- Joined
- May 15, 2009
We hear the phrase," he or she is such a musical skater." And we hear this phrase about Pairs teams too. What about Ice Dancers? Are they automatically consisdered musical because they are "dancing over the ice?
Also, the term, "artistic skater" comes up all the time. Are they the same?
For an example I might think of Evan and Johnny.
One is considered artistic and musical and the other not so much.
I believe you can be artistic without necessarily being so musical and vice versa.
Posing, and making dramatic faces is apparently considered very artistic here.
I won't agree or disagree with that thought but will say "posing and being dramatic" is not the same thing as being "musical."
Evan does not skate like Johnny at all, but he can skate a pretty good transition and do some pretty impressive footwork known to bring a crowd to it's feet. Is that musical or just showmanship? And is it artistic?
Johnny can do some dramatic posing and show us some nice positions - and then leave out any attempt to follow the music until he is ready to pick up speed for another element. That may be "dramatic" and is considered artisitc - but is it also musical?
This is a difficult question because I am starting without any basic guideline. This topic is not the same as judging a lutz from a flutz which can be much less subjective.
For me, truly musical skating began with Janet Lynn. Was she also artistic? I think so, but I would think there were other artisitic skaters before Janet. Button was an artist on the ice. Peggy was very artistic but imo not as musical as Janet.
The culmination of what Janet started I see in Michelle Kwan. I see some great artistic skating from other ladies but Michelle seemed to feel music and move to it more expressively than most others. To me, Irina was a great artist on the ice. But I don't think she was as musical as Michelle.
Sorry for rambling on - just wanted to see if I could start a discussion about this topic. You may agree or disagree with my comments because most were subjective.
But I am very sure that artistic skating is not necessarily the same thing as musical skating.
Also, the term, "artistic skater" comes up all the time. Are they the same?
For an example I might think of Evan and Johnny.
One is considered artistic and musical and the other not so much.
I believe you can be artistic without necessarily being so musical and vice versa.
Posing, and making dramatic faces is apparently considered very artistic here.
I won't agree or disagree with that thought but will say "posing and being dramatic" is not the same thing as being "musical."
Evan does not skate like Johnny at all, but he can skate a pretty good transition and do some pretty impressive footwork known to bring a crowd to it's feet. Is that musical or just showmanship? And is it artistic?
Johnny can do some dramatic posing and show us some nice positions - and then leave out any attempt to follow the music until he is ready to pick up speed for another element. That may be "dramatic" and is considered artisitc - but is it also musical?
This is a difficult question because I am starting without any basic guideline. This topic is not the same as judging a lutz from a flutz which can be much less subjective.
For me, truly musical skating began with Janet Lynn. Was she also artistic? I think so, but I would think there were other artisitic skaters before Janet. Button was an artist on the ice. Peggy was very artistic but imo not as musical as Janet.
The culmination of what Janet started I see in Michelle Kwan. I see some great artistic skating from other ladies but Michelle seemed to feel music and move to it more expressively than most others. To me, Irina was a great artist on the ice. But I don't think she was as musical as Michelle.
Sorry for rambling on - just wanted to see if I could start a discussion about this topic. You may agree or disagree with my comments because most were subjective.
But I am very sure that artistic skating is not necessarily the same thing as musical skating.
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