Ideas for Davis & White

[franzlfan]

franzlfan, I asked over at FSU on the D/W thread what folks would think about "My Sweet and Tender Beast"...two negative replies so far. One commenter didn't think Meryl and Charlie are suited for it...that posture, line, toe point and extension are not their strong points. While I agree that it's not their STRONG points, I still think they will improve with that as they mature and maybe skating to music like this would help. I don't know...

I know, I know, I just saw the posts about MSATB. How to say...while I was thinking about this music for D/W, I didn't consider anything about the points they mentioned. I only brought up this idea because of the music itself. Yes it's a widely used piece of music in figure skating, but for ice dance, as far as I know, only three couple have ever skated to it, that is C/S in 1997(FD), A/P and S/P in 1999(both OD, but S/P later used it as exhibition). I agree those points are important, but you can't express the up and downs, the emotions only with those things. I guess I have a favoritism of the emotional, dramatic and passionate programs, and I can see the potential of D/W to develop some excellent ones in the future.

And now I agree with you tapdancer, I think it's better to pull off an exhibition, instead of a competitive program with MSATB, otherwise we may just see another "Umbrellas Of Cherbourg" just with different music, oh well...

 

[AwesomeIce]

It can't be too soon for me! I'm so anticipating it...

franzlfan, I asked over at FSU on the D/W thread what folks would think about "My Sweet and Tender Beast"...two negative replies so far. One commenter didn't think Meryl and Charlie are suited for it...that posture, line, toe point and extension are not their strong points. While I agree that it's not their STRONG points, I still think they will improve with that as they mature and maybe skating to music like this would help. I don't know...

I think maybe you are putting the horse before the carriage here a little. IMHO, Meryl and Charlie should continue to work on thinks like toe point and extension and such, and when they have made big improvements in those areas, then they could use something like MSATB. I just don't think that using it now while trying to improve the above-mentioned problems would be very effective, and would probably cause them to lose ground in the PCS marks. More effective would be to keep working on the problems and then come out with that kind of program and really make a statement about their improvements.

 

[~tapdancer]

I know, I know, I just saw the posts about MSATB. How to say...while I was thinking about this music for D/W, I didn't consider anything about the points they mentioned. I only brought up this idea because of the music itself. Yes it's a widely used piece of music in figure skating, but for ice dance, as far as I know, only three couple have ever skated to it, that is C/S in 1997(FD), A/P and S/P in 1999(both OD, but S/P later used it as exhibition). I agree those points are important, but you can't express the up and downs, the emotions only with those things. I guess I have a favoritism of the emotional and passionate programs, I can see the potential of D/W to develop some excellent ones in the future.

Well, I like it, too! And I still think they would look lovely doing it. I must be so in love with those two...I just can't be very critical of them, I know they could improve and I believe they certainly will! You know, I think because V/M have rocketed skyward, some are thinking that D/W should be as well. I think 7th in the world is pretty darn good your first time out (I know, V/M were 6th!), and they did move up a place this year. I think it really helped V/M to win Canadians this year and certainly they deserve their success. But in today's ice dance world, all of a sudden the "waiting your turn" seems to be over but sometimes instant success doesn't happen. I think D/W are doing just fine!

*Although I really, really hope they win the National title in 2009*

AwesomeIce...you had some good points. Gives me more to think about.

 

[AwesomeIce]

AwesomeIce...you had some good points. Gives me more to think about.

Its just the way I think, and how I try to structure my own programs. I generally don't include elements until I know I can do them really well, well enough to really wow the judges or the audience. And I try to always pick music that is suitable for my current level of skating, as there is nothing I dislike more than watching skaters (or dancers, or gymnasts, etc.) performing to music that is too big, too fast, too dramatic for them.

 

[franzlfan]

Well, I like it, too! And I still think they would look lovely doing it. I must be so in love with those two...I just can't be very critical of them, I know they could improve and I believe they certainly will! You know, I think because V/M have rocketed skyward, some are thinking that D/W should be as well. I think 7th in the world is pretty darn good your first time out (I know, V/M were 6th!), and they did move up a place this year. I think it really helped V/M to win Canadians this year and certainly they deserve their success. But in today's ice dance world, all of a sudden the "waiting your turn" seems to be over but sometimes instant success doesn't happen. I think D/W are doing just fine!

*Although I really, really hope they win the National title in 2009*

AwesomeIce...you had some good points. Gives me more to think about.

D/W actually competed as US #3 ice dance team last year at Worlds in Tokyo. So they got a awesome finish as their first championships. I remember reading somewhere(should be FSU) that one poster said they'll get credit by international judges even before national judges. Based on this point, I'm not so sure if they can get the national title before 2010, but I really wish so!

 

[~tapdancer]

Its just the way I think, and how I try to structure my own programs. I generally don't include elements until I know I can do them really well, well enough to really wow the judges or the audience. And I try to always pick music that is suitable for my current level of skating, as there is nothing I dislike more than watching skaters (or dancers, or gymnasts, etc.) performing to music that is too big, too fast, too dramatic for them.

Well, then, maybe using it for exhibition would help? I think what you're saying makes sense and I certainly don't want them to lose ground on PCS. They are going to move up once they start gaining on PCS.

 

[lmarie086]

Apocalyptica music is no stranger in figure skating (I'm thinking of Brian Joubert for the most recent use), but has anyone considered their music for ice dance before? I was browsing on youtube and came across this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdnD8660_W0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SSujw6K14k

Another idea, possibly, would be to dream about flying. This is a song we're playing in my band class, and it just made me think of them immediately:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjlADVI0pX8

 

[Tex]

The Hubbells' skated to "Hope" by Apocalyptica and Samuelson and Bates skated to "Bittersweet" by the same group.

I would really like Davis and White to skate to music from the movie "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir"


What about soundtracks by John Barry (exclude "Somewhere in Time")?

Indecent Proposal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFOCqZxRDU0

Out of Africa: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-ljlymcCpI

Body Heat: http://www.imeem.com/hagheid/music/5gnS0tp7/john_barry_theme_from_body_heat/

or Soundtracks by Danny Elfman?
Corpse Bride: http://www.imeem.com/people/VpjNIB/music/yb1weEJ_/danny_elfman_corpse_bride_moon_dance/

http://www.imeem.com/scyld/music/-fAOYxiR/corpse_bride_the_piano_duet/

Big Fish:
http://www.imeem.com/people/8ryQNa4/music/Fw8NiXU0/danny_elfman_rebuilding/
http://www.imeem.com/people/nF7Yj/music/VKoRTKrY/danny_elfman_big_fish_titles/
http://www.imeem.com/people/nF7Yj/music/R2yXIPC0/danny_elfman_jennys_theme/

 

[jyshin]

lmarie086 Apocalyptica

Tex :agree:Corpse Bride:agree:

 

[~tapdancer]

Wow, I loved that clip of Corpse Bride! Great music for a middle section. But what to pair it with? More Danny Elfman? Let's see...Batman or maybe Men In Black? I was also thinking of Beetlejuice but I'm not sure that would blend well.

Danny Elfman would totally rock for D/W!

Like Apocalyptica, too, awesome!

 

[~tapdancer]

Just wanted to mention this and since this is one of my favorite threads and it's relevant..

Saw on the US Figure Skating website where Shpilband and Zoueva were nominated for 2008 Coach of the Year and the 2008 Choreographer of the Year. I'm happy for them!

Some folks like to say that they are not very good choreographers. I don't agree with that and it's nice to know that I'm not alone in that.

I'll be interested to see if they win anything...I would vote them Coach of the Year for sure...three teams in the top six in the world...that's really something in my book.

 

[all that]

I have to agree with this too. Charlie and Meryl could really work on their posture. Charlie has the hockey-player feel about him sometimes, and Meryl hunches a lot too.

Gotta agree about Charlie -- especially when he's just stroking around with Meryl. He skates with his chest pushed out forward -- it always makes me smile when I see it, because not only does it give him a "hockey player feel", but it also makes it seems like he's skating a little bit ahead of Meryl, and Meryl is sort of trailing/tagging along.

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Just wanted to mention this and since this is one of my favorite threads and it's relevant..

Saw on the US Figure Skating website where Shpilband and Zoueva were nominated for 2008 Coach of the Year and the 2008 Choreographer of the Year. I'm happy for them!

Some folks like to say that they are not very good choreographers. I don't agree with that and it's nice to know that I'm not alone in that.

I'll be interested to see if they win anything...I would vote them Coach of the Year for sure...three teams in the top six in the world...that's really something in my book.

I think it depends on the skaters they choreograph for. For instance, they worked magic with V/M's FD, but for B/A and D/W? Not so much...I very much prefer the choreography of Muriel Zazoui and her partner (an Italian I think?) I think they're much more original....

 

[yoyoyogi]

How about Carousel Waltz? They have a lovely musical feel, the music has drama without histrionics.

 

[blue dog]

Meryl and Charlie remind me of Usova and Zhulin. Even with the hoopla over the Canadians and USA #1, I prefer D/W over those other teams. Perhaps, like Usova/Zhulin, they should try a blues number?

Perhaps something like this: (Although this is G/P and not U/Z, one can get an idea of the blues--this is the least drama queen-esque program ever put out by G/P)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=is04vxvp9xA

 

[cassieandcheetah]

Meryl and Charlie remind me of Usova and Zhulin. Even with the hoopla over the Canadians and USA #1, I prefer D/W over those other teams. Perhaps, like Usova/Zhulin, they should try a blues number?

Perhaps something like this: (Although this is G/P and not U/Z, one can get an idea of the blues--this is the least drama queen-esque program ever put out by G/P)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=is04vxvp9xA

Great idea! I think instead of doing movie soundtracks with ambiguous themes, I think they should try dancing to ballroom dance music that has a clear theme and rhythm. I think that will help them find their own style while showing off their "dancy" side....

 

[~tapdancer]

Talking about the Folk/Country OD for the Olympics in other threads...

What about an Irish dance for D/W? I think since they are so good technically, they could do a great job with that. They have a great feel for the bouncy steps as we saw from their Yankee Polka this year. I think they could do a good interpretation of the step dancing.

Does anyone know if any teams did an Irish dance (in the OD) from this past season? I don't remember seeing one but I didn't watch them all.

 

[dorispulaski]

Gregory and Petukhov did Lord of the Dance, which they characterized as an Irish jig, and their marks were completely trashed by the judges. Hann McCurdy Coreno got some judge-respect with their OD, which contained as well as a country waltz, a Newfoundland jig, which is similar, and Carron/Jost had in addition to their Quebec contradanse, a "gigue" section, which is French Canadian jig, and got reasonable judge-respect.

 

[~tapdancer]

Gregory and Petukhov did Lord of the Dance, which they characterized as an Irish jig, and their marks were completely trashed by the judges. Hann McCurdy Coreno got some judge-respect with their OD, which contained as well as a country waltz, a Newfoundland jig, which is similar, and Carron/Jost had in addition to their Quebec contradanse, a "gigue" section, which is French Canadian jig, and got reasonable judge-respect.

Oh really? Didn't know that about G/P. I'm not much of a fan of theirs and guess I need to check it out. I know they had their injury at Skate Canada. I'm guessing they skated at Skate America, right? I'll see if I can find it.

But "Lord of the Dance"? No. Just no.

I liked Allie and Michael's, though.

 

[dorispulaski]

G&P skated it at Skate Canada, and earned 5th place, just a quarter point ahead of HM/C. A lot of the problem was in the COP levels. The not touching midline sequence and the circular step were both called as level 2's. The spin was called as an SP3, which isn't great either, because they didn't get the extra for a combo spin. Their base was 24.9 vs. 27.5 for HM/C and 27.8 for V/M. But as you can see, they got no favors in the PCS either. Some of this has to be blamed on Hill not having done much top flight COP dance choreo and/or coaching, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7eZBhX5vC4

1 Tessa VIRTUE / Scott MOIR CAN 61.20 33.00 28.20 7.40 7.15 7.60 7.50 7.50 0.00 #10
2 Anna CAPPELLINI / Luca LANOTTE ITA 53.90 29.60 24.30 6.35 6.25 6.35 6.60 6.45 0.00 #9
3 Pernelle CARRON / Mathieu JOST FRA 52.43 29.60 22.83 6.00 5.55 6.10 6.30 6.15 0.00 #7
4 Ekaterina BOBROVA / Dmitri SOLOVIEV RUS 49.53 28.00 21.53 5.90 5.30 5.95 5.75 5.55 0.00 #5
5 Melissa GREGORY / Denis PETUKHOV USA 47.80 25.40 22.40 6.10 5.55 6.05 6.00 5.85 0.00 #8
6 Allie HANN-McCURDY / Michael CORENO CAN 47.75 28.50 19.25 5.05 4.65 5.30 5.10 5.25 0.00 #4

To put this in perspective, an out of shape Meryl & Charlie (whose OD was the worst part of their Skate America competition IMO, although that isn't how it was scored), scored 52.84 at SA, which would have been 3rd place here, and very close to C&L for 2nd.