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Oh, What a Night!
The Olympics Opening Ceremony
By Kendeyl Johansen

Ticket prices for the 2002 Olympic opening ceremony started at $885, which made me gulp before opening my wallet. But this star-studded event was being hailed as “The Greatest Show on Earth,” and as the frazzled parents of toddler twins and an energetic 5-year-old, my husband and I were overdue for a dose of “couples fun.” We decided to splurge on what may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

A week later we arrived at the outdoor ceremony in Salt Lake City, Utah. We were definitely dressed not to impress in bulky snowsuits, alpine boots, gloves and American flag hats. It was lucky we’d tossed fashion sense aside in favor of warmth, since we’d breezed through the intense but reassuring security and were seated 1 ½ hours prior to the ceremony in 15 degree weather.

I had enough time to notice snipers on the buildings surrounding the stadium, and hoped the state-of-the-art security would keep us safe. All around us early birds chatted excitedly in a dozen languages, and I took a deep breath and made myself relax.

Fire and Ice
The show started with a literal bang, as a shower of golden fireworks exploded. Then, as if on cue, Mother Nature added a light sprinkling of snowflakes while silver-clad skaters swirled across the ice. I got the chills, and not because I was cold.

Minutes later I felt a quiet spiritualism descend on the stadium as countless brightly-clad Native Americans danced to tribal music, and later the flowing props of the Western segment evoked Broadway’s majestic “The Lion King.” I was especially impressed with a gargantuan, ethereal buffalo that seemed to float across the ice.

Later, I fought tears as the scarred flag from 9/11 was carried into the stadium, and I was amazed by the audience camaraderie as the Olympic athletes marched. Our crowd cheered extra loud for the teams from Bermuda and China, since people nearby were proudly brandishing these flags. And when the Americans marched, the people from Bermuda and China cheered robustly for us.

Prior to the show, audience members had received a bag of props so that we could participate in the ceremony. Instead of sitting passively in my seat, I had fun waving my flashlight, holding up color-coded cards, singing on cue and even harmonizing with my plastic flute.

Twinkle-Twinkle Olympic Stars
I had plenty of time to star-gaze during the ceremony. One of the night’s highlights included watching Kristi Yamaguchi skate. I’ve admired her on TV, but seeing her smooth moves in person was a thrill. And hearing Sting perform with cellist Yo-Yo Ma was a treat for my ears, as were the performances of the Dixie Chicks and LeAnn Rimes.

I was touched to watch President George Bush standing proud and defiant of terrorists as he applauded the athletes. And I was moved watching the American hockey team light the flame. The audience held its breath as the flame almost died, but then it suddenly burned bright again, as if symbolizing the struggle and triumph of athletics.

And just when I thought the night couldn’t get any better, enough fireworks exploded to transform night into day with golden fire. I walked out of the stadium beaming, feeling the $885 ticket price was a bargain. The opening ceremony was the greatest show I’ve seen on earth.


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About the Author: Kendeyl Johansen is a contributing writer for Women's Health & Fitness and iParenting Media.