Listen Up, icenetwork

I follow a Washington D.C. radio sport's show on podcast and lately the host has been toying with the idea of a new TV show featuring two sport's pundits talking about an NFL game, while it's on.  Think "Mystery Science Theater 3000" and ESPN Classic's "Cheap Seats" getting together on Sunday afternoon to watch a football game from somebody's couch - that's what this show would be.

Cheap Seats, btw, a personal favorite of Ice Charades!  You should check out their "Spelling Bee" episode. 

So I got to thinking ... I think figure skating needs the "Mystery Science Theater" treatment.

Do you think it could work?

Imagine putting two veteran A-list skaters together to talk about World's or the Olympics during the short or long programs.  There's lots of dead time they could talk over with charming anecdotes of their own nervousness or costume malfunctions or what was going through their heads when they were really bombing their programs.  Don't think there's any dead time in live coverage of figure skating?  How about all the time waiting for the judges' scores in the Kiss-N-Cry or the two-minute glide around the ice that skaters take nowadays between their name being called and the starting position of their program and let's not forget skating's ultimate dead time ... the zamboni!

So we find the former champions sitting in one of their livings room ready to dish on the newest crop of competitors.  Who's game?

Wouldn't you pay to see the Brians chatting about Patrick Chan's quads and whether he's holding back during the short only to bring it later on.  (Wait a minute, Orser's coaching some of these skaters so he's already sitting in the Kiss-N-Cry.)

So, how about Kristi Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan giving us their thoughts on Yuna/Mao rivalry?

Excuse me, Ice Charades, but that's so 2010, can you get more with it please?

Okay, okay.  I think if you could pay the skaters to be candid enough, we'd have something people would want to see.  (Wait a minute, I guess we have The Skating Lesson for candid commentary.  And very insightful too.)

But I still think people want to see their old idols rehashing the glory days.  I do.  What about the king of skating commentary ... and I bet he's available.  Wouldn't you pay money to be a fly on the wall at Dick Button's house when World's or the Olympics were on?

What do you think?  Who would you pay to see "hosting" Nationals right now?

Skating in Florida

... seems like a nice place to work right now, no?  Luckily there's a job out there for one female skater.  How's your double axel?

Rosstyn Ice Shows. Figure Skating Ice Shows & Rink

IMMEDIATE CASTING FOR GIRL SOLOIST
Please Call Rosstyn 561-436-1028
Rosstyn Ice Shows is casting now for South Florida Fair 2015
January 16th. to Feb. 1st.2015
Girl soloist: must have solid doubles jumps preferably double axel, and variety of spins

Venue: South Florida Fair
Location: West Palm Beach, Florida
Dates: January 16th. to Feb. 1st. 2015
Rehearsals: January 10th. to January 15th. ( non rehearsal pay)
3 shows daily, 4 shows weekend days and Holidays
Requirements:
If you are not American citizen, you must have your own work visa
Transportation provided only in the USA, reimbursed with completion of the contract
Accommodations provided
For more information:
Email: rglproductions@me.com www.rosstyniceshows.com

Happy New Year

Reposted from 12/31/09



Twenty years ago, when skating in a show in Japan, we had noticed the audience spending more on the t-shirts and pictures and tipping the waiters on New Years.

Later I learned why. New Years is a big holiday for the Japanese and the thinking goes that giving away more money at the end of the year will make you richer in the new year.

But I didn't know it at the time. So I was a confused when I saw a paper bill on the ice during the kickline in our show on New Year's Eve. As we kicked our way downstage I discovered it wasn't any old paper bill, but an ichiman yen.

That was 10,000 yen! Half a week's* pay! And it was sitting all by itself on the side of the ice.

Now I would like to think that I was the utmost professional and I would never deviate from the choreography, but there was half a week's pay taunting me. So I instead of the last kick I improvised with a nice lunge, broke from the line and swooped up the money. Roughly $75 in exchange for risking a $10 fine for misconduct.

Professional, schmessional.

I was so excited with my new windfall that I had to tell the other skaters, which meant I had to donate the money to the party fund. (By being generous, I hoped I wouldn't get fined. And I didn't).

So, that made for a happier New Year's Eve party, I think. But I'm not really sure what happened to the money after I handed it over to the company manager. And I'm not sure if the Japanese audience member who threw it had a more prosperous year either.




*for you math geeks - we did receive only $150 a week as per diem. The balance of the $300 weekly chorus pay went not-so-directly to my bank account in the States.

Drag Queens On Ice

Here's one I don't think Campbell's Soup will sponsor. But I would love to see it.



For anyone in the San Fran area - it's tonight and it's free!

Let's add one more ...

10, 11 of the World's Most Beautiful Ice Skating Rinks



I posted this CNN article last year, but I think the Maggie Daley Park ice skating rink - a.k.a. the Ribbon - should be added to the list.


As a reminder - here were the top 10 according to the article, plus a few of my own ...

Banff Lake Louise, Banff, Canada


Bondi Winter Festival Ice Rink, Sydney


Eiffel Tower Ice Rink, Paris


Evergreen Lake, Colorado


Red Square Rink, Moscow


Rideau Canal Skateway, Ottawa


Rockefeller Center, New York


Shichahai Lake, Beijing


Somerset House, London


Vienna Ice Dream, Vienna, Austria

But I think they have left out a few ...

Let's not forget the world's biggest ice rink in one of my favorite cities - Mexico City.



Maybe you would like to skate near a roller coaster or ferris wheel? Then Fuji-Q Highland Park in Japan is for you.



Or in the Netherlands there is this beauty ... a little hard to do your program, but great for stroking!



But I've got to say one of the most interesting to me is an ice rink in the Munich Airport. Yes, how many airports have an ice rink? Pretty cool if you have a looooong layover.



I'll ask again - are there any I'm missing?

What If Everyone Dressed Like A Figure Skater?

This article from Cosmopolitan magazine, courtesy of Craig Heath, shows just how much fun spandex and sequins can be for anyone for 24/7.

I love this quote from one of the three editors who donned figure skating dresses for the entire day, "I told a group of people who asked why we were dressed up that we'd just gotten back from Sochi. I think they believed me."

That seems a common notion, and maybe a sign of the decline of skating popularity, that when one thinks of figure skating, one thinks of the Olympics. Even though there's more to figure skating than that one event, that's all people equate it with today. Sigh.

All in all, it's a cute article I think.

One last note for the editor worrying about the tights. My suggestion - come over to showgirl land - and try fishnets instead!

Ice Show Gypsies Cruise Reunion 2016

I love the idea of calling us ice show gypsies! That means any show, any position - cast or crew, any family, anybody can attend! That also means there'll be a variety of shows, ages, nationalities and countries represented. Best of all - there'll be a lots of stories of costume malfuctions and prop interference to go around. Probably during the cocktail hour.

At the moment it seems to be heavy with HOI skaters (who were never heavy by the way), but maybe that will change as word spreads.

Go to the Facebook page here for details. Who wouldn't want to visit the Caribbean on a cruise ship?



Tell your fellow gypsies!