The incomparable Lea Salonga. Just recently she was a guest vocalist at Kristi Yamaguchi's ice show Golden Moment in Hawaii. Sorry for the O.T. topic:
Yes and she is amazing live.
The incomparable Lea Salonga. Just recently she was a guest vocalist at Kristi Yamaguchi's ice show Golden Moment in Hawaii. Sorry for the O.T. topic:
I mist be the only one who likes C/B' s Imagine... it's not a masterpiece, but I enjoy it and don't mind the music. I really like the way the lifts build in the last segment of the program. I'm not sure however how the program resembles Lobacheva/Averbukh's 2002 FD?
Both Evan and Maddison are looking really skinny this season! Watch closely at Maddison's legs (I like to watch the foot placement and edges especially in Ice Dancing). Maddie's feet from knee down are very skinny and lack strength, very weak foot placement. Strong foot placement is especially needed in Latin dances. Look at Tessa's feet and Maddison Hubbell's feet, very strong controlled edges and foot placement.
Such a shame, Maddison is skating from knees down instead of from the core of her body.
I also agree with the poor editing of this music, the soft female vocal is weak and forget about the instrumental bit of the music, that part lacks pucntuation, hence doesn't allow the skaters to accent them in their moves. Extremely poor music choice. Yes, either use John Lennon totally or none at all.
It's funny… I simultaneously agree that Moonlight Sonata is their weakest FD of the quad in terms of the emotion it stirs in me (vs. all three other programs, which = *ALL the FEELS*) —> while ALSO believing that this actually *is* their best / most accomplished program of the quad—and could very well become *the* iconic program we'll eventually look back on as career-defining (à la Bolero + Torvill/Dean).
Ha, so I find myself a bit conflicted… P&C's last three programs moved me profoundly, in a way no other ice dance programs have ever made me feel. The last two programs, in particular, sort of wear their hearts on their sleeves—and the emotion the programs evoke = so immediate and accessible and unfettered… It's exuberant but delicate and so, so, lovely (…again, #AllTheFeels). Moonlight Sonata, I think, represents a more mature, sophisticated, grown-up version of P&C —> it's their trademark heart-on-the-sleeve etherealness + a more intellectual *formalist* approach… In many ways, it's the polar opposite of last year's rather avant-garde program —> which I think embodies P&C at their most free-form + abstract + emotion-based style of storytelling. Moonlight Sonata is much more controlled and focused—and I think it's absolutely genius —> the most cohesive, thoughtful, nuanced program they've ever done.
That said, while their other programs speak to me on an almost purely emotional level, Moonlight Sonata engages me on a more *intellectual* level—which isn't to say it doesn't also stir me on an emotional level… it's just this more mature, formalist + structured approach makes that emotional engagement with the program fundamentally different from how I engage with their earlier programs. It's hard to really articulate well —> but I feel like their earlier [heart-on-their-sleeve-ier] programs take you on this journey of emotions from moment to moment as you progress through the program—whereas Moonlight Sonata's emotional wallop is less immediate / in-the-moment-to-moment —> but rather, its power comes from the *cumulative* effect of the program / their interpretation of this music that hits you really as the program builds toward the end. And my *heart* of course wants another program in the same vein as their last three (yay, accessible-emotional-joy[et al.]ride!) —> while my *brain* appreciates the complexity and maturity of this program that still does generate its own (but *different*) emotional power. [That moment, post-lighthearted-piano-tinkering, when Gabriella collapses onto Guillaume with the piano 'crash' = *swoon*… 襤 —> probably among my, like, top-three all-time favorite choreographic moments… (ha, you know—just after Sotnikova's Olympic gold-winning choreographed hand wave… :handw: :-D )
Anyway! I apologize for the long + ramble-y post! And I hope my attempt to articulate in words these rather complex emotions hasn't resulted in *total* gibberish … But your comment really helped to crystalize my thinking feelings about Moonlight Sonata in comparison to P&C's other programs of the quad… And I'm *really* curious to hear anyone's thoughts on this—and whether you might have a similar (or entirely different) take on P&C's Olympic-year free dance.
Cheers...
—Michael
Yeah, I still attribute Scott's fall to nervosity after hearing P/C's score.
I feel like this is where math comes into play. V/M's PB in the SD is 82.68, and the max SD score is 85.3, meaning there's only 2.62 points left on the table. Moreover, they are no longer given the cushion over P/C in the SD. The max FD score is 124.7, which means that P/C have 4.12 points left to max it out. And V/M haven't been able to score over 118 yet... This is just theorising of course, but I thought this was interesting to point out.
Madison went vegan recently maybe that's why. When I did I unintentionally lost a lot of weight too. She has always been little though.
I didn't know that Maddison went vegan recently. Is that a fact? If it's, then that's bad news.
Yes. I am not sure what's so hilarious about it, though. Plus, I forgot that Russell also directed 'Tommy' after 'The Who's' rock opera in which Roger Daltrey also starred (of course). Now Roger Daltrey's participation in 'Lizstomania', both as an actor and singer, makes seven more sense .You mean it's from the soundtrack to the Ken Russell film. Now, that's hilarious!
I didn't know that Maddison went vegan recently. Is that a fact? If it's, then that's bad news. She and Evan are full time elite athletes, athletes need a huge amount of protein (my son was a competitive swimmer, so we know quite a lot about athlete nutrition, etc ). Meat, fish, chicken provide good sources of protein. At the level that they are training, the fastest way to get protein on a daily basis is from meat. Protein is needed for muscle building.
No wonder Maddison just seems weak in her movements. Just compare her feet placement and movements with that of Tessa Virtue and Maddison Hubbell, there's a mile of difference. That is such a shame. There's a bit of talk on YouTube that this is not the team that did the angst, energetic, edgy hip hop from last season.
'Imagine' - "not exactly musically compelling"? I wonder for what reason it is so well known and legendary then? I don't believe that just a theme would be enough to make a song so legendary if it was not "musically compelling", as you say. Even the fact that it's a song written by John Lennon, one of the leaders of the Beatles, would not be enough. Actually, if 'Imagine' is "not musically compelling", then a lot of Beatles songs are not either. Then what are they so famous for, I wonder?‘Imagine’ while great in terms of theme is not exactly musically compelling. Also John Lennon’s singing does not lend well to emoting and the female vocalist wasn’t inspiring. They could have chosen someone like Lea Salonga - hear her version of the song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oipZgrUtl3U and ask Sonia Lee to provide the much needed musical portion to lengthen the time and to provide a background for some important elements e.g. twizzle, Combination Spin.
I disagree. Pretty standard pop/musical type singing (sorry to the Salonga fans - but it's not like she is some world-wide legend either) - although there are some good moments, and standard, flat arrangement. It takes so much from the song, making it yet another "big", overblown, old fashioned pop ballad. I know that many people like that style, but it's just not special enough, whereas the original version is. Even the version that Chock/Bates are using is more interesting. The female singer could have had a more distinct (not bigger) voice, but the part with the violin arrangement is nice and interesting although it's not big and bombastic (again, like many people like).Thank you Astrid56 for the 'Lea Salonga' version of 'Imagine'. Just watched the link. Wow wow! that was powerful and emotional, Lea really emphasized words, emoted feelings and punctuated notes in the song. Also the accentuated drum beats can give skaters room for choreography and punch in movements. This version could have been so much more powerful to skate to. The current mixed version is such a mixed bag and I truly hate the instrumental bits, very flat.