thechronicleherald.ca/ArtsLife/1118093.html___________________________________________________
Rochette on the edge of greatness Canadian world silver medallist jumps effortlessly from competition to performance
By ANDREA NEMETZ Entertainment Reporter
Thu. Apr 23 - 6:38 AM
The fact she’s a world silver medallist hasn’t yet sunk in for
Joannie Rochette.But then, she hasn’t really had time to process her historic win March 28, the first time a Canadian woman has stepped onto the world figure skating podium since
Liz Manley won silver in 1988.
"After worlds, I did six shows, learned a new program for the
Stars On Ice tour, met the Prime Minister in Quebec, did some TV shows, and then flew to Japan for a competition," she says Wednesday morning, sitting by the boards at Halifax Metro Centre a day after returning from Tokyo, where she competed in the inaugural ISU World Team Trophy, helping Canada to a second place finish.
"I also spent a couple of days at school."
Rochette, who is finishing up a natural sciences program at a CGEP in Quebec, says she wanted to be a doctor when she was younger and is thinking of a career in pharmacy or something else in the medical field.
Though it was her first practice in Halifax, the 23-year-old skater from Ile Dupas, Que. showed no signs of jetlag as she rehearsed the fun fast-paced, Latin tango program set to music by Shakira, she’ll perform in the Sears Stars On Ice show tonight at 7 p.m.
Her other solo is to Believe by Suzie McNeil. Rochette stars in the video for Believe (Olympic Inspired Version) that supports Canada’s athletes on their journey to the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.
"It’s a celebration before the Olympics and of my silver medal at worlds, I do speedskating, mogul skiing, curling while trying to be graceful," she says describing the program. "It’s very inspiring."
Rochette, now in her fifth season with Stars On Ice, competed at the Torino Olympics in 2006, finishing fifth and she has her eyes on the podium in Vancouver.
"I’m finally going in as a medal contender. It feels so great to be one. I’ve waited all my life to be up there and this Olympics will be my last so I want to enjoy it and the Canadian crowd. The most important thing is to train my hardest, to do everything I can to get onto the podium and if I have done everything I can, then we’ll see what happens."
She says that was the attitude she carried into her seventh worlds "the most nerve-wracking competition of the season" in a year in which she earned her fifth Canadian championship and finished second at the Four Continents Championship.
Rochette, who loves jumping and speed, and picks the triple toe as her favourite jump, has been focusing on improving her artistic marks.
"I used to do six or seven triples and the other girls needed only five to get the same points," she says, noting that she was happy to come second at worlds with a program that was not perfect.
She credits skating with Stars On Ice — and with her idol
Kurt Browning who has shown her some tricks — with helping her improve her performance.
"I’ve learned so much about loving performing. At worlds, some don’t want too much show in their program, but for me it helps me be better with the crowds. My jumps are consistent but I need to project more emotion and this has really helped."
Always known as a showman,
Shawn Sawyer is thrilled to be making his debut with Stars On Ice.
"I had two dreams in figure skating, the Olympics and Stars On Ice, and I’m on the road," says Sawyer, who placed 12th at the 2006 Olympics.
"It’s something I’ve always craved to do, to perform in different cities, different venues, you really feel a family connection."
He is also performing two solos, a new program to A Ha’s Take On Me and an old show program to Soft Cell’s Tainted Love that has been rebuilt for Stars On Ice.
"I love ‘80s music," he says, noting the show’s finale is set to music from the decade.
Sawyer particularly enjoys the group numbers.
"You put so many talented skaters together, they’re all powerful, and everyone can do the difficult variations.
And he loves the Act I finale.
"It’s a little bit funky, we’re in suspenders and hats and it’s a real crowd pleaser. It’s like a skating class with Kurt (Browning) directing."
Sawyer says his role in the "class" is that of the student doing weird tricks.
"I do a back flip and a pinwheel at the end, and some things for which there are no names."
The 24-year-old from Edmunston, N.B., who skated in Holiday On Ice at the Metro Centre in December, envisions a professional career bigger than his amateur career and notes skills like his back flip and unique flexibility moves position him well for show skating.
But he’s got his sights set on next year’s Olympics, noting he was especially happy with his Grand Prix season in which he won the free skate at Skate Canada.
He’ll be back on the ice after a short break to start working on next year’s programs, as will Rochette.
But she’s also scheduled two weeks for a retreat in Banff in June and a trip to Peru.
Skating since she was six, she has made a point this season of taking time to enjoy life in addition to training hard.
"I’ve been living in an apartment in Montreal with my boyfriend since the summer and I’ve grown more mature," she says, noting that short-track speedskater Francois-Louis Tremblay is the cook. They met in Torino, but only started to date in the summer, she reports.
"It’s great to have the same goals and it’s great to be with a person who is supportive of my skating," she says, noting she also watches him train.
( anemetz@herald.ca)
I don't think I've ever seen Kurt fall. I'm sure it's happened, but I've never seen it...and then twice in one night. Oh well - LOVE him. And Jeffrey Buttle received a resounding ovation. Of course, Sale and Pelletier were better than ever.
this guy is?? I've seen him compete before, but I never really noticed him until tonight. His Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy performance made me go 
)
