Turandot was an opera with many characters. The Nutcracker Pas de Deux is a ballet piece for two dancers, and it is structured for two performers. The music itself is very repetitive and what saves the NPdD in any way as a performance piece is the emotional interaction between TWO people. With one performer, the drama palls and the constant repetition of the same phrase of music becomes monotonous. JMHO.
Sasha Cohen journal update
- Thread starter Longhornliz
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
SaraMistral - Me, too. I am not knowldegeable with Dance celebs. I left watching figure skating in the 70s and didnt return to it until the 90s (it was work related in places that had no TV to speak of.) But I remember Dark Eyes as it was a familiar tune to me which we used to sing as Ole Chit Chornia. 
The lady kind of had jet black hair and she wore it in a bun. She was exciting to look at. Maybe it was Pairs but that I would have remembered. I think.
Sasha did a nice job with Hernando's Hideaway and Dark Eyes has a lot of that seductive music in it.
Chuckum - ITA on S&Z. Anyone using the Grande Pas de Deux from Nutcracker should wait at least 10 years.
But there is another Pad de Deux in Nutcracker which ends the First Act as Clara and Toy Soldier are led into the Land of Sweets. (Oh how I hate that ballet!). Maybe that's the one Sasha is using.
I also agree with you on ballet pas de deuxs (what's the plural here?). They are choreographed for two not one. Sasha did do part of the pas de deux from Swan Lake Act III which should show Odile enticing Sigfried into sayng "I do", and then into living hell. Sasha did not attempt that.
Jaana - Absolutely, the Russians will eat this up. Good choices for Sasha.
Joe
The lady kind of had jet black hair and she wore it in a bun. She was exciting to look at. Maybe it was Pairs but that I would have remembered. I think.Sasha did a nice job with Hernando's Hideaway and Dark Eyes has a lot of that seductive music in it.
Chuckum - ITA on S&Z. Anyone using the Grande Pas de Deux from Nutcracker should wait at least 10 years.
But there is another Pad de Deux in Nutcracker which ends the First Act as Clara and Toy Soldier are led into the Land of Sweets. (Oh how I hate that ballet!). Maybe that's the one Sasha is using.I also agree with you on ballet pas de deuxs (what's the plural here?). They are choreographed for two not one. Sasha did do part of the pas de deux from Swan Lake Act III which should show Odile enticing Sigfried into sayng "I do", and then into living hell. Sasha did not attempt that.
Jaana - Absolutely, the Russians will eat this up. Good choices for Sasha.
Joe
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- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
When it comes to unusual music to skate to, we can not count on Sasha. War horses is the game. But then, gold medals are what we are after.
Joe
Joe
According to a poster on another board, Sasha used this music for a SP as a novice, too. So this is her third time using it. She should be very comfortable with this music!
The Nutcracker music is indeed beautiful, but I am just a bit disappointed that she is so predictable. Michelle Kwan was harshly criticized for doing the "same old, same old", so we will see if this happens to Sasha. I really hope she did not choose music to please the Russian audience. That is kind of lame to me. I hope we get a report out of Sun Valley on Saturday, but as I remember last year, her Swan Lake was in its infancy and was not skated very well, which is to be expected so early in the season.
The Nutcracker music is indeed beautiful, but I am just a bit disappointed that she is so predictable. Michelle Kwan was harshly criticized for doing the "same old, same old", so we will see if this happens to Sasha. I really hope she did not choose music to please the Russian audience. That is kind of lame to me. I hope we get a report out of Sun Valley on Saturday, but as I remember last year, her Swan Lake was in its infancy and was not skated very well, which is to be expected so early in the season.
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- Joined
- Jul 26, 2003
Sasha actually made a mistake. "Dark Eyes" was her LP durin the 2000-2001 season. "My Sweet and Tender Beast" was her SP.
Sasha's SP choices are starting to concern me. It seems her strategy is to skate to programs she already skated to before and feels comfortable with. If she skates to programs she already knows like the back of her hand, she won't make as many mistakes. This shows me that she needs this in order to skate a clean SP, rather than something new and exciting.
I hope she didn't pick her music to please the Russians. She is, afterall, an American citizen. Sarah never picked music to "please" Canada. Sarah won her fans over on talent alone.
I hope she didn't pick her music to please the Russians. She is, afterall, an American citizen. Sarah never picked music to "please" Canada.
Sarah won her fans over on talent alone.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Lucy25 said:
I remember one slavic judge (MK and IS were in the same competition) said very clearly on TV that she marked MK down because she had used the same music before. The judge was correct about using the music a second time, but is that a reason to mark down a skater?
Joe
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2003
Fossi said:Sasha's SP choices are starting to concern me. It seems her strategy is to skate to programs she already skated to before and feels comfortable with. If she skates to programs she already knows like the back of her hand, she won't make as many mistakes. This shows me that she needs this in order to skate a clean SP, rather than something new and exciting.
I hope she didn't pick her music to please the Russians. She is, afterall, an American citizen. Sarah never picked music to "please" Canada.
She skates to the same song, but her SP is brand new one, created by a different choreographer (Morozov). Considering, that Sasha used "Dark Eyes" for her LP, she'll have different music cuts, and most likely, a different instrumental version of the song. "Dark eyes" is pretty much a Russian "Malaguena," so don't worry, it will be fiery and exciting.
And what is wrong with wanting to please Russian audience? What does a choice of music have to do with Cohen's citizenship, or with Sarah Hughes?
Sarah quit skating for good, and Ms. Wagner now coaches Cohen. Get over it already.
- Joined
- Jul 27, 2003
Somewhat predictable choices....but I must say I think these two selections will work very well for her. She can usually make the most of any musical choice. I'm much more interested in seeing Sasha's LP choreography. Will the new choreographer's style suit her?
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2004
Well, technically speaking, "Dark Eyes" is a Russian gypsy song or more politically correct, a Roma melody. They speak a different language, but the Ochi Chernye variation is sung in Russian. It is very popular in Russia, and I am sure in other former Soviet republics. The correct translation is Black eyes actually.
As far as the scarf, when dancing to this song, Roma ladies wear it on the shoulders, not on their hair!
I am looking forward to the costume! I think it will be a great program. I wonder if she would dye her hair dark or add some flowers to her hair?
I don't see anything wrong with Sasha possibly choosing this music to "please the Russian audience". What's wrong with that??? Isn't pleasing the audience a big part of the sport (aka presentation??). How about European and European-born skaters picking American music all the time? (most recent: L&A in DC)
Yana
As far as the scarf, when dancing to this song, Roma ladies wear it on the shoulders, not on their hair!
I am looking forward to the costume! I think it will be a great program. I wonder if she would dye her hair dark or add some flowers to her hair?
I don't see anything wrong with Sasha possibly choosing this music to "please the Russian audience". What's wrong with that??? Isn't pleasing the audience a big part of the sport (aka presentation??). How about European and European-born skaters picking American music all the time? (most recent: L&A in DC)
Yana
STL_Blues_fan said:
Well, Finland has not been part of former Soviet republics (although a part of Russia as an autonome state until 1917 in about the same way as earlier a part of Sweden), and here old Russian melodies have been very popular and near to our souls always. "Dark Eyes", "Kalinka", etc. BTW, anyone remember the very popular song "Those Were The Days" sung by Mirian Hopkin from early sixties? Also that was orginally a Russian folk melody.
Marjaana
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2004
Kalinka is always played in NA stadiums during hockey games and even sometimes at baseball games! That I don't understand! It must've been brought over by early Russian immigrants.
Yana
Yana
. Also, it's been pointed out that there appears to be a mistake on Sasha's part (that Dark Eyes was her LP, not her SP); it actually says so on her site under her list of programs.Similar threads
