
hair), Piper and Paul standing on either side of him and wrapping him
in a tight hug, he and Keegan miming going into backflips (with Kurt
acting dazed and rubbing his head as he skated away), a long moment of
respect and acknowledgment before the hug between Kurt and Elvis, him
bowing down to Jason (who waved him off and bowed back) before his
hug, picking Satoko up and spinning her around while hugging her
(though that was mostly in Toronto - the hugs got shorter and shorter
each night after that), and ending with a sweet tight hug for
Alissa. What really got me, though, was the wave to the audience and
then Kurt skating off the ice, leaving while the others stayed
standing and looking after him. That was the moment where the goodbye
really felt real, where he actually waved and left the ice, leaving
the others behind.
Worldvision Plea - Piper Gilles
Somewhat jarringly, the mood was broken by a Worldvision video and
then Piper Gilles coming back on the ice to do the annual plea for the
audience to donate to WorldVision. She told how the Pyeonchang
Olympics were both the best and the worst days of her life, as her
mother had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, and only had so
much time left. She spoke about wanting to help kids in the worst days
of their lives and had everyone turn the flashlights on on their
phones to show how everyone making a small contribution could
cumulatively make a big difference. She then encouraged everyone to
scan the QR code on the screens and make a donation.
Intermission
I'll take this moment to note that this show, being as long as it is,
is one of the few Stars on Ice shows I've been to where they actually
start right on time, or within 5 minutes of on time. The Toronto arena
was more full than I've seen since probably the 2000's, while Hamilton
and Kitchener were also fairly full, and the lines were crazy. Lines
to get in, lines to get food, lines for the merchandise table in
particular (where they are selling a special Kurt Browning 30 Years
T-shirt with all the programs he's ever skated to in Stars on Ice on
the back), and lines for the bathroom - they were all incredibly
long. If anyone is going to one of the remaining shows on tour (and is
still reading at this point), I would strongly encourage getting to
the arena early, and getting into any line you want to get into as
early as possible. The lines were long enough that it was impossible
to get through them and get back into your seat in time for act 2
(they were also very precise about the intermission being exactly 20
minutes long).
ACT II
James Bond Medley - Cast
The James Bond Medley group number kind of set the tone for the more
lighthearted second act. While there were still some slower more
serious numbers in the second act, in general the tone was more
lighthearted. The James Bond ensemble was hilariously cheesy, and the
show embraced the cheese. Having the guys skate around dramatically
pointing finger guns at each other was funny, having cast members lip
sync lines from the movie on screen was fairly hilarious, but having
Elvis Stojko in a obviously awful bald cap, petting a stuffed cat
while gleefully lipsyncing villainous lines from the movie? Absolutely
uproarious. While it was fun seeing Kurt ham it up with Bond's part,
Elvis undoubtedly upstaged it all with his performance. On ice, the
skating was great, with the men getting a segment, the women doing
their bit, each pair and dance team getting a long breakout bit (Piper
and Paul's directly evoking their James Bond number from last year) as
the other skaters stood around a bar, and Satoko getting a solo part
to vaguely Asian-sounding music. I do feel like the bit with the bar
could have been fleshed out more (they basically just stood around the
bar in the dark, watching the other skaters), but the video bits are
really what made the number memorable.
The Mountain Song - Keegan Messing
This song is so Keegan, from the country twang to the fast parts that
let him show off his quick feet and overall speed. The choreography
was kind of uniquely Keegan as well, with parts where I couldn't tell
if he was really stumbling or actually tripped, or if it was just part
of the choreography (probably the latter, since it fit the lyrics).
Keegan is most decidedly a performer who thrives in the attention of
the crowd and loves to entertain. He's always looking out at people,
smiling, and engaging everyone around him. And everybody loves his
hydroblading (so low!) and backflip. I find it kind of fascinating that
he does two kinds of backflips. One's the more traditional tuck
position flip, the other is in a layout position that almost drifts
around.
Everybody Wants to be a Cat - Madeline Schizas
Maddie opened this number sitting on a stool by the ice, and then
quickly slunk onto the ice to embody the eponymous cat in the
song. She had the slinky, sassy insouciance of a cat in her body
language and actions, and seemed to really enjoy toying with the
audience in this persona.
The Impossible Dream - Jason Brown
In his first program, we got the bouncy, happy, Tigger version of
Jason Brown, just having the time of his life dancing to the
Backstreet Boys. The second program was a total 180 - the dramatic,
soaring, gorgeous edges version, emoting to Josh Groban performing
"The Impossible Dream." This program exemplified a lot of what people
rave about when they talk about Jason Brown - the beautiful lines,
that flexibility and stretch, the amazing edges, the emotional
interpretation of the music. The music itself gets a *tad* too
dramatic to the point of cheese for me at one point, but Jason just
fully committed to it and captivated the audience.
Raise a Little Hell - Kurt Browning and Elvis Stojko
One thing I really enjoyed about the second act of the show was that,
it paid tribute to Kurt Browning and reminded us of his long history
with the tour without ever getting maudlin. Much like Kurt himself, it
leavened the genuine emotion with lightheartedness, humor, and more
than a little poking fun at himself. Kurt and Elvis' "duet" was a
perfect example. Fierce competitors, friends, and tour mates, the two
have always had a strong sense of respect for the other which has
blossomed into a strong camaraderie and friendship which was very
evident in this number. Sporting "I Love Elvis" and "I Love Kurt"
shirts, and miked up so they could talk to each other and the
audience, the two referenced their past programs, other skaters ("the
Brian Orser!"), tried to get the loudest reaction from their side of
the audience, bickered gently about who was supposed to bring the
music, coordinated with each other about what they should be doing and
which direction they should be going, and commiserated with each
other about how tired they were after a fast footwork section. At the
end, they set up to "settle this once and for all" and race to the
tunnel, except Elvis pulled up at the last second and let Kurt win
since "I had to. It's your going away present!" The whole thing was a
lovely callback to the impromptu number they did together, also miked,
at the 1993 Worlds, but updated to acknowledge their deep history
together. While the end of act I may have left the audience with a
tear in their eye, this program put a smile on everyone's
face.
Annie's Song/Thank God I'm a Country Boy - Piper Gilles & Paul
Poirier
Piper and Paul seemed like they were going a different route with the
energy level of their number with a lovely, lyrical skate to "Annie's
Song" by John Denver. Piper just exudes joy when she skates, and they
just flowed through the music and their lifts. But then, the music
shifted, and they amped up the energy a thousand notches and broke out
into a rollicking skate to "Thank God I'm a Country Boy." They really
embraced the upbeat country beat and the general cowboy vibe with
their brightly colored cowboy costumes. The fun factor increased even
more when Satoko and Jason joined them on the ice, handing Piper and
Paul cowboy hats and dancing it up with them for a while, before
swinging each other off the ice and leaving Piper and Paul to finish
the program themselves.
Ne Me Quitte Pas - Satoko Miyahara
Satoko Miyahara must have undergone the quickest costume and mood
change, to prepare for her anguished somber performance to "Ne Me
Quitte Pas." Holding a piece of paper that is clearly meant to be a
goodbye letter from a lover, her body language exuded brokenhearted
longing. Satoko is really good at committing utterly to the character
and emotion of a program, and skated gorgeously. My only two (minor)
complaints: at one point the music shifts from a male singer to a
female singer in a different key, and I found that key change rather
jarring. Satoko's skating followed the pace change beautifully and the
different pace did help propel the program forward. The other
complaint is just that both of Satoko's numbers were very solemn
dramatic pieces, and it would have been nice to see the more upbeat
program we saw her running through in warmups, just for a change of
pace. On its own, though, this was a beautiful, emotional
piece.
I Hear a Symphony - Patrick Chan
The opening to Patrick Chan's program was designed to draw out the
"awws" and emotions of the crowd in a bit of a different way than the
Kurt goodbyes. His program opened with photos of his young son on the
video screen, and he began skating to a video of himself walking hand
in hand with his adorable toddler on the beach. The photos and videos
were incredibly sweet, and added layers to Patrick's interpretation of
"I Hear a Symphony." The song talks of hearing "a simple song, that
was until you came along" and clearly he's talking about the symphony
that his son has brought to his life. It's a beautiful program
accentuated by his beautiful edges.
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) - Alexa Knierim & Brandon
Frazier
I have to admit that I have fallen behind in my Stranger Things
watching, so I didn't realize that this remix of "Separate Ways" by
Journey was from that show, but it makes a lot of sense in the mood,
costuming, and lighting. Alexa and Brandon really tap into the eerie
sense of power in the song. I loved the way they were really
deliberate in their movements and built this number as the music
built. It also seems like they've been taking cues from the ice
dancers in some of their lifts and choreography, which is neat, along
with their own stunning triple(?) twist and throw jumps.
Loneliness - Loena Hendrickx
I love how Loena brought a different vibe and different musical styles
to the tour. I don't think anyone's really done this kind of techno
electronic beat before, and Loena has the moves and style to really
bring it to life. She can move, and she's got gorgeous jumps and
spins. As a fan of Schitt's Creek, though, the song kept giving me
echoes of "A Little Bit Alexis" in the beat and breathy talking, and I
could not shake that feeling, which meant I found the whole thing
funnier than it was meant to be. Still, this was a fun program, and
she really rocked that bodysuit.
Jump - Elvis Stojko
Continuing on with the theme of lighter programs in the second half,
Elvis tore up the ice skating to "Jump" by Van Halen. While I did find
it a little ironic that he basically didn't do any jumps to the actual
"might as well jump" lyric, he had fun with the music, doing a variety
of Elvis tricks, like spinning around on his hands, a fast footwork
sequence, jumps *not* on the music, and his trademark super fast
scratch spin.
Let's Dance - Madison Chock & Evan Bates
I really enjoy Madison and Evan's program to "Let's Dance." They
seem to be having a ton of fun, their energy is high, their moves
quick and precise and in perfect sync. I'm not a ballroom aficionado,
but from my limited exposure watching Dancing with the Stars, I enjoy
the definite ballroom/Latin dance feel to the choreography. Madison in
particular seems to commit 110% to any choreography she does, so she
really throws herself into the fun of this number, and Evan matches
her beautifully.
Who Are You - Kurt Browning
Kurt's final (*sob*) program with Stars on Ice opens with a video
montage of moments from his past Stars on Ice programs. He says over
the video: "30 years. Not too bad. For my last solo, I wanted to have
a little bit of fun. So I brought back my favourite moments, I put
them all together to create a collage of memories. Kind of like a
skating photo album. And when I perform this program, I’m going to
remember them all. And you know what? I loved every minute of it."
(Thanks to Sharilyn for the
transcription)
The video montage actually contains specific clips which are
integrated into the choreography of "Who Are You" by the Who, so it's
worth paying close attention to. I can not imagine how one goes about
deciding what will be your final number after 30 years on tour. And I
can not imagine a more perfectly Kurt way to do it. As Steve Milton of
the Hamilton Spectator wrote, Kurt's "last solo is so Browning it
hurts." Rather than going some sentimental or sad or wistful route,
Kurt picked a high energy, somewhat tongue-in-cheek song (as if anyone
doesn't know who this is), wore a T-shirt of his and Alissa's design
that listed all 63 solos he has skated in Stars on Ice over 30 years,
and packed it full of choreographic callbacks to many of his most
significant programs from Stars on Ice past (plus Expectation and the
Blues ;) ).
When I first heard he was doing a number like this, I could not
picture how it would work. Would it just look like a shoehorned
Frankenstein number of patched together choreography? Of course
not. It's Kurt Browning! It must have been quite a challenge to adapt
choreography from such a disparate set of programs to the pace of "Who
Are You" and to link them all together so that it actually flowed. But
it works. There are moments of humor (of course), moments of triumph,
moments of intensity that work with the music, moments of connection
with the audience, complete commitment to the performance, and nonstop
movement. I have always said that one of the reasons I have followed
Kurt for so long is because he never just rests on his laurels. He
could just skate around the ice and bask in the love, but even for the
number that is built more like that (Please Forgive Me), he still
gives us a ton of footwork, beautiful choreographic moments, jumps,
and spread eagles. Who Are You is filled with intricate footwork and
steps. For the avid Kurt fan, it's almost impossible to watch and not
recognize moments from Brickhouse, Elevation, Rag-GIDON-Time, I'm
Yours, Crash, Time in a Bottle, Antares, Expectation and the Blues
(which he never did in Stars - oops! as he says), Singing in the Rain,
and more (even if you can't quite identify which program some of the
moves are from initially, as I couldn't). For the casual viewer, it's
still just a fun, action-packed program that really matches the
music. And ending his Stars on Ice career on such a high energy,
fast-paced, challenging and entertaining number is perfect.
Finale - Brand New - Cast
It's hard to follow up a number like "Who Are You," especially with
all of its layers of meaning and sentiment for the audience. But, Jeff
Buttle did an admirable job of matching the energy and ending the show
on a joyous high note with his finale to "Brand New." Jason Brown was
the perfect pick as the first skater to hit the ice in full out happy
ball of energy mode (and matching orange costume), getting the
audience into the mood so they were fully on board by the time he was
joined by Patrick Chan, Satoko Miyahara, and Loena Hendrickx, all
dressed in bright colors. The four got to skate together for a fun
stint, occasionally pairing off (Satoko/Jason, Loena/Patrick), before
they were replaced on the ice by the two dance teams. It's interesting
to me to watch Piper & Paul and Madison & Evan side by side on the ice
because I'm always kind of aware that they've been each others' main
competitors the last couple season. I always wonder if there's some
element of trying to one-up the other when they do similar moves side
by side. But their styles are so distinctive that even when they do
the same type of thing (a lift, etc), they do very different versions
of it, which is visually interesting and fun to see what they each
bring to the ice. Alexa and Brandon also had their moment in the
spotlight, before the entire cast joined them on the ice. Their
brightly colored costumes really helped enhance the joyful mood on the
ice. After the traditional kickline bow, each skater got a chance to
get announced and show off a trick (Keegan obviously did a backflip)
as they skated down the gauntlet. When it was Kurt's turn at the end,
the skaters closed in and slapped hands with him, and then he did a
triple toe. The skaters then came together to skate in unison a bit
more, before breaking into hugs and leaving the ice. Of course, Kurt
was last to leave, and turned to wave at the crowd and soak it all in
just a bit longer before finally disappearing into the tunnel.
Retakes (Hamilton)
Following tradition, the Hamilton show was recorded for broadcast (I
believe it should air on CBC sometime this fall or winter), which
means that any falls by the skaters should result in retakes (or
"pickups"). Kurt fans know that this also typically means that Kurt
(who made no mistakes himself) takes the microphone to keep the crowd
entertained while waiting for the skaters to change and get ready for
the retakes. This year's show was no exception. Kurt came out to
explain the TV taping and retakes in between little self-deprecating
digs at himself ("for those of you who haven't seen my hairline
receding really quickly for the last 30 years"), asking the audience
to stay since "we had a few ice gremlins; NOT the fault of the
skaters." He then went on to speak glowingly of Copps Coliseum (now
FirstOntario Centre), of Gordon Lightfoot watching him skate right in
that building, and then invited Elvis out on the ice with him. They
talked about how it was more fun than when they were there competing
in 1993. Elvis talked about the bond they'd built together and that it
was a privilege just to share the ice with Kurt, and that he'd miss
him. Kurt said that he and Elvis had talked about doing a duet years
ago, and that he was really glad that it didn't happen until this year
when he announced his retirement, and that Elvis was his goodbye
gift. They reminisced about the competition there in 1993 and how many
memories there were (Kurt pointed out that the first quad-triple ever
was executed by Elvis right on that ice), how crazy it was (Elvis
remembered the Elvis Presley impersonator running around in his full
jumpsuit and the crowd yelling things like "Kurt for prime minister"
(Kurt laughed and made no way type motions)).
Kurt then redirected things back to the retakes, talking about their
"amazing friends from the United States, world champions" and
marveling that "for one of the first times ever, I saw (Jason Brown)
make a mistake. I didn't recognize him." He told the crowd how he got
his own feet hooked in the air in his backflip and thought "this is a
good place to die," cracking up both the audience and Elvis. He then
went looking behind the curtains of the tunnel - "anybody got clothes
on? whoa! They don't have clothes on" and then handed the mike to
Elvis, saying "Tell a joke." Elvis was about to launch into a story
of when they first met when Patrick Chan came out ("oh! Saved by the
Chan!"). Kurt summarized "I was there, he was there, and we met. That
was it, right?" and shook hands with Elvis. He then welcomed Patrick
back to the tour and introduced him as the "incomparable, the
slippery, the double-axel wielding Patrick Chan," before informing the
crowd that retakes were going to be done without music and going off
the ice with a final "good luck, Paddy!"
It is very very weird to see retakes without music. They've done it
before, and I still don't understand how the skaters get the timing
right enough that it matches up with the music when it's edited in. I
realize they must practice the programs so much that they can hear it
in their heads, but it also makes me wonder how the editors figure out
exactly what part to splice in. At any rate, only the more experienced
skaters like Patrick did their retakes without music. IIRC, Maddie
Schizas and Keegan both did their retakes with music. Patrick, Satoko,
Maddie and Jason all did their retakes on the first shot. Keegan took
two, but then threw in a bonus backflip for the crowd at the end
before taking the microphone to thank everyone and wish them a safe
drive home. Interestingly, Alexa had tripped and fallen during the
finale, but they didn't reshoot that, so it seems very likely the
finale won't be broadcast, or that they'll find some other angle to
show when that happens. And that was a wrap for Hamilton retakes
(thanks to Sharilyn for the video that helped me remember the
details).
Final Thoughts
While at first, I thought it a little odd that they did the big
goodbyes to Kurt in the first act, I quickly realized that this was
the perfect way to pace the show. Ending on joy is exactly the right
way to pay tribute to Kurt leaving the tour after 30 years on his own
terms. I went into intermission with a lump in my throat, but I ended
the show energized. It is truly the end of an era with Kurt retiring
from Stars on Ice. Although Scott Hamilton founded the tour, no other
skater comes close to the number of years and shows (nearly 1000!)
that Kurt has performed in. Stars on Ice in Canada has become so
synonymous with Kurt that many people just assume it's his tour. And I
would venture to say that no other skater has performed the range and
diversity of programs and styles that Kurt has over his 30 years with
the tour.
All I can say is, thank you, Kurt, for your dedication and
determination to always bring the highest level of performance to the
ice, for always recognizing your responsibility to the audience who
came out to see you, for never resting on your laurels, and for always
pushing yourself to "earn your place" on tour. I'll miss looking
forward to seeing what new programs you've brought to the tour each
year, watching you take such memorable part in the group numbers, and
seeing the happiness you bring to your fans. I wish you joy and
contentment in whatever you do next, knowing that you've closed out
your tenure in Stars on Ice in the best way possible.
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