Leaping Beauty: Balletic Chen Soars

[skylark]

Here are some quotes from an IN article posted today. This makes me chuckle, because of all the people who have argued with assertions that Nathan already has artistry, musicality and dance quality. Also I chuckle in light of that fact that many posters seem to think that 3 months with Marina Zueva were all it took to develop them. The ballet professionals also see his artistry in Nathan's FS, by the way.

"That Chen can reflect Nureyev seems surprising until you talk with people who taught him and danced with him during the 6 1/2 years he studied at Ballet West Academy in Salt Lake City. It surprises them that some figure skating judges apparently find it hard to recognize the artistic ability, musicality and dance skills they saw in Chen soon after he enrolled at the school as a 7-year-old."

and later:

"Fryxell sees it anyway. So does Russia's Tatiana Tarasova, who has coached Olympic champions in singles, pairs and dance. In her TV commentary at the Grand Prix Final, where Chen won the free skate and finished second overall, Tarasova said she loved how he performed his free skate.
'I would be shocked if they didn't see him as an artist, with his gorgeous line, his fluidity, the carriage of his arms,' Fryxell said."
--Ballet West Academy faculty member Heather Fryxell, a former Atlanta Ballet and Southern Ballet Theatre principal dancer who first taught Chen when he was 7.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/03/24/220700164

 

[mrrice]

Here are some quotes from an IN article posted today. This makes me chuckle, because of all the people who have argued with assertions that Nathan already has artistry, musicality and dance quality. Also I chuckle in light of that fact that many posters seem to think that 3 months with Marina Zueva were all it took to develop them. The ballet professionals also see his artistry in Nathan's FS, by the way.

"That Chen can reflect Nureyev seems surprising until you talk with people who taught him and danced with him during the 6 1/2 years he studied at Ballet West Academy in Salt Lake City. It surprises them that some figure skating judges apparently find it hard to recognize the artistic ability, musicality and dance skills they saw in Chen soon after he enrolled at the school as a 7-year-old."

and later:

"Fryxell sees it anyway. So does Russia's Tatiana Tarasova, who has coached Olympic champions in singles, pairs and dance. In her TV commentary at the Grand Prix Final, where Chen won the free skate and finished second overall, Tarasova said she loved how he performed his free skate.
'I would be shocked if they didn't see him as an artist, with his gorgeous line, his fluidity, the carriage of his arms,' Fryxell said."
--Ballet West Academy faculty member Heather Fryxell, a former Atlanta Ballet and Southern Ballet Theatre principal dancer who first taught Chen when he was 7.

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/03/24/220700164

What a great story........That is me, in reverse. I chose dance over skating and fortunately, it was the correct move for me. He should be thrilled to hear those words from Tarasova. If anyone knows what they're talking about, it is she.

 

[bestolen]

It's a pushing.
I do not think that a person should have a high score because he has learned a ballet.
We should just focus on what he skates on ice.

 

[mrrice]

It's a pushing.
I do not think that a person should have a high score because he has learned a ballet.
We should just focus on what he skates on ice.

It all blends together. There's a carriage that one learns in dance class. Plushy had it. Eman had it, and so did/does Joshua Farris. In fact, Jason has it as well. That's why he gets such big component scores and lands on the podium without a quad at Nationals.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I think he has nice lines and good performance ability. His programs emphasize his strengths and hide his weaknesses well. He is not yet as gifted a skater as Patrick or Hanyu, so I hope that at least the SS score reflects that difference in the upcoming events.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

It all blends together. There's a carriage that one learns in dance class. Plushy had it. Eman had it, and so did/does Joshua Farris. In fact, Jason has it as well. That's why he gets such big component scores and lands on the podium without a quad at Nationals.

And let's not forget Jeremy Abbott definitely had it.

 

[mrrice]

And let's not forget Jeremy Abbott definitely had it.

Absolutely!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :agree:

 

[topaz emerald]

It all blends together. There's a carriage that one learns in dance class. Plushy had it. Eman had it, and so did/does Joshua Farris. In fact, Jason has it as well. That's why he gets such big component scores and lands on the podium without a quad at Nationals.

maybe it's just me, I think Nathan has better carriage than Jason Brown. Jason doesn't seem to have a straight back, could be his body type. I think Eman has better carriage than Jason too (I'm talking about Emanuel SAvary)

 

[topaz emerald]

And let's not forget Jeremy Abbott definitely had it.

Loved Jeremy. He had the most beautiful male body line in figure skating. Tall, lean, elegant, powerful..:luv17:

 

[silverfoxes]

Nathan is no Emanuel Sandhu, not even close. The most balletic male skater in the current field, by far, is Andrei Lazukin (aka Liza's boyfriend). Nathan may have better carriage than most 17-year-old skaters, but comparing him to Nureyev (lol!) is just embarrassing. Good for him for being able to jump 5 quads but please stop with the overblown hype when it comes to his "artistry."

 

[topaz emerald]

Nathan is no Emanuel Sandhu, not even close. The most balletic male skater in the current field, by far, is Andrei Lazukin (aka Liza's boyfriend). Nathan may have better carriage than most 17-year-old skaters, but comparing him to Nureyev (lol!) is just embarrassing. Good for him for being able to jump 5 quads but please stop with the overblown hype when it comes to his "artistry."

who is Nureyev?

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Loved Jeremy. He had the most beautiful male body line in figure skating. Tall, lean, elegant, powerful..:luv17:

Indeed! He has developed it even more most recently since being off the competitive track. Some of his most recent creations on ice have been breathtaking. If you would like to have links to videos I can DM them to you.

 

[topaz emerald]

Indeed! He has developed it even more most recently since being off the competitive track. Some of his most recent creations on ice have been breathtaking. If you would like to have links to videos I can DM them to you.

sure, please do

 

[mrrice]

Indeed! He has developed it even more most recently since being off the competitive track. Some of his most recent creations on ice have been breathtaking. If you would like to have links to videos I can DM them to you.

Can you post them for the rest of us through a link? I'd love to see them as well.

 

[mrrice]

Nathan is no Emanuel Sandhu, not even close. The most balletic male skater in the current field, by far, is Andrei Lazukin (aka Liza's boyfriend). Nathan may have better carriage than most 17-year-old skaters, but comparing him to Nureyev (lol!) is just embarrassing. Good for him for being able to jump 5 quads but please stop with the overblown hype when it comes to his "artistry."

Well, Nathan IS comparable to Eman at 17. We'll have to see if he can stay at this level while keeping his artistry intact. Though Eman did have a quad, he never attempted 5 of them in a program. Especially not at the age of 17. Let's be honest, Eman was an exceptional dancer and there are very few Men who will ever have the body line that he had. Adam Rippon comes close.....

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Can you post them for the rest of us through a link? I'd love to see them as well.

Surely! He choreographed this number himself and it's got beautiful classic lines and edgework and just gorgeous-ness all around.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyyF9VwUoh8

I'll post more later on.

 

[TontoK]

who is Nureyev?

I just woke up from my fainting spell. God, I feel old.

Rudolf Nureyev was a very famous ballet dancer, principal at the Kirov in the Soviet Union. He defected to the West in the early '60's and did a stint as principal at the Royal Ballet in London.

He later directed at the Paris Ballet.

He was the Baryshnikov of his day. Wildly popular among he artsy set in every Western capital. Sadly he died of AIDS in the early 90's.

 

[topaz emerald]

I just woke up from my fainting spell. God, I feel old.

Rudolf Nureyev was a very famous ballet dancer, principal at the Kirov in the Soviet Union. He defected to the West in the early '60's and did a stint as principal at the Royal Ballet in London.

He later directed at the Paris Ballet.

He was the Baryshnikov of his day. Wildly popular among he artsy set in every Western capital. Sadly he died of AIDS in the early 90's.

lololol, thank you "outdated old Dinosaur"

 

[topaz emerald]

Indeed! He has developed it even more most recently since being off the competitive track. Some of his most recent creations on ice have been breathtaking. If you would like to have links to videos I can DM them to you.

pure honest skating. Just lovely. He should become a professional choreographer. Would love to see him choreograph for up and coming skaters.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

pure honest skating. Just lovely. He should become a professional choreographer. Would love to see him choreograph for up and coming skaters.

He actually has been for a few years now. Last seasons SP for Shotaro Omari (sp?), he's also choreographed for Ashley Wagner, Ashley Cain and Ryan Bradley.