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20 Years of Stars on Ice: 2008
The theme of the 2008 tour, "Live and in Color," was a marketing theme
that never made much sense from a creative standpoint, especially
given that half the transitions were pre-taped videos. The finale did
try to emphasize how live events let you make unique and irreplaceable
memories. However, unlike previous years, the show never made much of
an effort to stick to the theme. Instead, it offered a light-hearted
evening of entertainment, with video transitions that played with
video effects, allowing the skaters to goof off and show some real
personality, and live transitions that had them directly interacting
with the audience. The Act I closer "Hard Steele is Back" was
purportedly the reunion of a band 20 years later, allowing the skaters
to play rock stars, while the Act II opener "Too Cool to Warm" offered
another "behind the scenes" look at how the skaters warmed up, and
their particular personalities during warm ups.
The 2008 tour didn't have as many group numbers, or integrate Kurt
into them, as much as in years past. However, his two programs let him
showcase his versatility and musicality. His first solo was a revival
of his 1999 Stars on Ice program "Ain't No Sunshine," choreographed by
Christopher Dean. The second, "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone," did a 180,
featuring Kurt outfitted head to toe in a purple crushed velvet pimp
costume, complete with crushed velvet hat, large sunglasses, and
striped pants. The number came from his motown-themed Gotta Skate
(also the last Gotta Skate he was to do), and Kurt played the role of
the smooth ladies' man to the hilt.
Canadian Tour:
Cast:
- Kurt Browning
- Sasha Cohen
- Jeff Buttle
- Michael Weiss
- Jennifer Robinson
- Joannie Rochette
- Xue Shen & Hongbo Zhao
- Jamie Sale & David Pelletier
- Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon
Special guests:
- Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir (Toronto, Hamilton, London)
- Jessica Dube & Bryce Davison (Edmonton, Calgary)
2008 Tour Program
Kurt Programs & Group Numbers/Video Downloads:
Please right-click and download, do not play directly off my site
What they said then (articles)...
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Shae-Lynn Bourne speaks...(as told to the Kurt Files)
One thing that happened..it wouldn't have been Stars on Ice, but
during Celebration on Ice, I toured with Kurt. And it's when I was
skating solo. Kurt, Josee and I did a number together - Canadian Man?
- Kurt had a cowboy hat, he had us two girls with him, it was like a
little group number? And it was probably halfway through tour...we did
that number every night, and we were near the end of the number, and
there's a bit where Kurt kind of slides between the two girls. It was
kind of like a trick move... and I felt his hand on my blade. And I
was freaking out because I felt like I cut him, but he kept skating,
so I thought well, maybe I didn't. Like, maybe he's ok. And then the
program finished, and all I saw was blood! I did cut him. So, between
his fingers, he has a really bad...he got cut really bad. And the
whole time I was freaking out, feeling really guilty. Like, I don't
know how it happened, but I just felt really bad. I went to the
hospital with him; he had to have stitches. So he actually has a
permanent scar there. We call it the "Shae Scar" and so he will
remember me forever because of it (laughs). But we looked back at the
video afterwards and it was him that actually eventually told me, but
not straightaway, that it was his mistake, because when you watch the
video in slow motion, it's just clear where he put himself was into my
blade. So I felt not as bad after. He could have really made me feel
the pain if he wanted to, but he let me know the truth
(laughs).
And the day after this, I think it was Valentine's Day, we were in
Newmarket, and I'm telling you, it was like the very next show. We
were stroking together, and I was wearing the Lululemon pants where
they're a little bit baggy. And so we're stroking, kind of like pairs
stroking, just for fun. We're goofing around, and he was in the boy's
position. And we're just getting lots of speed, going going going and
all of a sudden, I wipe out. I went down face-first into, you know at
the time they had seats on the ice? So I went sliding on my belly
through the chairs, took the whole row of chairs out with my body.
And again, we have that on video as well. Lenny Faustino was working
on the tour, and videoed the whole thing. So you see me going down,
and you see Kurt's expression freaking out, and me going down
head-first, smiling all the way through. My first thought was, this
is revenge. (laughing) He paid me back for what I did to him! But it
was really my Lululemon pants that I tripped over. And I learned
quickly never again to wear those bellbottom pants, so I roll them up
now ever since that fall. But we'll remember one another forever
because of the injuries (laughing). It's just one of many moments
I've shared with Kurt.
And after that, we actually did do a routine together a couple years
ago - "Proud Mary." And the nice thing I have to say - that was like
a dream come true. That's just another story, but it's when I skated
with Kurt, and had the opportunity to do a performance. To me, he's
one of the all time great performers in skating, so it actually, to be
on the ice with him, and create a number together, was truly a dream
come true. And something I'll never forget. I feel very lucky to have
had that experience, and just to have shared the ice with someone that
I respect as a performer and as a friend. So just as a nice thing, I
would love that message to be passed on. That it really was a dream
come true, and he's a terrific person on and off the ice, and the best
performer, ever. So I had that moment, and it was really
special.
So he's scarred for life because of me, and he'll never forget me! He
just has to look at his hand and there I am!
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Day 18: 2007 | Back to intro | Day 20: 2009
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