Her Dance Macabre I’d say is about displaying athleticism and physical prowess while trying to defy the boundaries of physics and gravity in Ladies skating. To do the performance, she must be courageous and fierce to launch herself at maximum warp speed with complete abandonment and any visible efforts of human vulnerability. A spirit has over taken over her body, and put it on autopilot without the Hollywood special effects for 2.5 mins on acid. Other than those ridiculous jumps, look at how her body spun into a posture, then her head follows, spun then freezes, spuns and then freezes. It was as her body was having a life of its own, and her human constricts are merely slowly trying to catch up. It was almost supernatural and defies logic.
Her Gershwin number on the other hand is the exact opposite. It is all about light and serenity. A masterful display of ‘control’ and ‘fluidity’. It was far from a character piece like everyone else’s program. IMHO it feels like a summation of Yuna’s own human accomplishments in skating. The Olympics is the climax of her journey. Her FS is her commentary on the purity of ice skating, and Gershwin was merely a backdrop complimenting her reflection and contemplation on display.
When she drops her arm, it wasn’t just about letting it fall and onto the next transition, but it is about fine-tuning the speed and the position it falls and how it accentuate to Gershwin’s notes, and punctuate the breaks. At times there implied some invisible elasticity in the other direction holding her upper body on to the next position, but the body is fighting against the motion as it wishes to enjoy ‘the moment’ …just a bit longer while her blade floats across the ice light, fast and dainty.
Now that's what I call great commentary. Using the descriptive and specific to persuasively demonstrate the larger metaphors and effects (as well as affects), the microscope that is also telescope.
(I am also glad to finally see a post longer than mine; I was concerned that I'd be holding that dubious title for a while . Although I fear Mathman will now want to plagiarize your post for his post-graduate endeavors. Make sure you charge him at least Cliff Notes rates :yes: ).