2016-2017 Programs by Discipline

[cheerknithanson]

OGP is such a relief after what Karen has skated to in the past. Godfather? Oy vey! OGP can be light and lilting. R&J is fast becoming the "new" Carmen. Give it a rest please.

There are a kabillion songs out there! I'm sure there are more selections out there that skaters can find.

 

[tulosai]

There are a kabillion songs out there! I'm sure there are more selections out there that skaters can find.

Yes there is even a lot of great classical and opera music and musicals that go completely and totally ignored while we're treated to Carmen... Romeo and Juliet... Phantom of the Opera... Les Mis.... Turnadot... Tosca... and then again Carmen... Romeo and Juliet... Phantom of the Opera onward to eternity.

 

[cheerknithanson]

Yes there is even a lot of great classical and opera music and musicals that go completely and totally ignored while we're treated to Carmen... Romeo and Juliet... Phantom of the Opera... Les Mis.... Turnadot... Tosca... and then again Carmen... Romeo and Juliet... Phantom of the Opera onward to eternity.

Like there are other stage musicals and ballets where you can find music! Like Rent! Rent is edgy cool and I can see someone like Ashley skate to "Rent" from the musical Rent.

And there's a few songs from "Cats" that could work. Like "The Rum Tum Tugger" and "Macavity."

Like choosing songs for skating should be like reading the directions of a shampoo bottle: "Wash rinse repeat..." "Carmen, R&J, POTO, and repeat."

Like I've said a lot, some skaters should ask fans for suggestions. Like we're more than happy to give suggestions.

Though there are some skaters that we can be assured will NEVER choose warhorses. Like Kevin Reynolds.

 

[butters]

Like there are other stage musicals and ballets where you can find music! Like Rent! Rent is edgy cool and I can see someone like Ashley skate to "Rent" from the musical Rent.

And there's a few songs from "Cats" that could work. Like "The Rum Tum Tugger" and "Macavity."

Like choosing songs for skating should be like reading the directions of a shampoo bottle: "Wash rinse repeat..." "Carmen, R&J, POTO, and repeat."


Like I've said a lot, some skaters should ask fans for suggestions. Like we're more than happy to give suggestions.

Though there are some skaters that we can be assured will NEVER choose warhorses. Like Kevin Reynolds.

And Dasa Grm

 

[cheerknithanson]

And Dasa Grm

I haven't seen her program lists but I'll take a list. There's more also....Like maybe Florent Amodio (Though he retired recently)...and there's probably more.

Just looked at the programs she did and yep, don't recognize the names really.

 

[Mrs. P]

Part of the reason we see the same music choices is because it's challenging to cut music to fit a program. As we've seen some music cutting efforts are diastorious. So some tend to just go with what's been done rather than go out of the box when picking a piece.

One thing I've always been curious about, who typically cuts the music? The skater? The choreographer?

I know Charlie White is getting into choreo, and a big selling point for him, imo, is that he does a good job cutting and binding music pieces together.

 

[tulosai]

Part of the reason we see the same music choices is because it's challenging to cut music to fit a program. As we've seen some music cutting efforts are diastorious. So some tend to just go with what's been done rather than go out of the box when picking a piece.

One thing I've always been curious about, who typically cuts the music? The skater? The choreographer?

I know Charlie White is getting into choreo, and a big selling point for him, imo, is that he does a good job cutting and binding music pieces together.

While this is doubtless a real consideration, in all disciplines but ice dance you actually don't necessarily need to cut... something else I think a lot of skaters ignore, sometimes to their detriment, is that actually, one could just skate to a piece of music of approximately the appropriate length (and again, there really are plenty to choose from, even in the classical and opera genres and especially in the musical genre). Granted in most cases the song wouldn't be the exact right length and one would need to make a decision of where to cut it off or how to add 10 seconds of something, but this would be easier than trying to cut a lot of different pieces together and in many cases I truly think no less effective. I even can think of several skaters who have done this effectively recently.

Furthermore, many skaters do try to cut warhorses in new ways every year, sometimes in totally new ways, not just borrowing how other skaters have cut it, though often I will give you that there is similarity- again I could aim several skaters who have done this recently (though many of them, IMO, not as effectively )

 

[cheerknithanson]

While this is doubtless a real consideration, in all disciplines but ice dance you actually don't necessarily need to cut... something else I think a lot of skaters ignore, sometimes to their detriment, is that actually, one could just skate to a piece of music of approximately the appropriate length (and again, there really are plenty to choose from, even in the classical and opera genres and especially in the musical genre). Granted in most cases the song wouldn't be the exact right length and one would need to make a decision of where to cut it off or how to add 10 seconds of something, but this would be easier than trying to cut a lot of different pieces together and in many cases I truly think no less effective. I even can think of several skaters who have done this effectively recently.

Furthermore, many skaters do try to cut warhorses in new ways every year, sometimes in totally new ways, not just borrowing how other skaters have cut it, though often I will give you that there is similarity- again I could aim several skaters who have done this recently (though many of them, IMO, not as effectively )

They should consult people who do cuts for cheerleading mixes. Yes I know that cheerleading mixes have a lot more going on and a lot more sound effects, but the key thing is that they know how to mix songs.

 

[noskates]

I think if I were a coach and I had an elite skater or a skater who was potentially entering into the elite ranks, I would want something fresh and memorable. I wouldn't want my skater to be compared to someone who had already skated successfully to that piece of music. It was like watching Rika Hongo skate to Riverdance. That's an iconic piece for Jason Brown and her version was not as outstanding (to me). I've watched Jason's version 100 times at least (most recently on St. Patrick's Day....) and hers just fell flat to me.

It can't be THAT difficult to mix music and I imagine there are people who do that for a living.

 

[moriel]

God, when there will be a warhorse music deduction?
Like, dunno, take a -1 and multiply it by the number of skaters who use the same music in the same competition for more than 2 skaters.

 

[ice coverage]

Riverdance music has never been my cup of tea.

But I enjoyed Jason's program very much.
And after his, didn't think I would "need" to see another Riverdance program anytime soon.

Turns out that I liked Rika's program even more than Jason's.
I was only a casual fan of hers before, and b/c of her Riverdance, my interest level in her has gone way up.

 

[Mrs. P]

I think if I were a coach and I had an elite skater or a skater who was potentially entering into the elite ranks, I would want something fresh and memorable. I wouldn't want my skater to be compared to someone who had already skated successfully to that piece of music. It was like watching Rika Hongo skate to Riverdance. That's an iconic piece for Jason Brown and her version was not as outstanding (to me). I've watched Jason's version 100 times at least (most recently on St. Patrick's Day....) and hers just fell flat to me.

It can't be THAT difficult to mix music and I imagine there are people who do that for a living.

I didn't get to go to the Ladies FS live, but I heard from many who did said that Rika was fantastic! So YMMV and all that jazz.

All that said, I enjoyed Rika's program very much this season. She brings a different vibe to it.

 

[Interspectator]

I didn't get to go to the Ladies FS live, but I heard from many who did said that Rika was fantastic! So YMMV and all that jazz.

All that said, I enjoyed Rika's program very much this season. She brings a different vibe to it.

Yeah, I really, really like both of their Riverdance programs. For Jason's Nationals and Rika's Worlds performances I got teary-eyed.
I think Jason has been able to execute his a bit better than Rika's so far, so I hope that she can do a completely clean Riverdance for us at the Team event coming up.

 

[Layback11]

Riverdance music has never been my cup of tea.

But I enjoyed Jason's program very much.
And after his, didn't think I would "need" to see another Riverdance program anytime soon.

Turns out that I liked Rika's program even more than Jason's.
I was only a casual fan of hers before, and b/c of her Riverdance, my interest level in her has gone way up.

:agree:
Pretty much exactly my experience with Rika this season, except that I liked Riverdance to begin with.

Part of the reason we see the same music choices is because it's challenging to cut music to fit a program. As we've seen some music cutting efforts are diastorious. So some tend to just go with what's been done rather than go out of the box when picking a piece.

One thing I've always been curious about, who typically cuts the music? The skater? The choreographer?

I know Charlie White is getting into choreo, and a big selling point for him, imo, is that he does a good job cutting and binding music pieces together.

Most rinks have at least one person who cuts music for pretty much everyone there; I'm not sure if it works like that for elite skaters, but it's been that way at most rinks I've been to. Some people (like me) cut their own music. It's difficult to get it to sound cohesive and not make it obvious that it's been spliced, but the tech part isn't hard. I do video editing as well, which makes it easier, but it is hard to consolidate a five minute piece (I've tried to stay away from anything longer than that because it's so hard to cut things that much!) into a 1 min. 30 sec. program-the length at my level (obv. easier for a four minute FS, LOL)-that doesn't sound painfully awkward.

I have to say, since I started cutting music, I've gained newfound sympathy for skaters with bad music cuts because I know how irritating they can be to skate to.

 

[noskates]

Criminy, I was just using Riverdance as an example....nothing against Rika. I do prefer Jason's version, however.

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Criminy, I was just using Riverdance as an example....nothing against Rika. I do prefer Jason's version, however.

And so too does the internets :yes:

Still...I loved Rika's program and thought her river dance had good character. Hey wait....why isn't there a catagory of PCS that solely addresses character . :gaah:

I know some will say that's interpretation but honestly I'd argue that interpretation is of the music. Character is something a skater brings that's much deeper than moving in stride to the beat. Just my random thought typed out loud :cool14:

 

[cheerknithanson]

I just noticed that this thread is up.

 

[butters]

Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov revealed via Instagram that their SP is Masquerade: https://www.instagram.com/p/BEG1385uVYr/

 

[Mrs. P]

Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov revealed via Instagram that their SP is Masquerade: https://www.instagram.com/p/BEG1385uVYr/

The same from the Olympic season? Are you sure they're not just doing that program for a show? That's what the Instagram seemed to indicate...

 

[butters]

The same from the Olympic season? Are you sure they're not just doing that program for a show? That's what the Instagram seemed to indicate...

Just checked and yes, you're right... I didn't read the caption thoroughly, derp