FIGURE SKATING: Champions on Ice

Champions On Ice Compaq Center, San Jose, California Saturday, April 28, 2001

The San Jose stop would be Brian Boitano's last performance with Champions on Ice in San Jose. Tom Collins and the cast had prepared a special surprise for him, which they would present at the end of the show.

I attended the show with fellow photographer and a journalist in her own right, Tracy Shao. We each had our own opinions about each number, and shared them with each other throughout the show.

Opening Number Tracy: Very cheesy opening. Pretty static choreography. I don't feel like it's choreographed to the person who's skating to it. Stacey: I think they just choreographed according to the music, not according to each skater's personality.

Nicole Bobek, Cabaret Stacey: I don't think she was really able to bring out the character of it really well.

Tracy: I agree. I didn't like the music selections.

Dan Hollander, Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd

Stacey: I really don't see anything great about this program except that it's supposed to be funny. But it's not very well worked out or thought out. There isn't a lot of skating in it.

Tracy: It looks as if he's trying to imitate Scott Hamilton.

Stacey: But he doesn't have the intricacy that Scott is able to weave into his program.

Tracy: It's a show program, but I just feel like it's just stupid, rather than entertaining. It's not sophisticated.

Stacey: He's no Scott Hamilton.

Tracy: I agree.

Naomi Nari Nam Stacey: This is mostly a dance program, set to modern music.

Tracy: It was ok. There were some high points - very good spins, very good flexibility, great pointed toes.

Stacey: Right.

Tracy: Choreography was…

Stacey: A little weak.

Liz Punsalan and Jerod Swallow, Aria Stacey: Great costumes, and beautiful music. The program was very dramatic, very romantic, great choreography. I really liked it.

Tracy: I agree. I think they're really a very sexy couple on the ice. I liked the costume, but it was a shame it was covered up by the drape the whole time. They had really nice positions, and it was very professionally done.

Michael Weiss, Backstreet Boys Medley Stacey: He really needs to take dancing lessons!

Tracy: (Laughs) I really really hope it was a spoof, because otherwise, it's just too sad! But it was funny!

Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharudlidze, jazzed up version of the soundtrack from Charlie Chaplin's "Limelight" and Russian folk music. Tracy: Elena looks so cute!

Stacey: She does. They're so cute together.

Stacey: I think that this program has really nice tricks, but I REALLY don't like the electronic music. I think the music kind of ruined it for me.

Tracy: It was ok. It had some nice parts. I don’t think they connected with the audience that well. I didn't really quite get what they were doing.

Elvis Stojko, You really got me now Stacey: OK, first of all, he's been doing this program for what, five years? Maybe even six or seven? I'm sick of it.

Tracy: Yeah. The choreography is blah, but he does have pretty good rapport with the audience. He looked at everybody in the eye; it was good that way. Otherwise, it was just another Elvis program.

Jamie Sale and David Pelletier Stacey: I really liked this program! It's like a medley of latin music. They have some dance movements, but they also have a lot of skating - triple twist, throw triple salchow.

David is playing a guy who's trying to flirt with Jamie, who keeps rejecting him. David really gets to show off his humorous dancing talents.

Tracy: They should do more programs like this! Very creative. David was hilarious. He should really play up that side of him more.

Viktor Petrenko, Love me Tender, Jailhouse Rock Stacey: I really don't understand why "Love me Tender" was in the beginning of this program, it didn't seem to fit with the rest of the program. I really think Viktor needs to branch out creatively, he's been doing programs like this for too long.

Tracy: Yeah, I think it's very typical of Viktor program - nothing new, nothing at all. It's not even that great of a Viktor Petrenko program. But I just love how he jumps!

Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler Stacey: Great tricks.

Tracy: Yeah I liked this program. You can really tell that they like being out there on the ice, they have a lot of fun. They have a good rapport with the audience. They have longevity.

Joan Christobal Tracy: Very elegant upper body movements. Very elegant on the ice.

Stacey: Her lower body could be extended better, though.

Tracy: Her jumps make me nervous.

Stacey: That's probably because she's nervous!

Timothy Goebel, Bailamos, Ole Ole Ole! Stacey: He needs to take dancing lessons! He really should not do a program like this.

Tracy: He doesn't have the charisma to carry off this kind of program. He has great jumps, but he really needs to work on his presentation. He looks very bored out there

Stacey: Very bored and tired.

Maya Usova and Evgeny Platov, Desert Rose Stacey: The only thing I could think of while watching this program is how much faster they could have gone, and how much more ice coverage they needed, so I guess this program didn't work for me that much. But they are so beautiful to watch!

Tracy: I really like them individually as people, and to see them together now, I'm happy that they're happy. But, I don't think, as a pair team, they work that well together. I think this program was ok, it could be better. They’ve sort of settled into this style, but I think they should expand it and try to do some new things.

Rudy Galinda, Fosse and Chicago Stacey: He hit every single beat, and that really helped the program. In comparison to Nicole's program, it was infinitely better. He brought out the character more.

Tracy: He's the hometown boy; everybody loves him! He has great facials, and he looks like he's having fun on the ice. I think this is a really great program for him.

Vladimir Besedin and Oleksey Polishuk, Acrobats Stacey: This program was very entertaining. I think they could have been a little bit more creative, since it was the same program from last year. I would have liked to see a little bit more skating - well, it's hard to skate when doing these acrobatic movements!

Tracy: Very entertaining, there was a shock factor, something different!

Phillippe Candeloro Stacey: He's playing a matador. I was enjoying the first half of this program, up until the second he started stripping. That just ruined the whole performance for me.

Tracy: It doesn't have the same shock factor anymore, I'm so used to seeing him strip now. It's Phillippe, if you like him, you like him. If you don't, you don't.

Surya Bonaly Stacey: I feel like this program was just skating from one end of the rink to the other, and doing tricks on either end. I really didn't see any type of theme, or point, or choreography to it.

Tracy: Boring. I was falling asleep. She's a really sweet girl, but her skating just doesn't appeal to me.

Todd Eldredge, 1492 Stacey: Bad music cuts. This music has been used by Elvis Stojko and Chait and Sakhnovsky. I'm somewhat tired of hearing the same music cuts over and over again. He strategically places his jumps at the musical highlights, but no real choreography beyond that.

Tracy: All he's doing is skating around the rink and jumping or spinning. Really boring, even more boring than normal.

Evgeny Plushenko, Sex Bomb Tracy: I can't look!

Stacey: No comment…but he seemed really off tonight. He put his hands down on a triple axel and fell out of a death drop!

Oksana Kazakova and Artur Dmitriev, Somewhere Out There Stacey: I loved this program, it was very romantic. It was very well choreographed, except for one bad music cut.

Tracy: Great, great. Great costumes, great moves!

Michelle Kwan Tracy: I liked this performance, I think it's different from a lot of the other ones in that she’s got some extra pizzazz in it.

Brian Boitano, Blue Man Group Stacey: It's a departure for Brian. I'm kinda disappointed he didn't do a 'Tano lutz though (he doubled his triple lutz).

Tracy: He's trying to be experimental, and I like the idea of doing a program to the Blue Man Group, but I’m not sure how well he carries it off.

At this point, Tom Collins took the ice and gave a speech for Brian.

Tom Collins: I would like to inform all of you here this afternoon that you have just witnessed Brian's last performance in San Jose, with Champions on Ice. Brian has mesmerized audiences around the world for over 20 years. It's going to be a long time before we find another male skater with the class, the style, and the elegance of Mr. Brian Boitano. Now Brian, we have a few momentos we would like to give you at this time. Just so after the tour is over, and you're home in San Francisco, you can look at some of these momentos just to remind you of your days with Champions on Ice. Now the first one, is you've always wanted a Champions on Ice rug. Well, we got you one, and Rudy Galindo will do the presentation.

Rudy Galindo stepped forward, unfolded the rug and Boitano stood on it. Rudy gave his own speech to Brian. "It has just been a dream to be part of the tour, especially with the skater that I've idolized over the years, Brian Boitano. When my brother died in 1994, I thought that was it. Then I met Brian, and I consider him my brother….He's always been there for me, through the sad times and the good times. Sorry, I'm really sad. I'll leave the crying to Michelle [Kwan]! So, I just want to say that it was an honor touring with you, and I hope that in the future you have everything you want, everything you deserve. God bless you."

Tom Collins: You always wanted your own wardrobe crate. So we here at Champions on Ice got you one. Presented by Liz Punsalan and Jerod Swallow.

Liz Punsalan: Brian, you've always been an inspiration to us, and you've taught us that with hard work, and with love and dedication, that all of our dreams can come true. So today, it's your very own dream, the one you've been waiting for for a long time -- Your very own Champions on Ice Wardrobe crate. And now you'll never have to travel in the same flannel shirt twice!

Jerod Swallow: Brian, you've always set extremely high standards for all of us. You've always acted in the most honorable way, and I hope that we can all continue this example that you set and still make this the best tour. You'll always been in our memories and I think that will inspire us to great heights.

Tom Collins: Brian, you've been number 5 all these years. So we will now retire your number, and the presentation will be by your good friend Michael Weiss.

Michael Weiss: Brian, I feel so fortunate to have been able to spend part of my career touring with one of the greatest skaters ever to take the ice. You've been an incredible mentor to me….It's my honor to retire your number. Number 5 will no longer b used by any other skater on the Champions on Ice tour. I want to wish you luck in everything you do, and we're certainly going to miss you.

Tom Collins: Ok, Brian, we've got something for your home in San Francisco. It's a crystal vase, being presented by Michelle Kwan, if she doesn't cry!

Michelle Kwan: When I was 7 years old I was watching Brian Boitano compete, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. You've been an inspiration, a role model, and now I'm honored to say you're one of my closest friends and I'm really going to miss you!

Tom Collins then requested for Brian to do a victory lap around the rink, after which Brian gave a speech. "I consider myself one of the luckiest skaters to have been involved with Champions on Ice for 14 seasons. If I think about it, it's a third of my lifetime….And through the years, I've seen a lot of changes, I've met a lot of people coming in and out of shows, and met a lot of friends. And that brings me to this company. I don't think I've ever traveled with a group of people that I like more. I will miss each and every one of these people, and I cherish the memories and the friendships that I have made in just the past few months. I'll miss them and there will be a lot of changes, but the man I will miss the most is Tom Collins. Tom and I have been through so much together. We've seen changes in figure skating…. Tommy is a person who's given me a lot of opportunities and I will always respect and appreciate that. Tommy, you're a great producer, but everybody has to know that you are a superb being, and an incredible friend.

The closing number Stacey: I thought it was better than the opening, but a lot of the skaters still looked lost.

Tracy: I agree, it didn't look that well organized. A bit cheesy, still. Not all that professional. It looked like it was just thrown together and they didn’t have enough time to practice it as a group.

Overall Impressions Stacey: It doesn't seem like the show is very cohesive.

Tracy: Well it never has been very cohesive. It's COI as opposed to SOI, but I feel that the programs individually aren't very strong.

Stacey: Except Sale and Pelletier, Kazakova and Dmitriev, Besedin and Polishuk, I thought, had very nice programs.

Tracy: Yeah, and and Punsalan and Swallow, and Brasseur and Eisler. Rudy Galindo.

Stacey: Yes, other than that it just seems like everybody's taking a popular piece of rock music or pop music and slapping a program together.

Tracy: They don't even put any thought into the programs. I think they just do what's popular, and what they think will get the audience to clap. That's not the right way to make a program. There's a difference between a slapped together program to rock music, and a sophisticated show program.