Sochi 2014 Paralympic Games - Presentation on Vancouver 2010 Closing Ceremony
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdI4B5rseKk
http://sochi2014.com/
http://www.facebook.com/sochi2014
http://www.flickr.com/photos/43767123@N02
Highlights of the Paralympic Handover included (in chronological order):
· The stadium screens springing to life from the darkness with an introductory Meet Russia film, which included 3-D renderings of the Sochi2014.ru digital Paralympic logo, reflected images of the sea and mountains around Sochi and images of Paralympic Winter sport
· The stage rotating slowly to reveal the Sochi 2014 logo (Sochi2014.ru) and world-leading sand artist, Artur Kirillov, standing in front of a light-box table linked to the screens to showcase his artistry
· Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker: Pas De Deux, Intrada playing and Kirillov beginning his work, creating a series of sand drawings that depict the imaginings of a young girl in a wheelchair
· A young girl in a wheelchair appearing to the right of the stage drawing images in a book, shown on the screen, as the sand drawing mirrors them, and five children of Russias Domisolka childrens choir start singing
· Kirillov drawing a bird missing a wing, only for the young girl to make a paper bird with two wings, which the sand drawing follows, and carries her through space and time to the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games
· Paralympic swimming champion Olesya Vladykina and Olympic figure skating champion Ilya Kulik coming onto the stage dancing together on ice to Tchaikovskys Waltz of the Snowflakes (from The Nutcracker), with Olesya representing the bird that has lost a wing, but was able to overcome obstacles and realize her dream to fly. She learnt to skate specifically for the ceremony, to show what can be achieved with desire and willpower
· World and European Wheelchair Dance Champions (Konstantin Sosunov and Elena Shilyaeva World and European / Sergey Antonov and Aleksandra Berdnik European) performing a waltz to Tchaikovskys Waltz of the Flowers (from The Nutcracker) showcasing the ability of people with a disability
· The dancers raising their hands upwards to conclude their performance as if holding torches, signaling for a victory flame to ignite in the venue
· The Paralympic theme Imagine It Now playing out and Diana Gurtskaya, a blind Russian singer and Sochi 2014 Ambassador appearing on stage
· The sand-drawn images on the central LED screen being replaced with an image of the Sochi 2014 logo as Diana Gurtskaya and the childrens choir are singing the Sochi 2014 anthem in English
· Around them, the ensemble performing which then included Maxim Sedakov, Russian wheelchair dancer and 2009 IDSF World DanceSport Champion, breakdancing in his wheelchair
· A final scene where balls carrying iconic images of Russia begin to fly toward the audience and a message that everyone is invited to the XI Paralmypic Games in Sochi in four years time