Show: Pandora Unforgettable Moments of Love on Ice

Date: Saturday, February 4, 2012

Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm EST

Where: NBC (Check your local listing for channel information.)

Skaters:
Ekaterina Gordeeva
Ilia Kulik
Kurt Browning
Sasha Cohen
Joannie Rochette
Miki Ando
Kimmie Meissner
Ryan Bradley
Steven Cousins

Musical Guest Stars:
Kenny G
Gladys Knight

TV Hosts:
Kristi Yamaguchi
Nancy Kerrigan

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To talk about the shows on Twitter – #PandoraNBCSS

Ekaterina Gordeeva performs at Pandora Unforgettable Holiday Moments on Ice.

The show will air on NBC on February 4 at 4:00 p.m. ET to get you ready for Valentine’s Day.

Performing to love-themed songs will be another all-star cast of Olympic, world and national champion skaters, including two-time Olympic champion Ekaterina Gordeeva, 1998 Olympic champion Ilia Kulik, Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen, Olympic bronze medalist Joannie Rochette, reigning world champion Miki Ando, four-time world champion Kurt Browning, 2006 world champion Kimmie Meissner, 2011 U.S. champion Ryan Bradley and eight-time British champion Steven Cousins.

Not only will the show feature live skating, but it will also feature live performances from singing legend Gladys Knight and jazz artist Kenny G.

The show is set to be hosted by Kristi Yamaguchi and Nancy Kerrigan.

Ahead of the show, cast member Kimmie Meissner took a trip to Seattle to promote the show. Visit the Disson Skating Facebook page to see photos from Kimmie’s stops during her trip, and check out this video of her taking part in U.S. Figure Skating’s National Figure Skating Month and visiting the famous Pike Place Market.

And as always, keep tuned to DissonSkating.com, follow us Twitter and “like” us on Facebook for exclusive behind-the-scenes coverage of the show!

Nicole Bobek performs live with STYX

Improv-Ice was an AWESOME show! And what a difference from watching the rehearsal to seeing the final product on the ice with the costumes, lights and the full out skating! Sasha Cohen and Nicole Bobek had the most beautiful dresses! Styx and the skaters really had fun performing together. Choreographer Lea Ann Miller did a fantastic job of matching the songs with the skaters personalities. So many in the audience went crazy when they recognized the next Styx hit and were singing along with the songs. When hosts Olympic champions Brian Boitano and Peggy Fleming conducted an “applause meter” with the crowd at the end of each half it was fun to see who everyone thought did the best skating improv. When you watch the show be sure to vote and see if your impression is the same as for those in the audience in Greenville. on’t miss this show on NBC and Sunday, January 15, 2012, from 4:00 6:00 p.m. EST.

Jeremy Abbott skates at this year's Improv-Ice

Hey family, friends, fans, and other strangers!

It’s that time again where we ask you to come out of the stands and become the judges. It’s also time for shameless self-promotion. That’s right! It’s about time to start the voting for Improv-Ice, airing on NBC Sunday, January 15, from 4-6 pm EST, and featuring Olympic, world and national champion figure skaters, including yours truly, as well as our outstanding musical guest STYX–who, by the way, played all their music completely live!

As the reigning Improv-Ice Champion, I have to say, I think my chances to defend my title are pretty darn good. I had so much fun with the show this year and after having gone through it last year, it was far less scary! I knew what to expect from an event like this, and I really nailed it this year. Skating in Improv-Ice is a very unique experience unlike any that we typically experience as figure skaters. We are given two pieces of music mere hours before the show goes live. Usually when we skate, we have weeks to choreograph a routine, and months to perfect it. I speak pretty confidently when I say that as athletes and performers we are quite the perfectionists. So, to only be given such a minuscule amount of time to put something out in front of an audience is quite a daunting task. At the same time, however, this is my favorite part of this show. I enjoy the complete artistic freedom we are given. This show comes in the middle of the competition season, so it’s a refreshing change of pace from the daily grind of training, as well as a fun, nerve-free environment in which to perform. I love choreography and movement, so to be given a piece of music and told to do whatever I feel with no rules or points is a dream. It’s only about me and you, the audience! It’s what excites me and makes me feel good and gets you all cheering and smiling and most importantly VOTING!!! Since voting is online, I will be facing stiff competition from Johnny and his legions of devout followers. However, I think my wit, charm, and exceptional improvisational skills will win you all over! Be sure to tune in Sunday, January 15th, at 4pm EST on NBC to enjoy the AMAZING live show from STYX as well as some fantastic skating from many top athletes. Then go online and vote for ME, Jeremy Abbott (or whoever you thought did the best with their performances, I guess ). Hope you all enjoy the show!

Show: Improv-Ice

Date: Sunday, January 15, 2012

Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm EST

Where: NBC (Check your local listing for channel information)

Skaters:
Nancy Kerrigan
Sasha Cohen
Mirai Nagasu
Nicole Bobek
Michael Weiss
Johnny Weir
Jeremy Abbott
Ryan Bradley

Musical Guest Stars:
Styx

TV Hosts:
Brian Boitano & Peggy Fleming

Follow Disson Skating:
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Twitter – @DissonSkating
To talk about the shows on Twitter – #PandoraNBCSS

Show: Progressive Skating & Gymnastics Spectacular

Date: Sunday, January 8, 2012

Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm EST

Where: NBC (Check your local listing for channel information)

Skaters:
Elvis Stojko
Joannie Rochette
Todd Eldredge
Michael Weiss
Ryan Bradley
Caryn Kadavy

Gymnasts:
Nastia Liukin
Danell Leyva
Sean Townsend
Courtney McCool
Steven Legendre
Chris Brooks
Courtney Kupets

Guest Artists:
Greyson Chance
Ariana Grande
Shane Harper
Cody Simpson

Follow Disson Skating:
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Twitter – @DissonSkating
To talk about the shows on Twitter – #PandoraNBCSS

Show: Caesars Tribute II: A Salute to the Ladies of the Ice

Date: Sunday, January 1, 2012

Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm EST

Where: NBC (Check your local listing for channel information)

Skaters:
Miki Ando
Sarah Hughes
Tara Lipinski
Shizuka Arakawa
Ekaterina Gordeeva
Nancy Kerrigan
Yuka Sato
Joannie Rochette
Sasha Cohen
Liz Manley
Nicole Bobek

With a special tribute to Peggy Fleming

Follow Disson Skating:
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Twitter – @DissonSkating
To talk about the shows on Twitter – #PandoraNBCSS

Skaters (left) watch STYX rehearse

One by one, each skater found out what two songs they will self-choreograph and skate to TONIGHT! Over the next 6 hours they listened, planned, choreographed, practiced, chose costumes, learned the 8 minute finale, and had a TV camera rehearsal! It’s been amazing to watch everyone working so hard for tonight’s performance.

The TV camera rehearsal included rock legends Styx playing live just the way they will be tonight. Talking with some of the band members after the rehearsal, I learned that they are in awe of the skaters. They’re also concentrating really hard to remember where they are “editing” the songs to fit the skaters’ needs of generally shorter songs.

While all these skaters have competed over the years – many of them against one another – today was about having fun, skating for the love of skimming across the ice, and preparing for tonight’s audience.

For everyone not in the Greenville area, have no fear, you’ll be able to see Improv Ice on NBC on Sunday, January 15, 2012, from 4-6 pm EST, part of the Pandora NBC Skating Series.

Show: Musselman’s Apple Sauce presents Brian Boitano Skating Spectacular

Date: Sunday, December 18, 2011

Time: 4:00pm – 6:00pm EST

Where: NBC (Check your local listing for channel information)

Skaters:
Brian Boitano
Michael Weiss
Ryan Bradley
Caryn Kadavy
Steven Cousins
Kim Navarro & Brent Bommentre
Elena Leonova & Andrei Khvalko
Gev Manoukin

Musical Guest Stars:
Chicago
The Marching Band of the Fighting Irish

Taped at:
Compton Family Ice Arena in the campus of the University of Notre Dame

TV Host:
Brian Boitano

Follow Disson Skating:
Facebook – Disson Skating
Twitter – @DissonSkating
To talk about the shows on Twitter – #PandoraNBCSS

Jeremy Abbott at last year's Improv-Ice

This show challenges our skaters to choreograph two programs to music they get only hours before show time and without the assistance of a choreographer. Each skater will have a song from the iTunes Top 50 Most Downloaded songs, as well as a song from rock band STYX, who will perform live.

Featured in the show will be an all-star cast of skaters including Olympic silver medalist Sasha Cohen, two-time Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan, two-time world bronze medalist Michael Weiss, three-time U.S. champion Johnny Weir, two-time U.S. champion Jeremy Abbott, reigning U.S. champions Ryan Bradley and Alissa Czisny, and 2008 U.S. champion Mirai Nagasu. Last week, 1995 U.S. champion Nicole Bobek was also added to the cast.

The show will also be hosted by Olympic champions Brian Boitano and Peggy Fleming.

To prepare you for the show, we have several behind-the-scenes conversations about how a show like Improv-Ice comes together. Lea Ann Miller, choreographer and creative director, tells us about some of the challenges for this show, including how she plans the lighting when she won’t know ahead of time where the skaters choreography goes and what goes into picking the music for each of the skaters. Sasha Cohen let us inside how she’s balancing college with preparing for the show and how she decides which costumes to bring along. STYX vocalist and keyboardist Lawrence Gowan explains why he thinks bringing together rock and roll with figure skating makes for an entertaining show and under what conditions he’d join the skaters on the ice. Be sure to read all of the blogs!