The Vancouver Olympic Games will always hold a special place in Joannie Rochette鈥檚 heart.
Two days prior to the start of the ladies鈥� figure skating competition at the Winter Games in 2010, Rochette鈥檚 mother, Therese died unexpectedly of a heart attack while in town to watch her daughter compete.
While no one would have questioned her had she chosen to withdraw, Rochette remained in the competition and skated in her mother鈥檚 honour.
With a heavy heart, Rochette delivered a 91原创enal skate, recording a new personal best in the short program and wound up winning the bronze medal.
While it was a time of great loss for Rochette, she also remembers the wonderful memories.
鈥�2010 was amazing having the chance to represent my country at home in Canada,鈥� she said in a recent phone interview.
鈥淭hat is not something that every athlete can do; maybe once in a lifetime opportunity.
鈥淚t felt like the whole country was behind us.鈥�
These days, Rochette 鈥� who turns 27 in January 鈥� is skating as part of the 2012 Holiday Festival on Ice tour. It will be at the 91原创 Events Centre on Saturday (Dec. 1) for a 7 p.m. show.
In addition to Rochette鈥檚 bronze medal, she has won a silver medal at the world championships and is the six-time Canadian national champion.
Since competing at the 2010 Games, Rochette has begun performing in touring shows, which she said are hugely popular overseas.
But nothing beats the chance to perform in her home country.
鈥淚t is great to perform in front of our Canadian fans,鈥� she said, adding the intimacy of the smaller venues allows the skaters to better connect with the crowd.
Rochette used to skate in shows like this for about one month a year, but since 2010, has begun doing this full time.
鈥淚t is busy, but I like it,鈥� she said.
鈥淚 like to be able to perform for the fans and not worry about being judged.
鈥淚t is a big difference: you can see the skaters have big smiles on their faces; they are truly enjoying their skating.鈥�
It is also a different type of skating for the performers.
鈥淭here is a real big difference between competitions and show skating,鈥� Rochette explained.
鈥淚n competition, it is all about the jump, the number of revolutions in your spins; you have to calculate everything.
鈥淏ut in your show, it is more about the crowd; you want them to have a good time, you want to entertain them.鈥�
Saturday鈥檚 show celebrates Christmas and Rochette says she has been rehearsing and performing it for so long, she feels like it is Christmas-time already.
鈥淚t is a family show with Christmas music,鈥� she described.
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The cast for the show is star studded.
Also attending will be four-time world champion Kurt Browning, two-time Olympic silver medalist and three-time world champion Elvis Stojko, world champion Jeffrey Buttle, Kimmie Meissner, Shawn Sawyer, Sinead and John Kerr. The Kerr鈥檚 are seven-time British dance champions.
