.jpg "Screenshot from The Simpsons of Ralph Wiggum holding a card that said \"I Choo-Choo-Choose You!\"")
I can't think of Valentine's Day without picturing Ralph Wiggum on The Simpsons giving Lisa a Valentine's Day card that said "I Choo-Choo-Choose You!"... "and there's a picture of a train on it!". After she "looked in the tunk" and found tickets to go see Krusty The Clown's show with Ralph, she erupted into the most epic display of disgust ever, which wasn't really far off how I reacted watching the judging of the Ladies Short Program portion of the Team Event in Sochi if you want to get technical. I won't lie. I get right bitter over Valentine's Day but that doesn't mean everyone has to right? I "choo-choo-chose" six fabulously romantic moments on the ice to make you smile a bit and give you all a lift. If this doesn't work, might I recommend the Orange Creams in the Quality Street tin. Go ahead, I won't tell! Without further ado, 6.0 wonderfully romantic moments and programs on ice:
KRISTI YAMAGUCHI - THE POWER OF LOVE
Celine Dion's "The Power Of Love" is a classic and if anyone did it justice, it was Kristi Yamaguchi, although Rosalynn Sumners delivered an outstanding program to Jennifer Rush's version as well. Kristi had the jumps, the sensitivity to the music and choreography going on in every program she performed during her professional career, but I think "The Power Of Love" was such a wonderful reflection of her skating's wonderfully romantic side.
EKATERINA GORDEEVA AND SERGEI GRINKOV - THE MAN I LOVE
The relationship between Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov's own love for each other and skating and the classic George Gershwin tune "The Man I Love" was truly a marriage in itself. Their love for each other always shone in Gordeeva and Grinkov's skating and this program really exemplifies them at their best... and most romantic.
ROSALYNN SUMNERS - VALENTINE
I'm a big Rosalynn Sumners fan. A true professional, every time she took to the ice, she had the right programs, the right choreography and the right look - the whole package. This program, set to Martina McBride's beautiful ballad "Valentine" (sang live by Martina in this performance) was an underappreciated gem for its beautifully romantic quality and the heart shaped figure at the end was a lovely detail.
KURT BROWNING - SERENADE TO SONIA
Dedicated to his then fiance Sonia Rodriguez, this program led Kurt Browning to a win at the 1996 Canadian Professional Championships and 1996 World Professional Championships. Set to a medley of music of Nat King Cole - Introduction, Are You Disenchanted?, Wouldn't You Know, Madrid and L-O-V-E, this program was not only rich in fabulous Sandra Bezic choreography but charm and genuine emotion. A classic and certainly romantic.
MICHELLE KWAN - ONE MORE TIME
Michelle Kwan was really a lesson in the whole package throughout her career. She had it all, showing off her incredible consistency technically while evolving at such at a young age from this talented little jumping bean to one of the most exquisite skaters the world has seen practically overnight. It was a magical metamorphosis and many of exhibition programs (also used in pro-am competitions as interpretive free skates) during her competitive career were gems of their own. No collection of beautifully romantic programs would be complete without her program to Laura Pausini's "One More Time". Beautiful song, beautiful program.
ANDY AND TIFFANY
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