2015 STARS ON ICE "DANCING FOR JOY" Preview
She Said:
I’ve loved watching Stars on Ice since I was a little girl. They always had the best skaters and the programs still live in my memory. (The Romeo and Juliet number, The Rolling Stones finale to name just a few.) The 2015 Stars on Ice Tour “Dancing for Joy” meets the high caliber set by previous tours (check out our review of the tour last year), while melding a beautiful theme of the marriage of figure skating and dance. We watched a wonderful preview and we’re so excited for the 2015 Stars on Ice Tour!
The cast of the 2015 Stars on Ice tour is incredible. 2014 Olympic Gold medalists in Ice Dance Meryl Davis & Charlie White headline “Dancing for Joy” alongside fellow ice dance teams of Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto and John & Sinead Kerr. The tour also includes two other Olympic gold medalists: Evan Lysceck (look for our interview with Evan to be posted soon) and Ekaterina Gordeeva. Patrick Chan, Joannie Rochette, Kimmie Meissner and Ryan Bradley round out this stellar cast. Stars on Ice is known for having group numbers and everything from costumes to music to choreography is wonderfully executed.
The skaters perform great in numbers together, but each skater also has a couple of programs where they shine as individuals. The performances also reflect the theme of “Dancing for Joy “ in their inclusion of many different types of music and dance. Meryl Davis & Charlie White’s perfectly storybook Sleeping Beauty program is sweet and balletic. Is it just me, or they really Disney characters? Evan Lysaceck’s “Black Swan” program is also balletic, but faster, darker and stronger. Evan’s skating really reminds me of ballet great Jacques d’Amboise in this program. Ekaterina Gordeeva’s “I Dreamed a Dream” program is heart breaking and theatrical. Gordeeva is such an expressive performer that I cried more watching this powerful performance than when I saw Les Miserables on stage. Ryan Bradley’s “I Lived” melds a pop music and contemporary dance feel. This song is so dear to me because I sing it to our son and it this program reflects the energy and hope of the song beautifully.
From tango to standards, disco to classical “Dancing for Joy” illustrates the many different styles of musical interpretation in figure skating. The 2015 Stars on Ice tour is aptly named because it makes me want to dance with delight. This is not a show to be missed!
Do you have tickets for “Dancing for Joy” yet? Go get them, today!
Kari Liked:
I really enjoy seeing all the different skaters getting to experiment with music in a way that they might not get to in a competitive setting. The programs, costumes and music are all very exciting!
Kari Didn’t Like:
The only downside is that the show is over so fast!
He Said:
Last year we greatly enjoyed seeing members of the US Olympic team on the Stars on Ice tour. How could they measure up this year? I’m happy to say that from the preview we’ve seen it’s an amazing show.
This year’s show is called “Dancing for Joy”. This theme allows for artistry to really shine in a setting where these talented artists/athletes aren’t limited by the restrictions of competition. Everything we’ve seen so far is very thought out and beautifully done. There were a few standouts that I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention.
When Evan Lysaceck skated to “Black Swan” it showed off things I never expected. It was a powerful performance full of masculinity and power. I’m a huge Evan fan, and this even exceeded the expectations I had for him.
Also enjoyable was Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto’s “Boogie Shoes.” Their movement was so fun that I smiled through the whole thing. Their brightly colored costumes were totally “adorkable.” This is one of my favorite teams, and it was a blast from beginning to end.
In a similar vein, Patrick Chan did a great job with his take on “Steppin’ Out” which was very fun to watch. My favorite number is Sinead and John Kerr’s performance of Mumford & Sons “I Will Wait.” Sibling couples with the showmanship of the Kerrs are rare. They give a happy, joyful performance that includes some surprise moves you wouldn’t expect from any dance team. It was an infectious rendition that I haven’t stopped talking about.
“Dancing for Joy” is such a great show this year, and I’m so happy we got to see so many great performances.
RJ Liked:
The variety of performances. You hear that the theme revolves around dancing and you may be tempted to think that everything is going to be ice dance, but there’s really a lot of different things going on.
RJ Didn’t Like:
I don’t have any downside to talk about.