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Olympic figure skaters come to Pegula Ice Arena
| Source: |
The Daily Collegian |
| Date: |
November 1, 2013 |
| Author: |
Paulina Cajigal |
The Winter Olympics are coming to Penn State.
Amidst country music and the sharp sounds of figure skates hitting the
ice, the Musselman's Apple Sauce Skating Tribute is set to fill the
Pegula Ice Arena with some of figure skating's finest on
Nov. 3.
"The opportunity to host the Musselman's Family Skating Tribute was
something that we could not pass up," Director of Marketing for Penn
State Hockey and Pegula Ice Arena Mike Wierzbicki said via
email.
Co-hosted by 1992 Olympic gold medalist Kristi Yamaguchi and
three-time U.S. Champion Michael Weiss , the Skating Tribute is a
family-themed show.
The Skating Tribute is set to feature two-time Olympic gold medalist
Ekaterina Gordeeva , 1998 Olympic gold medalist Illia Kulik ,
four-time World Champion Kurt Browning and 1992 Olympic silver
medalist Paul Wylie , as well as several others.
All figure skaters participating in the event will perform two
routines - one dedicated to their children and another one with their
children, Steve Disson said.
"That's the unique part," Disson, president of Disson Skating and
producer of the show, said. "This show is the only skating show [the
figure skaters] get to do with their kids."
The Skating Tribute's long list of famous skaters sees the show as an
opportunity to reunite and have fun with one another.
"Seeing my peers and friends with their children is a wonderful yet
strange sensation - it is a celebration to bring our children
together," World Champion Kurt Browning said via email. "It feels like
a skating family reunion."
Each skating routine in the show will be performed to the songs of
country singer Sara Evans, who will sing each song live.
For Browning, the country music genre introduced in the show is just
another source for inspiration and emotion.
"Each inspiration is different…[and] as you can imagine, being a
performer brings all kinds of emotions to light -
Excitement. Nerves. Disappointment. Pride," he said. "But the family
show brings a different kind of joy."
The show is a chance for both the professional figure skaters and Penn
Staters to come together under one roof.
"This is an opportunity for parents and children to bond," Wierzbicki
said. "But having athletes like these on our campus is [also] another
tremendous opportunity to showcase how special Penn State is."
U.S. Champion Weiss, who will perform a skating solo to his daughter's
original song, sees Penn State in a different light than the other
figure skaters in the show.
Weiss' father Gregor "Greg" Weissis an Olympic gymnast and attended
Penn State in the early ‘60s, Weiss said. Three generations will be
present for the performance.
The Skating Tribute's family-oriented focus will not only affect the
audience, but it resonates with the performers themselves.
"To see the kids running around backstage and being part of the show,
that energy shines through in the performances," Weiss said.
Browning echoes Weiss' thoughts and is anxious to get the show
started.
"Every skater in this show will take away special memories from that
night," he said. "It will be a fun yet emotional evening to be
sure."
The Musselman's Family Skating Tribute will be live at Pegula Arena at
5 p.m. on Nov. 3, and the event will also be recorded and is set to
broadcast nationally at 4 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 24 on NBC .
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