JOHN HANCOCK CHAMPIONS ON ICE 1999 SUMMER TOUR, presented by Tom Collins; Delta Center, Tuesday evening, June 15; one performance only.
Not merely content to swirl around the ice to a Viennese waltz like the old "Ice Follies" revues of 40 or 50 years go, this new generation of skaters constantly pushes the envelope with bold, daring moves and even bolder choices of music.On Tuesday night, a less-than-packed, but appreciative audience witnessed nearly two hours of world class skating by medalists who really delivered the goods.
The entire production was fast-paced, diverse -- and certainly never boring. There were even a few surprises (three Utahns not on the tour's regular roster included the hilarious duo of Armen & Akop, two very funny guys from Salt Lake City in a throwback to the old "Frick and Frack" slapstick days, and Jozeph Sabovcik, a former Slovakian now living in Centerville, who presented an athletic, sensual routine.
But it was the long list of well-known names that drew the crowd -- stars such as Michelle Kwan, feisty Rudy Galindo (who skated to "Time Warp" from "The Rocky Horror Show" for his part in the show's opening number and a Village People medley for his spotlight routine), and heroic "Musketeer" Philippe Candeloro, whose flashing sword was no match for his flashing blades in a routine which featured original music composed by his stepbrother.
The showcase of nearly two dozen champion skaters was a non-stop array of one Olympic caliber routine after another:
Canadian medalist Elizabeth Manley's sizzling maneuvers (which, surprisingly, didn't melt the ice) . . . acclaimed French medalist Surya Bonaly's jaunty routine, which built to a fiery crescendo . . . the dare-devil moves and dazzling spins of men's soloists Michael Weiss, Todd Eldredge, Victor Petrenko, Laurent Tobel and Elvis Stojko.
Representing the world's pairs skaters were Germany's Mandy Woetzel and Ingo Steuer, who flowed from a lushly romantic interlude into a hot, jazzy number, and Russia's Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev, whose "Fly Me to the Moon" interpretation bordered on the celestial, as did the graceful artistry of Russian skaters Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze.
Ice dancers Elizabeth Punsalan and Jarod Swallow cut a tie-died swath with their snappy Sonny & Cher medley, and Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko of Russia delivered a fluid, enchanting "Evergreen."
Ladies' figure skaters also included Oksana Baiul, who started off with a classic, graceful routine, then cut loose with a vibrant, pulsating number . . . '98 U.S. champion Nicole Bobek, whose lithe movements were set against a medley of music by Blondie . . . and tiny Naomi Nari Nam, only 13, who showed incredible agility in her "Getting to Know You" routine.
While almost the entire evening was devoted to spotlighting the skaters' world class individual and pairs talent, the entire ensemble book-ended the show with a big introduction routine and a rink-filling finale.
Producer Tom Collins has also spared no expense on bringing the latest in lighting technology, using the rink as a canvas for creating a kaleidoscope of fantastic designs.