Alissa Czisny

[Mathman]

...I think the point of the music is the swan gliding in the water. The ballet medium doesn't allow for gliding very well -- bourrees are maybe the closest it can come. Skating is all about gliding. Much better to go directly from skating to swan without ballet as an intermediary.

! I love this board! Every now and then someone posts a startling insight that I never thought of before.

Yes. Swans in nature do not dance on their tippy-toes. Only humans pretending to be swans do. In fact, swans waddling along on the ground are quite ungainly.

But a swan gliding on the surface of a placid lake -- now we're getting somewhere. And gliding along on a flat surface is exactly what Alissa does best.

So someone needs to tell Alissa, no toe steps and also no arm flapping. Lots of gliding -- with an occasional brain seizure causing the swan inexplicably to leap into the air and spin around three times. :yes:

 

[just wondering]

!

So someone needs to tell Alissa, no toe steps and also no arm flapping. Lots of gliding -- with an occasional brain seizure causing the swan inexplicably to leap into the air and spin around three times. :yes:

Then, return, ever so gently into the water, gliding backwards for a few exquisite moments.
[I think the landing part is very important to pass along to Alissa too.:yes:]
JW

 

[Tonichelle]

Swans do come out of the water briefly when they want to move from one part of the lake to the other faster than gliding along

 

[Tinymavy15]

whatever anybody says i think that Alissa skating to The Swan was a match made in skating heaven.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I'm just hoping she doesn't look ill throughout and die at the end of her routine. That would be Fokine's version of the Swan, and bourees did very nicely for Pavlova. Will gliding into death suit Alyssa?

Joe

 

[mememe]

I'm just hoping she doesn't look ill throughout and die at the end of her routine. That would be Fokine's version of the Swan, and bourees did very nicely for Pavlova. Will gliding into death suit Alyssa?

Joe

Actually, Alissa did the Swan program at Sun Valley earlier this year. I don't remember a lot of specifics, but I don't recall it had a lot of toepicks or "dying" at the end. I thought it was lovely.

 

[Mathman]

Still, I look forward more to West Side Story. We already know Alissa can skate like a swan. I want to see her as a punk gang member!

 

[mememe]

Still, I look forward more to West Side Story. We already know Alissa can skate like a swan. I want to see her as a punk gang member!

Actually, I saw her working on this at Sun Valley, too -- don't recall any "punk gang member" moments, but I could be wrong!

 

[Mathman]

Oh, I can see it now. She nailes that last triple Lutz right in the judges faces, just as the music goes: "Hey Officer Krupke -- KRUP THIS!"

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

Actually, Alissa did the Swan program at Sun Valley earlier this year. I don't remember a lot of specifics, but I don't recall it had a lot of toepicks or "dying" at the end. I thought it was lovely.

That's good news. She's not aping some ballet but being an original skater.

It's always nice to see skaters look like skaters and keep the mannerisms to the exhibitions.

Joe

 

[QuadAx]

Overuse of toepicks to imitate ballerinas imitating swans:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vA7TxLfw0V8

I think the point of the music is the swan gliding in the water. The ballet medium doesn't allow for gliding very well -- bourrees are maybe the closest it can come. Skating is all about gliding. Much better to go directly from skating to swan without ballet as an intermediary.

This is one of my favorite Dying Swan version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXjYP0AkNSc and yes Anna Kondrashova used her toepicks but not a lot.

 

[QuadAx]

I can't wait to see Alissa's swan, one thing about performing a swan on ice is the arm movements. Check out the Protoppov's version here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0ooCKG2ZpQ and watch Ludmilla's arms so wonderful

 

[Mathman]

Thanks for posting, Quad Ax. Welcome to the Forum! :agree:

 

[Tinymavy15]

I can't wait to see Alissa's swan, one thing about performing a swan on ice is the arm movements. Check out the Protoppov's version here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0ooCKG2ZpQ and watch Ludmilla's arms so wonderful

that was just beautiful. Finally skaters going justice to that beautiful music. thanks for posting.

 

[QuadAx]

Thank you both Mathman and Tinywavy 15

 

[demarinis5]

I can't wait to see Alissa's swan, one thing about performing a swan on ice is the arm movements. Check out the Protoppov's version here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0ooCKG2ZpQ and watch Ludmilla's arms so wonderful

Just breathaking, that is the best Swan pair skate I have ever seen. Hard to believe that they were 49 and 51 at the time. They both look 20 years younger. I will have to add this to my collection-thank you so much.

 

[QuadAx]

Just breathaking, that is the best Swan pair skate I have ever seen. Hard to believe that they were 49 and 51 at the time. They both look 20 years younger. I will have to add this to my collection-thank you so much.

Breaththaking indeed, not only do they looked 20 yrs younger but their movements aswell even now they're both well into their 70's and they're just as graceful as ever but then again Maya Plisetskaya is in her 80's and can still perform the Swan just as she did when she was younger.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I think the best Dying Swan was performed by Anna Pavlova to Fokine's original choreography.

Why can't ice skating come up with an original piece? Must it always copy? Lori Nichol does some excellent choreography for skating. Why go to the ballet masters? Lori has genus when it comes to choreography.

Joe

 

[gsrossano]

Alissa will be competing at Wyandotte, MI this weekend. SP is Sat morning. FS is Sun morning.

 

[Sylvia]

Alissa will be competing at Wyandotte, MI this weekend. SP is Sat morning. FS is Sun morning.

Link to event schedule and other info on this club competition:
http://www.sk8stuff.com/utility/lister_event_detail.asp?id=3600
ETA to add this caveat: Just because she's registered is no guarantee that she will compete.