I'm a believer!

[Mafke]

After not watching dance for years I watched some of the FD and OD of this olympics (don't worry, no spoilers coming up) and I'm moved to write.

I never ever would have believed it possible. Normally I want to believe. UFO's? Of course! Bigfoot? I certainly hope so! But some things were just too incredible, too out of the range of normal human experience to ever put credence in. But still, occasionally even the most astounding, most dumbfounding things turn out to be true and I am left in child-like awe.

I never would have believed it before this competition, but now, I can state for the record, to my utter and complete amazement I believe ... that a female figure skater can pull one of her skates so that it's very close to her head.

Ladies, I salute you, job well done, you convinced me despite my long and lingering doubts. I am so thoroughly convinced of this that I no longer feel any need to ever see any more proof. Ever.

Only one doubt remains however, although the chances seem remote, is it maybe just possible for a female skater to pull one skate _over_ her head in a spiral sequence? or even in a (dare I ask?) spin? I eagerly await the ladies competition which maybe (just maybe) might bring that particular suspense to an end.

 

[Mathman]

 

[Piel]

Nay, just a figure skating urban myth .

 

[SusanBeth]

After not watching dance for years I watched some of the FD and OD of this olympics (don't worry, no spoilers coming up) and I'm moved to write.

I never ever would have believed it possible. Normally I want to believe. UFO's? Of course! Bigfoot? I certainly hope so! But some things were just too incredible, too out of the range of normal human experience to ever put credence in. But still, occasionally even the most astounding, most dumbfounding things turn out to be true and I am left in child-like awe.

I never would have believed it before this competition, but now, I can state for the record, to my utter and complete amazement I believe ... that a female figure skater can pull one of her skates so that it's very close to her head.

Ladies, I salute you, job well done, you convinced me despite my long and lingering doubts. I am so thoroughly convinced of this that I no longer feel any need to ever see any more proof. Ever.

Only one doubt remains however, although the chances seem remote, is it maybe just possible for a female skater to pull one skate _over_ her head in a spiral sequence? or even in a (dare I ask?) spin? I eagerly await the ladies competition which maybe (just maybe) might bring that particular suspense to an end.

I don't know if I am strong enough to take another blow to my belief system.

 

[mzheng]

We end up count how many times each girl pull their blades to their head in each program. Unblievable!

 

[Kwanford Wife]

Classic!

 

[~Wren~]

Yeah, what was that? A new technical requirement?

On a more serious note: I've been ignoring dance for quite some time (skating dropped in importance for awhile, so I didn't use what limited time I had watching dance), and am wondering . . .
- When did dancers start doing spins?
- What's with the vocals?
- Aren't they supposed to be dancing to music with a dance rhythm? I thought they were trying to get away from the full length drama free dance?
- What happened to the 2nd CD?

 

[dorispulaski]

Yeah, what was that? A new technical requirement?

On a more serious note: I've been ignoring dance for quite some time (skating dropped in importance for awhile, so I didn't use what limited time I had watching dance), and am wondering . . .
- When did dancers start doing spins?
- What's with the vocals?
- Aren't they supposed to be dancing to music with a dance rhythm? I thought they were trying to get away from the full length drama free dance?
- What happened to the 2nd CD?

Yes they are supposed to have a recognizable dance rhythm. But you wouldn't know it from watching the Ukrainians trying to dance to TFB. Since this got a bronze medal, I can see why you would ask. However, the 'dancy dance' movement probably reached it's heighth (or depth?) at the 1994 Olympics and has been eroding as a rule ever since.

If you have historical questions like this, a good place to go is http://www.ice-dance.com
a great source for all things ice dance.

 

[bloozywoozy]

You can have vocals for the free dance only.

 

[gkelly]

- When did dancers start doing spins?

The dance spins were first introduced as required elements for the OD and FD starting with the 1998-99 season. That's also when required step sequences in the FD, required side-by-side not-touching step sequences in the OD, and synchronized side-by-side twizzles in the FD were introduced.

- What's with the vocals?

Vocals were first allowed in the OD for 1997-98 because it was hard finding enough variety of jive music that had none. It's been allowed in the ODs ever since, and in the free dances starting a year or two later.

- Aren't they supposed to be dancing to music with a dance rhythm? I thought they were trying to get away from the full length drama free dance?

The music has to have a recognizable rhythm, but it no longer has to be a characteristic dance rhythm "orchestrated for the dance floor."

- What happened to the 2nd CD?

Senior competitions have only been using one CD for about 3 years now. The juniors kept two for a year or so longer, but usually they only do one as well now.

They still have 3 or 4 dances to prepare for the season, although the draws happen enough in advance now that they don't have to bring 4 sets of CD costumes with them to every event.