Skating Gymnastics Spectacular

The two most widely-watched Olympic sports, gymnastics and figure skating, joined together in October of 2005 to thrill fans in an evening of power and artistry.

The Hilton Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular roster included gymnasts Carly Patterson and Paul Hamm, Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceaneu, Morgan Hamm, Kyle Shewfelt, Ivan Ivankov, Jordan Jovtchev, Mohini Bhardwaj, Nastia Liuki, Arthur Davis & Shenea Booth. Figure skaters in the show included Brian Boitano, Elvis Stojko, Yuka Sato, Steven Cousins, Rory Flack Burghart, Jason Dungjen, Violetta Afanasieva, Peter Dack and Debbie Park.

Olympians and commentators Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner and Rosalynn Sumners provided the commentary. Produced by Disson, the Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular featured choreography and costumes by Sandra Bezic and Jeff Billings.

The biggest names in the world's top two most popular sports came together in strength, training, talent and musicality that truly displayed the best of both worlds.

Audiences, who were invited on a dream journey through a showcase of talent from around the globe, enjoyed the introduction drum beats and welcomed their favorite stars who hold a total of 83 world and Olympic medals.

Some of those winning performances were relived, such as when Elvis Stojko performed his "Lion" routine, much like his short program in the 1998 Olympics. Elvis was fast and fit as always, and - true to form - his choreography was entertaining although flat.

Debbie Park bridged the gap between skating and gymnastics when she performed an innovative Cirque du Soleil type of routine on skates. Wide ribbons hung from the ceiling that she wrapped around her arms while she skated. At one point, she skated into the air and gracefully soared above the ice. At another point, she walked on her hands on the ice, performed flip-flops and a back walkover before winding back up her ribbons to her final inverted side-split spread-eagle pose.

Men's gymnasts synchronized their talents into an exciting show of strength. They mounted the parallel bars together, and pulled up to handstands at the same time, coordinating their dismounts into a roll-off. They ended with floor-work, flips and tumbling.

Rory Flack Burghart proved the definite relationship between gymnastics and skating with her high-flying toe touches and backflips that even impress skating legend Scott Hamilton. Her pop music routine and enormous smile took ownership of the audience's attention immediately. After a double-triple jump combination, she landed two back flips in a row, followed by another toe-touch jump, during which her skate boots actually went past her head at the apex of the split.

Ivan Ivankov and another gymnast were carried onto the mats in the middle of the ice toward the side of the rink. There, the two took turns on the rings, showing iron crosses, hand stands, and high-flying double twisting dismounts.

Gymnastic champions and twins "Hammed" it up with an old-school hip hop routine that incorporated flip flops, hand springs, floor work, and pleased the crowd. Nastia Liuki followed with a very pretty, balletic balance beam routine.

Continuing the musical journey, Brian Boitano skated to a sting instrumental that allowed the viewer total and peaceful focus on this Olympic champion's skating technique and the talent that made his a household name. While many of his jumps were doubled, Brian's death drop was as high as ever, and his artistic interpretation of the music was through the roof.

In a surprise performance, American Idol Diana Digarmo sang while Carly Patterson and Yuka Sato performed together without competing for the spotlight. On a mat that jutted out onto the ice, Carly performed a gymnastic dance routing that Yuka complemented on the rink. Yuka then skated a pairs routine with husband Jason Dungjen, the duo having taken a break from their Smucker's Stars on Ice tour for this performance.

Jason also carried gymnast Shannon Miller over the ice and onto the mats. Shannon performed one of the most beautiful lyrical floor routines audiences had ever seen. Her physique and beauty radiated to the back of the audience as she performed a perfectly choreographed routine and left the crowd breathless.

Steven Cousins brought the crowd back to their senses with his energetic "Great Balls of Fire" routine. He stole the show with a triple jump, knee slides, footwork and fifties-era dance moves.

A synchronized balance beam routine followed when ladies gymnasts worked together to present a one-of-a-kind performance that included jumps, handstands, flips and balance elements. Next, a men's high bar "jam session" let five of the world's top male gymnasts strut their stuff. Doubles-over-the-bar and other release moves were as amazing as their soaring and twisting dismounts.

Adding variety to the show were Sports Acro champions Arthur Davis & Shenea Booth. Much like pairs figure skating, they used R & B music to showcase moves such as a double-tuck throw where Shenea landed on Arthur's single, outstretched arm.

Violetta Afanasieva and Peter Dack showed them how we do it on the ice with their thrilling pairs routine using an optically teasing metal cube and striped costumes. Their moves were exceptional, including a bounce twist performed while she was in a fully split inverted heel grab and practically contortionist-level pairs spins. With a cord around her head attached to his neck, they spun until he let go of her. As gravity lifted her parallel to the ice, she twisted quickly like a high-flying circus performer.

Gymnastic and skating pairs traded performers for a few measures of music as the show neared its closing act. Brian Boitano took to the ice once again in a soulful skate to "Georgia." Afterward, he and Paul Hamm went head-to-head in a barely believable friendly competition. Each man tried to better the other's previous moves. For example, Brian's opening combination of walleys to a hitch kick were answered by Paul's flip flops to a switch kick.

"America the Beautiful" was the song of the finale, a perfect exclamation of the power, speed and gracefulness exhibited by both gymnastics and figure skating. The Hilton Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular aired on January 15, 2005 and can be seen on cable and in Hilton-Family hotel rooms at least until at least the end of May 2006.

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