I just saw the photos of the costumes for the first time. Talk about loud! My favorite comment was from the New York Times, about the leaves: at the end of the routine, you didn't know whether to bring out the Zamboni or a rake.
In the defense of the skaters and their team, I think people preparing for a huge competition are so concentrated on their own concerns that they aren't really aware of how their ideas will be interpreted by the world outside skating. But really, if you're planning on using the equivalent of blackface make-up in this day and age, you should go with your second choice...
By contrast, does anyone remember that beautiful "Missing" program Christopher Dean choreographed for the Duchesnays? It was set to Andean music, and it dealt with political prisoners. As I recall, the skaters wore street clothes: Paul wore business slacks, a shirt, and a tie, while Isabelle wore a knee-length red day dress. It was riveting.
Yeah, I was a bit amazed to hear how narrowly focused in their little skating world their comments are. Their coach even said that this was an attempt to sabogate their team. That seems a very self-centered way of thinking.
