Miss NBC's Airing of Skate for the Heart? Not to Worry

If you are like me, being one of the unfortunate few individuals left on this planet without Tivo or some other new-fangled technological contrivance to record TV programs directly for your future viewing pleasures (I'd say we're a dying breed, along with people without Facebook accounts and people with Myspace accounts), you may have missed the NBC airing of Cold-EEZE Skate for the Heart last month. If you were one of the lucky locals or die-hard skating fans that traveled to see the live show on October 10, 2010, at the Covelli Centre in Youngstown, Ohio, you can tap into your personal cherished memory bank and hit "replay" again and again.

If not, and you have resorted to cursing your respective deity or deities or just cursing; fear not. You have one more shot to view this amazing Disson Skating production that brings together skating champions and music powerhouses for an unforgettable show linking the passion and excitement we all experienced during the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, with the important message of living a healthy life while raising awareness of heart disease.

Featured in this show is 2010 Olympic Bronze Medalist Joannie Rochette, who won over the hearts of her home nation of Canada and millions more who watched her perform at the Winter Games in Vancouver. Her beautiful and emotional performance, shortly after her mother's untimely passing due to a heart attack, was one of the standout moments of the Winter Games and earned Rochette a 2010 ESPY nomination. Rochette joins an outstanding line-up of skaters for "Cold-EEZE Skate for the Heart" airing on the Hallmark Channel Tuesday, February 8th, 2011.

Special music guests include ATCO/ Atlantic recording group Straight No Chaser, performing eight of their hits. 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.” 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 in “Cold-EEZE Skate for the Heart.”


Show: Cold-EEZE Skate for the Heart

Date: Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm EST

Place: Hallmark Channel (check your local listings for channel information)

Skaters:
Ryan Bradley 2011 U.S. National Champion

Joannie Rochette 2010 Olympic Bronze Medalist
Six-time Canada National Champion

Tanith Belbin & Ben Agosto 2006 Olympic Silver Medalists
Five-time U.S. National Dance Champions

Sasha Cohen 2006 Olympic Silver Medalist
Two-time World Silver Medalist

Rachael Flatt 2010 U.S. National Champion
2010 Winter Olympian

Jeremy Abbott Two-time U.S. National Champion
2010 Winter Olympian

Johnny Weir Three-time U.S. National Champion
Two-time Winter Olympian

Caydee Denney &Jeremy Barrett 2011 U.S. National Pairs Silver Medalists
2010 U.S. National Pairs Champions



Musical Guest Stars:
David Archuleta
Ruben Studdard
Straight No Chaser

National Charity:
American Heart Association

"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