Stand Up for Life benefit to feature Oksana Baiul and JoJo Starbuck

On Saturday, May 2, at 7 p.m., I will be at the Richard J. Codey Arena at South Mountain, New Jersey, to support Stand Up for Life, a Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Benefit. Featuring Olympic champion Oksana Baiul and emcee JoJo Starbuck, this is a great opportunity to see past, present, and future figure skaters in action. The event will also honor local skating legend, breast cancer survivor, and 1984 Olympian Lisa Spitz. In addition to Oksana, Angela Maxwell, Scott Smith, Kristiene Gong, Tamar Katz and many others are scheduled to perform.

Proceeds from Stand Up for Life will go towards research as well as to the North Jersey Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® to support community-based education, screening, and treatment programs for uninsured populations. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children. For those who would like to meet the stars, VIP tickets are only $75, with available on-ice seating to see them up close for $100 per ticket. You can purchase tickets here online or call (973) 731-3828 ext. 0. See you there!

Johnny Weir and Ice Theatre of New York celebrate New York Fashion Week at VMAN party

FORD male models. An ice skating and cocktails party. New York Fashion Week. Johnny Weir. Yep, makes sense to me. On Thursday night, VMAN magazine and FORD models celebrated their spring issue with a party at Sky Rink in Chelsea Piers. Johnny and Ice Theatre of New York (which promotes ice skating as a theatrical art form through performances and educational programs) provided the entertainment for the evening -- Johnny skated an exhibition piece to Lady Gaga's Poker Face and Ice Theatre ensemble members skated with the crowd while dressed as fashion models. Other attendees included Richie Rich of Heatherette, Kanye West, Oksana Baiul, REM lead singer Michael Stipe, designer Zac Posen, Ford male models, stylists, designers, and regular folks like you and me (albeit cutting a somewhat more stylish swath).

I had a chance to interview Johnny at the party (video story later this week which includes his interview and his entire skate) and he plans to pursue a fashion career in the near future. He also said that part of his plan is to attend college to learn about the business end of the fashion industry so that he can be well-versed with all aspects of the industry. And his thoughts on Worlds in March? To root for Evan Lysacek! (Photo above, Johnny Weir performing at VMAN party. Photo below, from right to left, Richie Rich, Richie's mother, Moira North (founder of Ice Theatre of New York) and Christopher Colton (Moira's son))

FEBRUARY 28 UPDATE: Click here to see our exclusive video interview with Johnny, as well as full coverage of his program at the VMAN magazine party!

Oksana Baiul headlines Coney Island Ice Theatre gala with Angela Maxwell

Angela Maxwell, the 2008 U.S. junior silver medalist and 2007 U.S. novice champion, ran through her short program for an enthusiastic crowd at the Abe Stark Skating Rink in Coney Island, New York on December 27. The audience was there to show their support for Coney Island Ice Theatre, a relatively new children's organization created by former professional skater Valery Levine. Valery also enlisted the help of perennial children's volunteer Oksana Baiul to lend support to her program. Oksana headlined the event with a skate to Swan Lake. (At right, Oksana Baiul and Angela Maxwell after their skate)

According to Valery,

I started the organization originally wanting to do a skating theatre project with Coney Island USA, the people who do the Mermaid Parade every year in Coney Island. David Gratt, their manager, took a big interest in it and it began there. We wanted to do something at the local rink with the community and the kids. As a skater and choreographer I always preferred show skating over competitive skating because there are no creative restrictions. I also wanted to work with both kids and professionals in performances, so it all evolved out of those interests. 

What a great idea for kids who have an interest in performing and skating! I'll be checking back with them as the season progresses.

(Photo below, Oksana Baiul and Angela Maxwell with children from the Coney Island Ice Theatre)

 

Oksana Baiul plays Donatella Versace replete with fashion line

Last month, on November 16, Oksana Baiul turned 31 and boy, does that make us feel really old. I like to freeze people in my mind and she'll forever be 16 in a pink fur-trimmed skating dress (see right) winning the gold medal at the 1994 Winter Olympics. So what is Ms. Baiul up to? A reality show of course! Everyone should have a reality show so why not Oksana? Her show follows her as she and cast prepare for the Broadway debut of Cold as Ice, an ice musical about figure skaters striving to make it to the Olympics. Oksana acts, sings and skates as Maya, who is coached by a tyrannical Russian coach under the Soviet system. The show is in the works to tour around the country and expect it to come to NYC sometime in 2009.

I found a recent interview with Oksana all grown up and talking about her reality show on ABC. As soon as I saw her, she reminded me of Donatella Versace, to which my friend said, "Noooooo. She's Marilyn Monroe, like when you saw her at the Ray Ellin show (see right) and Levi Okunov's clothing boutique." Is this the definition of re-inventing oneself? One moment you're Marilyn Monroe, then you're looking like a Spice Girl, then you're Donatella? Or my favorite look -- just herself(!) when I spoke to her at a fundraiser for Brooklyn Ice. You decide...

**LINK TO OKSANA INTERVIEW ON ABC**

Levi Okunov and Oksana Baiul: Fashion and skating meet at The 1929

New York designer Levi Okunov and Olympic figure skating champion Oksana Baiul brought fashion and skating together at The 1929, a clothing boutique in downtown Manhattan. According to Levi, co-founder of the store along with Ari Kaplan and Aaron Genuth, since we're in a recession, why not offer great fashion at Great Depression prices? And there lies the concept behind The 1929. The boutique offers Levi's "The 1929" label as well as work from other designers under the premise that you don't need to spend a ton of money to look trendy and great. But be warned, the store is only open for the next few months so bring your savings mentality to 174 Mott Street as soon as possible. Levi also told me that there's soup for their patrons which I didn't get to delve into because the soup comment didn't register until I got home. ("Did he say there was soup available? Let's check the videotape - yes he did!") The boys are looking to expand and in the meantime, celebrated the joys of the holidays on Friday evening (December 19) with ice skating performances in their store.

Oksana and Levi have collaborated on a handful of fashion shows and she was on hand to entertain the crowd who made it to the show despite the snowstorm and 20 degree temperature that evening. Skating on plastic ice, Oksana did a cute routine playing, I think, a sexy...something, and then changed into an angelic ensemble for the second piece. Joined by fellow performers Valery Levine and Marni Halasa from the Coney Island Ice Theatre, the girls skated to klezmer music for the finale. Oksana calls Levi's designs "controversial" and Levi a "Jewish rebel" which are qualities she said she identified with (she recently found out from her father that she has "Jewish blood"). And she had an interesting story on how they first met. It's all in the video story above!

(photos below, Oksana Baiul performing at The 1929, clothing boutique founded by designer Levi Okunov)