I recently had a wonderful conversation with two-time Olympian and three-time U.S. champion,
JoJo Starbuck. She is the Artistic Director for the new Ice Capades. The all new Ice Capades will be conducting auditions for live shows and a new reality TV program. The first audition is taking place this Saturday, August 16, 2008, at the Olympic Center in Lake Placid. Single skaters, pair skaters, ice dancers, and groups or specialty acts can take part in the auditions. Skaters must be at least sixteen years old. The only requirement is that a program be prepared that is entertaining. After the day of auditions, the top finalists will get a chance to perform in Lake Placid's official weekly Saturday night ice show. That show will feature 2008 World Junior Champion
Rachael Flatt, 2007 US Men's Silver Medalist
Ryan Bradley, and 2002 Olympian John Zimmerman with his wife Silvia Fontana. The skaters will be judged by JoJo Starbuck, John Zimmerman, and also non-skaters from the entertainment industry. Those who audition should know that the event has been sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating, so a skater's eligibility status will not be affected. There will also be future auditions.
The goal of the new Ice Capades venture is to bring something back that was similar to the ice show entertainment that America loved in the past. Families enjoyed seeing figure skating champions, chorus girls, comedians, clowns, jugglers, and barrel jumpers on ice skates. Ice Capades made figure skating popular for over six decades and hopes to do that once again.
JoJo Starbuck - Photo Courtesy of the Harlick Skating Boots
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