Articles by Craig Heath

Bowman the Showman


Christopher Bowman with professional skaters, Terry Head, Rory Flack Burghard and Sylvia Froescher

The skating world has lost a remarkable talent on January 10, when two-time World medalist Christopher Bowman passed away at the young age of 40. Funeral services were held Thursday, Jan. 17 in Los Angeles where he grew up. The two-time U.S. champion and two-time Olympian who was most commonly known as "Bowman the Showman" for his flamboyant skating style, was found in a motel room in the North Hills section of Los Angeles.

Bowman's accomplishments include winning the 1989 and 1992 U.S. titles as well as capturing the silver and bronze medals at the 1989 and 1990 World Championships, respectively. In addition, Bowman finished seventh at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games and fourth at the Olympics in 1992. He also toured with Tom Collins "Champions on Ice" and was a star of the Ice Capades.

I was fortunate enough to have trained with Chris as a teenager. He was the most talented skater that I have ever known. The way he could relate to the audience was unprecedented at that time and still holds true today. One of his former coaches, Ellen Burka, who trained Chris after his longtime coach of eighteen years, Frank Carroll, said it best. "He was a fabulous skater; he could do incredible things," she said. "But he had days when it was impossible to train him. Still, under pressure, he could do things he would never do in practice. I asked him about that once; he told me, 'I suck the energy out of the audience and into my body, and I use it.' And that was true." Chris did have an amazing way of doing this. I was constantly amazed (as was everyone else I'm sure) at how he could goof around all the time while training but then do a perfectly clean program during his lessons with Frank.

One of the strongest Chris Bowman memories I have is how he always made friends so easily at the rink or wherever he went. He was always joking around with everyone , from janitors to managers. Everyone was drawn to him. You could not help but to like the guy. I know he drove his parents and coaches crazy but that is because he was so incredibly talented and they wanted him to be his best. He just wanted to play.

One very classic Chris moment happened at Pasadena Ice Rink in the late 80's. We would always compete to see who had the best figures. One day Chris came over to me and was trying to convince me that his figure was better, but he was really trying to get me to bend down and check out the tracings. I should have known better. As soon as I bent forward, he pulled my pants down around my ankles and the entire rink was laughing. All I could do was stand there and laugh too. That was typical behavior and things like this happened often. I do have to say that it made the day go by faster having him around. He was the most colorful and vibrant person that I had ever met. He had such great energy and was extremely funny with quick wit. He could command an audience in any situation he was in.

I was driving Chris around one night and we were behind a car that was going really slow. Chris yelled out, "snake 'em dude"! Not knowing what that meant, I put on my blinker and politely went around the car. We laughed about that for years. He's probably still laughing about it.

I attended the funeral service in Los Angeles. Chris packed a full house in the Church and also at the reception that was held in Studio City directly after the service. Frank Carroll spoke wonderful words about his most talented student of Eighteen years. He reflected on some of the funniest moments he had teaching Chris throughout the years. We were all laughing. At the end of his tribute, he said, "I will miss him so much...you have no idea." It was a truly moving moment. Linda Frattianne spoke after Frank. She trained with Chris since he was five years old. Tears were flowing. His ex-wife Annette Bowman , daughter Bianca, Joyce his mother and Nelson his father were all there for the sad occasion. Many faces from the skating world, past and present were there as well. It really was a beautiful tribute to an amazing talent.

Reflections from around the skating world....

On the ice, in his prime, "he was a show stopper," remembers skating champ Scott Hamilton. "Chris had a bad-boy quality like the Will Farrell character in Blades of Glory; the same shameless flaunting," adds Hamilton. "But Chris wasn't unhappy, egotistical or angry. He never uttered a bad word about anyone."

John Nicks, former coach: "Christopher Bowman was one of the most talented and entertaining skaters that I ever worked with."

Frank Carroll, former coach: "He was truly a unique, wonderful, witty and intelligent human being. He was the most talented skater that I ever taught."

U.S. Figure Skating senior director of athlete high performance Mitch Moyer: "'Bowman the Showman' says it all. When I think of Christopher, I smile. I think of all the Christopher Bowman stories and performances. He loved to be on stage both on and off the ice ... and then I frown. It is sad that he struggled with balancing his life and that he passed away so young. Christopher touched so many lives and put smiles on all our faces."

1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano to the Chicago Tribune: "If I had to pick the three most talented skaters of all time, I would pick Christopher as one. He had natural charisma, natural athleticism. He could turn on a crowd in a matter of seconds, and he always seemed so relaxed about it."

1993 U.S. champion Nancy Kerrigan: "Christopher was one of the most entertaining skaters I have ever seen. He understood better than most how to capture the crowd. I know my parents were huge fans of his because they loved how he could communicate with the audience. I will never forget spending time with Christopher at the 1992 Olympics. We had a lot of fun. He will be missed."

Joyce Bowman, his mother: "He thought he was put on this earth to have a good time."

I highly recommend watching Chris skate. Go to www.youtube.com and search for Chris Bowman Figure Skater. There are many wonderful video's of him. I spent hours watching him as a personal Chris Bowman tribute that I had after his death. I will always remember him fondly and he will be truly missed.

- Craig Heath

Ice Capades 65th Anniversary Reunion

By Craig Heath

For Callback, PFSC Newsletter, Craigheath.com


click image above for full size photo

 

The Ice Capades 65th Anniversary Reunion was held in Las Vegas June 12 and 13 at the Flamingo hotel and casino. Over 525 guests from every era of the show attended for the two days of celebrations. I have to admit that there was not very much sleeping going on during the reunion. Who had time to sleep with all of the socializing we had to do? I spoke with Paula Trujillo, a member of the organizing committee, who reluctantly admitted, “I was so social for four days, that I needed another four days to recover!”

 

Ice Capades started in 1940 and toured successfully until the late 90’s. Fifty-five years of tours created hundreds and thousands of friendships and relationships that will last a lifetime. Not only skaters, but crew, office staff, promotion teams, and others  involved were all placed together and brought “on the road” for months at a time. For many, this was the first time away from home and as Slylvia Froescher, who was another member of the organizing committee, put it, “I always considered that time my ‘college’ years. It was my ‘school of life’. The friendships that you make when you are on a touring show like Ice Capades are very important as is keeping those people a part of your life forever.” For this reason, people like Sylvia and Paula along with Kelli Walters and Noel Watson, worked tirelessly to make the reunion a success. Their preparation started many months beforehand as a gathering of that magnitude and with so many ‘diva’s’ in attendance requires almost endless planning.

 

Why did the Ice Capades die? I think there were many contributing factors. Willy Bietak, who produced the show for five years, from 1986-1990, said “It was terrible when it stopped touring. Variety television went away for a while and then came back and that is my hope for the variety ice shows like Capades.” He went on to say, “Americans are so used to seeing an alignment of stars, but with a big production show you can’t afford many stars- maybe one or two at the most. The production is what is expensive. That is one of the main reasons that the show was killed.”

 

Las Vegas has become home for many former Ice Capades “roadies”. Skaters, crew members, and management staff who honed their skills on the road have found new careers “under the lights” in Vegas- the “Live Entertainment capitol of the world”.

Chuck Walters, who toured with the show for many years and now makes Vegas his home said, “I can’t think of a better education or opportunity than touring and seeing the world with Ice Capades! However, I’m not sure that I would do it for twenty-two years again!”

Greg LeTourneau who is now the executive technical director of entertainment at the MGM Grand was formerly with the Capades for fifteen years, performing various roles from starting as a truck driver, audio supervisor, and then finally as a company manager. He looks back with appreciation for the opportunities to learn the necessary tools that provided the foundation to perform in his current job. “From the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, New York New York and beyond. At every major hotel here on the Las Vegas Strip, Ice Capades is well represented with former cast and crew now providing the backbone for so many of the city’s finest stage productions.” He said. “Thirty years ago I met Mike Beaver, who was a skater for a number of years before graduating into a crew position. Mike is now working for me as a technical manager for entertainment and twenty-seven years ago during my first year as a truck driver for West Company, a new skater began her first of many tours- Sue ‘Packy’ Packard. She is now my assistant here at the MGM.”

 

Minnie Madden, owner of Callback, was also a part of the Ice Capades family for many years. She was initially the director and choreographer and then she became the President of Productions for the show. “This opportunity was a dream come true,” she exclaimed! She went on to say, “To date it was my favorite job, and by far one of the greatest experiences of my life. I worked alongside other great choreographers including Nathan Birch, Tim Murphy, Billy Chapel, Peter Gordon and the late Robert Wagenhoffer. We produced the Warner Brothers show entitled “Looney Tunes on Ice’, and ‘Batman and Robin in the Big Freeze’, plus the ‘Magic of MGM.’ Working with these two major studios was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I learned a lot.”

I asked Minnie what her favorite part of her job there was. She said, “Working with the talent. The skaters were extraordinary…the very best. I had seen ‘Cinderella –Frozen in Time’ and was thrilled to have most of those skaters and the choreographers on board. I saw Dorothy Hamill as Cinderella in Los Angeles. How fabulous she was. It was an honor to be a part of something that she has been a part of. It was the best time for me and I was sad when Capades closed- still am.”

 

As you can imagine, with fifty-five years of friendships, a reunion in Vegas has to be a huge event filled with laughter and tears. People came from as far away as Norway and Australia to attend. “The reunion experience of taking you back in time to that ‘place’ has always exceeded my expectations and this time was no exception,” said former principal skater and performance director, David Nickel. He went on to say, “the greatest part of the reunion is the feeling you get from running into all of these people at the same time.”

 

The reunion started out on Sunday evening at the Flamingo pool for a cocktail party that was not to end there. In true Capades fashion, the party moved on to other bars until the early hours of the morning. I think a few of us even slept at the pool instead of our rooms! The next morning, there was a “Cast Photo” out on the lawn. What a fun meeting place and a snapshot that will last forever in our hearts and minds- not to mention film! Here is where just about 500 people gathered to “flex” and smile in true Capades fashion. Not only did we take a photo with everyone in attendance, but we also took decade photos so that we could keep track of each segment of history. Next up was the pool gathering. The organizers reserved an entire section of chairs, which are like high end real estate, at the pool. There was even a security guard that made sure no ‘random’ people snuck into our section. This was an informal gathering but was my favorite part. We sunbathed, swam, talked, ate, drank and reminisced all day long. I ended up taking a much needed nap (and I know others did as well) right in my chair.

 

Now it was time to get ready for the Gala Dinner that was held in the Sunset ballroom of the Flamingo Hotel. The dress was formal so as you can imagine, the sequins, glitter and diamonds all came out.  The table decorations were beautiful and the food, served buffet style, was exquisite. There were many vintage show posters and memorabilia displayed at the entrance. Willy Bietak and Cathy Steele Bietak donated (for display) a set of twenty-five Ice Capades Dolls that were used for advanced publicity for the shows many years ago. The dolls wore original costumes from the show and each traveled with its own trunk. They also had many original costume sketches from the original designers on display. It was like taking a step back in time when we entered the banquet hall.

 After dinner was served, the festivities began. The key speakers were Denise Eby, Greg Bonin, Jojo Starbuck, Ken Shelley and Terry Head. The intro speakers included, Don Watson, Julie Patterson, John Nicks, and Sarah Kawahara. The event was hosted by Olympic Silver medalist Peter Carruthers who was once a star of the show with his sister Kitty.

A few of the Performance Directors that were in attendance were Julie Patterson, Roxanne Watson, Dolly Pierce, Debbie Hummel Matthews, and Joan Catlin Napolitano.

 

A video of photos was played on a huge screen after the speakers were finished. Music was played and tears rolled. Memories that we all shared during the fifty-five year run were encompassed in film and music. It is hard to express the emotions that arise when you look back in time to hundreds of friends that are each a piece of such an incredible part of your life experience. Next, a, very emotional moment where we all stood and shouted out the names of our friends who were not longer with us, followed by a moment of silence, took place.  Of course the party did not end there. The hotel bar was full of life (and Capades people) all night- and morning- long.

 

As David Nickel put it, “I can’t imagine another place (Las Vegas) that is more perfectly suited to hold a reunion like this. It has everything we need.” I have to agree. Vegas has everything for everyone twenty-four-seven.  

This was my first reunion and definitely not my last. I had a blast seeing everyone and enjoying old friendships. I can’t wait until the next one in five years!

I want to leave you with a few quotes that encompass the overall feeling of the 65th Anniversary of Ice Capades reunion.

 

  • “Although the Ice Capades may not be around for audiences to enjoy, it still lives and breathes in the people who were a part of it.” Sylvia Froescher

  • “The reunion had the same magic to it as the last one five years ago. It is because of the wonderful people that attended and the deep friendships that were formed.” Paula Trujillo

  • “I’ve never skated (came from the dance world) and I fell in love with the skating. I hope that during my time in Ice Capades I was able to honor the talent and the projects with integrity. I miss Ice Capades. I think we all do.” Minnie Madden

  • “In how many other companies can you go from a truck driver to company manager?” Greg Letourneau 

  • “Ice Capades was the best time of my life. I have so many fond memories that are very dear to my heart. I wouldn’t have changed that time in my life for anything. It was the ‘Best of Times.’” Sue ‘Packy’ Packard

 

Craig Heath

 

Robin Cousins- The Eternal Showman
by Craig Heath
 From Callback Newspaper.

Winning the Olympic Gold medal at the Lake Placid games in 1980 was just the beginning for this extremely gifted skater, singer, dancer, artist and writer. When Robin Cousins was a child, all he wanted was to be a song-and-dance man. Skating was just an extracurricular activity that he did while growing up in the United Kingdom. Obviously, skating became a larger part of his life, and Robin showed great promise in the frozen sport. He was able to use his passion for dancing and music and bring them into a new forum-figure skating. "When I was a kid, I wanted to be Gene Kelley; not a skater" he said with a chuckle. Robin won the hearts of skating fans all over the world with his beautiful jumps, spins, layout back-flips and musical choreography. His innate sense of style brought him many perfect scores and set him far above the rest of the pack. He turned professional in 1980 and continued to perform in shows and competitions for the next twenty years, until the year 2000 when he decided to retire. "I ended up retiring with 'Holiday on Ice' in Europe, the same company that I started with twenty years earlier," he said. "I was lucky that I had other projects that I was working on at that point because it made the transition much easier. I had enough of triples, and back-flips and everything just fell into place."

During the twenty years that Robin was a professional skater, he also took singling lessons and hoped to someday achieve his dream of being in the theater. He wanted to be hired because he was right for the job, not because he had an Olympic gold medal. That day finally came when he was asked to audition for Gillian Lynn for the hit musical "Cats." "Auditioning for Gillian was amazing," he exclaimed. "Then I had a second callback with Cameron Macintosh. One half hour later, I was on the tube, and I had a call from my agent telling me that I had the job!"

Robin performed in "Cats" for two and a half years. Four months in each city. "It was the most difficult thing I had ever done, but I learned so many things about another side of performing, " he said. Then immediately after finishing his run of "Cats," he went on to portray Frank 'N' Furter in the twenty-fifth anniversary tour of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show." "Putting on fishnets, make-up, stilettos and a wig every night was a riot,"he said with a giggle. "I skated in the show. I would come out on stage and do little skating tricks in my stilettos. It was a great challenge. I loved it."

In addition to performing, Robin has choreographed nine large-scale skating productions and directed three. Six of them were for "Holiday on Ice" in Europe, and three of them were for Feld Entertainment in the US. He also creates his own projects with his own company, Cousins Entertainment that is located in his hometown of Brighton, England.

Just when you think he has done it all, Robin goes in another direction and takes on a new challenge. "I just wrote a children's book entitled, 'Adventures in Frostavia.' It is published by the 'Book Guild' and will be on the shelves as of October 1, 2004," he said. "The story is set in winter land, and there is skating in it, but it is not a skating story. I'm really excited because I have a book signing at Harrods department store in London next week!"

I have worked with Robin over the last sixteen years and performed in three of his ice shows. His enthusiasm for skating has inspired me on many different levels. He is a perfectionist, but he also brings in the human aspect. He can relate to performers in many different ways to bring out the best in each person. I asked him what might be his next goal in life. He said, "I would love to go back on the stage. If another opportunity comes up, I would do it in a minute. I absolutely love to perform."

 

Chack "Attack"
by Craig Heath

From Callback Newspaper.

 

Michael Chack turned pro after the US National championships in 1999. His titles include, US Bronze medalist, Olympic Festival champion and World University Games champion. The last six years as a professional skater have been an incredible ride for this high achiever. I asked Michael why he decided to turn pro and not continue in the amateur ranks. He said, "I had suffered too many injuries towards the end of my career. I was not happy training anymore and I knew that I would never be a World champion, besides the fact that I was getting older!"

Holiday on Ice in Europe would soon be Michael's calling. "Skating in 'Holiday on Ice'  has been the best five years of my life. I am enjoying the love of skating again. I have concentrated on technique and artistry and have become a more all around skater," he said. Not one to stay in one place for very long, tour life seems to be the perfect match for him. "I get bored in one place, "he said. "The more travel the better. It feels like a new adventure every week when we travel from city to city."

I asked what the worst part of traveling was and he said, "I hate living out of a suitcase!"

Michael's greatest skating moment happened at the Skate America International competition where he skated his absolute best and achieved a standing ovation from the entire crowd in the arena. "I will always go back and watch that tape," he said. "I didn't win, but I skated exactly how I had always wanted and trained to do."

Michael resides in New York City when he is not on tour in Europe. He said that he will settle in New York once he is finished touring. "I prefer New York to settle down, " he said. "Although, I love Europe because it is full of culture, charm, class ad old-world beauty."

His most embarrassing moment happened during a performance when the crotch of his pants totally split open. "I had to skate off the ice backwards, "he said. "The wardrobe lady was frantically sewing my crotch up backstage while the skaters and the audience were all wondering what happened to me!"

I asked Michael if he still gets nervous while performing, even though he is not competing anymore. "Absolutely," he exclaimed. "I think it is good to be nervous because that means you care about what you are doing. I am always nervous." When asked how he deals with the nerves, he said, "Being out on the ice and being aggressive. Attacking the performance." He went on to say, "I learned this as a professional but I really wish that I had learned it as an amateur. If I knew then what I know now, I would have been a better competitor and probably more successful and an amateur."

This young man has a very bright future ahead of him. Choreographing for other shows and skaters is a passion of his, along with traveling, music, photography and hotel management. He would also like to get back in to commercial print work, catalogue work and modeling, all of which he dabbled in while still training. He plans to continue performing until the enjoyment is gone and his body can't do it any longer. I asked him if there was anything that he regrets or would change in his past. He said, "No!" and then went on to say, "I have made a lot of mistakes in my life, but at the same time, these mistakes were the right decisions in my mind. I learned from them and grew as a skater, performer and person." Go Chack, Attack!

 

Elvis Stojko- King of the Ice   

From Callback Newspaper.
 

 

Elvis Stojko is a seven time Canadian champion, Two time Olympic silver medalist, and three time World Figure Skating champion. He has transcended the sport with his athletic and very masculine style and has now turned Pro to further his artistic elements. I have skated with and competed against Elvis many times. He was always a truly sincere competitor who would not only command attention on the ice, but off the ice as well. I recently sat down with Elvis and asked him a few questions. The following Q&A is what transpired.

Craig: I understand that you turned Pro and then reinstated to compete in ISU competitions but then turned Pro again. What was the impetus in your decision to be a Pro and not continue to compete in eligible competitions?

Elvis: I had decided to compete last year, however in September of 2003 I contracted a virus of some kind.  I was tired and sleepy all the time and had no energy.  The doctor said that it was not mono and we never figured out what it was.  I could only skate for about 10 to 15 minutes and I would have no energy.  Even after I stopped training, it took me about a month and a half to get my energy back.  So I decided to rest and enjoy my life with other things.  It was a tough decision to make.

CH: You are an extremely accomplished athlete on many different levels. What is the secret to your longevity and success in skating?

ES: I have always been active in other sports.  Even during the off season I would be doing something physical to stay in shape. When I was training, I would always listen to my body and if something did not feel right I would not push.  This helped me from getting injuries more often.

CH: What is your motivation to keep performing as a pro figure skater? I mean, when you are tired and just not wanting to go into the rink to train, what gets you there?

ES: I have a deep passion for excellence in whatever I do.  This passion gets me to the rink or gets me up when I'm tired.  If I have a job to do, I make sure I get it done to the best of my abilities.

CH: What is your most memorable moment in skating?

ES: My most memorable moment was when I made the world team for the first time in 1990.  I had not made the Canadian championships the year before, so I worked my butt off and got myself to Canadians the next year-and all the way to Worlds.  The fans were standing 30 seconds before the end of my routine and I could not hear the music.  It was awesome.

CH: What is your funniest or most embarrassing moment in skating?

ES: I was on the Champions on Ice tour one year and we were in St. Louis.  We were taking two buses to the next city.  I got on one bus, then told Jerod not to leave me behind since I was getting off to grab some food for the trip.  We still had about 8 minutes, but they left anyway and they did not realize I was gone until about 2 hours into the trip.  I had to fly to the next city and I got there within 30 minutes of the show.  Jerod felt bad about totally forgetting about me.

CH: What goes through your mind right before you are going to compete? How do you deal with your nerves?

ES: When I was competing, all I had on my mind was two key points to focus on.  No more than two, you have to keep it simple.  These two points were for my jumps.  They were related to every jump in the program.  It could be an arm position, a timing issue, or hip position.  Anything related to the success of the jump.  I would focus on just being aware of what my body was doing and tried not to force anything, Allow the movement to happen.  As for the nerves, I would make sure that the nerves would not take me over.  I have a breathing technique that I would control this with.

CH: If you had one sentence to inspire people with, what would it be?

ES: Follow your instincts and your heart, they will always lead you in the right direction, you just have to learn to understand what they are saying.

Thank you Elvis. It was a pleasure talking with you and learning more about you as a skater and a person.

 

Sasha Cohen - Art on Ice
 From Callback Newspaper.
 


Sasha Cohen is one of the worlds most dynamic and creative skaters to date. At the young age of 19, she already has a World Silver Medal, a Grand Prix Final Championship and a US National Silver Medal under her belt. Originally from Southern California, Sasha now resides in New York City, where she trains with coach Robin Wagner, the same coach helped Sarah Hughes earn Olympic Gold in Salt Lake City. Sasha has some of the most unique and flexible spins in the world, not to mention precision perfect jumps. I recently sat down to chat with Sasha in Sun Valley, Idaho.
 
Craig: When I watch you skate, I see an extremely professional skater. What made you concentrate on all of the details that many other skaters neglect to focus on?
 
Sasha: I am a perfectionist. If my program is not right, I will put the music on and do it over and over again, until it is just right. When I was young I did gymnastics, so I had to concentrate on my flexibility all the time. My mother always stretched me too. I was also very inspired by watching Nicole Bobek do her spirals.
 
Craig: I know that you grew up in Los Angeles and just recently moved to the East Coast. What inspired you to make such a dramatic change?
 
Sasha: Coaching. I first moved to Connecticut to train with Tatiana Tarasova and then I moved to New York to train with Robin Wagner.
 
Craig: Do you like living on the East Coast? Do you miss California?
 
Sasha: I really miss California during the winter, but I absolutely love New York City.
 
Craig: What was your first Olympic Experience (in Salt Lake City) like for you?
 
Sasha: The opening ceremonies were amazing. I really liked competing with other athletes (not just ice skaters). I also enjoyed the huge amount of attention that the world gives to the Olympics.
 
Craig: You are such a flexible skater. Do you take dance classes? Pilates? Yoga?
 
Sasha: I used to do Pilates and now I just stretch everyday. When I was younger I did ballet and I would like to take dance classes again.
 
Craig: Do you think that you will turn Professional someday?
 
Sasha: Eventually I will turn Pro. I want to compete as long as I am physically able.
 
Craig: Describe your perfect day.
 
Sasha: A perfect Cappuccino, a walk around NYC with friends and family, a massage/spa treatment, a shopping spree, then a great dinner with friends or family.
 
Craig: What are your goals in skating? Life?
 
Sasha: In life, my goals are to be happy and to accomplish as much as I can to challenge myself. In skating, I want to be the best that I can be; to put out perfect performances and to see how long I can skate while continuing to improve in this sport.
 
Craig: What is your absolutely favorite element to do in skating?
 
Sasha: A super fast scratch spin.
 
Craig: This is my last and favorite question to ask. What is the funniest or most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you?
 
Sasha: I had a five minute warm up at a competition and I had to run to the bathroom in the middle of it. Everyone was wondering where I was going as I was running off the ice!
 
Craig: Thank you Sasha. I will continue to watch you work your magic on the ice and inspire people all over the world.

Amber Corwin's American life
From Callback Newspaper.
 
 

At age twenty-five, Amber Corwin is sitting on top of the world and living the American life to the hilt. Residing in the sunny town of Hermosa Beach, California, Amber has accomplished more than most skaters her age. She is the current ISU Four Continents bronze medalist, a current 2004 US National medalist, and has competed in a multitude of international events all over the globe. After eleven years on the US National team and eight years on the US international team, the bright eyed skater trains in her sport just about everyday of the year and is also about to graduate from California State University of Long Beach with a degree in fashion merchandising and business marketing.

 Just recently, Amber was invited to perform in Tom Collins Champions on ice tour in her home area of Los Angeles, California. I asked her how it felt to perform in one of the most prestigious skating shows in the world, " I was extremely nervous because skating in that show has been a dream of mine since I started skating" she said. " In my eyes it was like seeing a lifelong fantasy come into fruition. I was able to 'keep my cool' because of the family like atmosphere backstage between the cast and crew along with all of my friends and family in the audience supporting me and cheering me on," she continued.

At a time when ice skaters seem to be getting younger and younger, Amber's age of twenty-five is now considered on the higher side of the age scale. "I feel that with age comes wisdom," she commented. "I feel that I can use my life experiences in a positive way and incorporate them into my choreography and expression. I am not putting on an act- I am showing real emotions and expressions in my skating. With my age I can add a class and sophistication that can only come through years of experience," she explained.

Every skater has a "most embarrassing" moment and of course I had to ask Amber what hers was. "Dick Button said on National television that my layback spin looked like a dog's leg straddling a fire hydrant!", she exclaimed. Then she went on to say, "that definitely pushed me to improve my position."

Multitasking is just the day in the life of this California girl. Along with training, school responsibilities and traveling, Amber is one of only three North American delegates to the International Skating Union (ISU). This means that she is an ambassador between athletes, officials and council members. " I express the athlete's opinions of our sport to the ISU officers. We meet two times a year for discussions," she said. " I was also just named the athlete on the ISU technical committee so that I can help to decide the rules for competitions," she continued.

After her skating career which she hopes will lead her to compete in the 2006 winter Olympics and then a professional career on a skating tour, Amber wants to be a stylist for different films and fashion magazine photo shoots. She also hopes to open her own image consulting business.

I asked Amber to describe her perfect day in detail. She went on to say," my perfect day would be to wake up at my beach house, walking to Pilates class while drinking a double tall, nonfat, extra hot latte with two raw sugars from Starbucks, listening to Sting, followed by a game of beach volleyball, lunch at an outside cafe with friends, a sushi dinner, going to a Madonna concert in the evening and finally sitting in a nice, quaint martini lounge with Diana Krall playing in the background." That sounds like the perfect American life, and a little piece of heaven.

 

   Jumpin' Joe- Ice Rocker    
From Callback Newspaper.
 

At the 1984 Olympics, Jozef Sabovcik showed the world that he was in the highest echelon of figure skating's elite by capturing the Bronze medal in the men's event. That was just the beginning for this extremely talented young man who has performed all over the world, captivating audiences with his remarkable jumping ability and rock star charisma. I have had the great fortune to skate with Jozef many times over the past eight years and I am still amazed when I watch him jump. His close competitor, Scott Hamilton even gave Jozef the nickname "Jumpin' Joe" when he was commentating an event many years ago.

At the age of six, Jozef's grandmother took him skating at a public session in his native country of Slovakia. "My parents didn't even know that I was skating for two weeks," he said. Born into a family of prima ballerinas, Jozef quickly mastered the jumps and spins that would one day make him famous.
 
Now at the age of forty, Jozef is still on top of his game. "I don't feel forty. I don't approach it in that way," he said. " My generation of skaters are all about the same age and are still skating. It is a state of mind," he continued. To prove to himself that he can still skate better than ever, he goes to the ice rink and lands a quadruple toe loop jump every year on his birthday.

Bruce Springstein has been a tremendous inspiration to Jozef for many years. He often skates to songs by the popular artist and has even met Bruce in person. "I skated to the Bruce Sprinstein song ‘Trapped' in a competition and it was the first song that kind of marked the way I was going to skate," he said. That was the first time that he skated in Jeans and a T-shirt and got 10's for his performance. Needless to say that this style has stuck with him and become one of his trademarks.

I asked the greatest jumper in the world what he thinks of when his is doing a jump. "I think about the feeling that I have in the jump and technical things," he said. " The entire jump takes little over half a second and you can only think of one thing during that time. Once you land a jump for the first time, your body totally knows how to do it. It is just your head that messes you up."

Not a competitive person by nature, Jozef continues to push the envelope of skating. He performs a layout backflip that is outstanding in height and beauty. "I'm inner motivated. I like to do things for myself," he said. " I am competitive with myself. I never liked competitions. I want to prove to myself that I can still do it just for myself."
      
When asked how he stays in shape, Jozef said with a chuckle, "I honestly don't know. I only skate about forty-five minutes a day, five times a week and I don't work out. I simply maintain what I already have!"

Family life is the most important thing to Jozef.  He has a wife, Jennifer who he met nine years ago in Sun Valley, Idaho where he performs every summer, and two son's, Blade (12) and Jozef (1). They now reside in Bountiful, Utah where he teaches skating and trains for upcoming performances all around the world.

 

 

"Ice Gold" Interview with Brian Boitano.
From Callback Newspaper.
 
 

Brian Boitano is not only a National, World, Olympic and Professional Champion, but he is also a creative force in the sport of Figure Skating. I had the great pleasure of talking with him about his life, the Olympics, and Pro Skating.

Craig Heath: Your work ethic is unparalleled. Have you been that way since you were a child, or did you grow into it?

Brian Boitano: I was always first on the ice and last off from the very beginning. At the end of every session they used to honk the Zamboni at me to get me off the ice when I was little.

CH: I remember you telling me how your Olympic Gold medal performance felt to you. I will never forget what you said. Would you mind sharing it with our readers?

BB: I was totally in the zone and I knew nothing could take me out of that place if I focused on staying there. That was the challenge. Before the music even started I noticed golden gates coming up slowly on the ice. They were positioned like grids. I knew that they were there to remind me to stay in the moment. As I went through one gate(jumps) I could then think of the next. That is only one of the many things that I remember about those 4 1/2 minutes. Another thing that still amazes me is that if you ask me to this day what I was thinking at any moment during that program, I could tell you exactly and in great detail. It is branded in my memory. I felt so much divine help that night. It was so profound and life altering.


CH: You are one of the most consistent performers that I have ever known. How do you maintain such quality and consistency all the time?

Linda Leaver (Brian's Coach/Manager): By being a pain in the ass perfectionist and practicing all the time.  

BB: I think that consistency is based on good technique and good conditioning.

CH: You were elevated into pop culture when the makers of South Park used your likeness in their South Park movie. You were the only character that was portrayed in a positive way in the movie. How did you feel about them using you?

BB: At first I was nervous, and then I was flattered.

CH: Usually, in the skating world, skaters tend to change coaches from time to time during their career. You and your coach Linda Leaver have not only been working together since you were a child, but you are still together after all these years. That is almost unheard of. How have you maintained such a great relationship?

BB: I would quit, but I can't get a word in edgewise.

CH: Who are your role models?

BB: Terry Kubicka was my role model. He was such a great skater. I am still in awe of him.

CH: Professional skating has taken beating over the last few years, but I still think that this is just a phase and that pro skating will flourish in the future. How do you feel about this topic?

BB: I think it may take a long time, because the feeder for the pros (the amateur world) has tried to kill pro skating off and in the process has killed themselves off. We need some visionary leaders in both the amateur and pro world.

CH: I know that you just turned 40, but you are still as fit as ever. You have really changed our sport by winning an Olympic gold medal and then maintaining your high level of skating. Before you, skaters used to lower their level once they started doing shows. What made you continue to push the limits in the sport?

BB: I wasn't ready to turn pro in 1988 because I felt I had so much more in me to develop both technically and artistically...so when I made the decision to turn pro, I also decided to try to accomplish those same goals in the pro world.

CH: Besides skating, you have other projects in the works, and your own company. Please tell us about some of your projects.

BB: White Canvas, my production company, has its 8th Skating Spectacular scheduled to air on January 1 on NBC with special musical guest LeAnn Rimes. In addition, I will be skating in a tribute to Andrea Bocelli in November, also to be aired on NBC.  I have a number of preproduction irons in the fire, but these projects often take a long time TO COME TO FRUITION. The Andrea Bocelli project was three years in the making.

CH: What are your future plans?

BB: Who knows? I'm taking each year one at a time.

CH: Thank you Brian, not only for doing this interview, but for all that you have given to pro skating. You are an incredible person and inspiration!
 

Book Review
Ice Cream- Thirty of the most interesting skaters in history
By Toller Cranston and Martha Lowder Kimball
 

Toller Cranston is a Canadian figure skating legend and a true original. He was six-time Canadian men's skating champion and winner of the bronze medal at the 1976 Winter Olympic Games. He is also a visual artist of international repute and has shows all over the world. I have worked with Toller on several occasions and have to say that he is one of a kind. In his latest book, Ice Cream, he displays his flamboyant personality and his outspoken opinions to the highest degree.

The skaters included in the twenty-five chapters in this book all made a noticeable impact on the skating world, but most importantly, in the world of Toller Cranston. The skating world has many outspoken characters within it's perimeters, but none so infamous as Toller. He has the ability to be honest in the face of severe penalty. This book is a true example of this.

Just as the title implies, these are thirty of the most "interesting" skaters (according to Toller) in history. This does not necessarily mean that these skaters are well liked. To give and example, he listed Tonia Harding, who he gave the chapter title "A New Low for Figure Skating." He describes her as "an unusual specimen within the ladies' ranks" due to her "physical strength and athleticism of a male." He goes on to say, "she sounded like a brainwashed cult victim" during interviews before the Lillehammer Olympics.

 

In Dorothy Hamill's chapter, entitled "Eyes Wide Shut" Toller talks about Dorothy's bad choice of men and business practices, but he definitely praises her in the following statement, "her star has twinkled above the skating world for several decades...she has given more pleasure and love to the American public than practically any other skater I can name."

 

This book is honest to the point of cruelty (in some cases), but definitely a must read for skaters and fans alike. Sometimes I found myself laughing out loud, and other times I was diving for cover. All facts aside, I learned a great deal about Thirty of figure skatings most notable celebrities and I gained a new appreciation for the fascinating mind of Toller Cranston. In the words of his co-author Martha Lowder Kimball, "Take your blood-pressure medicine, and begin reading." I heartily agree.

Surya Bonaly: Vegas Ice Queen



You may know Surya Bonaly as the French girl with the backflip, but did you know she is now an American citizen and lives in Vegas? At age 30, Surya has captivated the world with her athletic style and her originality on the ice. Some of her many credits include being a 3-time World Silver Medalist, 9-time French champion and 5-time European champion. In the first season of the hit series "Will and Grace," Surya was elevated into American pop culture when all of the characters of the show went to see the Tom Collins "Champions on Ice" show, where Surya was performing. "Grace" was infatuated with Surya and couldn't wait to see her do her backflip. She also commented on Surya's blue eyeshadow.

When I asked Surya what she thought about being on the show, she replied: "It was very funny. They could have picked someone else, but they picked me. I kept cracking up about the blue eyeshadow joke. I used to wear blue eye shadow to match a particular skating dress a long time ago. I loved the episode. It was very funny."

Surya started skating when she was one and a half years old along with doing gymnastics. Her mother was a sports teacher and volunteered in a sports club so it was like kindergarten for her. When she was 12, she was on the National team for both skating and gymnastics, and at 16 she decided to focus solely on skating. Her gymnastics skills helped her to transform women's figure skating into a more athletic sport. She is the only person to do the "Bonaly Backflip," which requires her to split her legs in the air and land on one foot.

Surya has also had her fair share of hardship when she not only snapped her Achilles tendon once, but she later snapped the other one. 10 months off the ice both times was hard for the overachieving skater. Her recovery has been difficult but being a true champion, Surya has bounced back to performing at a very high level. She also teaches skating in Las Vegas as well as Lake Arrowhead, CA, where she owns a second home. Teaching skating has become another passion that she wants people to know about. "I wish that I could be more involved in the Vegas skating community," she commented. "Not just because I live there but because of what I have to offer the young skaters. I hope to use my knowledge as a high level athlete and performer to inspire the skaters in Vegas. Most people don't know that I teach, as they think I am just practicing for upcoming performances."

This Fourth of July was her first as an American citizen and she is very proud to live not only in the U.S., but also in Las Vegas. "I think more American now," she said. "I feel like a foreigner when I go back to France. I don't know about anything that is going on there--I just speak French."

When I asked her how she chose Vegas as her home, she replied, "I was training in other U.S. cities, but then I went to Vegas to practice and I loved the weather so I started looking for a home right away."

One very funny Surya moment occurred when she landed her first quad toe loop in competition and then proceeded to fall on her stomach and slide forward. "I was so excited," she exclaimed, "and I raised my arms up to say 'yippee', then I tripped and landed on my tummy and said 'oops' but I got up and did not miss a beat of the music."

Q&A taken from Professional Figure Skating 2001-2002 magazine.
PFSC President Craig Heath interviews one of skating's living legends:
Peggy Fleming

Craig Heath: In what ways do you think Professional Skating has grown since you turned pro?

 

Peggy Fleming: There are so many more opportunities today than in the 60's when I turned pro. After I won the Olympics, there were 2 options, the ice shows or teach. Today, there are pro competitions, TV specials, and chances to choreograph, or produce events. And of course, the ice shows have been replaced by Stars on Ice and the World Champions Tour. I credit the vision of several men with the blossoming of the pro skating world. Dick Button would be the first. He was a pioneer in pro competitions, and he knew exactly what he wanted. The tradition, love and quality he has put into his events have set the standard for a quarter of a century. Tom Collins idea of what a skating tour should be was the basis for the World Champions tour, and Scott Hamilton developed Stars on Ice into a breeding ground for choreography and artistic intent. Both these tours are what every skater aims for in their pro careers. I think our sport will always need the driving force of strong, creative personalities to make it stretch and branch out.

 

CH: You have been so involved in figure skating and have been such a positive role model for millions of people worldwide. How does that make you feel?

 

PF: Great. Sometimes it feels like a big responsibility, but I'm grateful for everything that it has given to me.

 

CH: When you think of your skating career and all of the things that it has given to you, what stands out most in your mind?

 

PF: Probably the confidence that skating gives to me. That confidence has given me courage in the face of a lot of different challenges over the last 4 decades. Skating was the basis for everything that has followed in my career. It gave me the ability to excel.

 

CH: When you are commentating, I have always admired your positive outlook on the skaters that are performing. What is your objective when you are in the position to influence millions of people viewing the event on television?

 

PF: I've always felt that being a commentator is a cross between a judge and a coach. I try to be honest in my commentary, but I want the criticism to be constructive. When I'm on the air I'm trying to analyze what's happening on the ice, but I'm also trying to paint a bigger picture about the skater....give the audience a framework to understand what's happening. I'm so lucky that I work with the on-air team that I do, Terry Gannon, Dick, Peter Carruthers, and Suzie Wynne. Each one of them is passionate about doing the best job they can. That's very inspiring to be around.

 

CH: Your battle with breast cancer and your inspirational way of dealing with it has helped so many women deal with the issue themselves. What is your ultimate goal in speaking publicly about your life and cancer?

 

PF: It's been therapeutic for me to share my cancer story. I do a lot of public speaking now, and about half of my appearances are for hospitals or medical foundations. Meeting so many courageous people across the country has been very inspiring for me and I hope it's been the same for them. My big message is early detection.....for all types of cancer. I really want people to pay attention and take charge of their health.

 

CH: How has having breast cancer changed, or not changed, you as a person?

 

PF: Well, it's certainly reminded me that I'm not invincible! Bad things can happen to any of us. The key is how you handle it and grow from the challenge. I hope I'm more compassionate now, about others facing serious health crises. It's also changed my attitude towards my day to day existence. I think I'm not as driven as I once was, and I'm appreciating my life more.

 

CH: I know that you have always taken very good care of your body by eating right and working out. What inspiring words do you have for the people reading this article?

 

PF: Life is unscripted. Anything can and will happen, but remember that every challenge is an opportunity. I honestly think that the good times in my life have given me confidence, but the bad times have given me strength.

 

CH: With the Olympics coming up, and particularly because they are being held in the USA, what new and exciting projects are you involved in?

 

PF: Since NBC has these Olympics, and I'm exclusive to ABC, I won't be there for commentating duties. I will be in Salt Lake on behalf of GM, Hallmark, and American Express, though. I hope I'll get to see a lot of the skating, but it's always great to be at the Olympics for any reason.

 

CH: Is there anything that stands out in your mind as the most influential and inspiring moment in professional figure skating history?

 

PF: There are just too many to name.

 

CH: I was talking with world, Olympic and professional figure skating choreographer, Brian Wright and I asked him what inspired him to skate when he was a kid. His answer was that he saw you do spread eagle, double axel, spread eagle in the 1968 Grenoble Olympics and he wanted to do that. He wanted to do spread eagles. He can still see your spread eagles in his mind just like it was yesterday. Your influence has inspired people in more ways than you will ever know. How does that make you feel?

 

PF: I'm so flattered that some skaters are still inspired by my skating, It's amazing after 33 years!

 

CH: What is your favorite thing about skating, particularly professional skating? I mean, what keeps you interested and inspired?

 

PF: My favorite thing about skating is when they "get it." Sometimes a skater will go along for years, not seeing the big picture. Then, suddenly, a light bulb goes on, and their performance completely changes. I love seeing that in Olympic eligible or pro skating. It's almost as if they hear the music for the first time.......or see the audience for the fist time. That's what keeps me interested....sudden inspiration...and I love the creativity of our sport.

 

CH: Is there anything else that you want to tell our readers?

 

PF: Don't get lost in the tunnel vision of figure skating. Explore every avenue you can, art, music, literature, dance. You never know where your inspiration is going to come from! Look to the past and the present....and maybe you'll inspire the future generation.

Title: Interview with Kristi Yamaguchi
by Craig Heath
Taken from Professional Figure Skating Magazine   

CH:  Kristi, you have been a professional skater for ten years now. How do you think pro skating has changed over that time?

KY: Pro skating seems to have gone through a lot of changes. First the giant wave we rode during '94-'97 Lots of TV interest in that time and many opportunities to skate. many different types of shows and pro competitions to take part in. The creative side of pro skating seems to continue to push the limits.

CH:  You are one of the most consistent skaters around. How do you keep so focused under pressure? Do you get nervous? How do you deal with all of the pressure you are under?

KY: Up to this point in my life, skating has been the focus, I have had a whole lot of support throughout my career. From my parents, to Christy Ness, to my husband, and IMG.Their support has helped me focus on what my job is on the ice. On what I need to do to be prepared for the various events that I do.I guess that I can deal with the pressure because I really enjoy what I do, and feel fortunate

 

CH:   After touring with Stars on Ice for ten years, was it hard to say good-bye? What was your last year like?

KY: It was hard to say Good-bye. Stars was my life and extended family for ten years, some of my closest friends are from Stars. I will miss the camaraderie and closeness of the skaters, crew and everyone who works on the tour. My last year was so much fun. The special part was being able to skate pairs again. Denis Petrov was such a great friend to partner me. It was really the last wish I had had as a skater. Because of that, it made it a little easier to take the final bow.

 

CH:  Have you been able to settle down at all? I mean, actually put your clothes away into a closet and drawers rather than pack them into a suitcase?

KY: This summer was still very busy. Now Bret, my husband, and I are settled in Raleigh, NC. where he is playing hockey.  This fall is still a bit busy with a few TV shows, but after December, I'll really be able to unpack.

 

CH:  What are your future skating plans?

KY: I'm skating in Kodak's Salute to Gold to air on NBC Dec., Divas, and Brian Boitano's Holiday Spectacular to air on NBC Jan. 1st. Beyond that, I'm not sure what I'll be doing.

 

CH:  In the past year, it seems like you have been more open to working with different choreographers. What inspired you to do that now?

KY: I think when I listen to different types of music, I see a specific style. After being pro for a while and being exposed to different choreographer's style, I lean to the one who's style fits the music.

 

CH:  While you were growing up, did you ever imagine that you would be a model? How do you feel in front of the camera?

KY: Not at only 5'1." But I have always loved fashion and getting to know and work with some of the designers who use acetate, which I was the spokesperson for, was a thrill.

 

CH:  Please tell us about your fundraisers and charity work.

KY: I did a lot of work with the Make a Wish Found. with Stars on Ice. This work inspired me to start my own foundation-The AlwaysDream Foundation. We help various children's charities in the Bay Area, Nevada, and Hawaii. I was so fortunate and had a lot of support coming up as a skater, that now I want to give other kids who are disadvantaged, the support in inspiration that they need to reach their dreams. We also raised over $350,000 for breast cancer awareness with the skating concert A Golden Moment. Most recently, we have started the Youth Development and Empowerment Program with the Hawaii Centers for Independent Living. Our hope is to give kids with disabilities the power to learn skills to live independently, integrate with other kids, and gain self-esteem. 

 

CH:  I have know you since you were a little girl. You were always such a nice person and you still are. How have you kept fame from changing who you are?

KY: I think my family and friends have had everything to do with keeping me grounded. I am surrounded by so many great people that it has been such a positive influence in my life.

 

CH:   How does it feel to know that you inspire millions of people all over the world?

KY: I think that's a bit exaggerated, but it is a very rewarding and fulfilling feeling knowing that I can be inspiring another to go for their dream. It's kinda full circle because I was inspired by Dorothy Hamill.

 

CH:  What is married life like? Is it what you expected?

KY: It is wonderful. I feel lucky everyday to have met Bret. It's so comforting to know you share future life goals with someone. I think this year being the first year I will be off the road, will be the start of a more normal marriage life.

 

CH:  What is your favorite thing about skating? I mean, what makes you want to go to the rink and practice when you are not in the mood?

KY: The fear of looking horrible at my next performance! And the fact that the creative side of skating has always been an inspiration to me. I love the challenge (and hate it at the same time) of a new routine, new music, choreography.

 

CH:  Is there anything that you want to tell our readers that could inspire them?

KY: We are so lucky to do something we love. Enjoy it, appreciate it, and give something back to it.

 

CH: Thank you Kristi, for being a PFSC member and for supporting our organization. You have been such a wonderful inspiration and we all really appreciate your invaluable support.
 

Book Review  and Interview for Callback Newspaper 

All the Sundays Yet to Come; a skaters journey
by Kathryn Bertine.  Published by Little, Brown & Co



Kathryn has a very pleasant, humorous and interesting style of writing that kept me glued to the seam of the book the entire time. The book is about her experience as a pro skater, her love of skating, and how the very sport she loves created a terrible eating disorder that almost took her life. She paints a not so pretty picture of the pro skating "show" world, but in her beautiful words and her way of looking at life ‘half full' instead of ‘half empty,' she comes around full circle to create a positive life out of the negatives she survived. Her journey starts in her home town of Bronxville, NY and goes back and forth between growing up at a small, quite dingy ice rink near her home, and living in a make up room/trailer touring through South America with a very low budget ice show.

Her ultimate dream was to perform with the Ice Capades and she signed a contract with them in 1997. But the show officially shut down a few days before she was to leave for the tour. With her bags packed and waiting at the front door, she had to reevaluate her life, career and goals. Not knowing much about the show world, she took whatever jobs she could but ended up in some not so desirable circumstances. Kathryn is a very motivated, driven, sincere and goal oriented person who just wanted to perform in ice shows. She wanted to skate to her fullest potential but the jobs that she took put her in precarious positions like skating in big costumes where she was not able to skate, and then skating in G strings with feathers where the scale was a threat every Sunday when the cast had to get weighed-in.  Her winning attitude actually was detrimental to herself and her life when she fought to win the weight loss game. She did "win" the game as she lost 30 lbs. of her already toned and athletic body within a six month period, surviving on things like banana peels and tea.

She finally had to come to terms with herself and her deteriorating body in her lonely hotel room somewhere in South America. She took the bull by the horns and decided to get away from the unhealthy situation that she was involved with and got herself back home, where upon getting off the plane (30lbs lighter) was greeted by her mother who told her how beautiful she looked now.

This book is inspiring and heart wrenching. Her words are haunting, sincere and funny, while telling a tale that is unfortunately all to common among athletes and performers. We can all learn something about this remarkable young lady and how she has turned her life around and is now actively helping other people with similar problems.   

Kathryn lives in Boulder, Colorado where she competes as a high level triathlete and coaches young figure skaters. This is her first book but I'm sure not her last. For more information about Kathryn and to find out where to buy her book, go to www.kathrynbertine.com 
           

Craig Heath: Hello Kathryn. I just read your book, "All the Sundays yet to Come- A Skaters Journey" and I wanted to say congratulations on wonderful piece of work! I really liked your writing style and you inspired me to want to interview you! What made you want to write a book about your not-so-good experiences as a pro skater?

Kathryn Bertine: Thank you, Craig! Well, I guess I tend to think of my book more as a life story than a skating story. I love skating--always have, always will--but I wanted to write about what happens when we set goals, reach them, and then find out that some dreams don't always go as planned. Also, I wanted to fill a void in the area of athletic literature. There are so many books about Olympic champions and there are lots of books about learning to play sports, but there isn't much about all the athletes in between these levels. We middle-grounders needed some representation!

CH: How do you look at pro skating now? Do you see positives along with negatives or do you still shiver when the topic comes up?

KB: A little of both. I think there are wonderful aspects of pro skating, especially the shows where the skaters actually get to skate. Unfortunately, I didn't get that opportunity--I was sentenced to waving and prancing. I don't think we need to sacrifice the athleticism of skating for the artistic element, or vice versa. They can definitely coexist, and I favor ice shows that understand that.  I personally boycott certain ice shows because I do not believe in their weight policies/weigh-in procedures. The last thing we need is more young girls believing that you have to be a skinny stick to reach your dreams. I'll get off my pedestal now. :)

CH: If you could turn back time and change anything in your life, what would it be?

KB: That's a tricky one, as we all know how time travel can potentially derail the future. I've learned a lot of good lessons from all my mistakes. So, I think I'd just go back to my teenage self for a day, give myself a big old hug and say, "Hey, you're gonna be just fine. Don't take any crap from anyone. Stay strong, kid. Oh, and that shirt really doesn't go with those pants."

CH: How does being a triathlete compare to being a figure skater? What did you "steal" from your skating career to use in your new endeavor?

KB: I stole my leg strength from skating and applied it to cycling. Wow! Who knew that skating had such secret powers? Seriously, the two sports are as similar as they are different. The concentration, focus and determination that got me through 4 minute senior ladies freeskate programs is the same energy I use to get me through Ironman triathlons. Only, its about 10 hours longer. Oh, and I don't fall on my butt as often in triathlon. But that feeling of crossing the finish line provides the exact same sensation as nailing a perfect (or semi-perfect) skating program. Everything I loved about the athleticism of skating carried over directly into triathlon. Craig, you should try one someday!

CH: I am totally inspired by motivated people. You inspire me. How has growing up as an athlete with goals made you into the person who you are today?

KB: My gosh, thank you. What a kind thing to say! Growing up as an athlete definitely made me into who I am as a person. Being an athlete is one of those rare and wonderful things you cannot separate from the rest of your life. You can define yourself as a writer, a skater, a spouse, etc., but being an athlete is something that crosses all boundaries and makes every aspect of life better. I love setting goals, having a good grip on time-management, and enjoying the moment. Athleticism taught me how to do all of that. And I learned it all at a little diamond-in-the-rough place called Murray's Rink in Yonkers, NY.

CH: What is your main message to young people, athletes or performers who are afflicted with an eating disorder?

KB: How many pages do I get? :) First, I want people who are suffering to know that they really can get through it. If they want to recover, then they will. Seek counseling and stick with it. There really will come a time when food will not preoccupy your life, and you can actually get through a day without thinking about calories. I wish someone had told me that while I was suffering. I used to think, "There is no way I'll ever be able to eat normally again. This recovery thing is too hard." But slowly and surely, I got better. It took about 3 years, and I'm all the stronger for it. Remember, you need to be strong and healthy to reach any of your goals, especially if you are an athlete. If there is someone in your life who made you feel that you're body was inadequate, try to remember this: That person probably has/had issues about their own body, and is projecting their own feelings onto you. Never let anyone make you feel that your muscles or your weight is a bad thing. Stand up for yourself and be proud of your body. And if anyone still makes you feel bad, let me know so I can send them a piece of my mind. :)

CH:  Sometimes adversity sparks inspiration. Do you think you would have been as motivated as you are today if so many negative things had not happened to you earlier in your life?

KB: You're absolutely right, Craig. Adversity does spark inspiration. I personally feed off of other people's negativity. I use it to my advantage. Every time someone says "you can't" or "that'll never happen" I set out to prove them wrong. Usually, it works! If it doesn't, then at least I know I tried. You can't lose either way. My pro skating career didn't work out the way I planned, but it also opened other doors for me. Now I love triathlon, I love my strong body, and I have a book about the whole experience, so chalk one up for adversity!

CH: In the book, you describe a relationship of conflict and dysfunction with your mother. How is your relationship now? Has it improved or gone the other way since the book was published?

KB: Let's just say that my family is still "digesting" my book. Yes, my teenage/adulthood relationship with my mother was turbulent because we embraced such different ideals of what it means to be a healthy, beautiful woman. I was an athlete, she was an interior decorator. You can see the potential conflict: looking good and feeling good were two separate things. Anyway, I chose to write about our "dysfunction" so that people could see a very important angle of family relationships; that it can be tough to break away from familial influences and to be your own person. I've gotten emails from young girls who have thanked me for helping them through their own similar mother/daughter problems. That makes me feel great. Even though my mother and I are very different, my Mom really is a good person.  She's had a hard time accepting my book, but I think that we can use it as a way to bring us closer in the future. I think we'll get past our issues soon.  

CH: Your writing is excellent. I really enjoy how you use words to tell your stories. Do you plan on writing another book? Is there anywhere else that we can read your work?

KB: Thank you! Yes, I'm working on a new book idea, which still has to go through the rigors of finding a buyer, publisher, etc. But, if it comes through, I'll get to work on it right away. It isn't about skating this time. I'll have a whole explanation up on my website soon, so please check it out! I want to be a writer for the rest of my life, I'm excited to see what doors it will open. In the meantime, I write regularly for Triathlete Magazine and Inside Triathlon, as well as ESPN, HerSports, and UsWeekly. Most of it is journalism without the narrative edge, so its pretty different from my personal style of prose. Oh, and if you'd like to read a chapter of "All the Sundays Yet to Come" I have some samples up on my website. www.kathrynbertine.com

CH: Thank you Kathryn. You were a joy to speak with and I wish you all the best for a wonderful writing career and anything else that you set your mind to.


 

 

The Dynamic Duo

Frank Sweiding and Anita Hartshorn

 

Frank and Anita are two of the hardest working people that I know. In addition to performing in ice shows full time, they also run their own company and they teach skating as much as possible. They are World Professional Pair Champions, United States Professional Champions, US Open Pair Champions, Legends Champions, Lalique International Champions and have won the "Best Presentation" award at the World Pro Championships. I have had the pleasure of working with this dynamic duo over the past 8 years. Now, I have the great pleasure of interviewing them.

 

Craig Heath: You two are very inspiring to me. I mean really, you both work so hard and perform all over the globe-all year round. How long have you been performing together?

 

Frank & Anita: Thank You! We get inspiration from you as well. We both share a joy we get from skating and have know each other most of our lives.  In 1987 we decided to give skating together a try and have been a team ever since. 

 

CH: On top of performing, you also have your own entertainment company. How do you run a company while touring?

 

F&A: First we have great managers that head some of the projects on a day to day basis when we are in another part of the world. We have learned that you cannot do everything so we delegate.  Sometime it's hard to juggle everything, but in the last few years with the Internet and email it has made it a lot easier to keep in touch with people no matter where you are in the World. 

 

CH: You always have very unique skating routines that always have some sort of 'gimmick' that gets the audiences excited. How do you come up with such great ideas?

 

F&A: We put a lot of thought into how we can try to connect with the audience.  We discuss ideas for months and try to consider a wide range of possibilities.  Sometimes what we actually joke about or think might be too over the top actually works the best. 

 

CH: Where do you want to take your career from here?

 

F&A: Our dream is to take our acro/ice show that we produced for Sea World for 8 years to the next level. Extend the show to at least a 90 minute production and have it play  in a venue in Las Vegas or some other place in the world.  Our company Glacier I.C.E., inc., is always looking for new corporate, industrial and theme park clients who want a show that contains ice skating as part of their entertainment. 

 

CH: What is your most well known routine and how did it come about?

 

F&A: We would have to say there are really 2 numbers that people seem to always ask about.  Our Enigma number and our 1492 number.  We where living in Italy for a while when the idea of using masks came to us and skating music to from the group Enigma.  Anita had seen some of Brian Wright's work and thought he should be the one to help us with the piece.  So that year we approached Brain at the US Nationals and he agreed to help us put together the piece.  The other piece came about when a friend suggested a piece of music from the film 1492 "Conquest of Paradise."  He thought this would be a great piece for a pair to skate to.  After listening to the piece we agreed and thought about if for many months.  We decided early on that Frank would play the part of Christopher Columbus -- but we really did not know what to do with Anita.  Then one night while discussing the piece with Brian -- Anita thought of possibly being ship itself -- at moment we all knew we where on to something and then the idea of mast and the sail came very quickly.  The problem then became how to make all of this work within the number itself.  The costume design took much thought, and research as well as practice.

 

CH: Where can we see you perform in the near future?

 

F&A: Our performing schedule is as follows: Now thru April 8 -- At the Sheraton Grande Walkerhill,   Seoul, South Korea;  2 shows nightly with "Magic On Ice", May 14 - 25 -- Performing at the "Sand Castle", on the island of Guam, May 29 -- The Brian Wright Tribute - "A Blanket of Love" in Los Angles at Pickwick Arena
June 12 - September 11 -- Performing and directing the Sun Valley Ice shows in Sun Valley, ID -- for dates and times of the Sun Valley Ice shows you can go to the following website:  http://www.sunvalley.com/resort_rec/iceshow.cfm,
Fall and winter of 2004 -- Performing at the "Sand Castle" on the island of Guam.

 

CH: Most people have their own time to work during the day and then they see each other at night and on weekends. Your situation is a bit unconventional since you are together 99% of the time. You are a great "team" together on and off the ice. Is it hard to live, work and play together all the time? 

 

F&A: We feel very lucky to have managed to work this out so well.  We learned early on that each person needs to be in charge of something and to work as a true partnership.  Frank handles contracts, paperwork, accounting, and so on -- while Anita handles choreography, music, and casting.  

 

CH: What is your secret to success in the entertainment business?

 

F&A: You have to enjoy what it is you do and be committed to the best job possible.  Like most other businesses you have to try to find you niche and put out the best possible product.

 

CH: You have done so many different skating events in your career. What event stands out as the most "fun" of them all?

 

F& A: One of the most fun events we did was "Too Hot To Skate" held on top of the fountains at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.

 

CH: Thank you Frank and Anita. I have always enjoyed your performances and have been honored to work with you on and off the ice. I wish you every success with all of your future endeavors.
 

Life on the Road

by Craig Heath

from Sk8 Talk, column in Callback newspaper

 
A day in the life with Craig "on the road" in Denmark

Living "on the road" can be glamorous, but it can also be challenging. Living out of a suitcase for most of the year presents many challenges/opportunities, depending on how you look at it.
I have been touring the world as a professional ice skater for the last 11 years so I thought I would share some of the inventive and funny ways that I have survived "hotel room hell."
First of all, I Feng Shui the room upon arrival. The photo's, candles, office, stereo, and toiletries all get placed in their new home. They say, "home is where the heart is" so I always make sure to make the hotel room feel just right. To make the room feel larger, try to rearrange the beds into an L shape. Some beds are connected to the floor but some roll free and can be moved. The maids don't really like this but it is really worth it if you are in the room for a while. Make sure to put the beds back when you check out!  Once this is done, I go grocery shopping for the week. I have learned to eat out as little as possible so in my suitcase I carry a burner, pot, frying pan, strainer, bowl, plate and utensils. I can cook just about anything in the room....but I am always careful that I hide the cooking things from the hotel staff. Most hotels don't allow cooking in the room but that is one of the only ways I survive life on the road. If I don't have a mini-bar (that I promptly empty to fill with my groceries) I either use a fold up ice chest or I "bag hang" out the window depending on the weather. There are advantages and disadvantages to both techniques. With the ice chest, I have to get new ice everyday and there is a chance that my food will get all wet. With the bag hanging, I can only do this in cold weather and the sun can spoil everything. I just put the food that needs to stay cold in a plastic bag and hang it out the window (being careful not to drop it on people below).
The bathroom doubles as a kitchen. I always designate one small towel to the dish dryer and I carry a small sponge to wash the dishes. The toilet is the garbage disposal. I wouldn't want to clog up the sink. The free shampoo doubles as dish soap and sometimes as laundry soap!
If the hotel has free breakfast, I always make a "scam" sandwich that I can eat as a snack later. By scam, I just mean that I am getting a free little lunch out of the free breakfast deal. Stock up on the free fruit that they leave at the front desk at some hotels. Pick up condiments at the rest stops along the way. Free little ketchup, mustard, sugar, salt and peppers will come in handy later.
Some hotels get really mad if you have too much food in the garbage. In that case, I have a "scandalistic garbage" that I empty myself so that they will not know from which room it came! Then, I keep the regular garbage in the room so they won't be suspicious.
Stock up on the complimentary stationary, post cards, razors, shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, toothbrushes, etc. Some hotels have them and some don't so get them while you can!
Be sure to carry a multi-plug for those rooms that just don't have enough power for all of your appliances (and Christmas lights).
Here are a couple of ideas from friends of mine. I have not actually done them. One friend has a list of dishes that he can cook with an iron and tin foil. Grilled cheese sandwiches, and steamed veggies just to name a few. Another friend heats up soup in the sink by running hot water over it for a while.
Needless to say, I am sure there are many other hotel room survival techniques but these are just a few of mine.
I wish you many safe and happy travels. May your jobs be plenty and your hotel stays fewer than mine!
Craig

 

 

Brian Wright
by Craig Heath

Brian Wright was an inspiration to everyone who knew him. He had friends far and wide. Last summer, after his passing, Brian's family had a Life Celebration to honor his life and to celebrate all that was Brian. The beautiful event was held in Seattle where Brian lived for most of his life and where he always called "home" no matter what suitcase he was living out of at the time. At the event, people spoke of all the good things....and especially about all of the FUNNY things that Brain did during his life. We watched video's of him at the ice rink creating some of the skating world's all time most interesting and artistically choreographed routines and we watched how serious yet funny he was while doing it.

People read poems and recited letters from Brian and we all had a great time TOGETHER.

Brian created 6 routines for me that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I still have one that we did the summer before his death that I have not performed yet. I will when I am ready.

I knew that I had to work with Brian when I watched a routine that he created for Jeri Campbell called "Primitive." It was (and is) one of the most beautiful pieces that I had ever seen. I can watch Jeri perform it a million times over.

Brian gave me so many gifts during the years that we worked together. He was such an amazing mentor to me. There is so much more to be said...but most of all....THANK YOU Brian for EVERYTHING you were and are. I will never forget you....ever.

Memories of Brian Wright
by Craig Heath

Brian Wright touched the lives of so many people with his compassion, courage and
humor. Some might call him a genius. I certainly would. He was an inspiration to
many people, including me. Last summer I spent a week in Sun Valley, Idaho with
Brian. I flew him there to choreograph two new routines for me and also to just
visit and have fun. We accomplished all of that and more. Not only did I end up
with two of my best routines to date, but Brian and I had many, many laughs
together. Brian wrote an article about his experience last summer that was
featured in two previous PFSC Newsletters. He had many realizations during his
week in Sun Valley and he wanted to share it with everyone. That is pure "Brian."
He was always thinking of others, even in the midst of his pain and suffering.
Stephanee Grosscup, his "wife," spoke with him a few months ago and she
promised him that he would leave this planet laughing. That was her promise to
him. So, on the eve of his death, she called many of his friends and told us to
think about funny Brian Wright stories so that he could feel our laughter from his
coma. I have so many funny stories of Brian that made me laugh all day long. I
want to share a few so that you can laugh too. I am sure he would appreciate it.


1) When I was working on the PFSC Professional Skating Magazine I was looking
everywhere for photo's of him. Nobody that I contacted had any that were
fitting...except Stephanee Grosscup. She had quite a few. Not thinking much
about it, I took a few from her house that I was going to put in the magazine and
then send back to her. The magazine came out and I talked to Brian. He was not
very amused with the photo's that I picked! One of them showed him in a leopard
top that showed his nipple and another showed him in bed with a cat! I thought
that was so funny and we laughed our heads off!


2) Scott Williams, Brian and I went on a road trip from Los Angeles to San Diego
to see one of Scott's students perform in Champions on Ice. During the trip, Scott
was driving like a typical testosterone filled male and Brian and I were screaming
like children the whole time. When we arrived at the arena, Scott had to go in for
the rehearsals and Brian and I didn't want to get out of the car in fear of having to
talk "small talk" to people. So, we sat in the car and whenever someone we knew
walked by, we ducked and giggled. We thought that was so funny. Then, Danny
Kwan (Michelle's Dad) spotted us and came over to the car so we had to make up
a story as to why we were hiding! I can't quite remember what Brian told Danny,
but we laughed for an hour about it!


3) Last summer in Sun Valley, Brian decided to rip apart all of my skating
magazines and to make funny pictures out of all the photo's. He would draw
things all over the photo's and write funny captions. Then, he started making a
collage on the wall. Let's just say that not many skaters were spared and that
anyone who saw it was either laughing or screaming!

 

My Brian Wright memories will live forever. I think of him every time I skate as he gave my skating a whole new dimension. I will be performing "Brian Wright" numbers for the rest of my career. I am honored to have known him and even more to have worked with him.
Brian inspires us all to keep professional skating alive. His beautiful and intricate routines will live forever in our hearts.
Sincerely,
Craig Heath

Breaking in New Skates?
By Craig Heath


I have just been enlightened to a wonderful way to break in new skates and I wanted everyone to know about it. It is very simple and VERY effective. In fact, it is the best way I have ever found.


Ingredients: 2 plastic bags (small garbage or grocery type bags will work)


Put the bags over your socks and any other pads that you might wear and then put them into your skates. Don't worry about the extra part of the bag that is sticking out of the top of your boot. Simply shove the excess into your skate but leave a little bit sticking out the top.
This technique will stop all the friction that you would normally encounter when breaking in new skates. Your foot is able to move without getting sores or blisters.
It is recommended to wear the bags in your skates for approximately 2-3 weeks.
Seriously, this is the best and most comfortable way I have ever used to break in my skates.
Enjoy!
 

Holiday on Ice 2002-2003
by Craig Heath

Holiday on Ice was always a show that I wanted to experience while I could still strap on my skates and perform. I have loved performing in many different shows all over the world during my Professional skating career and I am now happy to be involved with the new production of Holiday on Ice. The show is called "Hollywood." The show starts out "behind the scenes" of a Hollywood set and works its way through various scenes--creating magic along the way.
Choreographed by Olympic Champion (and PFSC Member) Robin Cousins MBE and Cindy Stuart, and Directed by Anthony Van Laast MBE (who directs Mama Mia and many other popular musicals) the show is extremely colorful and exciting.
Some of the numbers in the show are:
    The Action Hero (James Bond) performed by Ryan Mc Kinnon (PFSC Member) and his magnificent jumping act, including jumping through rotating hoops of fire. Ryan is great with the audience and gets the show moving right from the start.
    Comedy: Featuring Oliver Pekar and Karoly Gaspar (PFSC Members) who is a two man acrobatic team. They are very funny and also perform many skating/acrobatic moves. They also do a "flying" routine where Oliver is suspended by a pole hanging from the ceiling and he is supporting Karoly with one arm while Karoly does many flexible gymnastic maneuvers. The audience loves the team and they are a great addition to the show.
    The Mission number is a beautiful skating routine that brings light and dark (ballet and savage) together. The lighting, costumes and choreography are brilliant to this eye candy skating number.
    Titanic is a sensual number that is performed by Azumi Sagara (PFSC Member)  and Nick Keagan. The set is the bow of a ship and moves forward on the ice with Azumi eagerly awaiting her partner. They skate a beautiful routine full of tricks and emotion.
    The end of the Act 1 is a 20 minute 80's Number that has all the 80's classic songs, great costumes, fast and intricate choreography, and lots of skaters on the ice acting it all out. Each principal is featured to different music. This section ends with all the principals and chorus dancing to "Footloose."
    Act two starts with Dr. Shivago. It is a trio between a husband, wife and the wife's lover. The number takes place in Russia and has snow, beautiful lighting, costumes and sets. Skated by PFSC Members Craig Heath, Yulia Svechnikova and Alexander Svechnikov, the routine captures the romance of the scene with some exciting lifts, jumps, spins and drama.
   Icons is the next scene. This scene is all about famous Hollywood Icons, including Audrey Hepburn (PFSC Member Tatiana Zaitseva), Marlon Brando (Michael Chack), Judy Garland (Irina Tkachuk), Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart (Sherry Kennedy and Slawomir Borowiecki) and Elvis (Julien Bouchard). Full of jumps and spins and moving sets, this number is received very well by the audience as it brings them back to an era long ago.
   Silent Movie is a comical, cute, and fat moving scene that ends with Ryan Mc Kinnon jumping over seven "cops." Charlie Chaplain is played by French skater Gregory Bouyssonnie and the vixen is played by Alexandra Schauman. The piano music was specially made for this cute and action packed number.
   Hollywood Glamour is a throwback to a time gone past. Featuring Azumi Sagara and Nicholas Keagan and the entire ladies' ensemble, the skaters look amazing as they dance and trick their way through this elegant and very intricate routine. Azumi and Nick are portraying the old-fashioned style of being in love.
  Moulin Rouge has three sections and is a crowd pleaser. The number starts out with The Courtesans, featuring Lisa Michael (PFSC Member) , Magdalena Komorrowska and Victoria Timoshenko. The music is Lady Marmalade and the skating is pure sex. The three divas get all the men riled up. Not only are they "working it" but they are also performing some difficult tricks . . . especially Lisa Michael with her extremely high kicks and great dance moves. Then the number changes to "Come what may" performed by Craig Heath (yours truly). I absolutely love this number and look forward to performing it every day. After  my slow piece, I am joined by two pair teams, Alexander Svechnikov with Yulia Svechnikova and Radek Dostal with Hilary Jurectic who lift their way through a romantic quartet that culminates with the entire ensemble entering the ice to do the Famous Holiday on Ice Precision number. Robin and Cindy are masters at making the precision numbers exciting and unique while keeping it in character with the music. Can Can is the music and the energy in the arena lifts to the ceiling while they are skating.
 Next is the Famous "flying" number with Oliver Pekar and Karoly Gaspar followed by a "principal" number that is extremely fast and includes many challenging tricks. Following this is the grand Finale that is rich is Holiday on Ice style. Costume designer Bonita Bryg (diva) has created an eye candy spectacle that has to be seen to be believed.
All in all, this new production has gained much recognition and many standing ovations and is continuing to gain momentum as it travels through Germany and France.

I have loved joining Holiday on Ice. I was a bit skeptical when I first thought about it, but after visiting a couple of their shows last season, it looked like a great place to work. Not only do I get to perform in a great skating show, but I get to travel Europe and experience life on this side of the world. The company has been extremely honorable and generous and I am very happy with my decision to join. 
Holiday on Ice- Hollywood is currently touring Germany and France. 14 German cities and 20 French cities will be played during his year's tour which ends May 25, 2003.
For more information about Holiday on Ice go to www.holidayonice.com OR check out their profile in the PFSC website.

Look at All the People Here Tonight
by Craig Heath

"Look at all the people here tonight!"

Forrest Ryan McKinnon is known worldwide as the stunt performer on ice. He has performed his death defying, stunt filled "ice act" for millions of skating fans all over the globe. The Allentown, Pennsylvania native now resides in Las Vegas so that he can concentrate on his other passions. It seems that ice skating is simply not enough for this hyper active performer. He is also a drummer, guitarist, singer and actor who lives life to the fullest in every way possible. The following quote from Forrest seems to perfectly sum him up, "Play a show as it is your last-knowing that you will be able to perform for the rest of your life." I have had the pleasure of knowing and working with Forrest over the last few years. He is an inspiration to many, including myself. Recently, I spoke with him over lunch and the following Q&A is what transpired.

CH: Being from Pennsylvania where there is a lot of ice, why did you make the move to Las Vegas?

FRM: I think that Las Vegas is the center of the universe for entertainers and entertainment itself! Plus, every night is like a Friday night!

CH: You have been professionally performing for the last 9 years. What keeps you motivated to stay in this business?

FRM: The attitude of always trying to improve for my next performance and the gratitude that I am able to have this type of "rock and roll" lifestyle. I am honored to have worked with the people I have met who have inspired me throughout my career. Every single person that you work with has a gift that you can use for performing.

CH: I understand that you have just performed on stage, without skates, in "Tony-n-Tina's Wedding" in Vegas. How was that for you? How would you compare it to performing on ice?

FRM: "Tony-n-Tina's Wedding" is a blast!! Not much different with the audience, except for the fact that most acting on ice is set and choreographed. With "Tony-nTina's" it was that-and improv to the max! It was great for me because I love the fact I can still have the outlet to release my energy without skates on. I am also very lucky to work with such great actors and actresses in that show!! 300 people per night compared to 13,000 per show with "Holiday on Ice" is also a little different.

CH: When you are performing "on ice," what is it exactly that you do?

FRM: I basically jump over things for a living (laughing loudly)!! I have been performing my act on ice since I was 4 years old and my forte now is jumping over 7 people in a line. My record is 11 people! I love fire and I have it on my blades. I also have flaming hoops that consist of two revolving rings of fire and I have to time it perfectly to jump through them. Not many people are doing what I am doing, but it is the oldest form of performing on ice-even before figure skating-and I am keeping it alive. The axel jump was invented by Axel Paulsen to jump over a barrel. Cool, Huh??
I am currently starring in "Holiday on Ice-Hollywood" that is touring Europe this season.

CH: In closing, do you have any final words?

FRM: Yes!! Support live entertainment!! T.V. rots your brains!! Check out my website at www.forrestryanmckinnon.com

Just Gia
by Craig Heath

 

 

Just "Gia"

Gia Guddat is an artist, performer, choreographer, and creative genius. Her creativity flows from her as naturally as her smile. She has made an incredible pro skating career without having any national, world or Olympic medals, and that is a huge achievement on its own. I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with Gia on many different levels. As a skater and performer, she brings joy and life to everything she does. As an artist, she not only tie-dyes materials for clothes and skating costumes, but also for furniture. Her work is so phenomenal that she opened her own store (in Sun Valley, Idaho)  and website (www.tequilabay.com) to sell it. 
Gia grew up in Canada where she received her gold medal in Freestyle and Ice Dancing. She also competed in gymnastics, studied piano and acting, worked as a photographer, and was accepted into film school after high school.
  She loved to skate and loved to travel. Her dream of joining an Ice show happened when Olympic champions Torvill and Dean invited her to join them on their world tour. The show was on the cutting edge of choreography and production and received standing ovations and rave reviews from around the world.
Gia moved to Sun Valley, Idaho with her then partner Gary Beacom to skate, choreograph and direct the famous Sun Valley Ice show 15 years ago. The duo created an atmosphere where pro skaters from all over the world were able to come and improve their craft, vacation and perform during the summer months when the other shows were on a break. The team created many memorable routines together that people are still talking about. One major idea that came to life was to skate with 4 skates. One on each hand and one on each foot. The duo traveled the world bringing this creative and very entertaining idea to life. Gia now performs this act on her own to thunderous applause and millions of smiles.
During the winter months Gia travels and choreographs many of the popular tours and television specials. She has performed on the "Champions on Ice Tour," "German Stars on Ice," "Phillipe Candeloros European Tour" just to Name a few. She has also been the Director and Choreographer of Nancy Kerrigans Tours and TV shows since 1994. One of her most challenging jobs was working as co- choreographer on Disney on Ice's "The Little Mermaid."
 Two years ago Gia expanded from choreographing for the Ice to choreographing for the home. Together with her partner Scott Karterman, they opened "Tequila Bay" and "The Crystal Gallery." The store features very unique eclectic furnishings, fine art and a gallery of museum quality crystals from around the world.  Her time at film school has influenced her work on and off the ice." You learn to see things differently" she states…"the special relationship of things within the picture, where the focus is, where is it going, how things are edited, what the impression is, how the pace of the music connects it together, all these things come into play in my life whether I'm doing a piece of choreography, or designing a space or a garden."
 Gia's favorite show to be part of is still Sun Valley. She loves to skate outside and work with some of the best skaters in the world." I think I've found Nirvana",she says, "living in a beautiful part of the country, skating outside in the mountains and doing what I love to do. Skating has enabled me to have a wonderful, creative and exciting life. I think being involved with skating on any level can offer anyone the same experience." 

 

                                                                          

Next issue look for Craig's interview with Gia.

Gia Guddat Interview with Craig

Hello Gia. We have been friends for a long time now and I am excited to be able to interview you for this newsletter. Have fun with the questions!

CH: Tell me a little bit about your history as a skater. Where you grew up, who you trained with, your education, etc..

GG: I grew up just outside of Toronto, Ontario Canada. My mom is from Ireland and my Dad is from Germany. I skated for fun, like every other kid in Canada. My two brothers also skated. I had a lot of energy and participated in many after school activities, including music, gymnastics soccer and diving. Eventually I ran out of time for everything, so I focused more on skating. I had one lesson in figures, freestyle and dance per week, so I had a lot of free time to develop my own style. We did not have choreographers at our rink. We had an ice show every other year at our club. It was everyone's highlight. I loved every minute of it. One year a guest skater named Gary Beacom performed in the show. I was inspired by his unusual style. I wrote to him over the years and we eventually hooked up. We started a partnership on and off the ice that would last for 16 years. We trained in the Toronto area and we were members of the Cricket club. Most of our time involved going to University and skating. I was working on a degree in Fine Art with a focus on film.

                                                                              
CH: You are a fantastic example for making a career out of skating even though you did not have a world or Olympic medal. I find that to be incredibly inspirational. I know that you toured with the most prestigious skating tour around as well. How did you manage to do this? What would you tell others to inspire them to do the same thing?


GG:  Gary was still competing in Amateur skating and getting more and more frustrated with it. I was enjoying skating more and more and working hard on improving. I was always more interested in the creative side. I did not have any Olympic dreams, so I didn't have any big disappointments. I got out of skating what I put into it. I was more into the process than the goal at the end. I did think of joining a show one day and traveling the world. I thought it would be fun, but I didn't think of that as a career. Eventually Gary had all he could take in Amateur skating. He turned pro when Ice Dancing legends Torvill and Dean asked him to be part of their world tour. I went to visit him during the rehearsals. I started helping the crew make props and costumes and did some photography for the show. Then, because of my gymnastics background I was asked to do a flying act. Soon everyone there realized that I could also skate and eventually I ended up in the skating part of the show. This was a very unusual start to a skating career. I think that if you work hard at something you are always ready when an opportunity presents itself. Its also important to do the small jobs that one day might lead to something bigger. You can't always start on top.


CH:  Tell me about being the Sun Valley Ice show choreographer/director. How long did you do this for? What was is like in the beginning?

 

GG:  I came to Sun Valley for a vacation and once again I ended up skating in the Ice Show. Gary and I also created some new routines that the audience loved. Much to our surprise we were asked to choreograph and direct the show. We took the show to a new level artistically and made it into a production. We made skaters audition, in order to bring the quality up, I created a new theme for the show each year, choreographed the production numbers and designed costumes for the cast. I think all my years of film production were starting to pay off. Doing a production or creating choreography is very much like making and editing a film. Gary was more into his own skating than the production end so I took over all the responsibility for the show. For 15 years I was able to create unique and entertaining productions. Every show I perform in or choreograph or direct teaches me something new. If you're not learning or changing you're not growing.                                                         

CH:  I know that you have choreographed for Disney on Ice and for Nancy Kerrigan as well. What inspires you to be so creative?

 GG: I think everyone is really an artist, because art is really how you see life. I'm lucky to be in a position were I can create things for the general public and be entertaining and creative. This was especially the case with Nancy Kerrigans productions and Disney on Ice. There was a team of people to work with to help bring the ideas to life. Ideas can come from anywhere at any time. The most important thing about successful choreography is to have a sense of your audience and what you want to say to them.                                              

CH: Where do you want to go with your skating or choreographing now?

 GG: In the future, I would like to focus on designing entire productions,… especially for the camera. I think there are new ways in which to develop the perception of skating. The competition format is wearing thin on people and they are losing interest.
 I still enjoy performing myself and I have some unique and different programs that I'm working on.                                         

CH:  I have been to your beautiful store on Main Street in Ketchum, Idaho. What a job that must be! Tell me about the store and how it came to be.

 GG:I have a store on Main Street that offers unique eclectic home furnishings, gifts, art and crystals of the world. The store came about as an extension of my home. I love art, decorating, creating an atmosphere and traveling. I was fortunate enough to meet someone who shared the same passions. Together we created the store and the business. We also got married during this process. Skating taught me how to work hard and also as a team to create a vision. The store came about much the same way I choreograph a show. Most of the elements are the same. The name Tequila Bay came from a beautiful bay in southern Mexico, were we spend a lot of our time working with artists to create our designs. We love the colorful festive atmosphere of Mexico and you can feel that when you enter the store. The Crystal Gallery on the other half of the store is a magical meditative atmosphere that takes you back in time. Its very yin and yang.                                                                                       

CH: For many years, skaters have delighted in your tie-die materials. I have used many of your fabrics for my skating outfits as well. How did you get into this? How can people order the materials? Do you have a website?

 GG: I have been creating fabrics since high school. I always wanted something unique, so I would make it myself. Everyone wanted some so I started a design business. The great think about doing the costumes is that they can work with the music and the choreography. I focus on the color and the flow. I like to work in silks and velvets. I have a barn in my backyard were I dye all the materials. I also do home furnishings and a new line of Dog fashions. Visit our Web sight at www.tequilabay.com


CH: I know that your past partner Gary Beacom went to jail for tax evasion and is now banned from entering the United States. How has this impacted your life?

  GG: It was a difficult time in my life. I tried everything in my power to get him to pay his taxes. I realize now that you can't change someone else, no matter how hard you try. There are also some things that you can never get over, all you can do is move on. For a while I felt like I was missing an arm. We had performed together for so many years. I was glad that I developed myself as a solo artist and a choreographer so my career wasn't over when he left. It was an exhausting ordeal to go through the investigation, the end of our relationship and career together, the trial and his eventual incarceration and deportation. When one door closes another opens. My life now is better than I could ever have imagined it would be.

CH:  What inspires you on a daily basis? I mean, what makes you want to get out of bed in the morning?

 GG: To get up in the morning, be with people I love, take care of my animals, look at the mountains, be creative live in the most beautiful part of the world and have created a space and a life that revolves around those people, places and activities I love is truly inspirational.


Thank you Gia. You inspire me all the time and it was an honor to interview you. I wish you continued success in your career and your life.

Irina Grigorian
by Craigh Heath

Irina Grigorian is a one woman show who brings down the house wherever she performs. Whether she is performing on skates, rollerblades, or in shoes, Irina brings her amazing hula-hoop routine to a new and higher level every night. She has performed all over the world but makes her home in Las Vegas. I have had the honor to work with her several times over the past decade and now it is an honor to interview her.
CH:  Hello Irina. I am excited to interview you as I have many questions to ask. First of all, how long have you been skating with hula-hoops?
IG: I started to practice with hoops 12 yeas ago when I was touring with the  Holiday on ice production of "Carmen."
CH:  What inspired you to start skating with hula-hoops?

IG: All my life I was fascinated by circus art and I was dreaming one day to incorporate that with my biggest passion of ice skating. After many years of practice I was able to do so.

CH:  Have you always wanted to live in the United States? What made you choose Las Vegas?

IG: When I was touring with Holiday on Ice (in Europe) my husband and I took a vacation trip to the US, we visited the Grand Canyon, Phoenix, LA, San Diego and Las Vegas. I absolutely fell in love with the US and with American people. The following year we signed a contract with the Ice Capades and were trilled to start touring in US. We decided to live in Las Vegas because we are both entertainers and Las Vegas is the world capital of entertainment.

CH:  Will you explain to our readers how you have created success for yourself in the US? I mean, you came here many years ago to skate with the Ice Capades and now you are touring with Tom Collins Champions on Ice. That is a huge step up!

IG: I created a skating hula-hoop act to improve my chances of skating long into my lifetime. I thought that eventually I wouldn't look good as skater, so I transformed myself. In 2002 I did my first tour with Champions on Ice and performed with some of the greatest figure skaters of the world and that will be my most memorable skating achievement for the rest of my life.

CH: What other kind of performances do you do besides skating?

IG: I did little bit of dancing at "Enter the Night"(Stardust) and Splash (Riviera). I also used to perform my act on inline roller blades.

CH: Do you work in Las Vegas or do you usually just travel to work?

IG: Both. Right now I am performing at Splash at Riviera, but after I will have few guest appearances on cruise ships and will tour with Champions on ice again.

CH:  I have worked with you several times over the past decade and I am constantly inspired by your work ethic and your humor. What do you think are the keys to success in this business?

IG: I think in any business the key to success is positive thinking and hard work. In "show business" a nice smile is very important, a real one. I have never seen a bigger smile than yours Craig, one that is so genuine it graces your face.

CH: Wow! Thanks for the wonderful compliment. I feel the same way about you.  I know that you have performed on Cruise ships and also topless. Will you please describe some of the craziest jobs that you have done?

IG: A Long time ago I worked in Spain at the Scala theater; I had to start my number inside of the Black Panther cage, lying down in a hidden compartment. The Audience could see only the panther and after I would appear (like a  magic trick) and get out of cage and start to skate.  The Craziest part of that experience was that they built the hidden compartment in the cage without seeing me-and presuming I'm small like most of the other skaters are. So, every night, it took few crew people to pack my 5'10" body (plus skates) in that small place. Another very different job I use to have was when I worked at Mandalay bay with exotic birds for Tiana Carol and Clint Carvalho, this one was my favorite I loved it very much.

CH:  What was it like for you when you first came to the US?

IG: It wasn't easy at first. We came to the US with only a pair of skates and we worked very hard to build our life from scratch.

CH:  Do you like American life? What do you like about it?

IG: Yes!!!! I love American life. No place in the world has more opportunity for people than the United States. United States culture comes from part of every country in the world, and all of those different cultures have made the United State so great.


CH:  One last question. What would you say to our readers to inspire them to pursue a life in show business?

IG: It is really a joy being out in front of people doing what you do best and to be able to express yourself! Good luck for everybody!

CH: Thank you Irina. I have really enjoyed interviewing you. You are such an inspiration and also such a fun and positive person to know. Good Luck with all of your future career opportunities and keep that beautiful smile!

Ice Skating on a cruise ship?
by Craig Heath

Ice Skating on a cruise ship?

Yes, the day has finally come where you can go on a Caribbean cruise and not only see an ice show while at sea, but you are also able to skate yourself! For many years, the ships always had a high-end dance show onboard -but now, thanks to Royal Caribbean Cruise lines, ice skating is touring the high seas. The productions are lavish and theatrical. The skaters pull out all the stops and perform extremely technical maneuvers even though the ship is sailing to its next port of call.
I interviewed two people that are involved with the production. The first, Martin Ready, is the current stage manager for Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the seas ice show "Cool Art...Hot Ice."

Craig: Who takes care of the ice?
Martin: I do with the help of the stage staff. I monitor the temperature and the ice levels myself and I have my stage staff clean the ice for the times when the passengers skate. I like to take care of the ice for the ice shows myself to ensure the highest quality for the performers.

Craig: Is the ship built with ice already installed?
Martin: Yes. The ice rink system is already built into the ship. It is not portable ice that can be moved. The ice mat is covered by a special type of floor. It is a mixture of small quartz sand stones with a special polyurethane glue, directly put on top of the ice mat. Every pipe is imbedded in the quartz-floor and therefore provides a good heat conduction. The slab is kind of elastic and can stand vibrations.

Craig: Where are the compressors?
Martin: They are on a different floor of the ship that is underneath the ice floor. We can adjust the temperature of the compressors in the lighting booth that is in the same room as the ice.

Craig: How is the ice kept cold?
Martin: Refrigerated brine (propylene-glycol/water mixture) circulates from the cooling plant to a special pipe system at the ice rink. By cooling the ice slab the brine takes the heat energy from the slab to the refrigeration plant, where the brine is cooled down consistently.

Craig: Is this ship heavier than a regular ship?
Martin: At the time it was built, this ship was 142 thousand tons which made it the heaviest ship in the world. There are now five Royal Caribbean ships with ice rinks and they are all the biggest and heaviest ships in the world to date. They are so large that they do not fit thought he Panama Canal.

Craig: What kind of maintenance does it take to run an ice show on a ship?
Martin: People do not realize the amount of maintenance that it takes to make sure that the ice is good for performers and the general public skate times. It is a constant struggle getting the right temperature due to the show lighting and the audience in the room. We have to run the first show warmer and then the second show colder to keep the ice perfect for the performers. This ship is the only one in the fleet that has show performances while the ship is in port. This is a bit of a problem since the gangways are open at this time and the ship gets considerably warmer due to the warm outside temperature coming into the ship so we have to really monitor the ice and run it colder than usual. Also, the fog and haze systems, which use glycol, gets into the ice and makes it harder to freeze. We have to take the ice out every four to six months due to the glycol and dirt build up.

Craig: Is Studio B (the ice rink theater) used only for skating?
Martin: NO. Studio B is a multi-use facility. There is a state of the art flooring system that automatically covers the ice and then the room is used for concerts and dance parties. It takes about one hour to slide the floor over the ice so that the floor does not stick to the ice. It is like a popsicle that would stick to your tongue when you lick it. We have to slowly move the floor back and forth until the undersurface becomes the same temperature as the ice. If we just put the floor directly over the ice without doing this, it will stick to the ice and then the ice would have to be melted in order to slide the floor off again.

The second person that I interviewed for this article is Sylvia Froescher who is the Production Manager for Willie Bietak Productions based out of Los Angeles, California.

Craig: How many skaters are in each show and how many skaters do you hire in total for all five ships?
Sylvia: We have 100 Principal "spots" available per year between the five ships with ice shows. We hire 10 skaters-all Principals-per ship and they each do 6 month contracts. The shows run all year round and there is a cast change over every six months.

Craig: How do you find so many talented skaters who would want to work on ships?
Sylvia: I use the "skater search" in the Professional Figure Skaters Cooperative" Website, publications, and I travel to the US National Championships, the World Figure skating Championships and the Olympic games. Many skaters hear about the shows by word of mouth as well.  I also hire one "specialty act" per show.

Craig: What kind of "specialty act" and where do you find them?
Sylvia: We hire Ariel acts, comedy acts, jugglers, acrobats, hula-hoopers, etc. We prefer artists that skate since this is an ice show but that is not always the case.

Craig: How is the quality of skating on the ship considering the skaters are performing on an unstable surface?
Sylvia: That is the surprising thing. You don't even realize that you are sailing in the Caribbean while you are watching the show. The skating quality is as high-or higher-than other professional shows around the world.

Craig: About how much does each show cost to put together?
Sylvia: It is a multimillion dollar production. Studio B, where the ice show is performed, is a state of the art facility with a retractable floor. The room is multipurpose so there does not have to be ice all the time.

Craig: How do passengers react to having ice shows on board?
Sylvia: The ice shows are the highest rated shows in the Royal Caribbean fleet. The audiences love them.

Craig: What is the biggest challenge about having an ice show on a cruise ship for you?
Sylvia: Maintaining the high quality of performers as well as finding the right personalities because of the small cast (10 skaters) and the close living quarters.

Craig: Does any other cruise line have an ice rink on board one of their ships?
Sylvia: Royal Caribbean is the only one. They took a big financial risk into an unknown entity, but the payoff has surpassed everyone's expectations. We are extremely happy with the results.

Craig: Great. Thank you Sylvia.

Since I am currently onboard the Adventure of the Seas and I am performing in "Cool Art...Hot Ice" at this very moment, I thought I would add some observations, in my own words, of what it is like performing and living on a ship.
First of all, I really enjoy doing what I love to do, performing, while touring in the Caribbean. We get to see many different islands without having to pack and unpack our suitcases. The job leaves plenty of time to go ashore at all the ports, work out in the state of the art gym, take fitness classes, sunbathe, party with the crew, etc. I can't say that I love everything about the job, but one thing that I learned early on in my career is that there are good things about a job and there are bad things. If I just keep looking at all the good things, the bad things seem not to matter as much. Yes, I sometimes get frustrated with all of the ship rules and regulations. No, I do not like to work some of the other little jobs that we must work on the ship during the cruise. I do, however, consider this job a vacation from all of the other jobs that I do during the year. I bring projects on the ship so that I can feel productive while at sea. This article, for example, is being written during a cruise. I love the food on the ship and I love my free time. I also love the production that I am in at the moment.

In closing, ship life can be fantastic if you are positive and willing to adapt to the lifestyle. I enjoy my ship time and will cherish these memories for the rest of my life.

Professional Figure Skaters Cooperative
by Craig Heath

Professional figure skating is alive and well, in one part thanks to Pro skaters like Brian Boitano and Kristi Yamaguchi who continue to push the limits of artistry and athleticism, while still delivering great entertainment. They have also joined the Board of Directors of the Professional Figure skaters Cooperative (PFSC), an organization that strives to promote Pro skating worldwide.
Ice Skating has gone through many changes in the last ten years. When I was competing in the amateur ranks, there were many rules and regulations about skaters making money in their sport. It is not that way anymore. Skaters can make millions of dollars and still maintain their "eligible" status. Because of this, Pro skating declined as less of the top athletes actually had to turn professional. The past pro skaters did not join together to make an organization of their own until 1997, when Scott Williams and Charlene Wong created the PFSC. Today, the PFSC has a following that reaches five continents. Many top skaters have become members, which in turn, encourages other skaters to join the "team" of dedicated pro skaters to create a safe and comfortable environment for pro skaters in the ice skating industry.
I joined the PFSC at the very first meeting in Los Angeles, where it was born in 1997. I became President a few years later and have remained in that position for the last four years. We have gone through many changes and adjustments. Member recruitment was slow in the beginning since there had been nothing like this, but once skaters saw the benefits, membership was on a roll.

Pro skaters used to keep producer information "secret" from each other so that their jobs would remain secure. Pro skating was a difficult industry to break into, especially if you did not have an Olympic gold medal around your neck. Today, skaters are able to go into a "members only" area of the official PFSC website at www.proskaters.org where they can find casting calls and producer information. There is also a newsletter archive where many inspirational articles, ideas for living "on the road," news updates, etc., can be found. The PFSC fills the void that has been missing over the last few decades and it gives hope to the future skaters who wish to make a career out of their talent. Whether one has an Olympic gold medal around his/her neck, or simply a passion and desire to perform in skating shows for a living, the PFSC is the glue that holds everyone together. I predict great thing for the PFSC over the next ten years and beyond. We have made tremendous strides thus far and our message is spreading like wildfire across the globe. For more information please visit our website at www.proskaters.org
Sincerely,
Craig

Holiday on Ice- Alive and kicking
by Craig Heath

Holiday on Ice, which started in 1943 in Toledo, Ohio is still very much alive and thriving in Europe and many other countries around the globe. This year celebrates the 60th anniversary of the spectacular ice revue that currently has 4 different productions touring Europe and Mexico.
Holiday on Ice embodies all the glitz and glamour of Vegas and the elegance of Hollywood. The touring shows are not only fantastic for the audience, but also for the skaters. The shows are all about ice-skating and extreme production. Up to 50 skaters might be on the ice at one time, doing intricate choreography, highly technical jumps and spins, and performing to millions of happy fans.
Sonia Henie, one of the most famous skaters of all time, starred in the show and helped to make Holiday on Ice a household name. Since then, many skating stars has graced the frozen surface and brought the shows to life. Dick Button, Toller Cranston, Allen Schramm, Denise Biellmann, Robin Cousins, Katarina Witt, Surya Bonaly, and Philippe Candeloro, just to name a few.

 

The shows are like watching a Broadway musical but with the added element of ice, which brings speed and power- a whole new dimension. The success of one of the newest productions "Holiday on Ice-Hollywood" is based on the fact that Holiday on Ice was able to contract two top notch creative minds for the project: the famous director Anthony van Laast, (Mama Mia)  known for his work with Andrew Lloyd Webber and also the choreographer and Olympic gold medal figure skater Robin Cousins. The show is dynamic, inspiring and exciting to watch. The audiences are in a frenzy by the finale, where girls in futuristic wings that light up, grace the ice. "Diamonds", the newest production was choreographed and co-directed by Emmy Award winner Sarah Kawahara who is fresh from staging the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.
    
Though Holiday on Ice is not currently touring in the US, the success around the world is phenomenal. For a professional figure skater, Holiday on Ice is a first class ticket. The audiences actually dress up to come see the show! This is something that I have been missing as a pro skater. My first performance with the show came as a big surprise when I saw so many people in suits and dresses. Even the skaters dress up to come to work. I almost feel like I have gone back in time to an era where elegance was expected.

 

Today 60 years of Holiday on Ice can look back on more than 90,000 performances, in 650 cities, in more than 85 countries and most recently, the 300 millionth visitor- a unique record in the world of entertainment! I look forward to celebrating many more years of one of the greatest shows in history. Happy 60th Holiday on Ice!

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