- Joined
- Feb 24, 2012
So True. But good or bad COP tends to take away some of the passion and individuality.
1. Define "passion" for me, someone.
2. How much technical excellence are you willing to sacrifice for it?
How can you have passion and fire when going from required element to required element? The best teams can do so, and they do so with a scorching vigour that blows my mind away. Since we're talking about Canadian ice dance, a demonstration.
Virtue/Moir 2010 OD, Olympic Games: What they do here is nothing short of sublime. Yeah, they're weaving together all these complex elements - the stunning curve lifts. The hand clappy-twizzles. But Tessa's dress movements would make any toreador tip his cap with respect. And this straight line step sequence is legendary. The raging bravado. The rising action. The pure catharsis. Look at Tessa's face at the end. She's practically breathing fire. And Scott? Sweet mother-of-Abraham-Lincoln, he's exhilarating. This is athleticism and passion and energy in one combustible ball.
Thinking about it especially in light of Haugnauer's recent statements) it seems like, for some people, the only legitimate personality for a female ice dancer to have IS the DIVA. Which is retrograde, sexist, and kinda boring
Rules, restrictions... these things don't hinder creativity. Isn't Shakespeare's language more awe-inspiring because of the gorgeous iambic pentameter? Aren't Seraut's paintings even more beautiful in light of the exacting scientific thought behind it. But not all writers are Shakespeare. Not all painters are Seraut. We don't say that ImaginaryPogue's writings lack creativity - it's not his fault, it's that dasterdly iambic pentameter he's writing in. So why do we say that here?
1. Define "passion" for me, someone.
2. How much technical excellence are you willing to sacrifice for it?
How can you have passion and fire when going from required element to required element? The best teams can do so, and they do so with a scorching vigour that blows my mind away. Since we're talking about Canadian ice dance, a demonstration.
Virtue/Moir 2010 OD, Olympic Games: What they do here is nothing short of sublime. Yeah, they're weaving together all these complex elements - the stunning curve lifts. The hand clappy-twizzles. But Tessa's dress movements would make any toreador tip his cap with respect. And this straight line step sequence is legendary. The raging bravado. The rising action. The pure catharsis. Look at Tessa's face at the end. She's practically breathing fire. And Scott? Sweet mother-of-Abraham-Lincoln, he's exhilarating. This is athleticism and passion and energy in one combustible ball.
Thinking about it especially in light of Haugnauer's recent statements) it seems like, for some people, the only legitimate personality for a female ice dancer to have IS the DIVA. Which is retrograde, sexist, and kinda boring
Rules, restrictions... these things don't hinder creativity. Isn't Shakespeare's language more awe-inspiring because of the gorgeous iambic pentameter? Aren't Seraut's paintings even more beautiful in light of the exacting scientific thought behind it. But not all writers are Shakespeare. Not all painters are Seraut. We don't say that ImaginaryPogue's writings lack creativity - it's not his fault, it's that dasterdly iambic pentameter he's writing in. So why do we say that here?[/QUOTE
+1 - When you see this OD at both the Olympics 2010 and then at Worlds - it is no doubt impressive - the whole package. And you can add me to the group of fans that does not miss the DIVA persona...you want DIVAs - then tune into reality TV...
Agreed, Pogue. Also, a diva doesn't have to be over-the-top. Tessa and Meryl are very bit as much a diva as Pasha and Anjelika. They are just more subtle about their diva-ness.
I'm willing to wait and see how Gilles and Poirier do on the international scene, but would have liked to see Crone and Sorensen as well, if only because I thought they were intitled to have an opportunity.
Crone and Poirier seemed to be burdened with overblown expectations to the extent of making their international results seem unacceptable. Perhaps that disappointment led to their break-up, at least that's how it appeared to this outside observer.
Now, magically, those expectations seem to be transferred to Gilles and Poirier. I think this is unfortunate and liable to be detrimental to their career.
C&P had very good international results, though. They didn't just do well at Canadian nationals, they won multiple medals on the Grand Prix, went to the Olympics and won a medal at the Grand Prix Final. The only disappointing result they had was at Worlds 2011. It's unfortunate, because up until then they were really climbing the ranks and were regularly beating W&P. It's unfortunate that they split all of a sudden
Now Paul has to work back up the ranks with a new partner. It's going to take a couple of years for Piper to come up to his level, but she is working hard and they have great potential.
Now, Giles and Poirier, like Chock and Bates in the US are starting from square one on the international scene. My money would be on Chock and Bates, however. They are both superior skaters.
I think that Paul Poirier is one of the best young male partners in the World and he hates to lose. Champions hate to lose. It's something I've seen time and time again.
I was gob smacked when Paul & Vanessa split and was dis-inclined to think kindly of the new pairing but I find that Piper brings an energy and vitality to the partnership so that I liked them in spite of myself. I think they have a great deal of potential and I'm looking forward to seeing them compete this season.
Leaving comparisons of Kwan and Slutskaya aside, I would like to say that there are presently many very fine skaters among male ice dancers. This has not always been the case. For many years, good partnering skills were sufficient. Even so, there are not enough men to go around, sadly.
My feeling is, that with current judging standards, A couple will not rise above the level of the weaker partner.