Some great unsung choreography from the past

[anonymoose_au]

The genius of Laetitia Hubert's 1998 Crackwhore Prostitute on Drugs program will never fully be appreciated in this lifetime:

The French are an interesting bunch for sure.

Although the British judge gave it a 5.7 in artistic interpretation so obviously they got it.

 

[Matthew]

The genius of Laetitia Hubert's 1998 Crackwhore Prostitute on Drugs program will never fully be appreciated in this lifetime:

Laetitia Hubert FRA 1998 Skate Canada Ladies Long Program

Laetitia Hubert Skate Canada 1998 "Prostitute on Drugs" Free SkateI do not claim any ownership or copyright to this video.This video is intended for educatio...

www.youtube.com

There are too many pure "sports" time spans in this program, too few choreography, art. (Also wonder at the astonishment about the music being expressed in the subtitles of the video.)

 

[gliese]

Thank you for sharing these - to my uneducated eyes Klimova and Ponomarenko skated crazy close. How did they not knock each other out with their toepicks?

If you practice enough, you find every possible way to knock your partner down and know not to do it in competition

 

[sadya]

I love this SP of Alexander Abt at 1998 Europeans:

Alexander Abt RUS - 1998 European Championships SP

SP : 3rd, LP : 4th, bronze medalJan. 11th-18th, Milan, ITA

www.youtube.com

Marika Humphreys and Philip Askew 1996 British Championships FD Dance Macabre:

Marika Humphreys & Philip Askew British Championships 1996

The original version of Marika & Philip's Free Dance, Danse Macarbe.Commentary by Barry Davis and Karen Barber.

www.youtube.com

And this is the re-edited version at Europeans 1997:

Marika Humphreys & Philip Askew - 1997 European Championships FD

CD1 : 13th, CD2 : 14th, OD&FD : 15th, 15th placeJan. 21st-25th, Paris, POPB

www.youtube.com

 

[ptvvibezz]

One of the greatest Lori Nichol programs: Michelle Kwan's Lyra Angelica

Michelle Kwan éç©ç - 1998 United States Figure Skating Championships, Ladies' Free Skate

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA - 1998 United States Figure Skating Championships, Ladies' Free Skate - Michelle Kwan earned 8 perfect 6.0s for Presentation ...

www.youtube.com

 

[el henry]

One of the greatest Lori Nichol programs: Michelle Kwan's Lyra Angelica

Michelle Kwan éç©ç - 1998 United States Figure Skating Championships, Ladies' Free Skate

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA - 1998 United States Figure Skating Championships, Ladies' Free Skate - Michelle Kwan earned 8 perfect 6.0s for Presentation ...

www.youtube.com

True dat, but I would not consider Michelle‘s Lyra Angelica “unsung”

 

[LutzDance]

While John Curry is a legendary name in the skating world, we could always use some more appreciation for his unparalleled choreography (or the life he brought to the choreography done by others).

Janet Lynn - Bluebird variation (1983), choreo. by John Curry
https://youtu.be/UE9O97MsmU4
One of my favorite piece of music from the Sleeping Beauty that's not the more frequently used Rose Adagio. Love the commentary mentioning her turned-out feet and pointed toes as well.

Peggy Fleming and John Curry - Tilt-a-Whirl (1980)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qRyOzq_ofQ
Just John Curry skating to Philip Glass before he was cool (in the skating world at least). Love how the choreography for Peggy and John switched between mirroring each other to canon-like chasing to visualize the repetitiveness of the music in non-repetitive ways.

John Curry - Moon Skate (1984)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQi18NEaNOM
His swan song, set to the second movement of Ravel's Piano Concerto. To me it's the epitome of expressing music and emotion on the ice - each stroke is etched into the music, each move designed to give voice to the heart instead of a message to the beholder. It might have been performed on the stage of an opera house but feels incredible intimate and personal. It makes me sad every time to think that the style John Curry performed so convincingly passed away with him.

I could go on and on about him His Les Patineurs, Tarantella, Tchaikovsky pas de deux etc are brilliant translations of ballet onto the ice. Check them out if you haven't already.

---

David Liu - 1992 Olympics SP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c3ceRk1P0Y
I'm more a fan of his carriage than the choreography per se. The one-foot sequence going from side to side is really impressive.

Rory Flack Burghart - Billie Holiday program (1994)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uclL44PYRU
So much sass! Great athleticism in those split jumps too.

Yuka Sato - Spartacus (1995)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOcSjJ-bfCQ
Yuka, like John, Peggy, and Janet, understands how to use the power of a glide to phrase adagio music, as she demonstrated so eloquently here.

Ilia Klimkin - Petrushka (2001)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T68CSsvZSqg
He didn't use the Stravinsky score, but the spirit was the same as the Fokine choreography in their refusal to shy away from giving life to the awkward, the pathetic, the pitiable. Watch out for the clockwise camel - counterclockwise camel - triple salchow sequence.

And just so you don't think I am here to trash the Duchesnays, here is a GREAT tango OSP from 1988

Thanks for bringing this up. What a gorgeous program! I love the Duchesnays.

 

[PaulE]

Although it is probably not "great" choreography I think the interesting SP from Stephanie Rosenthal at US Nats in 2006 should get mentioned every so often: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eENh7cMpktk.

 

[sadya]

LutzDance, your mention of Yuka Sato reminds me of another program of hers that I love:

1995 Riders Ladies Championship (Round 1)​

- YouTube

Auf YouTube findest du die angesagtesten Videos und Tracks. Außerdem kannst du eigene Inhalte hochladen und mit Freunden oder gleich der ganzen Welt teilen.

www.youtube.com

Thank you for this lovely reminder.

 

[anonymoose_au]

Although it is probably not "great" choreography

I thought it was totally awesome choreo! That was so fun to watch. I wonder if we'll get anything like that in Ice Dance next season. It's supposed to be hip hop right?

 

[Matthew]

Deviating somewhat from the past aspect, why not mentioning a great not so long ago choreo which I didn't notice to have been sung: Vincent Zhou, "Dancing in the Dark"

Vincent Zhou / Stars On Ice “Dancing In The Dark” by Joji

Vincent Zhou’s exhibition at Stars On Ice 2019. Sign up for tickets to Stars On Ice at https://www.starsonice.com/get-tickets.htmlOn Ice Perspectives depends...

www.youtube.com

 

[Sk8FraSch]

Marika Humphreys and Philip Askew 1996 British Championships FD Dance Macabre:

Marika Humphreys & Philip Askew British Championships 1996

The original version of Marika & Philip's Free Dance, Danse Macarbe.Commentary by Barry Davis and Karen Barber.

www.youtube.com

And this is the re-edited version at Europeans 1997:

Marika Humphreys & Philip Askew - 1997 European Championships FD

CD1 : 13th, CD2 : 14th, OD&FD : 15th, 15th placeJan. 21st-25th, Paris, POPB

www.youtube.com

Thanks you so much. Best FD ever.
Its sad they got panned. Their riverdance at 97 worlds was good too. Would have been perfect Olympic FD.

If somebody has the SC version of Danse Macabre, please share. Thats the only one we're missing.

Astonish people seems to don't know KP's OSPs abd VV LPs though. They are classics.

 

[abbykitty]

Somebody I rarely hear anyone talk about is Joanna Ng from the USA. She was the 1990 Champion of the Ladies Interpretive event that year which focused more on artistic expression/story rather than jumps:

Joanna Ng Skate Canada 1990 LP

youtu.be

Even though the story was pretty racy, she skated with more maturity than most senior skaters, let alone someone who was only 12 years old. She had a unique skating style and flair, and her Ng twist into a full split at the end was fire. Wish we would've seen more of her in the competitive field, but she probably went on to have an amazing show career.

 

[labgoat]

If somebody has the SC version of Danse Macabre, please share. Thats the only one we're missing.

Astonish people seems to don't know KP's OSPs abd VV LPs though. They are classics.

Thats why I posted them so others could see how awesome they were. I am surprised there was not more reaction to the OSPs. I find the posted skates fascinating for the styling, choreography and some drama too!

I did check for the Danse Macabre, and sadly I do not know where a copy lives.

Also, if you are the YouTuber by the same name, please know your site has given me much joy over the years. Thank you!

 

[labgoat]

I don't remember seeing this Pink Panther skate from Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviyski from 2000-2001 Cup of Russia. Usually I think of Laurent Tobel and Navka Kostomarov with this music. I am impressed with the musicality of this skate.

 

[jlmart]

There are a lot of gorgeous programmes, but I must confess I have a weakness for well done quirky ones. The recent retirement of Alaine Chartrand brought to mind the brilliantly choreographed (and quirky) Pina!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0z56aKAvIs&t=101s