"Skate for the Heart": airing on NBC Today

With the start of a new year one can expect the inevitable deluge of T.V. events including new seasons of major network and cable series and the viewership-hording NFL Division Playoffs leading to the Conference Championships and the grand finale of the Super Bowl. The world of figure skating is no stranger to this magical time of year, with the airing of various skating- entertainment productions.

For figure skating fans one of the most successful productions airs this afternoon (Sunday, January 16) on NBC at 4pm Eastern Standard Time (check your local listings). Disson Skating presents “Cold-EEZe Skate for the Heart” which brings together top National, World and Olympic figure skaters, displaying their artistic vision and athletic prowess to live music performances by American Idol alumni and critically acclaimed recording artists Straight No Chaser, to garner attention for living a heart-healthy lifestyle.

Figure skating fans that are also football aficionados will have to make some tough viewership decisions, as the second round of Division Playoffs occurs at 4:30pm Eastern Standard Time on CBS with the New York Jets facing off against the New England Patriots. But perhaps, this is exactly the reason the “recall/last channel” button on most T.V. remotes, Tivo and picture-in-picture capability were created; to assuage the double-life led by the elite few; the hardest of hardcore sports fans: the figure skating /NFL connoisseurs.

“Skate for the Heart” includes ATCO/ Atlantic recording group Straight No Chaser performing eight of their hits live with a cast of champion figure skaters including numbers from their new album “With a Twist.” Founded at Indiana University in the fall of 1996, Straight No Chaser’s goal was to expand the boundaries of the traditional college acappella group. Fueled by appearances on the Today show, ABC World News Tonight, CNN Headline News and two PBS specials, the group's 2008 release spent fourteen days in the number one slot on Amazon and five days in the top slot overall on Itunes. But, original member Randy Stine comments, “We take the music very seriously; we just don’t take ourselves too seriously.” In addition, American Idol season two winner and Grammy-nominated R&B artist Ruben Studdard and American Idol season seven Runner-up David Archuleta will each perform two of their hits for the show.

Skating cast members include 2010 Olympic Bronze Medalist and six-time National Champion (CAN) Joannie Rochette, 2006 Olympic Silver Medalists and five-time U.S. Champions Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto, 2006 Olympic Silver Medalist and two-time World Silver Medalist Sasha Cohen, 2010 U.S. Champion and 2010 Winter Olympian Rachael Flatt, two-time U.S. Champion and 2010 Winter Olympian Jeremy Abbott, three-time U.S. Champion and two-time Winter Olympian Johnny Weir 2010 U.S. Champions and 2010 Winter Olympians Caydee Denney & Jeremy Barrett and 2007 U.S. Silver Medalist Ryan Bradley.

For more information on other Disson shows visit DissonSkating.com