Kristi Yamaguchi's, "A Golden Moment" was just that. The setting was  emotional, feminine & draped with hundreds of yards of flowing chiffon like fabric. The Oakland Symphony orchestra was elevated above the hosts microphones & there were huge floral arrangements in the theme colors pink & lavender. Pink is the color for breast cancer awareness.

  Kristi appeared in a gorgeous pink gown that fit snuggly at the waist & sparkled in the spotlights. After her opening greeting she reappeared with the same gown top but the skirt was replaced with a skating version.

  My greatest recollection from her remarks was that breast cancer affects the whole family. The victims are our mothers, sisters, wives & friends. She spoke clearly & well rehearsed.

  Peggy Fleming was guest host & her gown was brown & full with a lovely soft silk like wrap off her shoulders. I noticed her husband & son sitting at rinkside within her view as she recounted her experience with cancer & how it was 30 years to the day of winning her Olympic gold medal that she underwent surgery.

  Keiko Matsui, the jazz pianist was electrifying & has donated proceeds from her tour to breast cancer. The performances by Sarah Brightman, Ann Cochran, Bell Book & Candle & well as Taylor Dayne gave depth to the importance of the event. Supported by the symphony the mood was hypnotic.

  The skaters performed twice, once in the first act & again in the second except for Brasseur & Eisler, who were in the first act only. There was a lovely ensemble routine for the finale with all the ladies in white but wearing different dresses to fit their personalities.

  Brian Boitano & Scott Hamilton were special spokesmen. Scott moved me to tears speaking of his cancer & recovery. Dr. Ernie Bodias appeared because he is the person who developed the breast cancer postal stamp which has contributed millions to breast cancer research.

  The skaters were breathtaking in their glamourous costumes. There were no costs held back on their designs by Jef Billings. This was a class show, down to the programs & logo developement.

  Due to the maturity of most of the skaters there weren't many triple jumps. However what was apparent was the understanding of the music they were skating to & the fluid graceful lines they presented. The spirals were held long & high. The ballet & choreography were eloquent. This was the finest group of professional women performing for a worth while cause I have ever seen.

  Kristi, Ekaterina,Tara,Rosalynn & Katarina hugged at the end of the show & the audience was on their feet. I felt like no one wanted the evening to end. There were no retakes for the second act so the crowd was lingering near rinkside to praise the skaters for their wonderful show. One poignant moment came when a young teenage girl was brought down to the ice to meet Tara. The girl was crying because she was overwhelmed by meeting Tara. The teenager sent Tara flowers earlier & Tara wanted to acknowledge her.

  The entire production was as good as it gets. Mervyn's of California deserves credit for their financial assistance. The program referred to the evening as an extraordianary skating concert & indeed it was.

Leah