Championships coming to san jose. Also, well talk about the development of local talented skaters with San Francisco ice theatre, as well as see a live performance. But first, we will start with the great ice rink which is hosting our show today. And to tell us more about whats going around this Holiday Season, heres the general manager of the holiday ice rink, robert keith. Robert, thank you very much for being here. Robert keith thank you, robert, for being here. Isnt this great . Robert oh, its fantastic. Robert keith our 10year anniversary birthday party. I mean, it just doesnt get any better than to be right here in the heart of San Francisco amongst all of this shopping, dining, the hotels. The environment here is just splendid for such an event, and this is our tenth year, and were so happy to be here. Robert hey, howd you celebrate your birthday . Robert keith well, last week, we had our big birthday celebration, and skating was free for everybody all day. We were sold out, naturally, because it was free. But to celebrate that, anybody that has a birthday in the next 3 months, november, december, or january, come on down, show something that says its your birthday. You get to skate for free. Robert; well, lets talk a little bit about the Holiday Season now. What are some of the events coming up for the rink . Robert keith well, we have a couple of things. On wednesday night is arabian nights, thats playing the aladdin broadway soundtrack. And you know, aladdins down the street, i went opening night, it was fantastic. Nobody does it as good as they can, fantastic show. So, aladdin every wednesday night. On friday nights, we have throwback fridays, and thats going to be on select fridays in november, december, and january, and thats where we kick it all back to the old days, disco and everything. On saturdays and sunday mornings, we have a program called learn to skate. So, you can get here at 8 30 in the morning, its free. So, if you dont know how to skate, come on down, were going to teach you how to skate. And then, of course, on december 7, the ever so popular drag queens on ice is back, and bigger, and better than ever. Youve got to mark your calendar. Come down for drag queens on ice, thats december 7. Then on the 14th, we have our silent skate party. Thats where you put the headphones on, you get three channels to listen to. So, the rink is actually very quiet, all you hear are the blades cutting through it, and everybodys out there dancing, but you cant hear the music. Thats a big one. We have two of those sessions, and thats going to be on december 14. Then you cant forget we bring in the new year with polar bear skate. Thats on january 1, and thats where its going to be all the people in their bathing suit attire and everything coming down to get cheers and compete for prizes. So, polar bear skate is another one you dont want to miss. Robert one of the things about the events around the ice rink has always been that theyre very uniquely bay area, San Francisco flavor to all of them, right . Its not just that youre having fun around a rink, its very uniquely bay area, huh . Robert keith it is. You know, weit benefits the park and recs department, the boys club. But weve got Something Special this year. To help those in and out of San Francisco over the last couple of months, all the events that have happened, were going to have a Nonprofit Organization here, one every week for the next 10 weeks, to take donations and try to help people have a little bit better Holiday Season. Now, you can go on our Facebook Page at the union square ice rink, you can find out which group is going to be there every week. Come down, make your donation, and help people that need a little bit of help, a little hand up if you know what i mean. Robert and as we know, there are always people in need around the holidays, and it feels accentuated around that time, but were also talking about the victims of the Northern California fires, right, which is still recovering even at this time. Robert keith absolutely. So, its a great way toyou know, nobody gives back as big or as good as they do here in San Francisco. These people support these organizations. And without them, i mean, it wouldnt be possible. This rink wouldnt be possible without all the great people and our sponsors, safeway, alaska airlines. I mean, theyre it. And then ill tell you something, i bet you didnt know this. How many people do you think have been proposed to on this sheet of ice . Robert no, i hadnt thought about that. Robert keith oh, theres so many that they have their own unique proposal club, and then they all gather here once a year. They have this deal where they go down to johns grill, and they have steak and wine, and come up here and skate a session, and then they go somewhere for dessert, im not sure. I know a lot of them like to go to the Cheesecake Factory so they can watch the rink, but that club is huge. Ill be you well over 100 people have been proposed to on this ice. So, if anybody has the idea to do it this winter, all you have to do is come down, see janet hawk, shes the manager. She will help you do the proposal of a lifetime right here at the safeway holiday ice rink in union square presented by alaska airlines. Robert ice skates and knee pads then for the proposal, right . Robert, thank you very much. Congratulations on your anniversary, and good luck during the Holiday Season. Robert keith thank you so much, robert. Well see you on the ice. Robert i will be there. And when we come back, the us figure skating championships in san jose and all the events that come with it, thats next. Robert the us figure skating championships are coming back to the bay area with san jose hosting the big event. To tell us more about that important event is the spokesperson for the us figure skating championship, as well as the executive director of the san jose sports authority, john poch. John, thank you very much for joining us. John poch thank you so much for having us. Robert well first of all, congratulations because i know this is the third time san jose has hosted this event, and its almost like a tradition now, huh . John oh, we never take it for granted. Its such an honor, 1996, 2012, and now here we have the us prudential figure skating championships 2018 in san jose. This is a final step for figure skaters to be selected for team usa to represent us at the 2018 winter Olympic Games in pyeongchang, south korea. They go through a whole season of competition, and this is the one. This is where they want to be at their best when they perform for the us figure skating championships. Robert who are some of the previous winners . Ive heard of some. Who are some of them . I know some of my favorites actually. John us figure skating is here because we have such a tremendous support in Northern California. When you look at our past figure skatings, these are legends. Youre talking peggy fleming, 50th anniversary of her gold medal, Kristi Yamaguchi, debi thomas. And then look at our recent stars, karen chen, the reigning us figure skating champion. Polina edmunds, a young up and coming, and not even mentioning the mens. Brian boitano, i mean, a legend. And then, of course, you have rudy galindo. So, we have just a great alumni base in Northern California. Robert now, in terms of the voice of figure skating coverage, dick button, i understand hes also going to be honored this year . John well, dick button, were going to celebrate his 70th anniversary of his first gold medal, you know, 48 and 52. So, were going to be thrilled to haveand in addition to the figure skating, us figure skating will have, you know, ancillary events, including their hall of fame. So, its going to be a special, special 10 days in san jose. Robert still going to be Tickets Available . I know its a very popular event. John skatesanjose2018. Com, or you can call us at 8007453000. And we now have single session tickets on sale as well as all session. And you know, the all session, youre going to save about 45 . And not only do you get to attend the sessions at sap center at san jose, and then the solar for ice america, solar4america ice, but you can attend the practices as well. Robert yeah. Now, to give people an idea of which one might be most appropriate or the best fit for them, what are the different categories, the different sessions . John well, us figure skating will have five levels, you know, from the juvenile, to the intermediate, to the novice, to the juniors. And solar4america ice will have those competitions december 29 through january 3. And then the championship, which is january 3 through 7. And theres four disciplines, the ladies single, the mens, pairs, and the ice dance. So, 20 champions will be crowned over a 10day period. Robert and one great thing about these kind of events is theyre so big that people can kind of participate even if they dont go to the primary event, right . John oh, of course. You know, in support of the event, Us Olympic Committee will bring their winter fest to the sap center on saturday, january 6. So, its an interactive festival at the arena green right next to the sap center. And then the favorites sunday, it is smuckers skating spectacular. Thats a mouthful, huh . But theyll be at the sap center. All of the 28 newlycrowned champions will be performing. And then well have our legendary, legendary olympians that we all recognize will be honored that day as well. And thoseall those tickets are available, skatesanjose2018. Com, or 18007453000 for all the events. Robert you know, we were talking about some of these kind of events, and exhibitions, and shows that they put on with Kristi Yamaguchi and some other ice skaters. And they were talking about the fact that sometimes you actually even see better skating, more flourish to the skating because they dont all get judged and they get to, like, let it all hang out. And you really get to see some great ice skating at some of these shows, huh . John oh, i mean, can you imagine the pressure . I mean, look at these phenomenal performances were watching today. Theyre skating for the love and pure joy. Now, think about the men and women competing for a championship level, where perfection is the standard. Weve seen that with Kristi Yamaguchi, Brian Boitano, peggy fleming, under the most pressure, yet theyre the most graceful and powerful athletes. Its justits just incredible to watch. Were so thrilled to have this back in san jose and Northern California. Robert i mean, theres a lot of prestige attached to being able to host that event. What are some of the benefits that the community and the city get out of having that event here . What are some of the, you know, actual financial and other benefits that you get from it . John more so than financial, youre on the world stage. Youre going to watch the greatest figure skaters in the world in san jose. And not just those who attend, its a worldwide audience. Nbc televising the event, its a worldwide audience. And youre looking not at the future stars, but future International Stars of figure skating. I mean, whos the next Kristi Yamaguchi . Whos the next Brian Boitano to come from this event . I mean, we hope to see our newly crowned champions represent team usa and of course win a gold medal. How amazing would that be . Robert that would be. And again, as you say too, its not just the financial impact, its kind of the exposure that the whole area gets. John yeah, to be able to have san josewell have san jose downtown ice in the circle of palms just like this, this spectacular setting where folks would come, stay, enjoy the sport of skating, and then obviously what san jose has to offer. I mean, the weather, the hotels, the restaurants, great safe city. But were just thrilled to partner with prudential us figure skating championship for a third time in san jose. Thats a testament of Northern California, the clubs, and the support for figure skating. Robert its really going to be a great event, and its going to be great for the south bay and the bay area. John, good seeing you. John thank you so much. Robert congratulations on bringing the event here. John thank you. Robert well, a trip to the championships would make a pretty good holiday gift. Coming up next, a visit with a local favorite, San Francisco ice theatre, a coach, and some of its up and coming stars next. Robert a favorite of bay area ice skating fans, up and coming skaters, and of course a favorite guest on Asian Pacific america, San Francisco ice theatre. Here to talk a little bit more about San Francisco ice theatre are some members of the group, as well as theone of the coaches and the choreographer for the San Francisco ice theatre, louis vachon. Louis, thank you very much for being here. Louis vachon nice to be here. Robert give us an idea first of all in terms of a little history of San Francisco ice theatre. Louis well, we started out 8 years ago. And its a group that started, we only had one team of 17 skaters, and now we have 2 teams of 24 skaters, so its really grown. The team, weve been really lucky and successful in the last few years, our junior team has been National Champions 4 of the last 5 years. Our novice team this year has medaled at theour First International medal at the nations cup. It was in ann arbor, michigan. We got a bronze medal, so it was very exciting to be competing against teams from australia, france, russia, and some other teams from the united states. So, its been a disciplinetheatre on ice has been a discipline that has been growing in the us, and so its really exciting because wea lot of the skaters, they dont necessarily want to be the big competition, the really high level. So, it gives them an opportunity to keep skating and also do it with their peers, with other skaters. And it develops a really great team spirit. And we get to be creative and do a bunch of different things, so its really exciting. Robert you cant go wrong when the foundation is fun, right . Louis exactly. Robert how about the bay area . Is it a pretty Fertile Ground for ice skating and ice skating talent . Louis i think there is a huge pool in the bay area for talent, and we have facilities. A lot of people say, oh california, like why is there so many skaters . But in the bay area, we actually have a great talent and a lot of skaters. Some of the people from our team are from the bayfrom san jose area, some of them the peninsula, some in San Francisco, but we all represent the skating club of San Francisco. But theyre coming from a little bit from all over. Theyre traveling every week to be part of the team. Robert yeah, you can imagine why people see this kind of weather and wonder how ice skating can foster here. You have a couple of members here who arewhos joining us here . Louis we have cara here thats a member of our novice team, and then we have catherine thats a member of our junior team. Robert thank you for being here. Cara thank you. Robert cara, give me an idea here in terms of for you, what is it that you enjoy about doing this as well as what do you get out of it . Cara well, i really enjoy, like, all of the, like, connections and, like, experiences we have together. Like for example, like last year in nationals, we did an alicethemed program. So, we all got together and we watched alice in wonderland for, like, a couple hours. It was really fun. Robert yeah, i notice a lot of asianamerican, Pacific Islander skaters. Is that something that is kind of a part of that community in terms of growing up and being influenced by that . Cara well, kind of. Like, a lot of people think that, like, asian parents are like really pushy, and they want their kids to do well, and its kind of true, it translates over to skating. So, like a lot of, like, my teammates are, like, really great skaters, so yeah. Robert all right. Catherine, how about you . What do you enjoy . Well, first of all, how did you get involved in skating . What made you decide to do it, and then to pursue it this way . Catherine well, when i was younger, my brother first skated, and there was an ice rink just 10 minutes away from my home. So, i decided to start skating, and i saw all these skaters doing all these jumps and spins. And i thought, oh my gosh, thats so cool, i want to do it. And ive been doing it for a long time now. Robert now, when you started, because a lot of people get discouraged when they start ice skating, were you good right away, or did you kind of feel Something Special, a special connection to the sport . Catherine well, in the beginning, i just liked being fast. I just skated around, and even if i fell, i would just pick myself back up from the ice, and i didnt cry or anything. Robert what do you enjoy about being part of San Francisco ice theatre . Catherine well, i enjoy that there are so many friends around me. Ive made so much friends in San Francisco ice theatre, and ive gotten so much experiences out of it, like going to nationals, going to nations cup, you know, meeting all these new people who love skating as much as me. Robert all right, and something i asked cara, which is the Pacific Islander and asianamerican community, do you feel as though that kind of fosters encouragement toward the sport . Cara a little bit, yeah. Within our group, everyones really close. And you know, as were asians, we