Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron

[Gotlev]

I honnestly don't like the music of their FD. I wish it would grow on me, but I really don't think it eventually will  Especially "Duet", it is boring me to death...
The sad part is that I actually love the program in itself, now that I've watched it a dozen of times ! I can see where they're going with it, and I love the fact that Guillaume was much more intense than usual ! I don't mind the romantic theme, but why didn't they pick a more sensual piece of music then ? Something true to their style, but a bit more daring.

For exemple, I love this edit of their program:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=boW5hccapfc

"La ceinture" is such a beautiful french song ! The lyrics are remarquable. It's about a woman who's begging her lover not "to kiss her on the lips" = not to let her fall in love with him, because "nothing last above the belt". The song is using the poetic tradition of the blason to spread sensuality/sexuality, and yet the more she goes on in the song, the more she's urging him to abandon himself in pleasure and yet to never commit to anything more than a physical relationship (despite his insistence) because love is "already lost". There's so much distress in this song, and the singer is expressing it so well through her voice.

I wish they had chosen a "love song" with an atmosphere simular to this one...(very cinematographic, not just an other folky-guitar piece...)
And I wish they had pick a french song (but not Edith Piaf or Celine Dion, hum ��) ; that would have been cool and unexpected!

I can see what you mean. I personally love Duet, I can hear that all day, so I'm not crying here. The whole program has already grown on me, I don't mind the Sunday Afternoon anymore.

But I can totally see what you are asking for. I would like something more unusual also, and something daring. For me, this music is totally not challenging anyone. Which is fine, it's not that they have to shock the audience into shape every year.

La Ceinture is interesting, and some part of it could be useful, but I wouldn't be happy with a program on that song. I appreciate the effort of the video maker, but just like that I would feel completely weirded out, as that song doesn't fit in with GG for me. It's not them, at all. Even though it is not too explicit, there is something too direct and anecdotal that does not gel at all with their subtlety and abstract style of more vagueness and sketchy portrayal.
So it would need editing and fitting in with other pieces that somehow form a whole.

What I guess is that finding out of the ordinary music pieces that can be put together into a really stunning/challenging/yet pleasing soundtrack will be extremely time-consuming. It really would mean taking a huge amount of time to get that done in a decent way. And then you still have to like it yourself so much that you can listen to it almost all day for the better part of a year.

From what we've seen, the past year hasn't been a year in which that could have happened, if ever they wished to go there in the first place.
I'm over my initial disappointment. The quality of the program is so high, regardless of the music choice or the theme. It's not Spectacular Spectacular in the OMG sense (apart from the curved lift), but still, it's really artistic and as Louise [insert correct last name] said, it's a maturity above last year's again.

 

[Escarbille]

I like both pieces Duet and Sunday Afternoon. I would just like them to make a more musical, melted sequence between the two; it does not seem obvious to me. But I'm a little disturbed by this chain too marked, it does not suit them and I feel that this is the first time I notice so clearly. It may also be due to the fact that their dance is more and more flowy and soft. It does not matter! The music has to follow!

 

[Escarbille]

Nice interview of Gabriella & Guillaume
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/11/27/gabriella-papadakis-guillaume-cizeron-ice-dance/

 

[Tila]

The FD for all the teams with Ben Agosto'commentaries...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgfCaa_zl6k

 

[Bcash]

Nice interview of Gabriella & Guillaume
https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2018/11/27/gabriella-papadakis-guillaume-cizeron-ice-dance/

I wonder if this was translated from French, because I’m not sure what “taking a lot of speed and then skate slower” means..

 

[Roast Toast]

I think they mean they don't like the "burst of speed --> stop --> burst of speed --> stop" style of skating that comes natural when you are skating on a rhythm. They prefer their long running edges and skating to the melody, which is what we have observed many times in this thread.

 

[Escarbille]

It's Guillaume who expresses himself in a non-maternal language. I think I understand what he means; Skate fast is natural and easy for them, the energy "gained / stored / capitalized" allows them to skate more smoothly - without being slow - because the effort required for speed is easily already done.
More generally, it's one of their strengths, to be able to easily reach a technical level to focus on how to present it.

 

[Eleanor]

I was thinking about P/C's program this evening.

While I absolutely adore this year FD, I have the feeling that ths is just the beginning of a new era for them. To me, this routine is fresh start like Mozart. It leaves us in awe because it's so special and new. But I know that they are going to push it and go further than what they did last week end. It may just evolve like the past quad. Maybe the year before the olympics, they are going to go BOLD again and then the real complete work will be showcased for the olympics just like MS. And then, just like after watching MS, I'll go "gosh they can NOT do better than that". They worked on perfecting what they had in their minds for four years and now they that they've reached perfection, they can move on. And moving on they did. It's the beginning of a new circle of work and artistic creativity for them.

Besides, I was wondering. What influence do the new rules have on their programs and artistry ? Do they benefit from it ? Or what is a challenge ?

 

[Bcash]

I like the Choreo. Spin/lift at the end of the FD. It’s a nice evolution of the same move they created last season (which, to be honest, I’m still not figuring out its balance point). They move into it as the final little surge of energy in the music comes with the drums, and I love the open position that Gabby hit in the beginning, weightlessly in flight, and how they contract the axis as they keep spinning and actually speed up—an improvement from last season when it might give the impression of slowing down because of the loss of momentum/centrifugal force. And this contraction also carries an emotional gesture as their bodies come closer to each other’s.

 

[Spot]

I am not a big fan of their music choice for the FD either but a French song which meaningful lyrics is going to be lost on most people and so might not be the best choice either. I also think that there are too many French songs used in Figure skating (probably because it is always the same ones hwell.
I wouldn't mind something unusual like African music for example or something with a rhythmic drumming or clapping ... Don't kill me ... just an idea!

I would love something with rhythmic drumming! I love it in general and I think it would work well for them, contrast with their natural style a bit but in a complementary way in my view!

 

[Gotlev]

I wonder if this was translated from French, because I’m not sure what “taking a lot of speed and then skate slower” means..

On several occasions I got the feeling that this was a machine translation. It didn't sound like how they speak in English, or does it? I had the feeling that their English is very good.

 

[Harriet]

I would love something with rhythmic drumming! I love it in general and I think it would work well for them, contrast with their natural style a bit but in a complementary way in my view!

How about Florence + the Machine's 'Drumming Song'?

 

[Spot]

How about Florence + the Machine's 'Drumming Song'?

I don't know it actually, but I will check it out, thank you .

 

[Harriet]

Oh, this is interesting - Stephane Lambiel did an interview with the In the Loop podcast during Internationaux de France, and there's a bit of a discussion of how he worked with Gabi and Guillaume and what their process is in the first half (also a lot of stuff about his overall work as a choreographer and coach; I'm an ex-teacher and I really enjoy hearing about his philosophy of teaching here). He hadn't seen the final version of the free dance at the time this was recorded though, so I'd love it if somebody caught up with him to get his opinion of it now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyYVCi8WMDY

 

[Flagstaff]

I wonder if this was translated from French, because I’m not sure what “taking a lot of speed and then skate slower” means..

It's Guillaume who expresses himself in a non-maternal language.

The whole interview was done in French as Jean-Christophe Berlot is French too My take on the "taking a lot of speed and then skate slower" is that they gain speed then skate on their headway, like a sailing vessel.

 

[Bcash]

Will it really be another two months before we can see them compete again? On the one hand I’m happy that they can have more room for solid training and adequate rest, on the other, it will be another drought for us!

 

[cocotaffy]

Will it really be another two months before we can see them compete again? On the one hand I’m happy that they can have more room for solid training and adequate rest, on the other, it will be another drought for us!

No because they should be at French Nationals which should be before Christmas shouldn't it ? And last year we were treated to those gorgeous extra slow mo shots I still go back and watch.

 

[Escarbille]

French National 13-15th december, two weeks.
https://ffsg.org/evenement/championnat-de-france-elite-synerglace-2018-vaujany/
And after exhibition in Madrid with Javier Fernandez at the end of december

 

[Bcash]

Reading reactions here and there about their new FD, I've decided not to engage anymore with 2 type of discussions concerning P/C :
- they keep doing the same thing, they need to challenge themselves, at that rate they'll start loosing the judges' favor, they are one trick pony

I think some people have a rather "primitive" idea of what "challenge yourself" means in this context. P/C are above the merely apparent "variety!" idea of choreography and expression. From what P/C have said themselves, they certainly prioritize artistic exploration and growth above winning medals, and they think deeply about how to achieve that. The "loosing judges's favor" argument is brittle because since the 15-16 season, the reason they score big has been that the judges give them the highest GOEs and technical panels call the highest level for their elements. So their lead is founded on the quality of their elements. And that can only grow more obvious as we enter the -5+5 phase, unless the ISU changes the criteria for Ice Dance GOE and levels.

 

[cocotaffy]

It's in French but you can vote for the French Athlete of the year scroll down just keep on clicking and click yes/oui for P/C they are at 43% right now. https://sport.francetvinfo.fr/omnisport/retro-2018-elisez-votre-francaise-de-lannee