Beautiful Johnny takes the ice to debut his sizzling new Beyoncé program at Art2Skate. Detail of an exclusive photo © David Ingogly below.
OK! We begin our possibly very lengthy series of Art2Skate posts with that thing you’ve all been waiting for. And it would have been here sooner, but as I mentioned on social media, we experienced a super-frustrating glitch with the video camera and have been working to salvage what we could of our footage, which in no way made me totally freak out this entire week. Fortunately we were able to rescue his Beyoncé debut from Friday’s show, and thus we present 30+ exclusive photos and, yes, VIDEO, of this spectacular new program which I’m hoping we’ll see many many many more times this year (please let this be a thing in Artistry on Ice this summer. Because if ever a program deserved a Weibocalypse of its own, it’s this one).
As you might imagine, we came home from our 1,500-mile roundtrip with a ridiculous amount of photos and at least some video, including gorgeous rehearsal stuff, so we’ll keep plowing through and shoveling it all out here as fast as we can. For today, please enjoy this first set of exclusive photos plus bonus fun stuff (including more exclusive video!) at the end of the post. Much more to come!
Note: Nearly all the exclusive pics below are pleasingly huuuuuuge, so click on any photo to see it in all its full-size glorious detail.
UPDATE: NEW VIDEO! Please scroll down to the video section for additional HD footage of Johnny’s Beyoncé performance from an alternate camera angle. With special thanks to Jon Strasser!
His face is blurred in these because he’s moving his head and shoulders in time to the music, as you’ll in the video below, while he performs his signature slide. Core strength level: superhuman.
A happy Johnny acknowledges the cheers and applause from his home rink crowd.
VIDEO!
NEW! Alternate camera angle.
Additional footage from Jon Strasser, with very special thanks for sharing it here!
Video link.
Alternate link.
ICYMI BONUS STUFF
Friday: I arrive at the center of our fandom universe.
On hallowed ground: at Skating Club of Wilmington for #Art2Skate starring @johnnygweir tonight! Yes, this is the place where he records all his incredible Instagram clips. Come see him skate live tonight or tomorrow! Info/tix: http://bit.ly/1S6pSEW. #Olympian #athlete #artist #icon #legend #figureskating #rolemodel #amazing #theoneandonly #johnnyweir by @misfitmimes
Rehearsal clips from Friday! Gorgeous photos and HD video to come….
The amazing @JohnnyGWeir warming up for #Art2Skate! #Olympian #athlete #artist #icon #legend #figureskating #rolemodel #theoneandonly #johnnyweir by @misfitmimes
Beautiful @JohnnyGWeir during his warmup for #Art2Skate! #Olympian #athlete #artist #icon #legend #figureskating #rolemodel #theoneandonly #amazing #johnnyweir by @misfitmimes
Preview of Johnny’s Friday performance of Creep, from Davey (please go follow him on Instagram now!).
From yesterday, 2016/04/15: Johnny Weir performing to Radiohead’s ‘Creep’ at the Skating Club of Wilmington. by @davidwilliamkeyser
Friday backstage and post-show. Please do read the captions on the pics from the young skaters. Their respect and admiration for Johnny is so beautiful to see.
Having fun at the ice show with Johnny Weir! #iceshow2016 #iceskating #zombies #johnnyweir #fabulous #ice #skating by @eliciareynolds
With the amazing fabulous Johnny Weir!✨ by @jacob.skate
Johnny is so down to earth and lovely. 💖 #art2skate #johnnyweir #figureskating #skating by @georgia_peach.3
Tonight I met my life inspiration… @johnnygweir is so amazing! by @mallory_strmel
With members of the 1st State Ice Theatre group of Delaware, who presented their Rocky Horror Picture Show tribute during Friday’s show.
Via Facebook.
From the show the other night! #johnnyweir by @cinderella_17
johnny:-) by @nikita.romanov
Cast photo! #wheresJohnny
Via Facebook.
From the Saturday morning Q&A / meet-n-greet. Featuring: Jen Warfield (top left); our beloved Bernadette (middle left and top right); Chris Krafft (bottom left); Binky (bottom middle); and, of course, a sparkly and thoroughly enjoyable Johnny.
Beautiful @JohnnyGWeir at #Art2Skate Q&A / meet-n-greet! Wonderfully entertaining, candid, patient, and very kind, as always. Thank you, Johnny & SCW, for a fabulous event. See you at the show tonight! #Olympian #athlete #artist #icon #legend #figureskating #rolemodel #amazing #theoneandonly #johnnyweir by @misfitmimes
Saturday preshow. With additional members of 1st State Ice Theatre, who performed “Thriller” during Saturday’s show.
Just kind of got a picture with Johnny Weir no biggy! by @erinnmoffett
One more rehearsal clip, from Saturday.
Just one more clip: beautiful @JohnnyGWeir warming up for the final #Art2Skate show…. #Olympian #athlete #artist #icon #legend #figureskating #rolemodel #amazing #theoneandonly #johnnyweir by @misfitmimes
Preview of his Saturday Creep, also by Davey.
❄️Real men wear skirts.❄️ Photo courtesy David Ingogly❤️ by @johnnygweir
Saturday post-show.
❤️❤️❤️ by @erinnmoffett
Johnny appreciation post, just because I want to skate like him and he killed it last night. he’s definitely my favorite 💜😊 by @ma.kenna._
At the cast party.
I like to think I played it pretty cool the second time I hung out with #Olympian #figureskating legend and all around good guy @johnnygweir. Yessir, pretty…pretty cool. by @brandywinecyclery
Have you ever tangoed in a walk-in refrigerator? @stephen0220 by @johnnygweir
And finally: he was amazing with all the kids. Every. Last. One.
The #amazing @JohnnyGWeir after last night’s final #Art2Skate show, mobbed for photos and autographs. There was no official post-show meet-n-greet, so he took the time to go around the rink and make sure every young skater on the ice and every fan in the stands who wanted to meet him got their wish–even if it meant crawling around on his knees to sign skates. He was there forever. Endlessly patient, gracious, and kind, and so #beautiful, inside and out. And yes, that is the incredible @pattimooreweir at bottom right, helping a young fan who desperately wanted to hug him but was too shy to call out his name. She got her wish too, as you’ll see in an upcoming video…. ❤ #Olympian #athlete #artist #icon #legend #figureskating #rolemodel #theoneandonly #johnnyweir by @misfitmimes
And, as promised, here is the exclusive video of that adorable little fan meeting Johnny (with bonus Patti Weir!):
OH BTW . . .
Cannot. Wait.
Image via Johnny’s official website.
Exclusive photos © David Ingogly.
That is my daughter Ava M. Steppich in the video. I’ve known Patti for a number of years and this was Ava’s first opportunity to meet Johnny. She watches all of his videos on Instagram! She was so elated to finally meet him!!! She was excited to see this video. Is there any chance you can email this to me?
Many Thanks,
Anna Steppich
Anna, your Ava is the sweetest little fan ever! The video file is too big to email, but I can make it available for you to download. I’ll email you a download link ASAP. Thank you so much for your comment and for letting us all share in Ava’s delight!
What is not to love about this man? Thanks, @misfitmimes for bringing us all along!!!