Davis & White disclose their music selections!

[KKonas]

Meryl and Charlie just confirmed via teleconference that their FD is to Notre Dame de Paris. They will use Danse mon Esmerelda at the end but will also use some other pieces of music from that opera, mostly instrumental. Charlie said he had watched Anissina & Peiserat's exhibition performance of this music and thought it was powerful. He says he and Meryl have been working on greater connection on the ice and it should show in this routine. Meryl fell in love with the FD music and he did as well. Marina chose the Giselle ballet music for the SD. Charlie said the Yankee Polka is very fast and requires quick turns. He said he and Meryl are lucky that they have quick feet and hope to do well on the levels.

[FSGMT]

Yes! Finally, some news about them, it was all speculating basing on Meryl's tweets! Yes, Notre Dame is a good choice for them, but it's a kind of going back to The Phantom of the Opera, isn't it? I expected them to try something new, especially because this is the pre-olympic season... But, we'll see, it could be a revolutionary program and cancel what I just wrote!

[os168]

Is someone compiling a list of French themed program this year? French might not rule the ice, they sure rule the skating programs.

[colleen o'neill]

I'm not sure about this...What does "working on their connection" mean ? There's more than one kind of connection.

I would never have said that they didn't look connected..certainly in the last 4 years or so . I just hope they aren't trying to acquire some "something" that won't suit them.

I love them for their speed , their sparkling "bravura" quality. I just think of their tango, which never really satisfied me as a tango , no matter how much they learned from doing it, and no matter how difficult it was technically..I'd rather watch Fledermaus or S&D any day ( and I do ).

So this makes me a bit nervous.

[CAS]

I'm sure they will do a fine job with it but I imagine it will be a lot like Samson and Phantom so it seems a bit safe. This music and program was the one thing A&P did that I didn't enjoy at all. I've yet to see a program to this music I liked. I do think though that D&W will have the best program to this music of the ones I've seen. Just not that exciting and on paper seems a bit repetitive.

[missysays]

I'm sure they will do a fine job with it but I imagine it will be a lot like Samson and Phantom so it seems a bit safe. This music and program was the one thing A&P did that I didn't enjoy at all. I've yet to see a program to this music I liked. I do think though that D&W will have the best program to this music of the ones I've seen. Just not that exciting and on paper seems a bit repetitive.

Unfortunately, I have to agree with this post. D/W are one of my favorite ice dance teams; but what's frustrating for me sometimes as a fan is that I feel that they have the capability to be much edgier or more avant garde programs than the musical selections for their FDs seem to indicate. (Charlie, in particular, is very conservative in his musical choices for them- Phantom is a prime example.) Most of their FD programs seem to be derivative of programs that have been done by others. They seem to think that they have success with epic/passionate FDs and so this year's musical choice is following along those lines. Not only is it something that A/P have skated to but when I was listening to the music it sounded a bit like W/P's French-vocal FD music from last season.

They have such an exciting and dynamic presence on the ice I wish that they would come up with fresher musical choices and program concepts for their FDs.

Oddly enough they seem to be more creative or at least come up with better program concepts in their SD selections. It's almost like the boundaries in the set theme frees them up to pick something that the rest of the pack aren't skating to.

But due to how confident they sound I'm sure the program will be a strong one and skated with attack and drama. I just wish they had used this year to try something different- they probably will do traditional/classical again next year since it's the Olympic year and they won't want to take any chances.

[tulosai]

Unfortunately, I have to agree with this post. D/W are one of my favorite ice dance teams; but what's frustrating for me sometimes as a fan is that I feel that they have the capability to be much edgier or more avant garde programs than the musical selections for their FDs seem to indicate. (Charlie, in particular, is very conservative in his musical choices for them- Phantom is a prime example.) Most of their FD programs seem to be derivative of programs that have been done by others. They seem to think that they have success with epic/passionate FDs and so this year's musical choice is following along those lines. Not only is it something that A/P have skated to but when I was listening to the music it sounded a bit like W/P's French-vocal FD music from last season.

They have such an exciting and dynamic presence on the ice I wish that they would come up with fresher musical choices and program concepts for their FDs.

Oddly enough they seem to be more creative or at least come up with better program concepts in their SD selections. It's almost like the boundaries in the set theme frees them up to pick something that the rest of the pack aren't skating to.

But due to how confident they sound I'm sure the program will be a strong one and skated with attack and drama. I just wish they had used this year to try something different- they probably will do traditional/classical again next year since it's the Olympic year and they won't want to take any chances.

I do, generally, agree, but I do have to point out that this year is a year in which they are setting up for an Olympic year. They probably are reluctant to take a chance because if it didn't work out and V/M dominated them this year, that would set a bad tone going into Sochi.

I'm actually excited to see these programs. They sound the most excited they've been for a while

[KKonas]

I'm not sure about this...What does "working on their connection" mean ? There's more than one kind of connection.

I would never have said that they didn't look connected..certainly in the last 4 years or so . I just hope they aren't trying to acquire some "something" that won't suit them.

I love them for their speed , their sparkling "bravura" quality. I just think of their tango, which never really satisfied me as a tango , no matter how much they learned from doing it, and no matter how difficult it was technically..I'd rather watch Fledermaus or S&D any day ( and I do ).

So this makes me a bit nervous.

IMHO this new FD program will require a lot more emotion from Charlie in particular and that's what he seemed to be referring to in his response. Far more than S&D and Phantom. I loved their tango. (I like tangos anyway.) It was taken from a "street tango" Argentine style - more like love and war. Really felt that most people didn't understand this style. I particularly thought Tracy Wilson revealed a lack of knowledge of this style when she constantly referred to it as a complication of tangos. No, it wasn't.

[Mathman]

Thanks for the thread, KKontas.

[colleen o'neill]

KKonas..I'm pretty familiar with Argentinian tango. D/W had a lot of the moves down (and credit to them ) , but not the soul , and the soul counts big time.

I agree Tracey doesn't always know everything....and is ,on top of that , often too simplistic in what she says, bending over backward to cater to the casual observer . Many's the bombardment of blue language my TV has had to endure on her account , often related not to her knowledge of skating , but of dance. ( Or music , including the classics )

At the same time , I find street tango = love and war somewhat simplistic too , and lord knows that kind of description can often be taken too much to heart by skaters ( I don't mean D/W )

There were sections in D/W's tango, (one in particular) where Igor seemed to be bringing in some Milonga , a form I'm fond of , but must be particularly difficult to translate to ice.. Maybe Tracey was picking up on that, and couldn't find a brief, or suitable way to explain it .( Better not to try, then. Just say it's not a ballroom tango .)

...Anyway, yes , I can see where this new program might demand a bit more emotional expression from Charlie .. I'm curious to see what they'll do.

[rallycairn]

IMHO this new FD program will require a lot more emotion from Charlie in particular and that's what he seemed to be referring to in his response. Far more than S&D and Phantom. I loved their tango. (I like tangos anyway.) It was taken from a "street tango" Argentine style - more like love and war. Really felt that most people didn't understand this style. I particularly thought Tracy Wilson revealed a lack of knowledge of this style when she constantly referred to it as a complication of tangos. No, it wasn't.

LIKE! Thanks for the info.

[maliziq]

when she constantly referred to it as a complication of tangos. No, it wasn't.

Wasn't it a compilation of tangos, i.e., they were using several pieces of tango music?

[KKonas]

Wasn't it a compilation of tangos, i.e., they were using several pieces of tango music?

Well, there is a difference between "a compilation of tangos" and "a compilation of tango music." It's one of those picky things that as researchers we try to avoid.