Who is "unconventional"?

[Landing]

Can we say Denise Biellmann was unconventional back in the early 80s skating to Samba pa ti, Let me be misunderstood, House of the Rising Sun? But also in the 90s skating to techno music?

Wow. I wish I knew what you are talking about!
Anyway, it's not just the choice of music that makes the performance unconventional. I believe it's not just the time factor, too. The personality is important as well, I mean that of both performer and choreographer, and many other things... you tell me!

 

[silver.blades]

Emanuel Sandu did some very strange programs. I can't remeber any specifically off the top of my head, but there was one exabition he did at nationals in the early 2000 where he twitched on the ice of the last 10-20 sec.

 

[Antilles]

I'd add Laurent Tobel to the list. He was/is unconventional, and had a lot of interesting humour in his programs. Gary Beacom has already been mentioned, and he'd be my number one choice for unconventional.

 

[Spun Silver]

Well, the French are a revolutionary lot. I'd certainly add Del/Schoen. Bonnie and Clyde, the sign language program this year....

Emanuel Sandu did some very strange programs. I can't remeber any specifically off the top of my head, but there was one exabition he did at nationals in the early 2000 where he twitched on the ice of the last 10-20 sec.

Sounds irresistible. *sarcasm*

 

[fog0202]

Isabelle & Paul Duchesnay (Canadian/French ice dancers, late 80s-early 90s)

Question: Were they the ones who did the exhibition with skates on their feet and hands? I vaguely remember watching it (early 90s, maybe?), but I cannot remember who it was.

 

[dorispulaski]

That would be Gary Beacom & Gia Guddat, skjating to losing my marbles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e89cdhjVSN4

 

[Landing]

That would be Gary Beacom & Gia Guddat, skjating to losing my marbles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e89cdhjVSN4

Craziest thing in the list by now!



It’s figure skating, though: they are keeping up with the style!

 

[dutchherder]

I always thought this pro one by Rudy Galindo with a hula hoop was pretty cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCtGVKemtv4

 

[_Ladybug_]

Thank you for reminding me how much I loved Stannick Jeanette.

 

[dorispulaski]

And here's one of the best uses of a prop of all time-Judy Blumberg and Michael Siebert skate in their first professional competitions to a techno version of Madame Butterfly using an absolutely HUGE fan as a prop:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B74TI_OShR4

 

[Piel]

Stephani Rosenthal from Utah had a pretty unconventional program at 2006 US Nationals. Here is "Rockit".http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2GYXP023zw

Tonya Harding and Surya Bonaly were unconventional in that instead of the graceful ballerina type they were more in your face power skaters.

 

[gio]

Scott Williams 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' program was unconventional. Not just the music and his look, but the choreography and interpretation were very unusual too. Some of his movements are rarely seen, if not unique.

I remember that he worked also Michelle Kwan for some of her programs. Do you know in which season it was? I think 02/03, right?

 

[fog0202]

That would be Gary Beacom & Gia Guddat, skjating to losing my marbles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e89cdhjVSN4

That's it! yay! I thought last night (as I stayed up thinking about this!) that it might have been Beacom. I don't know why I thought it was the Duchesnays, but I'm happy I know who it is now!

 

[dorispulaski]

I just loved Stephanie Rosenthal's programs at Nationals!

In the SP clip, Dick Button talks about how afraid skaters are to do anything 'offcenter' i.e. unconventional, and how good it was to see a skater doing something interesting.,

Sometimes, skaters have the creativity knocked out of them. Consider Punsalan & Swallow's classic Race Cars program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_UP1F_cJak

The rules were changed immediately thereafter to prevent the use of 2 footed skating for effect.

 

[Landing]

I just loved Stephanie Rosenthal's programs at Nationals!

In the SP clip, Dick Button talks about how afraid skaters are to do anything 'offcenter' i.e. unconventional, and how good it was to see a skater doing something interesting.,

Sometimes, skaters have the creativity knocked out of them. Consider Punsalan & Swallow's classic Race Cars program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_UP1F_cJak

The rules were changed immediately thereafter to prevent the use of 2 footed skating for effect.

That’s a problem with figure skating. I understand that this is all out of good intentions. Actually, I respect CoP. The skills demanded here are really complicated, really high class. It would be unsporting behavior to play it down. It should be a chance for skaters to prove their skills before they became pro and can be as creative as they please. Sorry to say, it doesn’t always work that way. There is a bunch of celebrities who are unable to show any creativity whatsoever and they are desperately boring to watch. Sometimes, their SP’s and LP’s are even more interesting then their exhibitions because good choreography is demanded by judges
Though, I don’t think that creativity can be knocked out of the skaters once they have it. People that are creative by nature must be pressed to add some imagination to the routine just to make it bearable. All credit to them!

Did I thank you for latest video links? I DO!

 

[dorispulaski]

Punsalan & Swallow, after Race Cars, presented a boring collection of Latin themed FD's. As pros, they became more interesting again. What was even sadder, they never broke through into the top 5 at Worlds with the Latin FD's.

 

[Landing]

:disapp: Oh well, I guess I underrated the force of public oppinion...

Okay, that might cheer us up a little!

Tonya Harding and Surya Bonaly were unconventional in that instead of the graceful ballerina type they were more in your face power skaters.

Surya still is pretty fine for a lady at her 35!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPVzv8O6AjM

 

[Landing]

Weekend is probably perfect time to investigate the national treasures of France. Though, some of them artistic inventive skaters have beep long carrier. May anybody help me with some guidelines?
If anybody will give a hint what had been most interesting gala exhibitions of the reigning champions, or Pechalat&Bourzat

I have found this one, not as great as Kokko&Rakhamo, but promising

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mim-HAzVRg&feature=related

or maybe other French dancers, I would appreciate.

And, quoting

I'll say Laetitia Hubert "prostitute on crack" program was pretty unconventional.

are you sure that the program was named "prostitute on crack"?

 

[Matt]

I think body type plays a lot into having an "unconvential" style of skating. Tobel and Sandhu (and Jeannette, IIRC) were both taller than the average male skater. Stojko was short and built like a linebacker and a lot of people said his style of skating was uncoventional where he was competing. Sasha Cohen's extreme flexibility was unusual when we first saw her perform. Anyone remember Borzenkova/Chuviliaev in pairs, where they were both 5'7 and 6'6 respectively?

I think there will always be skaters like the Duchesnays (and any of the French), T/D, R/K, and Gary Beacom who are always artistically unconventional. But a lot of the "unconventional" skater are also those who are able to work with the body type that they were given