Choreographer David Wilson is a genius

[Ladskater]

Good old CTV aired the Skate Canada Gala this past weekend and I was finally able to see some of the programs that I missed during Skate Canada. The highlight for me was Marie-France Dubreuil and Patrice Lauzon's new free dance program to Somewhere In Time. Talk about a Love Story!! I had tears in my eyes at the end.

I applaud David Wilson for capturing the essence of the story and putting it to music. He is a genius. Maire-France and Patrice are such a handsome couple on the ice, it suited them to a T!!!! Congratulations to them both! Well done!

 

[rjulie510]

Don't kill me, but as much as I think he's a great choreographer, he's also overrated. I'm starting to see similar patterns in all of his choreography. I think his best programs will always be ones performed by Jeffrey Buttle. Frankly I really like Buttle's program (Last year's LP more than this year's LP to be honest) but I'm not crazy about either of Joannie Rochette's programs this year. (Please tell me using orchestral instrumental version of Madonna's Like a Prayer was not his idea.)

 

[Ladskater]

Don't kill me, but as much as I think he's a great choreographer, he's also overrated. I'm starting to see similar patterns in all of his choreography. I think his best programs will always be ones performed by Jeffrey Buttle. Frankly I really like Buttle's program (Last year's LP more than this year's LP to be honest) but I'm not crazy about either of Joannie Rochette's programs this year. (Please tell me using orchestral instrumental version of Madonna's Like a Prayer was not his idea.)

You are entitled to your opinion, but good choreographers are worth their weight in gold. Time will tell about being overrated or not. He certainly has an ear for music - I won't comment on the Madonna piece as each skater has some input to what they want to skate to.

People will express their opinions good or bad, but my comment was purely directed towards this particular program he created for Marie-France and Patrice. I enjoyed every moment of it. I also loved Jeff's program last year.

Creating choreography for skaters is a challenge. I hope David Wilson will stick around the skating world for quite a while. Every choreographer puts their stamp on their programs, if that means similar patterns in their choreography then so be it. I can always tell a Christopher Dean program and a Kurt program and a Toller program and I never tire of them. In fact, I can see them in my mind performing the program.

I look forward to the new season.

 

[Jaana]

I think that David Wilson is a really great choreographer and understands about CoP, too, which in these days is really important, LOL. Of course the end result depends on the skater´s ability to skate, to be expressive and to be worthy of a brilliant programme.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I think Carol got him to do Miki Ando's programs. Both of them brilliant. The buzz going around is that Sasha was told by judges that she needs better choreography and they suggested Wilson.

I have to applaud him too. It's nice to sit back relaxed and watch his choreography come to life.

Joe

 

[flying camel]

I think Carol got him to do Miki Ando's programs. Both of them brilliant. The buzz going around is that Sasha was told by judges that she needs better choreography and they suggested Wilson.

I have to applaud him too. It's nice to sit back relaxed and watch his choreography come to life.

Joe

Well it must have been an American judge who told Sasha that. I know the european judges don't care, they seems to love that mess Irinia is doing.

 

[swannanoa54]

I, too, love Buttle's programs! But I love Buttle so that's why! Of course I think that a choreographer is only as good as those skating his/her programs. I figure David Wilson, or any choreographer for that matter, can create an outstanding program and have it look "meh" if it's just not suited to the skater.

But, I have a question: Can judges really suggest a specific choreographer for skaters?

 

[R.D.]

The buzz going around is that Sasha was told by judges that she needs better choreography

Really? I could have told her that. Or any of us here, for that matter- for two years now.

 

[Antilles]

I think he is wonderful as well. The D&L program is spectacular. He should do more dance programs. I love Buttle's programs. Joannie's were better last year, but they are still good this year. My only worry with his growing popularity is that he may spread himself too thin, a la Morozov.

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I figure David Wilson, or any choreographer for that matter, can create an outstanding program and have it look "meh" if it's just not suited to the skater.

But, I have a question: Can judges really suggest a specific choreographer for skaters?

Not any choreographer. Some are ok but there are many that use the same choreo every year to different music. Wilson's thus far is way above the others at the moment. True a poor skater may not be able to do his choreo. But the skaters who do it Yeh not meh.

BTW. Your question is good. I'd like any answer to that also.

Joe

 

[gezando]

Did Wilson choreograph one of Ota's sp a couple of yrs ago?

 

[rain]

What I appreciate about Wilson's choreography is that so far it seems to be astoundingly diverse - meaning each program is tailored specifically to the skater in question. His choreography doesn't all look alike. He seems to be able to find what works best for each skater, go with their strengths, challenge them with new and interesting material, and create a beautiful package. He's definitely one of the most talented choreographers around right now. He also manages to take COP, wring every last point from it, but still come up with a beautiful program that isn't a series of elements and difficulty levels.

 

[julietvalcouer]

"Somewhere in Time"? As in Rachmaninoff's 18th Variation on a Theme by Paganini? From the movie? That #$*(%^&#@ movie is following me, I swear....gah! (Sorry. For many of us who worked on Mackinac Island, or as we like to call it, "Mackatraz", mere mention of the movie can make us start twitching. That music for me carries associations of wacko fans in Edwardian costumes and twinkly little overpriced sourvenier music boxes.)

Sorry, off-topic. I'll reserve judgement until I see the program. I always like hearing about choreographers, though, even if I don't know much about them individually (except Christopher Dean and Sandra Bezic, natch.) Learning as I go here.

 

[CzarinaAnya]

Somewhere in Time is one of my favorite movies,and the Rachmaninoff piece makes me wish I was a ballet dancer, so I could dance to it.

Dubreil & Lauzon deserve a little of the credit for their program. It's not David Wilson on the ice doing the twizzles for them. His choreography for them is beautiful, but D&B mastered it. It's my favorite ice dance program so far, this season. Gorgeous.

 

[ks777]

Did Wilson choreograph one of Ota's sp a couple of yrs ago?

no, it wasn't david wilson, it was Tom Dickson.

 

[kyla2]

Overrated

I think his choreography is very overrated. I saw Micki Ando last night and while Carol Heiss has done wonders for her presentation, I though the choreography was very cliched and mediocre. Alot of the choreography was skating from the waist up, which I hate. The violin move that Joannie does is ridiculous. But her program is o.k. Give me Lori Nichol any day of the week. Some of her programs were truly brilliant. She just needed a skater who could carry them off and at one time that skater was Michelle Kwan. Sandra Bezic was also a better choreographer than David Wilson. Too bad she retired.

 

[Ladskater]

It's very true it does also depend on the skater/skater's abilities to bring a choreographers work to life on the ice. D&L are very experienced skaters and have worked as a team for many years. I think they have matured now to the level that they can present this program so beautifully, a few years ago they would have not.

Jeff Buttle is a gifted skater. He could probably bring any choreographers work to life and make it magic. Jeff is much like Kurt Browning. Both Kurt and Jeff have keen music sensitivity and know what to do with each beat of music.

I have also seen some weak choreographers in my time. Lac-lustre choreography does not help a skaters chances to succeed.

I think Joannie will get this program under her belt. Firebird was her inspiration last year, but a skater must learn to skate to any type of music. This may be a challenge for her to reach down inside - like Jeff does - and be the inspiration.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[jesslily]

His creative logic is different than TT and Nicolai's. After watching so many Nicolai's standard format programs, you feel David Wilson's are so new and refreshing. Miki's long program could have some stronger and powerful music notes. It seems the soft notes cover from begining to end. Does anybody know his competitive and coaching background?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

What is a violin move?

If we are talking about straightforward skating then Elena Sokolova is the best. She, imo, does nothing for me. If that program had good choreography in it, it was lost to the skater. For me, there is a huge difference between Ando and Sokolova in the way of choreography and performance.

I can not help but look at the entire skater as he/she moves over the ice. The whole body is important to my liking a skater - from head to toe. Skating from the waist down only is just limiting the scope of figure skating.

Joe

 

[antmanb]

What is a violin move?

If we are talking about straightforward skating then Elena Sokolova is the best. She, imo, does nothing for me. If that program had good choreography in it, it was lost to the skater. For me, there is a huge difference between Ando and Sokolova in the way of choreography and performance.

I can not help but look at the entire skater as he/she moves over the ice. The whole body is important to my liking a skater - from head to toe. Skating from the waist down only is just limiting the scope of figure skating.

Joe

It is but by way of contrast look at Plushenko who is a waist up skater. His footwork sequences are pitifully easy stroking and toe pick jabs, the can' t twizzle on eiter foot and is incapapble of holding any stretched and pointed position except the landing position. He can't even manage a simple three turn with good line, stretch, toe point and posture. He puts in all of the ridiculous arm flailing and head banging as a very effective way to draw your eyes away from his feet.

Another good example of entire body skaters (aside from Buttle) is Lambiel - he uses his entire body beautifully from head to toe, especially in footwork sequences.

Ant