Ice Chips Show of Champions 2001, Boston, MAThis show took place in the afternoon of April 8, 2001, inside the Matthews Arena in Boston. I was really lucky to be able to go there cause it was during my vacation which I spent visiting friends who live outside of Boston. The featured guests in the Ice Chips show were Jennifer Kirk, Tiffany Scott & Philip Duhlebohn, Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev, Angela Nikodinov and, of course, Alexei!!! I got to the arena at about 1:30 PM, and met up with Jayne and Seana, both of whom I knew from a Alexei ML. When I got there, some of the skaters - including Alexei - were warming up on the ice. Seana then told me that Alexei had a really bad start for the day: He and Angela had both skated in a show in Canada the night before. They were supposed to take a plane from there to Boston, but at 2 AM on Sunday morning their plane got cancelled, and they had to drive for seven hours to Detroit, and then take a plane from there to Boston! It must have been tough to skate after hardly getting any rest!!! The show itself started at 2 PM - and we had front row seats!!!!! Alexei skated two programs: At the end of the first act he skated to "Stand by Me". I had never seen that program live before (only on tape), so that was quite an experience. It's a beautiful program, and I just love the way Alexei plays with the audience using gestures and facial expressions! He's such a great performer. At the end of the program he actually took his shirt off! Who would've guessed that. And let me just say that - unlike Plushenko - Alexei does not need a muscle suit!!! :o) At the end of the second act he skated his amazing "Gladiator" program, complete with slide, and daggers in his hands. No matter how often I see this program, it always gets to me! The music is so powerful, the choreography is incredibly great, and of course no other skater can express music - and turn it into movements - the way Alexei does!!! In the finale, all the top skaters came out again and did something like a spin or lift or so, but of course Alexei had to top that by doing three jumps in a row!! Boy, that guy certainly had jumping beans for breakfast, LOL!!! The look on his face had this "That was just a warm up for me!" quality - it was just one of those many moments that make you proud to be his fan, to support him! There were, of course, other great programs, too - personally, I really enjoyed both of Angela Nikodinov's programs, and also those of Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev (among others). I met Alexei after the show, and - although he was probably very tired - he took his time for me and all the other fans, signing autographs, taking pictures, answering questions! He even recognized me - YAY! LOL!!! When asked about his foot, he said that it has not healed completely yet, but that he's getting therapy. Poor guy - I just hope it gets better soon!!! One thing I noticed a few days after the show, after looking at the photos, was that he wore the two exact same shirts that he had worn on the two days at Master's Miko a year ago! It's just kind of funny, cause Master's Miko was where I first met him, and now - almost exactly a year later - I meet him again, and he's wearing the beige-and-black striped, as well as the red-and-black striped shirt! :o)
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He's a ladies' man ... surprise, surprise, LOL!!!
Alexei sharing a moment with Naomi Lang and Angela Nikodinov during the show!!! Photo by Jayne Lupi. |
Lucky lady Jayne with Alexei and Angela after the show!!! Photo by Jayne Lupi. |
