The next two days are spent in the arena watching the athletes. The coaches stand rink side studying their skaters, offering no instruction. The invigorating feeling of competition is in the air, and it is evident the skaters aren’t as friendly with each other since the announcement. Practices continue around the clock until it's time for the skate-off. Universal camera operators are all set up and ready to start filming. Each woman will do her four-minute program. They wear their colorful competition dresses full of rhinestones and glitter. They don’t interact with each other, they are zoned into competition mode.

The male skaters sit at the edge of the ice...