By Amy Mossman

The show was a mixture of skaters from Pre-Novice to Senior and I did not know the names of many of them so I will concentrate on the skaters I did know already. After an opening number to some Austin Powers music that reminded me of Yvan Desjardin's long program, there were a few skaters and then Jayson skated his first number to 'Laisse-moi t'aimer'. I hadn't seen it since the Sunkist show last year and I was reminded how much I liked it. I think he has really stepped up his audience contact alot in the last year and it was appreciated. It was a small audience with only a few rows of seats so he got to look up and perform to people. Nice spirals really stick in my mind and the jumps are so high. The back flip was also there, which is well done, but still makes me nervous.

I don't recall the order of skate very well but other skaters in the first half were Marie-Andrée Rioux, who won me over by skating to Dites Moi by Roch Voisine, a song I love. It was very nice to see Annie Bazinet, whom I almost didn't recognize with her hair down. She skated to a ballad in French that sounded a bit familar and had those lovely spins, including a nice layback. Her jumps seemed a bit off but great speed and just a lovely skater to watch. I hope she will stick with it for next year. Sylvie Lavigueur did her short program with the nice sit spin but was also having a few jump troubles. Alexandré Hamel had an exhibition number to 'I Feel Good' in a full 60's painted jeans and loud shirt costume that went over very well. I liked his competitive numbers but I never would have guessed what a performer he is in exhibition. The audience loved him. Finally, Jean-François Hébert did his short program almost completely clean, only a slight two foot on the triple lutz. Very nicely done, I hope he can perform as well in Halifax.

In the second half, a few of the Seniors did second numbers but also some of the other juniors and seniors performed their only numbers. Simon LaRochelle did his short program. He did a very nicely with the spins and footwork but had some trouble at the very end with a spin and simply laughed it off, which the audience liked alot. Nice performance. Carl Des Rossier did an exhibition number to some jazzy swing music dressed like a disco dancer in silver lamé pants and a black shirt with silver lamé collar. He is also someone I liked to see compete but didn't really know what kind of exhibition he might do. It was really well done, esp. some super high split jumps. Not at all what I would have expected but very enjoyable. He also had some trouble jumping (I think the darkened ice was bothering some of the skaters, it certainly didn't make my camera happy) but kept fighting and did pull off, I think, a triple toe nicely. Sébastien Dufour skated a lovely program to 'Time to Say Goodbye' with great edge quality and great camel spins. It was nice to just be impressed by his performance ability and not have to worry about jumps, as in competition. Marie-Andrée Rioux did a second number to 'Cuban Pete'. Sylvie Lavigueur did a second number to 'Borderline' by Chris DeBurgh. Once again, nice spins.

Jayson did his second number to 'Reet Petite'. I've never been crazy about this number but, I must admit, he really sold it. Great performance. He did try the triple axel in this number but stepped out of it but it had the camel jump camel that I like, great split jumps, and, of course, the backflip. Also, lots of mugging for the audience, which went over very well. There was a delay after Jayson skated for techincal problems and then Annie Bazinet did a second exhibition. I didn't know the music but the words were something about 'Tiger, teach me about love' or something in that vein. She had a tiger striped dress and really danced well to the music. It made me think of James Bond movies from the 60s with that same vamp quality. Nicely done, esp. after having to wait. Hébert was absent for the second half so it was on to the finale, which was 'Iris' by Goo-Goo Dolls. All the skaters came out to bow afterwards including every memeber of a very young precision team, by name, and Jayson did another backflip for everyone. I had a chance to talk with him and he said it was the last time for these two exhibition numbers so you should go to the tour to catch them one last time.