LinMM Posted February 24, 2018 Share Posted February 24, 2018 Great ice dancing from Curry!! I was trying to remember where he had the London shows...it wasn't at Sadlers Wells was it....could they have "iced" the stage?!! Nina Margaret there is still an annual ice show in Brighton but it's at the Brighton Centre which is temporarily turned into an ice rink in January. Just off the main shopping centre...could be called Sussex Road ....there was a small rink at the top of this road. It was here for a couple of years at least when I first moved here (in 2000) so must have closed down around 2003-5ish I think. One year around 2000-02 there was a Christmas rink at the Marina and Jane Torvill was giving lessons there from real beginners to couples who looked pretty pro. She was lovely with everybody. That was when all the talk was about this new ice rink proposal for just west of the Marina at Black Rock. It was exciting at the time but I think the finance just didn't come through in the end.....ice rinks are expensive to upkeep. You have to laugh though. A couple of years later there was going to be a swimming pool on the same site ....well that died a death. The last I heard it was a hotel!! But still a blank space at the moment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted February 26, 2018 Share Posted February 26, 2018 (edited) Does anyone see another John Curry in the making ? A female one — Evgenia Medvedeva. For me, musical flow and expression through it all are her artistry. Soulfulness and sensitivity are the source. Would anyone like to make some comparisons ? Edited February 26, 2018 by Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted February 26, 2018 Author Share Posted February 26, 2018 11 hours ago, Buddy said: For me, musical flow and expression through it all are her artistry. Soulfulness and sensitivity are the source. Olympic Games are about sport. This short clip “Why Alina Zagitova Won the Gold Over Evgenia Medvedeva” explains how judges at sporting contests assess athletes’ performances. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJqL4TBhfvw Being devoted ballet fans we tend to admire expression and soulfulness of figure skaters but judges have a different task. They assess performances pursuant to the existing rules. A triple axel with poor landing scores more than a perfectly completed double axel. Although Yuzuru Hanyu twice fell on quadruples in Sochi, nevertheless, he became an Olympic champion there because all elements of the jumps before the unfortunate landings scored him good points. All other elements of his programme were impeccably executed. For judges, the artistry does not mean soulfulness but skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation of music. A brilliant and truly artistic athlete doesn’t get extra points for the tragic facial expression and the mouth opened in exasperation, which is more suitable for an exhibition performance. Oh, if someone has several hours and want to know what every skating element is worth, it is possible to comb through the exhaustive ISU rules. As Geoff wrote, “Sticking with John Curry”. In Curry’s case like in Torvill & Dean’s case it was a perfect combination of technical and artistic merit. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) On 2/26/2018 at 05:10, Amelia said: For judges, the artistry does not mean soulfulness but skating skills, transitions, performance, composition, and interpretation of music. As Geoff wrote, “Sticking with John Curry”. In Curry’s case like in Torvill & Dean’s case it was a perfect combination of technical and artistic merit. Thanks, Amelia, for these insights. Just regarding these two statements, I think that we are back to a basic artistic issue of technique and 'enchantment'. I tend to focus on enchantment -- the effect. Others, technique -- how it's accomplished. Both valid, in my opinion. Evgenia Medvedeva, for me, is enchantment. For one thing, she has a Loveliness of Motion that I've not seen before in an ice skater. The fact that she won the Silver Medal, speaks for itself in regard to technical and athletic prowess -- and artistry. John Curry, whom I've not seen that much of (videos being my only source), hugely impresses me with each performance that I'm discovering here. Again, I focus on artistic enchantment. The videos that I see here show him as a highly refined and mature artist. I also think that Envgenia Medvedeva, only 18, is has a similarly exceptional gift of artistic 'enchantment'. Edited February 27, 2018 by Buddy spelling correction 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Well another fine young Russian ice skater coming up. This was in 2017 when she was 13!! the UK definitely needs more ice rinks if going to produce more ice skaters of this calibre. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 Fat chance of that, Lin! A skating rink opened near us and I promised our then toddlers that I would take them for skating lessons when they were a little older. It was open for less than three years before it shut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 I know it's very annoying. One piece of good news for me was that it so happened that in yesterday's London Standard there was a page with ice rinks in London and I discovered that the one at the Sobell Centre ( very close to a school I taught at for some years) in Islington is still going and I had said to my partner only the other day that it had closed down years ago! What do I know! I followed some friends girls ice skating "careers" at the Sobell for a while. One of them became quite good .....ended up training at Chelmsford rink when they moved out of London and was the under fourteen junior pairs champion for a short while before giving it all up! But it was a long drive to the training and I guess just at that stage when it really gets tough....you have to love it an awful lot to keep going on to Professional level just as in Ballet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 2 hours ago, LinMM said: Well another fine young Russian ice skater coming up. This was in 2017 when she was 13!! the UK definitely needs more ice rinks if going to produce more ice skaters of this calibre. Thank you, Lin. She didn't do a triple axel or a quad which we've been told some younger Russian female skaters can do, but she's very impressive. In addition to this, what I like very much is that -- She's Lovely. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 On 26/02/2018 at 01:54, Buddy said: Does anyone see another John Curry in the making ? A female one — Evgenia Medvedeva. I'm not so sure. Yes, as Robin Cousins said, she is exquisite, and she's beautifully fluid, so much so that you barely notice the required elements she's throwing in - and yet, and yet ... I'd need to see more of her work than this year's, but having (only) watched her at these Olympics I have a feeling, firstly, that there are mannerisms etc. which might start to get on my nerves if they keep recurring, and secondly that what I've seen so far is a bit same-y. I'd like to see how she'd do in a distinctly different programme. I'd also like to see her with more maturity, a few years down the line, to see how she's developed: she said after her long programme that she felt she was Anna Karenina, but that feeling didn't really make its way as far as me. So, for me at least, the jury's still out. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted February 27, 2018 Share Posted February 27, 2018 (edited) 47 minutes ago, alison said: I'm not so sure. Yes, as Robin Cousins said, she is exquisite, and she's beautifully fluid, so much so that you barely notice the required elements she's throwing in - and yet, and yet ... I'd need to see more of her work than this year's, but having (only) watched her at these Olympics I have a feeling, firstly, that there are mannerisms etc. which might start to get on my nerves if they keep recurring, and secondly that what I've seen so far is a bit same-y. I'd like to see how she'd do in a distinctly different programme. I'd also like to see her with more maturity, a few years down the line, to see how she's developed: she said after her long programme that she felt she was Anna Karenina, but that feeling didn't really make its way as far as me. So, for me at least, the jury's still out. Yes, it will be very interesting to see where she is in a year or two. I find her to be quite exceptional already. Olympic Silver, many think that she should have been awarded Gold, is a very good start. This is all relatively new stuff to me and I can barely catch my breath. Now along comes the 13 year old Alena Kostornaia (video posted on previous page), maybe out of the same design. On the short program video watch Evgenia Medvedeva's face at the beginning as she totally immerses herself into her artistic being. This, the 13 year old Alena Kostornaia, doesn't do yet, and why should she at that age. She even cracks a slight smile every now and then as she completes some exciting elements. She's precious. Evgenia Medvedeva, the artist, just sails through the very difficult athletic/technical moments as an uninterrupted part of the artistic flow. What more is on the artistic horizon from Russia ? Edited February 27, 2018 by Buddy spelling correction and a word change 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 (edited) And here's your attempted quad. (Thanks to CharlieH at Ballet Alert!) Edited February 28, 2018 by Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LinMM Posted February 28, 2018 Share Posted February 28, 2018 Well good on her for trying ....is it easier for smallish 13 year olds to pull of things like quads? Not sure. The thing that would bother me is if every time you do a triple this or triple that you get these extra marks skating could start to become rather boring as it will start to be skate from one jump to the next and not much Inbetween!! I think once we have seen a jump three times in a routine that's it .....and you get penalised for doing more!! I also confess to hating that spin with the leg held up in front of the body it just looks so ugly....but they're all doing it and no doubt it's very difficult etc....but I wouldn't care if I never saw another one. Does anyone know at what age you can enter senior contests? I thought it was 16 but think it must be 15(Zagitova) ...In this contest with these very young skaters it was a Junior skating contest but the girls in it were 13,14 and 15 .....So am a little confused at which age you stop being a Junior and is it across the board( in all countries) or do different countries have different rules .....and also are the rules different for Olympic contests anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 This is something that I posted elsewhere, but would really like to get folks thoughts here as well. "Something sort of fascinating has occurred to me today. In a sports event, the Olympics, with so much demanding, usually highly macho, physical content, the most popular event of all is women’s figure skating. It gets the best time spots and if I recall correctly from the one time I tried to get Olympic tickets, perhaps the highest prices. I don’t see ballet replacing football anytime soon, but this popularity for the all female and most artistic part of the most important sports event in the world seems rather extraordinary. " Anyone have any thoughts about this ? " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 (edited) So far no response to my question as to why women's figure skating is probably the most popular event at the world's most important sports event, the Olympics. So I'll add this. I think that it's great ! Anyone ? Edited March 2, 2018 by Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Buddy perhaps it is to do with the physical attractiveness of the competitors, the costumes! music etc. It more of a performance. I understand that gymnastics is also popular at the main Olympics. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buddy Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 (edited) 8 hours ago, Shade said: Buddy perhaps it is to do with the physical attractiveness of the competitors, the costumes! music etc. It more of a performance. I understand that gymnastics is also popular at the main Olympics. For the moment I tend to agree with you, Shade. Figure skating has perhaps the most variety and in a sense it's a performance. In addition, it has artistic beauty. Also "physical attractiveness" is part of it. It maybe goes beyond and asserts women's overall attraction and the women in this instance take the prize. Yet the fascination is that it occurs in the midst of the ‘macho arena’. I've seen a similar thing at the ballet. The men are flying all over the stage and the audience is going crazy. Then a Svetlana Zakharova appears and there’s an immediate hush. In an instant she’s in total control. Edited March 3, 2018 by Buddy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 LADIES QUAD JUMP? It never happened before. Alexandra Trusova makes history landing a quad salchow and quad toe loop in the same program: 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Wow. Impressive. Does it help being young and petite, I wonder? By the way, when are the Worlds? Another couple of weeks? I'm wondering whether we shall even get any highlights on the BBC. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amelia Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 (edited) 7 minutes ago, alison said: Does it help being young and petite, I wonder? Indeed. A maturing female's body gradually starts protecting itself, preparing for motherhood. Edited March 12, 2018 by Amelia typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sim Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 3 hours ago, alison said: By the way, when are the Worlds? Another couple of weeks? I'm wondering whether we shall even get any highlights on the BBC. I very, very much doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shade Posted March 12, 2018 Share Posted March 12, 2018 Thanks Amelia for that clip. Fantastic achievement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 On 21/02/2018 at 15:28, ninamargaret said: Am I the only one to really dislike the mashed up music used for so many of the skating routines? Today we had odds and ends of Swan Lake, And I *really* don't think it's suitable music to do gymnastics to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penelopesimpson Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Oh, thanks for that. I loved John Curry although today he looks a little wooden. Does anyone remember my all time favourites - the Duchesnay brother and sister? They absolutely rocked with their Christopher Dean choreography. I was working in PR at the time and tried very hard to get a well known lager brand to sponsor them. Unfortunately, the client couldn't see the connection - and neither could I! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Just now, penelopesimpson said: Oh, thanks for that. I loved John Curry although today he looks a little wooden. Does anyone remember my all time favourites - the Duchesnay brother and sister? They absolutely rocked with their Christopher Dean choreography. I was working in PR at the time and tried very hard to get a well known lager brand to sponsor them. Unfortunately, the client couldn't see the connection - and neither could I! I loved them too! Especially their free dance that was reminiscent of Christopher Bruce's Ghost Dances. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alison Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Rather too reminiscent, as I recall! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Thanks for posting this. I agree such a wonderful couple. I didn’t find the choreography similar to Ghost Dances other than a couple of the holds and sideway steps which Bruce gives the three ghost dancers to do repeatedly ( sorry this is a little vague in description). Obviously the choice of music too. I never felt the Duchesnays got the recognition they deserved on the world stage. I saw th Curry documentary earlier in the year and it made me realise just what an exceptional artist he was. He made a lasting impression on the world of ice skating, at least equal to Torvill and Dean, although such comparisons are unimportant. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 Is it a whole year since we were all enjoying so much watching and discussing the Olympic skating...very sad not to have seen any on TV since, unless I have missed something.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 1 hour ago, penelopesimpson said: Does anyone remember my all time favourites - the Duchesnay brother and sister? They absolutely rocked with their Christopher Dean choreography. It is a wonderful performance: so much so, Christopher actually manages a small smile at the end! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 37 minutes ago, Odyssey said: I didn’t find the choreography similar to Ghost Dances other than a couple of the holds and sideway steps which Bruce gives the three ghost dancers to do repeatedly ( sorry this is a little vague in description). Obviously the choice of music too. I never felt the Duchesnays got the recognition they deserved on the world stage. I saw th Curry documentary earlier in the year and it made me realise just what an exceptional artist he was. He made a lasting impression on the world of ice skating, at least equal to Torvill and Dean, although such comparisons are unimportant. And the costumes... I personally recognised the essence of a lot of the choreography in Ghost Dances. I remember there being quite a controversy at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two Pigeons Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, alison said: Rather too reminiscent, as I recall! That's exactly what I was going to say. Was that the year the planned free dance was too intellectual for the judges to appreciate so it was replaced very speedily by the Ghost Dances number? Either way, that routine was not one of Christopher Dean's most original creations. Edited January 7, 2019 by Two Pigeons Better grammar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jan McNulty Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 2 minutes ago, Two Pigeons said: That's exactly what I was going to say. Was that the year the planned free dance was too intellectual for the judges to appreciate so it was cery speedily replaced by the Ghost Dances number? Either way, that routine was not one of Christopher Dean's most original creations. If you mean the "drum dance" tribal dance - it was in 1988 (according to YouTube). 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted January 7, 2019 Share Posted January 7, 2019 3 hours ago, Jan McNulty said: I am absolutely certain that I saw Chris and Jayne skate this in a programme before it was skated in the Olympics and Worlds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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