Skating luminaries perform in Portland showcase

Twenty of figure skating’s brightest lights shone in Portland on Friday night, as the Champions on Ice tour stopped for a nearly sold-out show at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

Twenty former world and Olympic titlists and medalists performed, ranging in age from 43-year-old Dorothy Hamill to 22-year-old Oksana Baiul. The audience of 6,534, about 200 short of a sell-out, appreciated the opportunity to see them all live.

It was a showcase evening, with the skaters or pairs featured in one or two individual numbers each, with the bigger names getting the second outing. Unfortunately, this meant only single performances by the show’s most entertaining skaters. Billing seemed to be based largely on past titles, and some skaters are just better entertainers than competitors.

An early case in point was the flamboyant Rudy Galindo, the evening’s third skater. He appeared along the board resplendent in purple, including a cape with fur along its fringe, as he performed to a medley of songs by the artist formerly known as Prince. During “Let’s Go Crazy” and “1999,” Galindo, dressed in a Prince-like suit, took control of the ice as he danced, sashayed and shook his butt. As “I Would Die 4 U” began, he stripped down to a narrow tank top, emblazoned with the year 2000. He was a hard act to follow.

Another underutilized skater was former Olympic gold medalist Victor Petrenko, who appeared once in the second half. Watching him employ his expressive face and body during his routine to the Broadway financial pairing of “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Money Makes the World Go Round” was very enjoyable.

Also buried in the program, as the next-to-the-last act, was the always-interesting Canadian pair of Isabelle Brasseur and Lloyd Eisler. They flew around the ice to the strains of the 1950s song “Let’s Shout,” as much dancing as skating, all the while mixing in breathtaking lifts and spins.

A big surprise was the male pair of skaters Vladimir and Alexei. In their slow-motion number, they slyly poked fun at traditional pairs moves while performing amazing stunts. These included several handstands by Alexei while he was on top of Vladimir.

Most of the star acts were predictable, which proved disappointing. An example was skating sex symbol Philippe Candeloro. His second-half number skated to the music of “Braveheart” was typical for him, with big dramatic flourishes and lots of fast-moving action. But he chose to sabotage the dramatic tension of the piece by playfully lifting up his kilt for his female fans.

Brian Boitano performed one of his usual, ultraserious costume dramas in the first half, but redeemed himself in the last number of the show when, dressed in a shirt with a swirling black-and-white pattern and tight black pants, he skated to the playful 1960s instrumental “The Elephant.”

The fragile Baiul was a vision in red as she emoted to the Cher song “Dov’e L’Amore” in a first-half number. Throughout, it seemed like she might come crashing to the ice at any moment, but she skillfully drew the audience into her tale.

A treat for the crowd was watching the ever-elegant Hamill, as she glided around the rink. She may not have the jumps of a Surya Bonaly, but she certainly has more than her share of artistry.

One big thing lacking from the Champions on Ice show was group numbers. There were opening and concluding numbers featuring all the skaters, but they served only to introduce them. It would have been intriguing to see how the skaters worked together in smaller groups.

Still, many audience members liked their skaters one at a time, in showcases, and that is what Champions on Ice gave them. It’s hard to argue too strenuously against a show that brings that much talent to a single location, so that fans can enjoy their favorites.