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figure skating

Hot Entertainment: Kurt Browning Directs the Stars on Ice Canada Tour

Canadian skater Kurt Browning is the choreographer of this year's Stars on Ice Canada tour

He’s been skating with Stars on Ice Canada (May 18 at Rogers Arena) since it began 21 years ago, and now Kurt Browning (pictured) is finally in the driver’s seat. This year marks his first as show director, leading an all-star line-up that includes recently minted World Champion ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. Browning, himself a four-time World Champion and the first skater ever to land a quadruple jump in competition, says he’s excited to end the tour in Vancouver, where he once hiked Grouse Mountain. “If I didn’t think my 45-year-old legs would hate me during the show, I would do it again!” —Kristina Urquhart

Hot Dates: Sears Stars On Ice

Sears Stars on Ice.

May 5 Theatrical figure skating performances featuring Canadian 2010 Olympic champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, 2010 Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek and more. Show starts at 7 pm. Tickets: $33-$127. MTS Centre, 300 Portage Ave, 780-3333 or click here for tickets.

Ready, Set… Go!

Halifax hosts the 2011 Canada Games—the biggest sports event in Nova Scotian history

By Christina Copp and Trevor J. Adams

In February, all eyes will be on Halifax as it hosts the Canada Games. Running from February 11 to 27, the Games will be the largest multi-sport competition in Canada in 2011.

Sports fans have lot to look forward to during the Games. “Essentially, [there are] 20 different sports, so it’s like putting on 20 national championships over 18 days,” says Melissa MacKinnon, director of communications for the Games. She suggests that outdoor sports fans head over to the long-track speed skating at the new Oval on the Halifax Common. Admission is free.

All of the events at both ski venues are also free for fans. A 45-minute drive northwest of Halifax, Martock in Windsor hosts cross-country, biathlon and snowboard competitions Freestyle and alpine skiing take place at Wentworth, an 80-minute drive north.Other highlights include gymnastics, badminton and synchronized swimming at the new Canada Games Centre in Clayton Park, hockey at the Dartmouth Sportsplex and Halifax Metro Centre and boxing at the Halifax Forum. A 40-minute drive west of the city, the St. Margaret’s Centre in St. Margaret’s Bay hosts short-track speed skating and figure skating. The Metro Centre also hosts the opening ceremonies.

The party will continue after the athletes’ days are done, too. “Celebration Square in Grand Parade will be the place to be each evening,” says MacKinnon. The concert venue in front of Halifax City Hall will feature acts like The Stanfields, Christina Martin and Matt Mays. Martin, a multiple Nova Scotia Music Award Winner, was one of more than 300 acts who submitted their names to perform during the Games cultural festivities.

“I applied to perform during the Canada Games because I want to be a part of this monumental event that is taking place on my home turf,” says Christina Martin. “After experiencing the excitement from performing at the Vancouver Winter Olympics, I jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this fantastic event.”

Games CEO Chris Morrissey is excited about the potential to bring Haligonians, athletes and visiting sports fans together. “Everyone can come together to celebrate athletic achievements while enjoying live entertainment that showcases Nova Scotia talent and culture,” he says.

Running from February 11 to 27, the Games embrace a wide variety of disciplines. For schedule and venue details, click here or phone 902-490-2011.

Hitting the Peaks

With winter activities galore, Vancouver’s snow-capped mountains offer more than just spectacular scenery

By Kristina Urquhart

Meghan and Mat take a break after a satisfying trek on Grouse Mountain’s snowshoe trails. Photo by KK Law

Grouse Mountain
One glance south from the top of Grouse Mountain and you’ll see why it’s one of Vancouver’s most photographed views. On a clear day, the city stretches out below you; on a foggy day, it looks as if you’re about to ski into the clouds. Skiers and snowboarders carve fresh powder through snow-dusted trees on the mountain’s 26 runs or practice tricks in two terrain parks. Get a different—but equally exhilarating—kind of adrenaline rush on the four groomed trails in the Munday Alpine Snowshoe Park, where you can attend clinics to learn to master this popular winter activity or embark on a fondue snowshoe tour. If you’re not quite tuckered out, take a two-hour tour on five ziplines or lounge in a Sno-Limo as an experienced guide pushes you down the mountainside. Make like Canadian figure skating darling Joannie Rochette and practice spins and turns on the 743-square-metre (8,000-square-foot) skating pond. Cap off your snow day with a picturesque sleigh ride through the mountain forests, then warm up with a hot chocolate by the fire in the Peak Chalet.

Cypress Mountain
This venue shot to fame last February when it hosted the freestyle skiing and snowboard competitions during the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The mega mountain is home to 53 runs (including four double black diamond), nine lifts and the North

A snowboarder on the half pipe at Cypress Mountain. Photo by Insight Photography courtesy Tourism BC

Shore’s tallest skiable peak at 1,646 metres (5,400 feet). Feeling gutsy? Unleash your inner Alexandre Bilodeau on the moguls run (gold medal not included). If you prefer Nordic over alpine, Cypress is the only mountain in Vancouver with cross-country ski trails. Get your heart pumping on 10 kilometres (six miles) of self-guided snowshoe trails or indulge in a snowshoe fondue tour. Tubing is fun for the whole family—there’s a separate sliding area nearby for tots aged three to five.

Mount Seymour
Snow bunnies hit the slopes at this alpine paradise, a favourite for its four terrain parks with features like jumps and rails. Ski or snowboard 39 runs of varying difficulty or traverse 10 kilometres (six miles) on the Discovery Snowshoe Trails on your own or with a guide. Fondue tours are offered here, too—inquire about the Valentine’s Day chocolate fondue snowshoe tour at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14. Kids and adults alike love zooming down the peak at high speeds, whether in the tube park or the eight-run Toboggan Park. If you haven’t packed your own toboggan, purchase a sliding carpet for a dizzying spin down the mountainside.

For more details on local mountains, click here. For information on Whistler Blackcomb, ask your concierge for a copy of Where Whistler or click here.

Hot Entertainment: Dynamic Duo

Olympic champions Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue are part of Stars on Ice, coming to Vancouver May 14.

It’s been a golden year for Canadian ice-dance darlings Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. First, they nabbed gold at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, then topped the podium a month later at the 2010 World Figure Skating Championships in Turin, Italy. It was the ultimate payoff for the London, Ontario pair, who have been skating together since 1997, when Moir was 10 years old and Virtue eight.

After all that heady competition, it’s time for the duo to finish their competitive season with something a little less stressful. They’ll still be skating of course—as part of the fun-filled Sears Stars on Ice tour, which glides into Vancouver May 14 at GM Place. The best part? No scores and no judges. “It’s exciting, and without the pressure, we can skate for the fans,” Virtue says.

The 20th-anniversary show stars the cream of the Canadian skating crop. Among the headliners are Olympic champions Jamie Salé and David Pelletier, veteran Kurt Browning and our country’s newest sweetheart, Joannie Rochette. “The cast is great. Coming off an Olympic season in Canada, [the tour] will be special,” Virtue says.

And ticketholders are in for a treat: the pair plans to reprise their elegant free dance to Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, which won them Olympic gold here in Vancouver. The duo’s rigourous Olympic schedule didn’t provide them much downtime in our fair city, but Virtue says, “Vancouver is one of our favourite cities, not just because we won the Olympics there, but because of the mountains, the city and the water.” Here’s hoping Canada’s golden couple will have more time to relax this time around. They deserve it!—Kristina Urquhart

Weekend Roundup, April 30 to May 2

Mark the coming of May in the traditional style of our ancestors: laughter, fun and celebration. This weekend, Toronto invites you to take your pick amongst skating, musicals, tours,  fine dining and more.

Friday: Kurt Browning and friends skate their way to Sears Stars on Ice (photo by Stephan Potopnyk)

Friday, April 30
Reach for the heavens while applauding at Sears Stars on Ice, where you can witness first-hand the art of figure skating as interpreted by such Canadians as Kurt Browning, Jeffrey Buttle and our beloved 2010 Olympians, Patrick Chan, Joannie Rochette, and Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir.

Nosh on traditional public-house favourites like nachos or poutine at the Mill Street Brew Pub. Happy Hour goes late into the evening with a variety of artisan beers, wines and whiskies.

Mark the final day of Keep Toronto Reading month with a trip to a local public library. Attend readings by various authors of books, poetry and plays at the Diaspora Dialogues event.

Saturday: See Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate at the Stratford Festival (photo by Andrew Eccles)

Saturday, May 1
Indulge in the English canon’s finest at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, a short drive away in the picturesque town of Stratford. Enjoy productions of the Bard’s romantic comedy As You Like It, as well as the Cole Porter musical Kiss Me, Kate (itself an interpretation of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew) and a magical staging of Peter Pan.

Dig into a hearty Mexican burrito at Hernando’s Hideaway. Or sample many other Mexican delights—faijtas, enchiladas, quesadillas, nachos and more—at this ebullient Old Town restaurant.

Discover the latest addition to Canadian painter Michael Adamson‘s abstract art oeuvre at his Moore Gallery exhibition, entitled Distant Relation.

Sunday: Elicia MacKenzie stars in Rock of Ages (photo by Cylla von Tiedemann)

Sunday, May 2
Catch the musical love story Rock of Ages in its second week of performances filled with rockin’ ‘80s hits like Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister.

Savour French cuisine at the brasserie-style Le Papillon on Front. Quebecois dishes like tourtière are a specialty, and the restaurant also boasts a huge menu of savoury crepes.

Take a stroll through Toronto on 100-plus tours as part of Jane’s Walk, which wends through the city’s diverse neighbourhoods. Indulge in the Black Creek community walk, peruse the Annex or grab a bite to eat in Kensington Market while viewing the city through experts’ eyes.

http://www.hernandoshideaway.com/home.html

Hot Date: Icy Spectacle

Kurt Browning shows off at Sears Stars on Ice (photo by Stephan Potopnyk)

APRIL 30 An evening of glittering costumes and gleaming blades is assured as Canadian figure skating luminaries including Kurt Browning, Joannie Rochette and Jeffrey Buttle hit the rink for Sears Stars on Ice. The famed skating showcase is marking its 20th year of bringing fancy footwork and top-quality choreography to more than 200 venues across the country, so expect a bit of extra lift in performers’ lutz leaps and more speed to their spins. Ice dancers Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir will also appear, fresh from their gold-medal performance at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Air Canada Centre, 7:30 p.m., $27 to $152; call 416-870-8000 or visit here for more details and to purchase tickets.

Sport of the Day: Figure Skating

Olympic mascots Quatchi and Miga. Photo copyright VANOC/COVAN

PACIFIC COLISEUM

Figure skating was initially at the Summer Games, in 1908 and 1920. It found a new home at the Winter Games in 1924. Events include singles, which involves a short program of required moves and a longer, more creative, free skating program; pairs, in which one male and one female work together in lifts, throws, jumps and spins; and ice dance, which is similar to ballroom dancing.—Sheri Radford