Ice Capades Choreographer Turned Trainer for I, Tonya

In case you haven't read any articles about the behind the scenes for I, Tonya, this article from IndiWire is very interesting.  Sarah Kawahara was the trainer for Margot Robbie and her doubles.

She's having a good year this year, having also been inducted to the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame. (btw Sarah's Wikipedia page could use some updating.  Just putting that out there!)

Soooo, has anyone seen the movie yet?  I'm looking forward to seeing it, but I'd rather go with some fellow skaters.  May have to wait a while.  Please add any comment if you saw the movie.  Would love to know what others think.

Now Available on Amazon.com

Ice Charades: Guy Jean Queen

It’s 1989. Sue and Judy are back. In their last adventure they toured Europe with Follies On Ice. Now they’re staying put in a glitzy hotel nestled in a quiet, coastal town in Japan, skating in a scantily clad, Vegas-style review for audiences swarming with Yakuza - the Japanese mafia. Sue has joined the show to get over a crushing breakup, only to fall for a cast member she shouldn’t. Judy warns her that a bad boyfriend, like cheap sushi, won’t last long. Ice Charades: Guy Jean Queen – the follow up to Penguins Behaving Badly and Other Follies From the Road - takes you backstage of the charming little dinner show that is anything but.

Coming Soon to an Amazon.com near you!

    Ice Charades: Guy Jean Queen, the sequel to Ice Charades: Penguins Behaving Badly will be ready for purchase on-line at Amazon.com this Friday, December 1st. 

Remembering Toller Cranston the Mexican Way!

Dia de los Muertos ends today, so I'm reposting my shout out to Toller Cranston on Nov 2, 2015. I still miss him very much.

That's Toller in Mexico in front of some of his artwork (I believe they hung in various restaurants throughout San Miguel.)





Miss Ice Charades only lived in Mexico for two years, but that's enough to feel like I can celebrate Dia de los Muertos with the rest of them.

For those not so familiar with the Mexican holiday, which was me before going to Mexico, some describe it as "a loving tribute to a family member or friend who has died" but others seem to choose to honor a famous person who has died in the year.

It's only fitting then that my Dia de los Muertos ofrenda, or altar, is for Toller Cranston.

You have to look close to see the two photos of him, one as a skater and one as an artist.  There's lots of red in there because I know he liked that color.  There are also a few snacks and some red wine in addition to the water, since you are supposed to include these to "refresh the spirit after his journey" and candles.

What is missing is the Pan de muerto and the calaveras (sugar skulls) because there are hard to find in Princeton, New Jersey.

When we lived in Mexico City, we had an ofreda for Michael Jackson with a few more appropriate components on the table.

I wish I could have seen the bigger celebration at the Gala for the Ice Theatre of New York, but I'm honoring the most artistic figure skater ever, in my own small way.

RIP Toller Cranston

In honor of Wakaba Higushi's Free Skate and the fabulous choreography by Shae Lynn Bourne

This is reposted from 11/16/2012 ... I can't believe I choreographed an entire show in my head. (Hey Jeb, call me.)



Bond, Skate Bond

About a month ago I was talking with a fellow show skater who said that Holiday On Ice wasn't doing well. I had to wonder because they don't have a new show coming out this year. That's not a good sign.

So, I've got an idea for HOI ... oh and you're welcome.

Much like when Feld production (the folks of Disney on Ice) produced a pretty successful ice show called "High School Musical On Ice". It sold well in the first and second years.

I think a skating show about James Bond has great potential. So many of the theme songs from the movies are fantastic and would be great to see with skating.

Bond, Skate Bond - what do you think?

Who didn't love Yu-na Kim's short program in Vancouver? Could it work in an entire show like High School Musical did?

I'm putting aside all of the licensing issues - I know it costs a lot to use the music, but I'm hoping the profits would take care of that.

Doing Bond is trickier in some respects. High School Musical On Ice followed the plots of two shows, so there was a natural progression that you wouldn't have with Bond. We're doing theme songs here, so there has to be a variety to keep people interested.

On the plus side, the theme of James Bond is instantly recognized. So let's make it into a show shall we?

Here's how I'd do it:

Opening - to me it would have to be the main "007 Theme" that starts out most of the movies (not to be confused with the "James Bond Theme" - who knew?). Your principal male skater would be this Bond and the chorus could be between robbers (villians) and other spys (gals in trench coats could be very stylish).

The Second number would tie in the newest movie "Skyfall" by Adele with your principal female skater.

The one problem I could see with a James Bond show is that most of the songs are the big ballad types and one after another in the line-up would get boring. So you've got to mix it up.

The third number could be Madonna's "Die Another Day" which has a modern, funky beat that will break up the slow tunes. I'm not crazy about this song though ... personally I don't think it's her best work. But you need this number for the variety. Full chorus for this number, put in a good ol' pinwheel and kickline for good measure.

You could blend this song with the second half of "The World Is Not Enough" by Garbage which has a rich orchestration that we're used to with most of the Bond songs.

Next, as great as all of the Shirley Bassey tunes are, they are the oldest and the audience may not recognize them. My suggestion: put "Goldfinger", "Diamonds Are Forever" and "Moonraker" in a montage with three different skaters in very different outfits. Gold, silver and blue, perhaps, and in that order.

Now we have four to sixish numbers so far, which doesn't make enough to get you through to intermission. The first half needs to be about 40 - 45 minutes at least. So I would add a couple non-Bond songs, like a Scottish-bag pipe song that reminds one of Great Britian, home of the spy. Another location song could be a beachy theme with Bond girls in bathing suits set to a Greek-style folk song. Or Italian accordian? Think the Riveria.

But in terms of this blog post, if you haven't stopped reading already you will soon if I don't speed up my show.

So, for the second half, you would want to include Sheryl Crow's "Tomorrow Never Dies" then Duran Duran's "View to a Kill" and a-ha's "The Living Daylights" to bring in a faster beat. I would have my last two ballads be the more well-known "For Your Eyes Only" by Sheena Easton and Carly Simon's "Nobody Does It Better" - a personal favorite - that could be the last solo number before the big finale.

The finale should restart the "007 Theme" blending with the "James Bond Theme" and blending into my personal favorite Bond theme (it's my show, so I get to pick the closer, ok?) "Live and Let Die."

So that's the show, plus or minus a few tunes. Like I said earlier, if you're still reading this, let me know what you think?

Crystal! by Cirque du Soleil

Finally there's a Cirque du Soleil show on ice!  And it may be coming to a city near you ... check out the itinerary here.  And here's the promo on You Tube.

Stay with the video and you'll hear Kurt Browning, because you'll see some of the skating.

I would love to see this show, because I have seen of it its performers in Phantasialand (amusement park show in Germany) and he is phenomenal.  Worth the five hour drive it may take me, if I decide to go. I'll keep you posted on this one.

5 Writing Tips (I Wish I Had Known)

... before walking into a writers' critique group.

Since I'm so close to rolling out a sequel (yes, Mom, I promise soon) I thought I would write something not about skating for once.  Excuse me, Ice Charades, you often don't write about skating.

I know, I know, thanks for pointing that out.  But if any of you are thinking of writing fiction yourself, this may be the post for you.


I'm not claiming I'll make you a great writer, not even a good writer, I'm only claiming I'll keep you from sucking more at writing.  Not a high bar, to be sure, but one you still may be grateful for.  The good news is you're not alone.  Just google 'first drafts suck' and watch the magic appear. So with that, take a look at these five tips and see if you can't get out the red pen one more time and work your own magic.

Ice Charade's 5 Writing Tips for Beginners

5. Keep the past in the past: by this I mean try to avoid mixing verb tenses.  This seems obvious, but it's harder to keep track than you realize.  My novel took place in the past, but when I was writing the action scenes it often came out in the present tense many times.  This example from Now Novel shows how easy it can be to mix up verb tenses.

Sarah runs her usual route to the store. As she turned the corner, she came upon a disturbing scene.

This is wrong because the verbs do not consistently use the same tense, even though it is clear (from context) that Sarah’s run is a continuous action in a single scene.

Now Novel also has a nice rundown of verb tenses.  Go there to reaquaint yourself with present perfect, past perfect, simple past, etc etc.  And no, I don't mean a 6.0 on your free skate.


4. You really, probably, likely just need only (?) one word: As Stephen King famously (?) said, "The road to hell is paved with adverbs."  Anything that ends in 'ly' is a good place to start.  A rookie mistake in any critique group I'm sure, is to come in with a bunch of lazy adverbs clogging up the action. I still remember a feisty literary-wannabe going off on me for the sentence, "I eagerly peered out the window." But she was right. Instead of writing 'eagerly' in front of peered, write out an action that shows eagerness.  For example, "I sat up in my seat after we rounded the corner and the Alps came into view. Now I was awake."

Besides adverbs there is a whole list of words that can clog up your draft.  'Just' is just the beginning.  It works fine in dialogue because people say it all the time, but the phrase around the word will still work when take 'just' out.  There are a slew of other words (I illustrated four of them in the preceding paragraph) and a good place to catch more is from Diana Urban's post on 43 Words You Should Cut From Your Writing Immediately.

3. Rhythm: Like any good melody, your writing should have beats (in your sentences).  Some sentences should be short, quick, and lean.  Hit a nerve.  Pack a punch. Shout.  But if you have too many short, dynamic sentences together the reader gets tired.  You need a variety of longer sentences mixed in.  That's where you can add a descriptive phrase or two to set the scene. My own rule of thumb is long sentences should be filled with easier vocabulary and fewer crucial plot points or details.  Example:

 Basically, in light of the fact that an au-courant judging system, whether determined by the ISU or directly from the international judges panel, will be implemented, if deemed acceptable upon the receipt of skating bodies looking to transition from the current situation.

 Confusing, no? How about - We could use a new judging system, regardless of what the ISU thinks.  Pronto.



2. He said, she said:  It's a lot easier to keep track of he said, she said, than he whispered, she shouted, he discussed, she countered, he thought, she pointed out, he demanded, she bellowed, "Stop."  Many authors feel you should never have dialogue tags (that's a fancy, schmancy writing term for the tag accompanying the dialogue) other than 'said' - and I mostly agree with this.  The idea is that the dialogue itself will denote what the author wants the reader to understand.  I still think you can throw in a few others sparingly.  She 'whispered' is good, because you often can't convey that in the discussion.  She 'lied' is also good, because it means the exact opposite of what is said out loud and that can have a big impact in the plot.  Here are some examples of overuse of dialogue tags (with some bad dialogue thrown in):

"I can't wait to get on the ice.  I need to work on my senior long program ," she declared with a perky giggle.
"You have to wait until the zamboni's done.  Have you signed up for this freestyle session?" he asked matter of factly.
"Yes, I take two freestyle sessions everyday," she reiterated as she pointed to her name on the clipboard.
"Well then, you will have sixty minutes to rehearse your program in ten minutes when the ice is resurfaced," he stated uniterested.

That would sound a lot better and more realistic if it went something like this:

"Can't wait to hop on the ice.  Got to do three full run-throws of my long," she said.
"Zamboni's still going.  You signed up for this freestyle?" he asked without looking up from his iphone.
Her long red fingernail pointed to her name on the sheet.
He had to look up to get his answer. "Well, no goofing around for you then."

You can see that all you need is he said or she asked or vice versa.  Somethings you don't need dialogue, only an action to keep the scene going.

1. Show, don't tell: This is a classic line that a writer should know.  I liked Jerry Jenkin's blog describing the difference between showing and telling.  So I'll link it here.  Here are some examples to see if you get the gist.

Telling: When they kissed he could smell cigarette smoke and she was scared. 
Showing:  When he leaned in, he smelled tobacco on her breath and felt her hand shivering.

Telling: The temperature rose and the plants needed water.
Showing: The plants wilted in the heat.

Telling:  She completed three run-throughs of her long program and was very tired by the end of the freestyle session.
Showing: She had to be helped off the ice after the third run-through.  Twelve minutes of max output skating was too much.

 Showing helps the reader feel the action rather than the passive "telling" them someone is cold.  There are times when "telling" is acceptable, when you need to cover ground and bring in backstory.  But be careful not to load it up in dialogue to the point where it doesn't sound natural.

I hope these tips will help make you a better writer.  There are plenty of writing blogs with helpful tips and examples that are much better than what I've got here.  This is meant as a jumping-off point (hopefully you'll get a 5 for your GOE!) to get you sound advice.  Good luck!

Imagine if he had figure skates on!

Wait for the amazing "back sit spin" at the 25 second mark!  Pretty amazing stuff.

Holiday On Ice Reunion Prague!

It's going on as we speak and I hope you can see this link to some photos on Facebook.

Hopefully you can see these links.

Here's another link.

And these too.

When I skated in Prague in 1983, it was December and cold and miserable.  This looks like a much better time to see the city!

TURN IT UP!

My daughter and I are currently in Florida and we took a side trip up to Tampa Bay to visit Busch Gardens and see the ice show.

You should too, if you're anywhere in the neighborhood.  Throw Busch Gardens some love, skip the crowds at Universal and Disney, and spend a day with animals and ice shows.  You'll save a bunch of money too!

It's a really great show. (and I know my park shows ... been in a half dozen, seen a dozen more over the years...)

Every skater is poised and polished.  Every number is solid. It even had a kick line (albeit from a new angle) to make this old show girl happy. The show moves at such a fast pace, you're surprised when it's over and the best part is the songs are fresh and contemporary.  There's no corny plot to slow the show down.

That's why I wish I could have skated in this show - they all seem to be having so much fun!  Even three shows into a four-show day.  Not an easy task.

But if you can't make it to Tampa, you can watch a decent quality performance here:

You're welcome!

Take the Quiz on Rocker Skating

It's making the rounds on Facebook and Twitter.  Go to Jackie Wong's web page Rocker and see which jump you are.

I got the 'Toe' jump, which makes sense for this chorus girl.  Lots of people are posting that they are lutz jumps and I must admit I'm a little jealous.  What I was really hoping for, however, was the split jump.  That would make my day.

Leave a comment and let me know what jump you got.

As always, thanks Jackie Wong for a great website!

Jumps and Spins I would like to see make a Comeback

As I mentioned on Twitter, I caught the last half of the 1941 movie Ice Capades that featured an (uncredited!) Belita and starring Dorothy Lewis as the main skaters.

The plot was as old-fashioned as the skating, but I still enjoyed the production numbers.  The women were the main draw on the ice, so I can't speak to how the men skated back then, but these girls were excellent spinners.  Lovely, classic sit spins and scratched spins were everywhere.  Same with bent leg spirals and beautiful layback spins.

It got me to thinking of some old-fashioned moves I'd like to see make a comeback.  Here they are:

one-foot axels
walleys
split lutz and split flip

all of the above could be done in double for greater effect

all kinds of sit spins
ina bauers
fast two turns across the ice (watch Ice Capades and you'll know what I'm talking about)
scratch spins at the end of a program (maybe headless, maybe two-foot)

Your welcome!  Tell me, what would you like to see in the programs?

Callin' all (wanna be) choreographers!

If you're fans or FB friends of Rohene Ward, PSA's (Professional Skaters' Association) Choreographer of the Year 2017, then you'll want to keep your eye out for "The Choreographer's Apprentice."


Rohene posted on sneak peek on his Facebook page and tells us to Like, Share and Follow him throughout the season.  So I did, like and I will share, as soon as I get the link for it.  Stay tuned.

In the meantime I'll give you this and you'll see why I think he's amazing ... (and it's not even his best live performance IMHO)

And there's this announcement coming from the ProSkaters, Sara Kawahara's Workshop in the beautiful Sun Valley this summer.  (I say beautiful, like I've been there or something.  But, no Ice Charades hasn't been yet.  Maybe someday.  Would love to go to this session, but I can't.)

From ProSkaters:

Join two-time Emmy Award winner Sarah Kawahara at her Palette of Choreography Workshop on Monday, July 24, 2017 in beautiful Sun Valley, Idaho.  The Workshop runs from 8:00 am until 12:15 pm and is open to High Test skaters (Intermediate through Senior).

The discounted fee is only $100 for this outstanding workshop where you will:

• Find Inspiration
• Explore Inspiration
• Own Your Performance

Let me know if you're going. Would love to hear about the workshop!

Passing the Baton

... to my daughter.  Except it wasn't a 100 meter relay or even an ice show - it was a dance recital.

When we moved to New Jersey almost three years ago, I was amazed by the abundance of dance studios.  It seemed there was one in every strip mall.  That was good for my daughter, since she is not a skater (has only been on the ice three times in her life) and she doesn't play any sports.

Dance is her movement of choice.

Luckily, all of us ex-show skaters (well, me, at least) think we know a little something about our close cousin, dance.  Hey, I can't teach the fundamentals of pirouettes, but I can tell when a toe is not pointed, an arm is drooping and ... honey, you need to do the pirouette again, this time spin faster. Good, and again.  And again.

I know, I know, not cool coming from your mom.  But I can't help it because I want her to look her best when she's on stage performing.  (Here's the dangerous part - as a show skater, not a competitor, I want her to use whatever technique she can to make the move look best.  Bad habits, bad technique, be damned.)

It was strange for me to watch her during random moments of her performance - sort of an out of body experience - because one second she looks like me or at another she looks 5 years old, not 13.  She's doing much harder turns and leaps than she did at 5, so I get a pang of pride when she whips off a difficult trick.

I also felt a huge sense of relief when it was over.  Now as a mom, not a performer, certain things are beyond my control.  But what is still in my control made me a nervous wreck ... did she have all her costume pieces because we can't drive back home now? ... is her bun going to stay in or will she be the one girl on stage with her hairdo malfunction? ... will she forget to take off her eyeglasses?  ... did she bring all of her shoes? ... will she fall out of her double pirouette? ...will she scratch her nose or ear during a performance? ...

All in all, the dance recital went well.  She did her job, I did mine.

Here's one thing I like about her having only one performance a year - it keeps the costs and time commitments down.   When I went to the Synchro Skating Eastern Sectionals in Hershey PA this winter, I sat next to a dad (a doctor) who had a son in hockey and a daughter in synchro skating and in his words, "We're going to the poor house."  This one trip encompassed new costumes, two or three hotel nights, not sure how much in coaches' fees, extra ice time and gas or airline tickets.  That adds up when you do that multiple times a year.

Right now we look at my daughter's dance as good exercise since she's not getting it to or from or in school - she needs to do something.  It's expensive as exercise already.  If you added on the cost of the competitions - yikes!

Here's one thing I don't like about having only one performance a year - the pressure.  She's got one shot to get it right.  And due to the recording policy, the only time to video the dance is during the dress rehearsal, so she's got to get it right coming out of the gate.  I understand the policy and like that during dress rehearsal, parents our free to record the child's performance and expected to leave or leave open seats to others when another group of kids is performing.  It generally works out.  And then during the performance, the audience watches the performance like the olden days.

The cruel irony these dance students face is as amateurs you rarely perform.  If you make it as a profession, you will constantly perform.

It's unlikely my daughter will ever become a professional dancer.  While she is very graceful and poised on stage (yes, I'm her mother, but she really is) she doesn't have the technique to take her to the higher levels.  Those were my strengths and weaknesses as a skater too.  The apple doesn't fall down far from the axel tree.

And because she's unlikely to dance professionally, that's where our dilemna comes in - should she keep dancing in high school, even though other younger students will pass her by making her more insecure or does she leave dancing or concentrate on things she's better at (debate, languages, acting)?

She had tears last night after coming back from the class that watches the recital together.  The teacher asked each student what he/she wanted to do next year.  My daughter is straddling that more than familiar spot where girls either dig in and commit to nothing but dance or they leave.  She knows she's not as strong as the others.  She wants to continue dancing, but she'll face the scrutiny of others wondering why she's decided to stay.

Making the decision harder is the studio's annoying policy that dictates if you want to take hip-hop, you must take jazz, if you take jazz you must take ballet, if you take ballet you must take a technique class and you must take at least four disciplines (okay, add in tap) and you get the idea.  This studio is set up to take your money.  She took five classes a week last year and that was considered barely involved because she wasn't in the studio's special performance troupe.

But wait a minute, Ice Charades, didn't you write in the beginning that there is a dance studio in every strip mall? 

Why yes I did.  Thanks for asking.  And if you're still reading this far, THANKS for reading!  Yes, there are two other studios nearby, but each of them has their quirks that make her present studio the right one.

And wouldn't you know it, her studio puts on the BEST recital as far as costumes, props, stage, and staging.  It's a slick production designed to entertain, not emphasize the dancers' skills.   So if she only gets the one recital a year, it may as well be the showy one, right?  Again I repeat, unlike kids who compete in sports who have games as well as practice all season, the dancers get one shot.

I guess I just answered my own question.  Yes, she'll continue to dance.  She'll do her best, despite what others are doing.  And I'll still be proud.

Rocker Skating: Your One-Stop Shop for the 2016-17 Competitive Season

... is all here!

(Well, not the top ten spots, because that will be revealed some time after this was posted.)

If you're a fan of figure skating and you haven't been to Jackie Wong's Rocker website, you should do so now.  Every program and every competition  is posted and analyzed for your convenience.  To me it feels like SkateWeb for the next millennium.

I don't know about you, but this will be handy as we head into an Olympic year.  I might even know a name or two of the pair and dance teams before Pyeong Chang 2018!

Skaters Reunion in Prague

I had to go deep into the comments of a few Facebook postings to get the date.  I'll keep this one updated as more official notices pop up.

But for now, if you're in the neighborhood, that would be Prague, Czech Republic from September 7-10, 2017, there is a Holiday On Ice reunion for skaters.  Still trying to find the location.  Stay tuned ...

The Legend is Closing

You know by now that Ringling Bros is closing for good, but you may not know you can watch the final show, May 21 - this Sunday - via live stream on Ringling.com.

Here's the link to get you set up.

I saw this show in its last performance in New Jersey and I can tell you one thing I wasn't expecting was sky-high ticket prices.  But I should have known better.  An era is closing.  (And New York ticket prices will be even worse.)   So watching it on-line will be a much better option on the wallet.

And as the ad states ... this is the ...

Last. Show. Ever. 

 Excuse me, Ice Charades, but what does this have to do with skating?  

Actually, the last touring show of Ringling Bros includes a Chinese Acrobatic act on skates, thank you very much.  You can see a little of it in the trailer from the link above.  And a few of the clowns skate as well.  So this isn't an ice show, but it's a show with some skating and that should make any skating fan want to watch it.

Sunday, May 21, 2017, 7 p.m. ET

And don't forget those cute "little" tigers too!

Did you catch the ISU World Team Trophy competition?

This was the first time I knew of such a competition and I had to ask ... what's with all the crazy hats?  Even the judges (or the referees) were wearing them, no?

I can understand in the Kiss-N-Cry, there is a need to let off a little steam, after Worlds.

If you want a great recap - go here to The Judges' Table.  As always, there is in-depth analysis here.  You won't be disappointed.

Spoiler alert:  Japan won.

Behind the Scenes ...

A few of these skating videos have been popping up in my Facebook and Twitter feed.  If you haven't seen this yet, take a look.

I don't know for sure, but I can only imagine this is a GREAT gig to get.  High paying, high visibility. You do one, maybe two numbers a show and you're on stage with the famous Rockettes. How cool is that!

Still So Excited!

Dance Academy The Comeback

They've already had the premiere in Sydney.  The movie comes out in theaters in Australia on April 6, 2017 and I'm dying to know when it will be released on Netflix or better yet, come to the theaters in the States.

I've written about this in two previous posts, but I'll say it again, if you're a fan of figure skating, you will probably love the tv series Dance Academy too.   All three seasons are available on Netflix and now on You Tube.  I suggest you start at the beginning, but you'll still get sucked if you wandered in at Season 2.

My personal theory on why this show is so popular, compared to all other dance movies/tv shows, is the writing is so strong.  It's realistic and the characters are three dimensional.  They are not just all sweet or totally evil, completely talented or robbed of their title - and they are growing up besides.  There are so many parallels to figure skating, either the side competition or performing, that you'll be swept in.  I promise!

This Aint Your Mamma's Synchro Team

... it's your Daddys' instead!

Ladies and Gentlemen, may I introduce the River Bulls, from Finland.  They are the only all-male synchro team and they were founded in 2014.

I love the story of how they came to be ... like the classic song from "A Chorus Line" - "I'm watching sis go pitter pat, said I could that ...."

Let Matti Heinonen, one of the team's member explain:

It all began season 2013-14 when two of us were waiting and watching our daughters' rehearsal.  Suddenly the other one said:"That seems to be so easy, maybe we should try it too?  We know how to move in blocks because we have been in the army."  From this moment the idea started to live in our minds and after some months the first skating courses for men were arranged.

It doesn't sound like they are heading to the 2017 World Synchro Championships in Colorado Springs next month.  But neither am I ... as a spectator.  I would love to see Worlds!  If any of you are near Colorado Springs on April 7 or 8, you should go!!!

Want to buy a photo?

This is for sale on ebay (thanks for the hat tip, Richard M. Morse at Facebook's Ice Capades Reunion 2015.)

I think the photo is rather captivating.  Can't put a year on it.  1940-something, so it's old.  If all of the signage weren't in English, I'd be tempted to say the man's Italian.  But I do like that it's in English.  It says Ice Capades four times and I'm always grateful to keep the name out there.

Hmmmm, I wonder why?

What I Would Rate Ice Charades

Tell me, figure skaters and fans, if this sounds right ... when you mention figure skating to someone, they almost always think of a girl training for the Olympics.  There was a brief time (circa 1994 - 1998) when people thought of Nancy and/or Tonya, but we're back to the girl (probably 10 - 15 years of age) on her way to the Olympics.

That's not what the novel, Ice Charades, is about.  It's not for young girls.  If it were to be rated like movies are, it would be somewhere between PG-13 and R.  No violence, some swearing, some sexual situations.

I think the closest rating, one that is used in other countries, is MA15+.  It means not suitable for people under 15.

After all, Sue Olson, the protagonist of the novel is nineteen, a sophomore in college, and sets out to skate in an adult world with adult situations.  But I would recommend this for any figure skater who is approaching eighteen -- the age you need to be to be hired for most shows -- who is thinking of joining an ice show.  And I would recommend it for the parents too!

The Fitness Marshall

Me likey.

Are you looking to put a little more dance in your exercise routine or put a little more exercise in your dance routine?

About a month ago, I was looking for a certain Zumba song on You Tube when I stumbled upon The Fitness Marshall exercise/dance videos.  It's Caleb Marshall and his assorted backup booties dancing to pop songs with a blend of hip hop moves and calisthenics.  And now my daughter and I are hooked.

You can find him here on Twitter, here on Facebook, but I usually head straight to You Tube.

If your TV can get the You Tube channel or you don't mind watching your videos on small devices, you've got yourself a great workout!  My daughter and I definitely have our favorites:  Me Too, Can't Stop This Feeling and Into You.  But there are a lot more.

Caleb Marshall, is so cute and funny that you'll feel like you're not working out at all.

His webpage has announced tour dates, so maybe they're coming to your city.  If not, give him a try on You Tube.  I bet you'll love him too.

#MakeAmericaSKATEAgain

From the Mercury News:

Olympian Ashley Wagner called it an easy choice: Watch the U.S. figure skating championships Jan. 20 instead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump.

The inauguration falls at the same time as the weeklong skating championships in Kansas City, Missouri, where Wagner, 25, is one of the favorites in the women’s competition.

“People have a really good reason to watch U.S. figure skating nationals, don’t they? That’s all I have to say,” she said Tuesday during a conference call.

Smart call Ashley! I agree.

America, are you ready to skate again?

For a wonderful skater ...