Native American Olympic Team Foundation in the Press!

“YES” SAYS INDIAN OLYMPIAN NAOMI LANG
TO PROPOSAL ON SPICY "FASHION ON ICE" SPECIAL
On Style Network, Monday Feb 9th, 4-6pm ET
Victoria Secret Host, Wardrobe malfunctions…

By Suzy Chaffee & Native American Olympic Team Foundation
Photos by Michelle Wojdyla

Naomi Lang (Cal Karuk) and Peter Tchernyshev (Russian) ice dancing stars of the 2002 Olympics, and other Legends of Skating will be putting on the Ritz in some hot designer threads during Disson Skating's "Fashion on the Ice" Special on the Style Network Monday, February 9 from 3:00-5:00pm ET.

For the first time some of 7th Avenue's hottest designers, a Victoria Secret host, and la creme of world skaters, have teamed up to create a visual feast de resistance, as well as interesting experiment, complete with a wardrobe malfunctions and other surprises.

NAOMI'S SURPIRSE
Besides looking like a Goddess in her flowing gossamer design by Lotta Stennson, what made this Naomi's “Special of a Lifetime,” is the surprise by her flame, Mark Fitzgerald, (fellow coach who competed in the Worlds). This is how her mom, Leslie Dixon, a nurse, described how this “prince of a guy” wooed and won his Lady Love, named at birth "Maheetahan," meaning "Morning Star."

"Just after the cast had taken a bow following their closing number, the Master of Ceremonies, Michael Weiss, said, ‘I want to introduce 'a special friend’ (Mark) on his birthday, and he has a few words to say.’ Mark skated out and Michael handed him the microphone. No one had any idea what was going on, and I personally thought we were all going to be singing happy birthday to Mark or something. Instead Mark started talking about how he was 32 that day and had been thinking about what he wanted for his birthday.

Mark then said, ‘All I want is to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love. Men fall in love with their eyes first. I fell in love with Naomi at first sight with my heart.’

Naomi was standing with the rest of the cast watching this and began to realize what Mark was doing and put her hands over her mouth. She was laughing and crying. Peter kind of pushed her out toward Mark on center ice, as she was kinda of shy and left.

Mark then got down on one knee and asked Naomi to marry him in front of the whole audience. With a smile that told a thousand words, she nodded her head yes and Mark put a beautiful diamond ring on her finger and they kissed. The audience roared in delight. Then troubadour Chris Isaak played, ‘Here comes the bride.' It was very special. Later Isaak remarked to Mark, ‘You've got a lot of guts. What if she would have said no?’ Then the cast and fans headed back stage for a surprise VIP reception for Naomi and Mark, celebrating the engagement with these well-plumed lovebirds.”

PUTTING ON TH E RITZ
Victoria Secret’s Super model Frederique van der Wal turned up the glam heat with her introductions of the four top 7th Ave designers: Luca Luca, Cynthia Rose, Tomer and Lotta Stensson. Lotta won gold in designing with the athleticism of the skaters in mind, especially Kyoko Ina’s stunning liquid gold glove dress that allowed her to flip and fly sans wardrobe malfunctions in their “Harder to Breathe” number.

“Skating costumes have always been a part of the sport and provide much material for discussion, no pun intended. Whether simple black pants and a plain shirt, heavily beaded dresses, or shreds of chiffon draping the body, fashion has always been on the ice. What better way to formally acknowledge this synergy than the Disson Skating special, “Fashion on Ice.” This made-for-TV show was taped at the Sovereign Bank Arena on December 1 in Trenton, NJ and featured a stellar lineup,” said Michelle Wojdyla, a premier skating photojournalist.

Olympic champions Evgeny Plushenko and Shizuka Arakawa headlined a cast of world and national champions that included Shae-Lynn Bourne, Kyoko Ina and John Zimmerman, Jennifer Robinson, Steven Cousins, Silvia Fontana and Caryn Kadavy. Singer Chris Isaak got the audience rollicking with his live music for multiple numbers choreographed by Lee Ann Miller and Cousins.

Surprise Moment