Are Ice Dancers Taking too Many Risks? | Golden Skate

Are Ice Dancers Taking too Many Risks?

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I have enjoyed many of the changes that have taken place in ice dance but I am wondering if the ice dancers are taking too many risks with all the tricks they are trying to out do one another with. In particular some of the lifts seem pretty awkward and risky. At times they almost transcend in to the pairs discipline. I know Tessa Virture had a cramp in her leg during their free skate at 4 continents. It makes me wonder if the program is too risky and tricky in some parts, especially since Tessa has come back from a previous injury and long recovery. It's a shame that happened, they have really done well with this program. I wish them well and hope they will be okay for Worlds in March.
 

gmyers

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 6, 2010
They want to be successful and if Training with cirque du soliel on lifts to get high levels is what they need to do they will! Like if everything went down to choreo lifts and they were judged on goe maybe they would be simpler and the women wouldn't be stretching themselves out and tessa and lots of women would just not be contortionist!
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
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Jul 26, 2003
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In general, ice dancers seem to have a longer career than singles skaters, so I don't think most of the moves are too dangerous, for most dancers.

If Tessa's cramp was a simple cramp, which is what I thought she said it was at the post competition press conference, it could have been caused by many things. One example of something that can cause a cramp is a problem with hydration, which would have had little to do with the skills she was performing.

However, I think you would have to be a doctor or physical therapist involved with Tessa's particular case to know what moves she should avoid, if any.
 

FSGMT

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
No, I don't think: if you consider "too risky" the current Ice Dance lifts, what do you say to a single skater attempting a quad? That he's bound to die? ;)
But I agree that the lifts that the Ice Dancers have to perform should be set to the music and underline it, the skaters shouldn't be forced to count the seconds in order not to receive a deduction or holding awkward positions for 5/6 seconds...
 

vera01

Final Flight
Joined
Jan 6, 2013
No, I don't think: if you consider "too risky" the current Ice Dance lifts, what do you say to a single skater attempting a quad? That he's bound to die? ;)
But I agree that the lifts that the Ice Dancers have to perform should be set to the music and underline it, the skaters shouldn't be forced to count the seconds in order not to receive a deduction or holding awkward positions for 5/6 seconds...

I agree with this:) Lifts that dancers use these days are too acrobatic for my taste.
 

noskates

Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
I think if the lift is an integral part of the choreography, fits with the music, and is performed seamlessly as part of that choreography.....then okay. But like FSGMT said, they shouldn't have to count seconds or hold awkward positions. I do not like several of V&M's lift because I think they are vulgar looking. Bourne and Kratz had a few that I didn't care for either. But with the current judging requirements, these teams are going to do whatever it takes to get those extra points.
 

chuckm

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Aug 31, 2003
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United-States
Tessa Virtue is taking a risk just by continuing to skate competitively, considering the delicate condition of her legs. But it is her choice to compete, just as it is the choice of ice dancers in general to continue to do difficult and risky moves.

Certainly the risks taken by ice dancers pale in comparison to the risks pairs skaters take every single day.
 

mskater93

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
You have to be your own special brand of crazy (and fearless) to be a pairs skater!
 

TontoK

Hot Tonto
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Jan 28, 2013
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United-States
You have to be your own special brand of crazy (and fearless) to be a pairs skater!

I'm reminded on my days in high school... so long, long ago.

Some kid in the band would fall out and faint from heat after the half-time show, and the football team would stare in disbelief.

Really, if pairs skaters can do the lifts THEY do... then ice dancers have no room to snivel.
 

dorispulaski

Wicked Yankee Girl
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Jul 26, 2003
Country
United-States
The football players weren't marching in their second Fourth of July parade of the day, carrying a 56 pound brass sousaphone either :rofl:
 

KKonas

Medalist
Joined
Oct 31, 2009
I don’t think the ice dancers are “sniveling” about lifts. While pair lifts are dangerous because of the height they attain or the sheer strength needed on the part of the male skater, there has been very little in the way of creativity in pair lifts in recent times. Moskvina was really the most creative influence in pair skating when it came to lifts and spins, but she is now in her 70s and has scaled down her workload.
Ice dancers on the other hand are required to be more creative in their lifts, so they are constantly looking for different types of lifts. Nor do they want to look like they are copying from another team. The lifts are risky and dangerous because of the specific lift restrictions in ice dance, the number of position changes needed to get the highest level, and the speed with which it is executed.
The rules for dance lifts were made to specifically differentiate them from pairs, so this is how dance lifts have evolved.
 
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