The Ballerina and the Sailor

This is a cute dance team. For those interested, here is the article.

Brooke and Buck look delightful, and I look forward to seeing them somewhere, somehow, some time, in the world outside of ABC.

While I respect the opening paragraph of the article in giving much credit of Dance champions to Russia, I don't believe it is because of extensive ballet training. I've always considered the Dance discipline a Euopean art form of figure skating. If dancing like Torvahl and Dean or Blum and Sieberg or the Duscheznys was not among the best in the world then I really suffer from lack of dance knowledge. I don't believe they had extensive ballet training, but probably sufficient amount for their craft.

If we think of Ladies figure skating and Sasha Cohen, Jenny Kirk, and the incredible Kathleen Healy all of whom studied ballet extensively we really do not see gold medals, but yes, good skating. Irina is the sole Russian lady to get gold.

How extensive should ballet be part of the training?

And best of luck to Brooke and Buck both of whom have excellent line.

Joe

Bringing up a likely dead horse, but with the historic influence of the Kirov and the Bolshoi and the global influences of each, and the fact that Russian ice dancers undergo ballet training, could someone please explain to me why, oh why, can't they have their Ladies do the same thing? I keep expecting to see some influence of Anna Pavlova, but instead I keep seeing Molly Shannon's 'Superstar!' the ice instead.....

If we think of Ladies figure skating and Sasha Cohen, Jenny Kirk, and the incredible Kathleen Healy all of whom studied ballet extensively we really do not see gold medals, but yes, good skating.

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In an earlier article, didn't Sasha Cohen say that she never had ballet training, but instead trained in gymnastics when she was with Nicks?

Maybe TT is making Sasha learn more ballet now, but that wouldn't be extensive ballet training since she's only been with TT for a year.

gymanstics is another word for acrobatics. One doesn't jump on a 4 inch beam and do spirals and pirouettes without it. One has to learn the spiral and priouettes first and it takes acrobatic training which inlcudes ballet.

Take the acrobatics, ballet, and gymnastic training to figure skating and you are ahead of the game.

But all this is really off-topic. Brooke and Buck look nice in the pictures and he also looks as though he has ballet training. It does help figure skating.

Joe

Joesitz said:

gymanstics is another word for acrobatics. One doesn't jump on a 4 inch beam and do spirals and pirouettes without it. One has to learn the spiral and priouettes first and it takes acrobatic training which inlcudes ballet.

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I did gymnastics for years and I've never done ballet. While it may well help, it's not something you really *need* to do in order to do gymnastics. (Acrobatics is a little different, too). Not being picky, just making a point, lol.

I thought Sasha had more training in ballet than just with TT, though? :\

Joesitz said:

Irina is the sole Russian lady to get gold.

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I think you're forgetting about Maria Butyraskya (sp?)

While skating I took ballet and acrobatics. there were students of acrobatics without ballet but they were stretching and turning out knees and pointing toes in their training. The emphasis was on one discipline but it crossed over to other disciplines too. Tap, btw, according to Ballanchine is good for rythym. Rythym plays an important part in ballet, acrobatics and I should think gymnastics as well as figure skating. I would venture to guess that the best gymnasts are multi-disciplined.

It's not necessary to take ballet for figure skating, but I wouldn't advice anyone not to.

Oh, yes Maria B. Very good line in her camel spins, and she got gold. IS and MK were not at their best in that competition. That happens just like 2002 Olys.

Joe