#michael stojko

[anastasiamusicalupdates]

Anastasia the Musical Female Ensemble Costumes Act Two

Paris Holds the Key to Your Heart

We only see the Parisian citizens during Paris Holds the Key to Your Heart. They wear silk dresses with bright colors and patterns.

(Left: Laura Enrech and Morena Visci; Madrid. Middle: Anastasia Stojko and Christina Gibbs; Stuttgart. Right: Beth Stafford Laird; First National Tour)

Josephine Baker

A cut costume that was only featured in Hartford and early Broadway shows. A replica of Josephine Baker’s banana costume, though the Hartford version only had a very short yellow fabric skirt with a front panel instead of bananas.

(Shina Ann Morris; Hartford on left and Broadway on right)

Land of Yesterday

Dancing alongside Lily are White Russians in the Neva Club wearing traditional flapper dresses (and occasionally harem trousers).

(Top Left: Shina Ann Morris; Broadway. Top Right: Lysanne van der Sijs and Willemijn Maandag; The Hague, Netherlands. Bottom Left: Christina Gibbs; Stuttgart. Bottom Right: Sarah Statler; Second National Tour)

Neva Club Waitresses

While we only see male workers at the entrance to the club, during the dance of Land of Yesterday several female waitresses join in. They wear identical traditional short sleeved peasant blouses, bright headdresses, and long red skirts.

(Beth Stafford Laird; First National Tour)

Ballet Processional

We see several Parisians and White Russians attending the ballet in their evening gowns. One female ballet attendee in the ensemble is named, Countess Gregory, and she wears a v-neck gold gown and matching hairband.

(Top Left: María Arévalo Saez as Countess Gregory; Madrid. Top Right: Lucy Horton; First National Tour. Bottom Left: Alison Ewing; First National Tour. Bottom Right: Carmen Danen; Stuttgart)

Odette

A specific ensemble dance track, the ballerina wears a standard platter tutu from Swan Lake. In Hartford, the tutu was light pink rather than the more recognizable white.

(Youngsil Kim; First National Tour)

Cygnets

Also specific ensemble dance tracks for the ballet (usually Romanov sisters), wearing platter tutus from Swan Lake. These tutus were light pink in Hartford, and changed to white in Broadway. They are less detailed than Odette’s tutu and are identical to each other.

(Left to Right: Rita Correia, Viviana Pacchin, Aimee de Pater; The Hague, Netherlands)

Odette and Cygnets Hartford

(Left to Right: Shina Ann Morris, Alida Michael as Odette, Samantha Sturm, Molly Rushing; Hartford)

Press Conference

Reporters flock around Vlad and Lily to get the truth of Anastasia. Despite the female reporters wearing day dresses, their costumes are quite different than the Parisians early in the act, as the reporters wear more subdued colors, checked coats, and cloche hats.

(Left to Right: Hikari Kudo, Marika Toguchi, Arisa Kojima, Izumi Gota, Rico Takahashi; Japan)

[danceoftheday]

Performed by: Carlos Acosta, Luca Acri, Gary Avis, Yuhui Choe, Bennet Gartside, Paul Kay, Kenta Kura, Philip Mosley, Marianela Nunez, Beatrix Stix-Brunell, Michael Stojko, and ensemble

Number: “Act I Finale”

Choreographer: Carlos Acosta and Marius Petipa

Style: Ballet

From: The Royal Ballet’s Don Quixote (2014)

[thepermanentrainpress]

Gallery: Stars On Ice @ Rogers Arena - Vancouver, BC Date: May 19th, 2022 Photographed by: Timothy Nguyen

[istumpysk]

Who are some of the other teams that you follow?

Past and present ->

Hockey: Toronto Maple Leafs, Team Canada (Men and women)

Basketball: Toronto Raptors

Baseball: Toronto Blue Jays

Football: Buffalo Bills, whatever team is playing against Tom Brady

Soccer: Toronto FC, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo (I know, I’m done), David Beckham, Christine Sinclair

Tennis: Pete Sampras, Steffi Graf, Rafael Nadal

Weightlifting: Dmitry Klokov, Mohamed Ehab, Max Lang, Lu Xiaojun

Strongman / powerlifting: Brian Shaw, Mark Henry, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (Gregor Clegane)

MMA: Georges St-Pierre, Amanda Nunes, Khabib Nurmagomedov

Golf: Greg Norman, Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler

F1: Michael Schumacher ☹️, Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton

Track: Usain Bolt, Andre De Grasse, Donovan Bailey

Figure skating / dancing: Elvis Stojko, Kristi Yamaguchi, Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir

Long / short track speed skating: Jeremy Wotherspoon, Charles Hamelin, Clara Hughes

Gymnasts: Kerri Strug, Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles

Swimming: Ian Thorpe, Penny Oleksiak

Boxing: Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson (I was a child, and didn’t know any better)

Squash: Jonathon Power

Cycling: anyone but Lance Armstrong (I realize everyone was doping, he’s still a bitch)

WWE: Shawn Michaels, Sasha Banks (I realize it’s stunt work, and not competitive sport)

I don’t have a favourite rugby player or team, but I’ll watch. Same for curling [insert Canadian joke here].

[virtchandmoir]

Ice-dance pair Tessa Virtue, Scott Moir named Postmedia's Team of the Year

December 28, 2018

Twenty-one years ago, Carol Moir made the Canadian sporting match of the century.

The coach at the Ilderton Skating Club asked her nephew Scott to hold Tessa Virtue’s hand because she figured it might be a strong team for ice dance competitions.

Scott, back in his more bashful days, knew the drill. He grew up steps from his hometown rink in a family that discussed figure skating around the supper table — in the hour or so before the puck dropped for the Maple Leafs game on Hockey Night in Canada

The Virtue clan, from nearby big-city London, were athletes. They had sport in their blood.

Tessa, who loved ballet, impressed her first teachers with the uncanny ability to replicate movement almost immediately on first sight.

When she and Scott took the ice together, the talent was evident.

“We weren’t skating to win the Olympics when we were skating (then),” Moir, now 31-years-old, said. “Pretty much, we were worried if we could go up and get ice cream afterward.”

They quickly outgrew their home rink, moving first to Kitchener-Waterloo and then to Canton, Mich., for pro-style training. Mike Slipchuk, then a coach and now Skate Canada’s director of high performance, first saw them skate on the other side of the world — at a junior Grand Prix event in Harbin, China, in 2004.

“It was one of those things where I was well aware,” he said. “As they were young and moving up, there was always a lot of talk about them. It’s neat to see where they started and where they end up in their careers.

“It’s been an incredible journey to watch.”

How many star athletes have risen to the top of their field, then got knocked off their pedestal, took a couple of years to regroup, then returned to dominate their event like no one has ever done before?

That list is short.

Michael Jordan, probably, after he came back to the NBA from his self-imposed hiatus to try professional baseball.

Muhammad Ali, for sure, when he reclaimed boxing’s heavyweight title.

That’s what Virtue and Moir accomplished these past two seasons. That makes them the perfect pick for Postmedia’s Team of the Year.

When they became the first North American duo to win Olympic ice dance gold in 2010 on home ice at Vancouver, they were only four years into their maddeningly platonic partnership on the senior circuit.

They still produced the performance of a lifetime, but it was understandably pushed into the national sub-conscious during a massive two-week Canadian gold rush capped by Sidney Crosby’s famous goal against the United States in the men’s hockey final.

Four years later in Sochi, Virtue and Moir were bested in figure skating’s most riveting rivalry. They finished second to training mates Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who used their post-Olympic Dancing With the Stars platform to become TV celebrities.

The Canadians retreated from the competitive realm for two years before creating their legendary bounce-back. This time, they moved to Montreal and constructed a familiar training pattern.

They were at the same club as the reigning world champs and their top competitors — Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron of France.

“They never shied away from training with the best,” Slipchuk said. “When you’re in that environment, there are no days off. It’s something they always did in their career, and with (coaches) Marie-France (Dubreuil) and Patrice (Lauzon), they recreated their skating and passion.

“The last two years was the best I’ve ever seen them. They went undefeated (in 2016-17) and then went out and won the Olympics again.”

The volume of their careers, which started with whispers and a growing buzz, developed into a deafening roar.

Virtue and Moir were Canada’s hopeful faces at the start of the 2018 Olympics in South Korea. They carried the flag into the opening ceremonies of a Winter Games without NHL players.

Then they delivered a transcendent skate that brought their discipline to its highest level.

They have become as revered as Kurt Browning, Brian Orser, Elvis Stojko, Liz Manley and Sale-Pelletier are in the country and figure skating world.

“The one thing that will always stick out to me is they wanted every piece of information to make them the best,” Slipchuk said. “Here’s the best dance team we’ve ever seen and they were always open and wanting advice any time we brought in officials, judges or technical people. They were so respectful of everyone there to help them. They’re professionals and perfect ambassadors for their sport.”

The 29-year-old Virtue was selected by ESPN as one of the most-recognizable female athletes in the world. People worldwide continue to be stumped by how her relationship with Moir isn’t romantic.

They’re flattered by it, but that’s not what makes them tick.

“If we can inspire young people to follow their dreams and believe in themselves, how fortunate are we that we can have that connection,” Virtue said.

Every so often, we get a glimpse of tremendous chemistry — from the way the Golden State Warriors move a basketball to John Tavares and Mitch Marner creating a goal. But those partnerships won’t last two decades.

This one did.

VIRTUE VERY TRENDY

When the Olympics rolled around in February, Canadians took to the Internet to search for the answers to their most pressing questions.

They wanted to know why NHL players weren’t participating this time, how come so many Russian athletes were banned and a lot of us just needed a refresher on the rules of curling.

But the most sought-after information in Canadian sports this year revolved around the relationship status of two beloved champion athletes.

Are Tessa and Scott dating?

“It’s not a surprise to anyone this was the No. 1 question on everybody’s mind,” Google Trends expert Nicole Bell said. “Coming of their very emotional performance in Pyeongchang where they won the gold medal for ice dancing to that sexy Moulin Rouge song, people were like, ‘Omigoodness, is it possible this is ‘The Notebook’ for real?’

“We want this to be real-life love — but sadly, it’s not true.”

Google is able to chart the rise in interest in personalities from year-to-year. Justin Bieber and Donald Trump, for instance, aren’t found on the list because online searches for their names didn’t move the needle much above their 2017 levels.

In this country, Tessa Virtue ranked first among Canadians and athletes in general in 2018. Hoopster Tristan Thompson is second among Canadians and new Raptor Kawhi Leonard is runner-up for athletes behind the figure-skating star.

Though the anxiety over William Nylander’s eventual signing with the Leafs and John Tavares’ Toronto homecoming checked in highly, the level of curiosity around Virtue and Moir, especially during and after the Winter Games, was the biggest story.

“It’s kind of interesting because they have been on the scene for a long time as a pair, but that (dating) questions hasn’t been a burning topic in the Canadian mind until this year’s performance,” Bell said, “and Tessa did a lot of beauty campaigns (for Dove and Nivea), along with being involved in fashion, and those activities produced additional interest in her beyond the skating world.”

Virtue finished fourth on Canadian searches for people around the world, behind Demi Lovato, Khloe Kardashian and Hailey Baldwin.

“Demi Lovato had a bit of a dramatic year with an overdose, Khloe Kardashian made the news for (a stormy relationship with) Tristan Thompson and Hailey Baldwin married Justin Bieber. Tessa is there with no scandal — just someone whose athletic feats and talent was so incredible.

“She’s somebody Canadians are incredibly proud of and she’s a role model. If you had a vote for Canada’s sweetheart right now, she would win, hands down.”

THEIR GREATEST HITS

2017-18 Moulin Rouge free dance

They put their own twist on a tried-and-true figure skating theme and it proved the final step to another Olympic gold medal. Though it was deemed second-best on the big night to the runner-up French, it still scored 122.40 points, enough for the win. The program is still burned into everyone’s brain — including theirs — and that’s why it will remain a favourite on tour for years to come.

2012-13: Carmen free dance

The final scores say it was only good enough for second at their hometown worlds behind Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White, but the boundary-pushing dance highlighted the athleticism and chemistry of the Canadian duo. Moir has stated he wished they would have kept the program the following year for the Sochi Olympics, believing a polished version of it with nothing held back (and some less dodgy judging) could have put them over the top.

2009-10: Symphony No. 5 (Mahler) free dance

Then-coach Marina Zoueva described it as a marriage proposal and it was the launching point for Virtue and Moir as “Canada’s Sweethearts.” The program delivered their first Olympic gold in Vancouver and first senior world title in Turin, consistently scoring 110-plus points. It included their signature Goose Lift. And don’t forget, Virtue could barely walk from the immense pain in her legs due to her compartment syndrome woes along the way.

—Toronto Sun

[lazaruspithottub]

TTYCT Programs

Please see the original post for updates

1st Act

You Rock My World (Michael Jackson) — Intros, all cast feat. Canada flags/ponchos

O’Canada — National Anthem, all cast

Let’s Dance (David Bowie) — 1st Act Opening, all cast

Libertango (Astor Piazzolla) or S.O.S. d'un terrien en detresse (Lue Plamodon, Michel Berger, arr. Maxime Rodriguez) [alternating] — Weaver/Poje

Swan Lake/Black Swan (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky/Clint Mansell) — Kaetlyn Osmond

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (Randy Edelman) — Elvis Stojko

With Or Without You (U2) — Duhamel/Radford

The Phantom of The Opera (Andrew Lloyd Webber) — Patrick Chan

Moulin Rouge (Various Artists) — Virtue/Moir

The Way We Were (Barbara Streisand) — 1st Act Closing, all cast

2nd Act

Girls vs. Boys Dance Battle: Man! I Feel Like A Woman! (Shania Twain), We Will Rock You (Queen), Nasty (Janet Jackson), Pony (Ginuwine), Dancing Queen (ABBA), Simply Irresistible (Robert Palmer) — 2nd Act Opening, all cast

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Marian Hill) — Weaver/Poje

Little Bones, New Orleans Is Sinking (Tragically Hip) — all cast

Storm (feat. Eric Radford on Piano) — Patrick Chan

4 minutes (Madonna) — Virtue/Moir (on dance floor)

Sweet Dreams Are Made Of This (Eurythmics) — all cast

I Like It Like That (Cardi B, Bad Bunny, J Balvin) — Flash Mob, all cast

Diamonds (Rihanna) — 2nd Act Closing, Virtue/Moir, all cast

[sherlocked-avenger]

Nissan Canada announces Micra Cup involvement to extend to 2020

At the season ending banquet for the popular Micra Cup Series on Saturday evening, Nissan Canada and series promoter JD Promotion & Compétition announced that their committment to the series has been extended to 2020.

With action like racing fans haven’t seen since the demise of the legendary Honda Michelin Series of the Seventies through to the early Nineties, the Micra Cup has provided incredible excitement for fans and racers alike.

The series wouldn’t have happened without the passionate involvement of automotive journalist and long time racer Jacques Deshaies and Nissan Canada’s Didier Marsaud. In a time when entry level racing has become increasingly difficult to market, the duo have worked tirelessly to create an affordable racing program that has been noticed around the world for its success.

  Ontario auto journalist Brian Makse is a series regular.

    Series press release

Mississauga, Ont. (November 12, 2017) – On Saturday night, JD Promotion & Compétition and Nissan celebrated the third season of the Nissan Micra Cup in Quebec with an annual gala event for those involved in making it a success – including drivers and their teams, partners, series organizers and staff from Nissan Canada. At the event, Joni Paiva, president of Nissan Canada Inc., announced that Nissan Canada and JD Promotion & Compétition have extended the Nissan Micra Cup contract for three more years, with races to occur in both Ontario and Quebec once again.

“The Nissan Micra Cup has grown a lot over the past three years – we’ve preserved the exclusive, but welcoming and professional series theme, and have opened our doors to a much larger audience,” said Joni Paiva, president, Nissan Canada Inc. “The Nissan Micra Cup is more than just a motorsport series. It is a testament to the reliability; affordability; and quality inherent not only in the Micra, but all Nissans in the portfolio. The Nissan Micra Cup is also another way for us to connect on a deeper level with the general public, the fans, Nissan owners and Nissan dealers, and we’re thrilled to bring the family spirit of the Nissan Micra Cup back to Canadian tracks for three more years.”

The Nissan Micra Cup was launched in 2015 as Canada’s most affordable racing series, with all drivers using identical, almost stock Nissan Micra S race cars offering fun behind the wheel and reliability. In its inaugural year, the Nissan Micra Cup took place in Quebec only, and in 2016, it expanded to Ontario, bringing new drivers and even more excitement to the track. In 2017, the vision for the Nissan Micra Cup evolved even further. With the goal of attracting more than just racing enthusiasts, the Nissan Micra Cup put on a number of special consumer-focused events and invited Nissan Micra owners to attend the race weekends free-of-charge.

Of note is that Nissan Canada was the main automotive partner for the 2017 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R). About 700 Nissan customers were invited to the race weekend, and were witness to a free concert, From the Track to the Stage, featuring Nissan Micra Cup driver and Quebec comedian, Michel Barrette, as well as winner of La Voix 3, Kevin Bazinet. This initiative brought a much larger audience to the GP3R race weekend, increasing the reach of the series.

“Since its launch in 2015, the Nissan Micra Cup has been a huge success, at all levels, both in Canada and even internationally,” said Jacques Deshaies, owner of JD Promotion & Compétition and the series promoter. “In three years, the Nissan Micra Cup has become a leading racing series in the national motorsports community, while also remaining the most accessible and affordable. We are very proud of this 100 per cent Canadian achievement and look forward seeing it grow and evolve even more over the next three years.”

Over the past three years, approximately 25 cars have competed for the championship title each season, with drivers from very diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience. To date, the entry list has included drivers ranging from 18 to 64 years-old, four women, five international drivers and representatives from 12 Nissan dealerships. Additionally, the Nissan Micra Cup races have featured a number of well-known professional drivers from NASCAR and other prestigious racing series, including Richard Spenard, Louis Philippe Montour, Karl Wittmer, Bertrand Godin, Aaron Povoledo , Patrick Dussault and Jesse Lazare, to name a few.

Several celebrities also took part in the series and competed on the track at a number of Nissan Micra Cup race weekends. In addition to Quebec comedian Michel Barrette, Canadian figure skater and Olympic medalist, Elvis Stojko, Quebec actor Jeff Boudreault and TV anchors Carl Nadeau and Benoit Gagnon, had nothing but positive things to say about their experience racing behind the wheels of their Nissan Micras.

Another highlight is that both of the Nissan Micra Cup championship winners, Olivier Bédard in 2015 and 2017, as well as Xavier Coupal in 2016, were recipients of the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy, one of the most prestigious annual awards in the world of Quebec motorsports.

“We are very excited to announce the extension of the Nissan Micra Cup in Canada,” said Michael Carcamo, global motorsports director, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. “The Nissan Micra Cup represents the most affordable racing platform in Canada. Along with competitive drivers and exciting race venues, the Nissan Micra has proven its durability and reliability in the most intense environment, motorsport racing. We look forward to more great racing in the years to come and we congratulate all the participants of the first three seasons.”

More details on the 2018 Nissan Micra Cup calendar to come in the winter.

For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit http://ift.tt/1qsRn2f.

from garage2 http://ift.tt/2jqWTV2 via great info

[sherlocklexa]

Nissan Canada announces Micra Cup involvement to extend to 2020

At the season ending banquet for the popular Micra Cup Series on Saturday evening, Nissan Canada and series promoter JD Promotion & Compétition announced that their committment to the series has been extended to 2020.

With action like racing fans haven’t seen since the demise of the legendary Honda Michelin Series of the Seventies through to the early Nineties, the Micra Cup has provided incredible excitement for fans and racers alike.

The series wouldn’t have happened without the passionate involvement of automotive journalist and long time racer Jacques Deshaies and Nissan Canada’s Didier Marsaud. In a time when entry level racing has become increasingly difficult to market, the duo have worked tirelessly to create an affordable racing program that has been noticed around the world for its success.

  Ontario auto journalist Brian Makse is a series regular.

    Series press release

Mississauga, Ont. (November 12, 2017) – On Saturday night, JD Promotion & Compétition and Nissan celebrated the third season of the Nissan Micra Cup in Quebec with an annual gala event for those involved in making it a success – including drivers and their teams, partners, series organizers and staff from Nissan Canada. At the event, Joni Paiva, president of Nissan Canada Inc., announced that Nissan Canada and JD Promotion & Compétition have extended the Nissan Micra Cup contract for three more years, with races to occur in both Ontario and Quebec once again.

“The Nissan Micra Cup has grown a lot over the past three years – we’ve preserved the exclusive, but welcoming and professional series theme, and have opened our doors to a much larger audience,” said Joni Paiva, president, Nissan Canada Inc. “The Nissan Micra Cup is more than just a motorsport series. It is a testament to the reliability; affordability; and quality inherent not only in the Micra, but all Nissans in the portfolio. The Nissan Micra Cup is also another way for us to connect on a deeper level with the general public, the fans, Nissan owners and Nissan dealers, and we’re thrilled to bring the family spirit of the Nissan Micra Cup back to Canadian tracks for three more years.”

The Nissan Micra Cup was launched in 2015 as Canada’s most affordable racing series, with all drivers using identical, almost stock Nissan Micra S race cars offering fun behind the wheel and reliability. In its inaugural year, the Nissan Micra Cup took place in Quebec only, and in 2016, it expanded to Ontario, bringing new drivers and even more excitement to the track. In 2017, the vision for the Nissan Micra Cup evolved even further. With the goal of attracting more than just racing enthusiasts, the Nissan Micra Cup put on a number of special consumer-focused events and invited Nissan Micra owners to attend the race weekends free-of-charge.

Of note is that Nissan Canada was the main automotive partner for the 2017 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R). About 700 Nissan customers were invited to the race weekend, and were witness to a free concert, From the Track to the Stage, featuring Nissan Micra Cup driver and Quebec comedian, Michel Barrette, as well as winner of La Voix 3, Kevin Bazinet. This initiative brought a much larger audience to the GP3R race weekend, increasing the reach of the series.

“Since its launch in 2015, the Nissan Micra Cup has been a huge success, at all levels, both in Canada and even internationally,” said Jacques Deshaies, owner of JD Promotion & Compétition and the series promoter. “In three years, the Nissan Micra Cup has become a leading racing series in the national motorsports community, while also remaining the most accessible and affordable. We are very proud of this 100 per cent Canadian achievement and look forward seeing it grow and evolve even more over the next three years.”

Over the past three years, approximately 25 cars have competed for the championship title each season, with drivers from very diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience. To date, the entry list has included drivers ranging from 18 to 64 years-old, four women, five international drivers and representatives from 12 Nissan dealerships. Additionally, the Nissan Micra Cup races have featured a number of well-known professional drivers from NASCAR and other prestigious racing series, including Richard Spenard, Louis Philippe Montour, Karl Wittmer, Bertrand Godin, Aaron Povoledo , Patrick Dussault and Jesse Lazare, to name a few.

Several celebrities also took part in the series and competed on the track at a number of Nissan Micra Cup race weekends. In addition to Quebec comedian Michel Barrette, Canadian figure skater and Olympic medalist, Elvis Stojko, Quebec actor Jeff Boudreault and TV anchors Carl Nadeau and Benoit Gagnon, had nothing but positive things to say about their experience racing behind the wheels of their Nissan Micras.

Another highlight is that both of the Nissan Micra Cup championship winners, Olivier Bédard in 2015 and 2017, as well as Xavier Coupal in 2016, were recipients of the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy, one of the most prestigious annual awards in the world of Quebec motorsports.

“We are very excited to announce the extension of the Nissan Micra Cup in Canada,” said Michael Carcamo, global motorsports director, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. “The Nissan Micra Cup represents the most affordable racing platform in Canada. Along with competitive drivers and exciting race venues, the Nissan Micra has proven its durability and reliability in the most intense environment, motorsport racing. We look forward to more great racing in the years to come and we congratulate all the participants of the first three seasons.”

More details on the 2018 Nissan Micra Cup calendar to come in the winter.

For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit http://ift.tt/1qsRn2f.

from car2 http://ift.tt/2jqWTV2 via as shown a lot

[chocdono]

Nissan Canada announces Micra Cup involvement to extend to 2020

At the season ending banquet for the popular Micra Cup Series on Saturday evening, Nissan Canada and series promoter JD Promotion & Compétition announced that their committment to the series has been extended to 2020.

With action like racing fans haven’t seen since the demise of the legendary Honda Michelin Series of the Seventies through to the early Nineties, the Micra Cup has provided incredible excitement for fans and racers alike.

The series wouldn’t have happened without the passionate involvement of automotive journalist and long time racer Jacques Deshaies and Nissan Canada’s Didier Marsaud. In a time when entry level racing has become increasingly difficult to market, the duo have worked tirelessly to create an affordable racing program that has been noticed around the world for its success.

  Ontario auto journalist Brian Makse is a series regular.

    Series press release

Mississauga, Ont. (November 12, 2017) – On Saturday night, JD Promotion & Compétition and Nissan celebrated the third season of the Nissan Micra Cup in Quebec with an annual gala event for those involved in making it a success – including drivers and their teams, partners, series organizers and staff from Nissan Canada. At the event, Joni Paiva, president of Nissan Canada Inc., announced that Nissan Canada and JD Promotion & Compétition have extended the Nissan Micra Cup contract for three more years, with races to occur in both Ontario and Quebec once again.

“The Nissan Micra Cup has grown a lot over the past three years – we’ve preserved the exclusive, but welcoming and professional series theme, and have opened our doors to a much larger audience,” said Joni Paiva, president, Nissan Canada Inc. “The Nissan Micra Cup is more than just a motorsport series. It is a testament to the reliability; affordability; and quality inherent not only in the Micra, but all Nissans in the portfolio. The Nissan Micra Cup is also another way for us to connect on a deeper level with the general public, the fans, Nissan owners and Nissan dealers, and we’re thrilled to bring the family spirit of the Nissan Micra Cup back to Canadian tracks for three more years.”

The Nissan Micra Cup was launched in 2015 as Canada’s most affordable racing series, with all drivers using identical, almost stock Nissan Micra S race cars offering fun behind the wheel and reliability. In its inaugural year, the Nissan Micra Cup took place in Quebec only, and in 2016, it expanded to Ontario, bringing new drivers and even more excitement to the track. In 2017, the vision for the Nissan Micra Cup evolved even further. With the goal of attracting more than just racing enthusiasts, the Nissan Micra Cup put on a number of special consumer-focused events and invited Nissan Micra owners to attend the race weekends free-of-charge.

Of note is that Nissan Canada was the main automotive partner for the 2017 Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières (GP3R). About 700 Nissan customers were invited to the race weekend, and were witness to a free concert, From the Track to the Stage, featuring Nissan Micra Cup driver and Quebec comedian, Michel Barrette, as well as winner of La Voix 3, Kevin Bazinet. This initiative brought a much larger audience to the GP3R race weekend, increasing the reach of the series.

“Since its launch in 2015, the Nissan Micra Cup has been a huge success, at all levels, both in Canada and even internationally,” said Jacques Deshaies, owner of JD Promotion & Compétition and the series promoter. “In three years, the Nissan Micra Cup has become a leading racing series in the national motorsports community, while also remaining the most accessible and affordable. We are very proud of this 100 per cent Canadian achievement and look forward seeing it grow and evolve even more over the next three years.”

Over the past three years, approximately 25 cars have competed for the championship title each season, with drivers from very diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience. To date, the entry list has included drivers ranging from 18 to 64 years-old, four women, five international drivers and representatives from 12 Nissan dealerships. Additionally, the Nissan Micra Cup races have featured a number of well-known professional drivers from NASCAR and other prestigious racing series, including Richard Spenard, Louis Philippe Montour, Karl Wittmer, Bertrand Godin, Aaron Povoledo , Patrick Dussault and Jesse Lazare, to name a few.

Several celebrities also took part in the series and competed on the track at a number of Nissan Micra Cup race weekends. In addition to Quebec comedian Michel Barrette, Canadian figure skater and Olympic medalist, Elvis Stojko, Quebec actor Jeff Boudreault and TV anchors Carl Nadeau and Benoit Gagnon, had nothing but positive things to say about their experience racing behind the wheels of their Nissan Micras.

Another highlight is that both of the Nissan Micra Cup championship winners, Olivier Bédard in 2015 and 2017, as well as Xavier Coupal in 2016, were recipients of the Gilles Villeneuve Trophy, one of the most prestigious annual awards in the world of Quebec motorsports.

“We are very excited to announce the extension of the Nissan Micra Cup in Canada,” said Michael Carcamo, global motorsports director, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. “The Nissan Micra Cup represents the most affordable racing platform in Canada. Along with competitive drivers and exciting race venues, the Nissan Micra has proven its durability and reliability in the most intense environment, motorsport racing. We look forward to more great racing in the years to come and we congratulate all the participants of the first three seasons.”

More details on the 2018 Nissan Micra Cup calendar to come in the winter.

For more information on the Nissan Micra Cup, please visit http://ift.tt/1qsRn2f.

from mix1 http://ift.tt/2jqWTV2 via with this info

[loribos]

New Post has been published on Toronto Events, Activities and Entertainment

New Post has been published on http://www.torontonicity.com/2017/08/15/labour-day-weekend-events-in-toronto-2017/

Labour Day Weekend Events in Toronto 2017

By Lori Bosworth

It’s hard to believe that the Labour Day weekend will be here in a few weeks. Where did the summer go? Labour Day weekend is Sept. 2-4, 2017. If you are staying in the city, there are many Labour Day weekend events in Toronto 2017.

Deep Purple, Alice Cooper and The Edgar Winter Band at Budweiser Stage

Deep Purple, Alice Cooper and The Edgar Winter Band perform at the Budweiser Stage (formerly Molson Amphitheatre) on Sat., Sept. 2, 2017 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $119.25, $103.75, $83.75, $43.75 and $33.75 and can be purchased online.

Zac Brown Band at Budweiser Stage, photo by Lunchbox Films – http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunchboxstudios/7552144264/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30567742

Zac Brown Band at Budweiser Stage

The Zac Brown Band performs at Budweiser Stage on Fri., Sept. 1, 2017 at 7 p.m. Special guests include Darrell Scott and Caroline Jones. Tickets are $131.50, $105.50, $66 and $46 and can be purchased online. The Budweiser Stage is located at 909 Lake Shore Blvd. W., 416-260-5600.

Artfest at the Distillery District

If you feel like shopping for original, artisanal gifts, make your way over to Artfest at the Distillery District on the Labour Day weekend. The show will feature jewellery, designer clothing, home decor, glass art, leather, pottery, sculpture, metal art, wood craft, photography and painting. Enjoy live music while you shop. Artfest at the Distillery District takes place Sept. 1-4, 2017 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Free.

NorthFIRE at Toronto International BuskerFest

Toronto International BuskerFest

One of the most popular Labour Day weekend events in Toronto 2017 will be the Toronto International BuskerFest presented by Epilepsy Toronto takes place on Labour Day weekend at Woodbine Park. The 18th annual festival features street performers including magicians, fire jugglers, acrobats, clowns, aerial artists, daredevils, comedians and musicians. There is also a Family Fun Zone for the kids and a licensed beer garden for the adults. Admission is by donation to Epilepsy Toronto. Woodbine Park is located at 1695 Queen Street East.

Walk at Ward’s Island

Join Linda Rosenbaum and Susan Roy for a one-hour walk at Ward’s Island on the Toronto Islands. Rosenbaum and Roy are both residents of the Ward’s Island community, which consists of 650 residents. They will discuss the island’s history including a healing ground for Indigenous peoples, cottage properties for Toronto’s wealthy, and the community mixed-income families who currently live there. Cost is $20. Register online. Meet at Ward’s Island Ferry Dock on Sun., Sept. 2, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. For further information, please contact walkwardsisland@gmail.com

CNE 2017

The CNE is back from August 18, 2017 to September 4, 2017 at Exhibition Place with lots to see. Don’t miss Jamie Kennedy, Vikram Vij, Michael Hunter and others at the Celebrity Chef Stage. Food Products Day is August 23, 2017 where everyone wins a prize. The Aerial Acrobatic and Ice Skating Show, which is performed daily, features Olympic silver medalist Elvis Stojko. And of course the Air Show returns on September 2-4, 2017 at the waterfront. Admission to the CNE is Adult (14-64) $19, 65+ $16, 5-13 $16 and 4 and under Free. A Family Pass for 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children is $59. CNE Bandshell concerts are free with admission. Performances in September 2017 include:

Brett Kissel, Fri., Sept. 1, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

USS – Sat., Sept. 2, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

A Tribe Called Red – Sun., Sept. 3, 2017 at 7:30 p.m.

Are you attending Labour Day weekend events in Toronto 2017? Please mention them in the comments.

[thepermanentrainpress]

PREVIEW: STARS ON ICE AT ROGERS ARENA - MAY 19TH, 2022

You’ll recognize the names Kurt Browning and Elvis Stojko, icons for what they’ve accomplished on both the national and world stage during their careers in the sport. Tour director/choreographer Jeffrey Buttle and former national junior champion Elladj Baldé will certainly bring flair and character to the ice. Baldé has done extensive work to bring the sport into mainstream culture, while increasing accessibility in BIPOC communities and supporting self-expression beyond competition. His activism alone inspires. 

Ice dancers Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje are slated to perform, in addition to two-time US champion Alissa Czisny and four-time Japanese champion Satoko Miyahara. Known for her elegance, grace and attention to detail in performances, Miyahara announced her retirement from competitive figure skating in March. She’ll be one to watch in her North American debut in Stars On Ice. Rounding out the cast is Kaetlyn Osmond, a formidable Canadian champion whose ‘Swan Lake/Black Swan’ program is still one of my all-time favourite free skates – you may remember it helping her win the bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, and the World title a month later in Milan. 

Expect a jam-packed show with both individual and ensemble performances, costume changes, and great music. Across two acts, the skaters will perform to a melting pot of tracks including Noah Cyrus’ “Lonely,” The Rolling Stones’ “How Can I Stop” and Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” with a cast finale to an Elton John medley. I’m almost certain Messing and Baldé will show off their signature backflips, and there will be jumps, spins, lifts, and crossovers for days! 

Programs to watch for include Messing’s humbling free skate this season (to “Home”), Miyahara’s interpretation of Barbara Pravi’s “Voilà,” and any of the cast medleys that start and finish the acts. It’s chemistry and genuine happiness to be skating that can’t be feigned. 

Stars On Ice has captured fans around the world for over thirty years, highlighting some of the sport’s brightest talent in an interactive experience. Tapping into the athletes’ showmanship and athleticism, the night will prove that different (but equally rich) backgrounds can come together and create magic.

For further information, visit their official website and purchase your tickets through Ticketmaster. The tour offers discounts for groups over ten, so it’s the perfect opportunity for an outing with friends or family!

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Photo credit to: James Bennett (cover) and Jason Thompson (bottom)

[juliathinksaboutpop]

Week 2: Race and Figure Skating in Radiolab’s ‘On the Edge’

Kudos to Radiolab for setting the tone right, or, at least, to be pretty reflective of my own assumptions, in introducing the topic of figure skating. Radiolab producer Latif Nasseer’s almost desperate disclaimer, ‘It’s a great story! It doesn’t matter that it’s figure skating,’ is telling of the sport’s elite – almost haughty – scene. To bring figure skating into mainstream conversation is to bring to forefront a relatable issue and either to concur the rest of its particularities to the issue at hand or, if irrelevant, to denounce them i.e. ‘it doesn’t matter.’ I can’t speak for everyone, but my interaction with the sport involves a superficial and vicarious admiration of surreal Eastern European or Central Asian strength and grace while I antithetically sloth around the TV room on a Winter Olympic binge. That, and a limited scope of feel-good Disney Bildungsroman or cheesy rom-coms with pretty, slim, white protagonists:

It also probably doesn’t do much for my cultural grasp that references or interest in figure skating are enacted, from the top of my head, by the go-to stereotype of artistic flare – camp gay men like Mitchell Pritchett (Modern Family) or James Stinson (How I Met Your Mother).

Grace. Flare. Elegance. Strength and precision, but in a ‘feminine’ or, derogatorily, ‘sissy’ way. These are words, ingrained through my consumption, I had already associated with the sport so it wasn’t so surprising to listen that Surya Bonaly’s radical athleticism was not given consideration where it mattered most in competitions. What interested me about her situation was the familiar roping together of a new sense of robustness and the color of her skin. We see it with tennis’s Serena and Venus Williams and gymnastics’ Simone Biles, who have more successfully been symbols of change in their respective fields:

Women have certainly never hit harder and not just on account of improved equipment. They’re stronger, bigger, faster, better trained and pushed above all by the example of the Williams sisters.

-  Michael Kimmelman, ‘How Power Has Transformed Women’s Tennis’, The New York Times

“Just when we thought we were at the physical limit of the sport, then here comes Simone Biles,” the beloved 1984 Olympic all-around champion Mary Lou Retton told a gaggle of reporters at the US Olympic gymnastics team trials this summer. “She’s the best I’ve ever seen.”

- Bryan Armen Graham, ‘The extraordinary Simone Biles, the best athlete in America today’, The Guardian

Though we would like to ideally attribute these as individual feats regardless of race, the link is inevitably raised. Articles such as Zeba Blay’s ‘When We Attack Serena Williams’ Body, It’s Really About Her Blackness’ (The Huffington Post) and Muna Mire’s ‘How the Media Tells Simone Biles’s Story Is Racist’ (Teen Vogue) come to Williams’ and Biles’ defense against racist characterizations by calling the wrongdoings out but in doing so also reduces the discourse about the relationship between blackness and exceptional physique to what bell hooks calls ‘merely a reaction against representations created by white people’ that does not contribute to the real goal of black representation, which involves ‘shifting paradigms, changing perspectives, ways of looking.’

When Mire writes, ‘The strong implication is: we don’t see black people as human until or unless they are exceptional — and even then we insult them,’ which critiques the status quo, hooks would suggest that we then ask – a question I have no authority to answer – how else should the black community relate to what is exceptional about Biles? Should her, Williams’, and Bonaly’s physical particularity be disavowed or is there a way that this image can be brought into the multifaceted world of ‘perspective’ that will effectively subvert any colonizing stereotypes?

Neither tennis or gymnastics, however, place any or as much significance on artistic and balletic components as figure skating. The Williams sisters and Biles have all gone on to achieve top honors relying on their, at times and unfortunately, caricatured levels of strength. In the case of Surya Bonaly, the dialectic between black athleticism and lilywhite grace was more complicated and produced a greater tension. Her powerful and daring movements stood in starker contrast to the usually near ‘soundless’ on-ice artistry. Sandra Bazic provides useful terms that I appropriate for metaphor. The ideal movement of figure skating, Bazic describes, is ‘circular’ and the way Bonaly was skating, though unmatched in her jumps, was on ‘straight lines’. It is almost too easy to simply villainize the notion of figure skating’s circularity as a symbol of its elitist insularity, which resists any progress forwards towards assimilating more diverse types of skaters, which was seemingly being pioneered by Bonaly’s linear, forward-thinking skill-set. But Bonaly was not the first to attempt her kind of power-heavy routine. The podcast also makes note of Tonya Harding and Elvis Stojko as being part of this new group of stunt skaters. It seemed, however, that the difference in Bonaly’s skin color, which Johnette Howard described as standing so arrestingly in contrast with the white ice, played a part in highlighting what else was different about Bonaly, which placed her blackness, quite arbitrarily, as directly proportional to her Otherness in terms of skating.

Bonaly played into the hands of this contrast when she protested her loss at the 1994 World Championship – she was the unrefined, hard-headed, ‘defiant’ Other of an otherwise genteel sport. But as another Radiolab producer, Tracie Hunt, comments, it wasn’t an absolutely harmful moment for black representation. She agrees that it was ‘unsportsmanlike’ but that it was also an opportunity for empathy in acknowledgement that ‘racism can make black people crazy’ – a historically created social paranoia and culture of second-guessing everyone’s motives. Hunt’s reaction is an example of a ‘vacillation of emotions’ that Kristen J. Warner calls ‘feeling some type of way’. An analysis of these simultaneous multitude of feelings is a way in which black womanhood can be given ‘perspective’. The black identity, just like any other identity, should exceed ‘traditional binary thinking’ of good and bad representation. Following this line of thinking, I end this post with a few other questions about race and figure skating:

To what degree does the sports community have to exercise racial-blindness or take into account statements such as ‘a trend in gymnastics at this moment … is going towards a technique that opens up new chances to athletes of colour (well-known for power) while penalising the more artistic Eastern European style that allowed Russians and Romanians to dominate the sport for years’ (Daily Mail Reporter, ‘Maybe next time we’ll paint our skin black so we can win’, Daily Mail Online)? Following this, to what extent is figure skating’s circularity actually insular and potentially racist or is it justified in most perspectives in staying faithful to its elite ‘aesthetic’?

How far can physical exceptionalism be negotiated as particular to the black identity?

Is there an immediate responsibility, willingly or not, for black public figures, such as athletes, in representing the black identity and how should they address this? What are the transformative possibilities of Surya Bonaly defying skating regulation because she was ‘just trying to be happy’?

[theroyalballetandi]

Cataract Rag - finale with entire cast (front row Valeri Hristov, Sarah Lamb, Michael Stojko)

Elite Syncopations - MacMillan's happy ballet against a variety of ragtime tunes by the likes of Scott Joplin. Taken at the dress rehearsal 23rd March, 2010

[loribos]

New Post has been published on Toronto Events, Activities and Entertainment

New Post has been published on http://www.torontonicity.com/2017/07/31/things-toronto-august-2017/

Things to Do in Toronto in August 2017

By Lori Bosworth

August is here, which means we’re into the last half of summer so it’s time to enjoy a few summer activities before the season is over. If you find yourself in Toronto, there is a lot going on in August 2017. Read further to find things to do in Toronto in August 2017.

Ferry crossing to Centre Island

Centre Island

Centre Island has finally reopened after flooding from extensive rain in Toronto over the past few months. Bring the kids to enjoy rides at Centreville or enjoy a picnic lunch with a swim at Ward’s Island Beach. You can also rent a bicycle or quadricycle and tour the island on wheels or simply stroll along the boardwalk and admire the waters of Lake Ontario. There are several restaurants scattered among the island including the quaint Rectory Cafe on Ward’s Island. Take the ferry from Jack Layton Ferry Terminal. Round-trip Ferry is Adults $7.71, Seniors (65+ with proof of age) $5.05, Youth (ages 15-19) $5.05, Junior (2-14) $3.72 and Infant (under 2) Free.

Shakespeare in High Park

Enjoy a Shakespeare play under the stars at Shakespeare in High Park 2017 presented by Canadian Stage. This year, performances include King Lear and Twelfth Night. Take a picnic dinner to enjoy before the performance. Twelfth Night will be performed during the August long weekend on Fri., Aug. 4, 2017 at 8 p.m. and Sun., Aug. 6, 2017 while King Lear will be performed on Sat., Aug. 5, 2017 at 8 p.m. Tickets are Pay-What-You-Can with a suggested donation of $20. Children 14 and under are free. Premium tickets (reserved cushion seating) are $25 and can be purchased online. Shakespeare in High Park 2017 takes place at High Park Amphitheatre. Park in the lot beside Grenadier Cafe. Performances run until Sept. 3, 2017.

Eugenie Bouchard, photo by si.robi – Bouchard US16 (15), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52043692

Rogers Cup Toronto 2017

The Rogers Cup Toronto begins on the August long weekend. Many of the top Women’s Tennis Association players will be competing at the Rogers Cup Toronto 2017 at the Aviva Centre in York University from August 5-13, 2017. Players that have been confirmed include Genie Bouchard, Maria Sharapova, Angelique Kerber, Venus Williams, Simona Halep, Jelena Ostapenko, Caroline Wozniacki, Karolina Puskova and Elina Svitolina. The Rogers Cup is always an exciting Toronto August long weekend event to attend. Purchase tickets for the Rogers Cup online before they sell out.

Taste of the Danforth in Toronto

Taste of the Danforth

If you enjoy Greek food and culture, get yourself down to Taste of the Danforth, taking place from August 11-13, 2017 along Danforth Avenue. The street will be closed to traffic from Broadview Avenue to Jones Avenue for a street festival that has expanded to feature Toronto’s multiculturalism. Restaurants along the Danforth will be offering $6 tasting menus so that you can taste a number of dishes. Enjoy live entertainment such as Caribbean bands, Bollywood dancers and the Mr. & Mrs. Asia pageant. Kids can check out the Toronto Star Kids’ Fun Zone, the Sports Zone and the Canada 150 experience. There are Green P parking lots on the north side of the Danforth, but they fill up quickly so it’s recommended that you take the TTC.

CNE 2017

The CNE is back from August 18, 2017 to September 4, 2017 at Exhibiton Place with lots to see. Don’t miss Jamie Kennedy, Vikram Vij, Michael Hunter and others at the Celebrity Chef Stage. Food Products Day is August 23, 2017 where everyone wins a prize. The Aerial Acrobatic and Ice Skating Show, which is performed daily, features Olympic silver medalist Elvis Stojko. And of course the Air Show returns on September 2-4, 2017 at the waterfront. Admission to the CNE is Adult (14-64) $19, 65+ $16, 5-13 $16 and 4 and under Free. A Family Pass for 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children is $59. CNE Bandshell concerts are free with admission. Performances in August 2017 include:

Sat., Aug. 19, 2017 – Sam Roberts Band

Sun., Aug. 20, 2017 – Kiefer Sutherland

Tues., Aug. 22, 2017 – Colin James

Thurs., Aug. 24, 2017 – Aaron Pritchett

Fri., Aug. 25, 2017 – I Mother Earth & The Watchmen

Sat., Aug. 26, 2017 – Chad Brownlee

Sun., Aug. 27, 2017 – John Kay & Steppenwolf

Mon., Aug. 28, 2017 – Pavlo

Tues., Aug. 29, 2017 – The Sheepdogs

Wed., Aug. 30, 2017 – Shawn Hook

Thurs., Aug. 31, 2017 – Dear Rouge

Enjoy the rest of the summer! If you have suggestions for things to do in Toronto in August 2017, please let us know in the comments.