AREA SKATING PROS LIVING ON THE EDGE.

Byline: Alessandra Djurklou Staff Writer

IF WATCHING figure skating during this year's Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City wasn't enough to sate your need to see colorful lithe figures gliding along a slick sheet of ice, don't fret.

John Hancock Champions on Ice, a skating extravaganza featuring almost two dozen past and present international champions from many countries, will be at the Long Beach Arena tonight and Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim Saturday, and promises to satisfy even the biggest skate hound.

Among the talent, which includes such familiar names as Sarah Hughes, Michelle Kwan and Elvis Stojko, are Southland residents Sasha Cohen and Timothy Goebel, who both participated in the recent Olympics. Cohen placed fourth in women's single skating, and Goebel won Bronze for single men's skating.

Cohen, 17, who lives in Laguna Niguel and first laced up skates at Pasadena Ice Skating Center a decade ago, has been pegged as a rising talent in skating. Though she did not get a medal this time around, she has quickly become a favorite with the public.

``I just found out I was nominated for the Teen Choice Awards (for favorite teen athlete),'' said Cohen in a telephone interview. The awards show airs Aug. 19 at 8 p.m. on Fox.

Cohen has been with Champions on Ice for four years.

``It's a great tour; it's a lot of fun,'' said Cohen, who somewhere in between tours and Olympics managed to fit in graduating from Mission Viejo High School. Once she has some downtime, she plans to take classes at a local community college.

The music is key

Cohen's solo number this year for Champions is set to an Ella Fitzgerald song.

``It's got jumps and spins and a footwork sequence,'' Cohen said.

She also does several ensemble numbers with other past and present Olympians.

``We do some funny numbers,'' she said, adding that the surprise finale alone makes the show worth attending.

The fun numbers are a nice change of pace from the very precise and strict rules of competition, she said, a sentiment echoed by Goebel.

``It's been really fun to work on the artistic side of my skating, instead of worrying about jumps for judges,'' said Goebel, who is dubbed by many the ``quad king'' (a reference to his prowess with quadruple jumps), in a telephone interview from Canada. ``You're trying to entertain, not going in to try the hardest jump.''

The 21-year-old, who was world champion last year, said he looks forward to doing his solo number, a program to Paul McCartney's ``Freedom.'' It was choreographed by Lori Nichol and is a new addition to his repertoire.

``It's fast, very upbeat, with a lot of footwork,'' Goebel said.

Any jumps?

There are some, Goebel said, but not nearly as many as in competition.

This is Goebel's third time with the tour, and the most grueling.

``This time, I'm doing all 93 shows,'' Goebel said. ``It's the longest tour I've been in.''

On thin ice

A long tour wouldn't have been so exhausting, Goebel said, if it hadn't been for the fact that he only had four days between the end of the World Championships and the beginning of rehearsal. (Not that Goebel has much downtime as it is - he recently finished college at Loyola Marymount and has aspirations for Harvard Medical School.)

Still, coming to Long Beach will be a pleasure, since Goebel can go home and sleep in his own bed after performing.

``It will be nice,'' he said. ``I can't wait.''

And lest it sound like he is complaining, Goebel said he, like Cohen, is particularly excited by this year's finale.

``It's very appropriate for this time in our country,'' he said.

Sarah Kawahara, the show's director and choreographer, is responsible for the finale, which takes a sparkling patriotic twist.

That twist definitely is a response to the events of Sept. 11, said Kawahara, who is based in the Los Angeles area and has been choreographing ice shows for almost two decades. She has worked a number of times with Michelle Kwan, and won an Emmy for her work on a Scott Hamilton special.

Kawahara also choreographed the opening number, in which each artist has a brief introductory solo. The number, Kawahara said, is thoroughly eclectic, with music from everyone from the Baha Men (Victor Petrenko skating to ``Who Let the Dogs Out'') to Frank Sinatra.

Being playful is not just fun for Kawahara but also for the skaters.

``It's nice we can show a flip side of their personalities not seen in competition,'' Kawahara said.

JOHN HANCOCK CHAMPIONS ON ICE 2002 OLYMPIC TOUR

Where: Long Beach Arena, 300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach; Arrowhead Pond, 2695 E. Katella Ave., Anaheim.

When: 7 tonight (Long Beach); 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday (Anaheim).

Tickets: $45 to $65. Call [phone].

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(1 -- 2) Southern Californians Timothy Goebel, left, and Sasha Cohen will skate in the John Hancock Champions on Ice 2002 Olympic Tour, beginning tonight in Long Beach.