How exciting to hear about shows that I would never be able to see for myself. Thanks especially for the detailed report about "Dreams on Ice."
LuCN, I think I agree with you that in a show, I'd rather see something that stresses artistry. Of course one doesn't want something entirely without jumps, but it's lovely to see something that one wouldn't be able to see in a competition, something that strikes a chord in a viewer. This can be especially true for pairs skaters and ice dancers, who are able to perform an emotional romantic number without worrying about the rule book. Years ago, when ice dancing was very rigid, I went to a small show in which a Canadian couple, Barbara Berezowski and David Porter, skated to the second movement of Borodin's String Quartet number 2, surely one of the most lyrical pieces ever composed. They showed me something new in skating, and from that time on I was a devoted fan of the sport. I would never have seen such possibilities in a competition.
LuCN, I think I agree with you that in a show, I'd rather see something that stresses artistry. Of course one doesn't want something entirely without jumps, but it's lovely to see something that one wouldn't be able to see in a competition, something that strikes a chord in a viewer. This can be especially true for pairs skaters and ice dancers, who are able to perform an emotional romantic number without worrying about the rule book. Years ago, when ice dancing was very rigid, I went to a small show in which a Canadian couple, Barbara Berezowski and David Porter, skated to the second movement of Borodin's String Quartet number 2, surely one of the most lyrical pieces ever composed. They showed me something new in skating, and from that time on I was a devoted fan of the sport. I would never have seen such possibilities in a competition.