Programs by Dean

[SusanBeth]

I'm not sure how many of them dose that. Make it clear that the program was not his choreographer's original choreography. AFAIK, most skaters and their coaches do some modification to the original choreography they were given. So far I diddn't hear any one go ahead saying where and where is not original choreographed.....

Usually programs are tweaked and that is a commonplace occurance and to be expected. This program was gutted, but Dean's name was still being used.

 

[mzheng]

Usually programs are tweaked and that is a commonplace occurance and to be expected. This program was gutted, but Dean's name was still being used.

Oh, I see. You saw the original one.

 

[tdnuva]

Oh, I see. You saw the original one.

Sigh. Doubt anybody except the inner team saw it. But if you saw ANY of Dean's program, it's not just a guess that Kwan left out most of the choreography.

 

[SusanBeth]

Oh, I see. You saw the original one.

I used logic. Dean does intricate choreography. Kwan's program had zilch choreography. Therefore, Dean's choreography was not in Kwan's program. I can't say it any plainer than that.

 

[Mathman]

What's the fight about? Michelle used the part of Dean's choreography that she liked and reworked what she didn't like. This was consistent with her "lean, mean fighting machine" approach from 2003-2005, leaving behind the "angel floating on a cloud" choreography that marked some of her earlier work.

Now we'll see whether she still has what it takes to put it all together in the Olympic season.

Mathman

 

[tdnuva]

What's the fight about?

Can't speak for the others, just for me.

I have no big problems with Kwan not skating what Dean choreographed (at least mostly). But I get angry if fans seeing the final product by Kwan then start to diss Dean...

 

[SusanBeth]

I just hate to see Dean blamed for that terrible, terrible program. At least Button finally came out and said that it wasn't his work.

 

[SusanBeth]

Can't speak for the others, just for me.

I have no big problems with Kwan not skating what Dean choreographed (at least mostly). But I get angry if fans seeing the final product by Kwan then start to diss Dean...

Wonderful! I am finally on the same page with someone!

 

[Mathman]

Well, OK. But out of 49 posts on this thread only one (post number 11) is the slightest bit critical of Dean. And even that one merely raises the question as to whether his programs for eligible skaters are "CoP friendly" or not. The majority of posts mention various Dean programs with fondness.

BTW, the intention of this thread (see post #1) was explicitly to ask about other Dean programs, not Michelle's Bolero. What did Michelle do to bring down such wrath?

Mathman

 

[R.D.]

What did Michelle do to bring down such wrath?

Take a piece such as Bolero, ask him to choreograph the program, and then later strip it to the point that it's barely recognizable. Huh?

 

[SusanBeth]

Who is wrathful? Michelle is free to skate her way. I just thought it unfair to use Dean's name. Furthermore, no one on this board is blaming Dean. That is because this board is made up of people who understand the situation. Unfortunately, that isn't true everywhere.

 

[Mathman]

Take a piece such as Bolero, ask him to choreograph the program, and then later strip it to the point that it's barely recognizable. Huh?

I don't know, RD. Somehow, in the grand scheme of things, I can find it in my heart to forgive.

 

[attyfan]

So far, all I've been able to ascertain is that "Bolero" was the first time Dean had been asked to try choreographing a program for a singles skater competing under the CoP. Is this correct? Also, I recall reading somewhere that Dean said he was working with Tom Dickson (sp?)'s wife because he wanted some feminine input in choreographing the program -- has he ever before used an assistant?

 

[mzheng]

I used logic. Dean does intricate choreography. Kwan's program had zilch choreography. Therefore, Dean's choreography was not in Kwan's program. I can't say it any plainer than that.

I'm not talking about the final product. I'm talking about the winter marshalls, if you don't see any of Dean's choreography there, I don't how much you do know Dean's choreography.

In no way I said MK diddn't changed Dean's choreography. She changed right from the first time out at the Campbells (the program at the time only finished couple of weeks). It took Dean's a call to RA to make sure his version got skated at Marshalls.....

And attyfan, yes, I do remember Dean said that. And Dean also said during the short time period he worked with Kwan, it was only the frame work.....who knows if Dean and MK worked together afterwards to fill up the frame.....

As far as I see, winter Marshall's was the most filled up (CoP choreographically) version among all versions she skated last season.....See here, I diddn't blame Dean, on the other side I praise him.

 

[Mathman]

By an intersting coincidence, the Blades on Ice update (posted yesterday by Lucy 25 in another thread) has a nice feature on the junior pairs team Miller and Brubaker:

"Their FS, to The Addams Family , was choreographed by Christopher Dean but (coach Dililah) Sappenfield admitted it had been “tweaked” a little to accommodate all the required elements."

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

You beat me to it, MM. I had just finished reading Blades and posted a similar sentence on M&B not to mention Folle. It's so full of tidbits that all of them could provoke comments right up to competition time. Can't wait to get my issue.

Joe

 

[CzarinaAnya]

Are you kidding???? They did not have contact with Tarasova in that period at all. Did you smoke something today?

I was misinformed about whom their choreographer was. I'm sorry.
But didn't they have someone who created their Bolero program for them? BTW, I love watching. Like I said I loved their skating, but IMO, Christopher's choreography his overrated. My opinion is not influenced by anyone he has ever helped out.

Have a good day,
Annie

 

[tdnuva]

I was misinformed about whom their choreographer was. I'm sorry.
But didn't they have someone who created their Bolero program for them?

They did it themselves. Their coach Betty Callaway was kind of the corrector to tweak things out, to provide a second opinion, but besides that it was just themselves. And not only for Bolero but for all their competitive routines practically from the beginning.

 

[CzarinaAnya]

They did it themselves. Their coach Betty Callaway was kind of the corrector to tweak things out, to provide a second opinion, but besides that it was just themselves. And not only for Bolero but for all their competitive routines practically from the beginning.

Ok, another apology. But didn't they have, Graeme Murphy at one point?

 

[Joesitz (RIP)]

I think firstly, that a skater must feel comfortable with his/her program. If after several practice sessions with the original choreography and there is hesitation by the skater, then the program MUST be tweaked. Additional tweaking will take place as the skater performs in lesser competitions. I'm sure that will go for every skater unless the coach is also a choreographer.

MK's fault, imo, was not the tweaked program but the lack of MIFs in the program. However, I can say that just about every skater. Spread Eagles and Ina Bauers are, for me, elements and not MIFs unless they are a preparation for another element.

What I like to see in MIFs are the basics: Three turns, brackets, rockers and counters, etc should be interspersed throughout the program and not just in the special footwork.

Johnny Weir has the best basics in his programs. Every crossover sequence is met with a series of basic turns. Of course quads and 3As have to be done at high speed and carefully.

Joe