Just a few comments on Kristi Yamaguchi's breast cancer benefit show. It will be televised by Lifetime and locally in the Bay Area on KTVU (channel 2), in December.
 
   This event was a show featuring female skaters skating to music by female recording stars and the Oakland/East Bay Symphony. The musical performers included Sarah Brightman, Keiko Matsui, Taylor Dane, Bell, Book and Candle, and Anne Cochrane, performing "semi-live": except for Matsui, they were singing to recorded back-up, although it seemed like a couple of the numbers might have been lip-synched.
 
   The skaters were Kristi, Tara, Roz, Katia, Katarina and Brasseur and Eisler. Peggy Fleming co-hosted, and Brian Boitano and Scott Hamilton made speaking appearances (my impression was that Scotty edged Peggy for the loudest ovation for the night).
 
    First, I have to say that this was a really nice evening. Neither the skating nor the music were exceptional, but the atmosphere was amazingly positive. The performances were interspersed with "messages" about the fight against breast cancer that managed to strike just the right balance: not overly emotional, and encouraging without crossing over into cheerleading.
 
   The lower level at the arena appeared to be virtually sold out, as were the better seats in the upper level (since the remodel of the Oakland Coliseum arena, there are two tiers of luxury boxes between the seating levels, and the upper sections are really in the rafters: above the lighting rig). The audience was warm, appreciative, and surprisingly skating savvy (I've overheard much dumber comments at COI).
 
   Everyone looked great and skated well. Someone who is good at remembering music will have to give a full run-down, here are just a few comments:
 
   It was Kristi's party and she was every inch the star. She introduced the program looking gorgeous in a pale pink outfit: a sequined camisole top with a full-length pink satin skirt including a train. She did a quick change and wore the top with a pink chiffon skating skirt for her first number, an orchestral medly.
 
   Tara showed no obvious signs of being injured: she skated "The Second Element" (with Brightman), and although she appeared a little tentative at first she skated cleanly. It was only during intermission, when they said she was going to come out and reskate for TV, that we realized she'd left out a jump: she came out, skated a section and set up for a lutz, and then backed off and left the ice. So apparently the injury is still bothering her. She did land several clean triples.
 
   Roz looked beautiful and elegant in the gold dress and the see-through dark dress from last year.
 
   Not to be outdone, Katarina skated to "Rescue Me" in an outfit that appears to have a see-through bottom: a sheer black bodystocking under her sequined black skirt -- yeah, I know she's wearing flesh colored tights under it, but the effect ....
 
   She also skated to the Symphony playing the Toreador song from Carmen, which was a nice bit of nostalgia.
 
   Katia had a new-to-me tango number, and as usual had me in total awe with the purity of her line and the effortless power of her stroking.
 
   I love B&E but they looked a little rusty -- I hope it was that they took a nice summer vacation, rather than that they're losing they're skills. I was also grateful that they didn't do a headbanger -- I *hate* headbangers!
 
   All the ladies came out in white outfits (whatever white outfits they had in their closets ) for a finale to "Somewhere" from West Side Story, to the orchestra and a children's chorus. It was a treat to see Kat, Roz, Kristi and Katia on the ice together, especially when they were all doing spirals at the same time. Tara's youth is really evident in that context: she just doesn't have the polish, carriage and style of the older ladies ("older" being a relative term, of course, since Kristi and Katia are only a little older than the current world champ).
 
   As I said, even though none of the skating was particularly memorable, the parts came together and made for a satisfying evening as a whole.
 
-Ruth