WPNCR PRESS BOX. By “Edge” Bailey. January 13, 2007: Could the Skyliners, New York-New Jersey and Connecticut’s synchronized skating team come through with a fourth great skate in a row under pressure of skating with the best woman skater in the country, the Olympic Silver Medalist – the divine Sasha Cohen?
It was a Skyliners’ Night to Remember: Sasha (Cohen), the reigning United States Women’s Champion (in red) and The Skyliners hanging out at The Pond in Bryant Park right after the show. Photo by Kelsey Loveday.
The Skyliners Opening “The Sasha Show” at The Pond in Bryant Park, NYC, Tuesday. Photo, WPCNR Sports
That was the question at least the parents’ minds (The Skyliners skate with icewater in their veins) when The Pond, the cheery, fashionable rink at Bryant Park invited The Skyliners back to perform on their ice for the Skyliners’ second public exhibition skate there in a month.
The Skyliners arriving at Grand Central Terminal.
All 16 Skyliners spent a full day in school, arriving by train or “chaufeurred limo” (parent-driven) from all over the metro area to meet at 42nd Street and Bryant Park at 4:30 for their 7:15 skate. When they arrived, they encountered the diminutive delight of the great white ice stage, Sasha Cohen, practicing her routine.
Sasha Performing her Ena Bauer practicing up for her 7:30 Skate. Photos, WPCNR Sports
Skyliners warmup with their “Skyline” of the Empire State Building and the Bryant Park Hotel as their set.
But to call Sasha Cohen’s programs routines is like calling Sarah Brightman’s performances songs. Sasha performs sublimely, demonstrating body control and human flight more than any ballerina or dancer ever could
The Skyliners to a lady watched and watched.
There the champion was, performing 90 degree spirals (leg above the head) you could not believe: double axels about 5 feet off the ice, Russian Splits 10 feet in the air, and the dread Sasha swoon spiral with confidence and smoothness. She was concentrating intensely. There was religious silence across the rink as public skaters young and old who had stopped skating for Ms. Cohen to work out, watched the champion. Polite applause—respect with wonder — greeted Sasha’s every execution. It seemed as if the rink crowd was observing a religious ceremony.
The Skyliners Do Homework, Waiting to Take the Ice at the 7:15 Show — Just like Champions on Ice
Well, The Skyliners watched “The Little Champ” up close. Perhaps watching the incomparable Cohen fly across the ice – smooth out her moves — work at a nuance to get it right was responsible for the great skate the Skyliners put on when they took the ice to introduce the star pairs, Putnam and Wirtz, and the Supreme Sasha. Though interviews with individual Skyliners said skating with Sasha on the same ice did not make them skate better, they still skated to show they belonged. The Skyliners are professional that way.
Skyliners begin their Proud Mary skate.
The Skyliner performance was not that of teens skating to get things started, but a powerful prelude to the three stars to come, displaying all the elements that make synchronized skating exciting, dangerous, impressive and the highest demand of teamwork in sports.
Coming at you in the shadow of the New York Public Library.
Check out that footwork as Skyliners skate backwards like Rockettes on Ice.
The Skyliners moving in their “Block” all bending the right leg and on their deep edges at a good 10 miles an hour.
The Skyliners received the invitation to keynote the show featuring America’s best lady skater on the strength of their flawless trooper performances at The Pond live on the Japan Fuji Network in 2005, last month’s holiday show, their skate in Albany at the Spitzer Inauguration and their 4th place finish in the Junior World Qualifier last Saturday. The young ladies turned in a hot, fast, spectacular skate to Tina Turner’s Rolling on the River
Rolling on the River: Skyliners coolly with attitude, ” Spread Eagle” to a stop setting the ice stage for the Canadian Pairs Bronze Medalists and Ms. Cohen. The Skyliner choreography is the only Synchronized Skating team to execute a finish like this one: Coach Babb’s daring high speed to slow, coming to a full controlled stop at the end of their Short program in the Junior division.
Take a Bow Girls!
Cheers, shrieks, sustained applause of a minute echoed across ice when The Skyliners smoothly executed their clever full spread eagle stop (with all 16 skaters in 40 degree spread eagle backward leans, ending their 2-1/2 minute program. For the fourth week in a row, The Skyliners had stepped up — at The Pond in December, at the Spitzer Inauguration, at the Colonial Classic rising to 4th in the nation — and again Tuesday night.
They stunned the audience of about 1,000 hanging on the sideboards 15-deep, with their 45 degree angle sharp edges, confident speed, speedy circles and block spirals, precise footwork and close-in formations entered at 15-20 miles per hour. Josh Babb, their coach was very complimentary of The Skyliners, saying it was their best performance of the Proud Mary program to date.
The high school skaters aged 14 to 19, captured the attention 15-deep around-the rink audience. Sustained applause and whoops greeted the spectacular, 16 spread-eagle conclusion of The Skyliners number. Skyliner Coach Josh Babb was ecstatic about the teens turning in another “step up” performance worthy of introducing Canadian Bronze Medal Pairs Champions, Elizabeth Putnam and Sean Krantz who burst on the ice and started flying.
Canadian Bronze Pairs Medalists, Elizabeth Putnam and SeanWirtz, skating to Sing Sing Sing, executing a Pair Combination Spin below.
Putnam & Wirtz spiraling.
Then it was time for Sasha Cohen to wow New York. In a silky smooth performance, the moves Sasha is famous for — unfolded in flawless symetry.
Sasha Cohen in her ultimate spiral.
Air Sasha Becomes Airborne! Faster than the speed of light. Photo by Kelsey Loveday
Ms. Cohen–Silk on Ice — Showing her incredible mastery, executing the Catch Foot Spin. Photo by Kelsey Loveday
Saying So long to the Crowd. Ms. Cohen leads Putnam and Wirtz and The Skyliners in a skatearound at the conclusion of the ice show. For one night in their lives, The Skyliners enjoyed the thrill of a Champion on Ice.
The Skyliners are on a 16-20 hour a week practice schedule sharpening up their splices, closing up their blocs, straightening their lines, honing their footwork, this, on top of their school work, preparing for the Eastern Synchronized Skating Junior Championship in Providence, Rhode Island, coming up January 26 and 27.
The Skyliners, by virtue of finishing 4th in the World Qualifier last Saturday in Lowell, Massachussetts gained the distinction of being introduced as “Second Alternate” (Team Braemar of Minnesota is the first alternate) to replace one of the teams in the World Championships in England in March – if for some reason The Chicago Jazz and The Colonials cannot compete.
The Skyliners have come a long way, baby, this season — all the way to 4th ranking nationally, and are skating four days a week in preparation for the Easterns coming up, to move on up. In skating, there is no limit on how good you can get. It’s up to you.
Racing to catch the 8:22 back to White Plains where tomorrow morning they’ll be “Sweet Sixteen and back in class again. “
