2024 Worlds: Ice Dance thoughts and comments

[icewhite]

I think Piper's performance ability and expressiveness is one of her greatest strengths. I imagine her facial expressions were nowhere near too much when watching in an arena (I didn't find them overdone watching close up on a screen). She is amazing at creating a mood. She and Paul do it better than anyone else skating today. Trying to make that into a flaw is baffling to me.

That really is a very subjective question, though. For me it's also too much, I am also not a fan of extensive facial expressions, I am totally fine with no facial expression at all (and the open mouth thing is not about expression anyway).
I think it's okay if they do it, but I wouldn't say they are better at it than everyone else because there are really different ways to do this and they speak to different people.

 

[kolyadafan2002]

I think Piper's performance ability and expressiveness is one of her greatest strengths. I imagine her facial expressions were nowhere near too much when watching in an arena (I didn't find them overdone watching close up on a screen). She is amazing at creating a mood. She and Paul do it better than anyone else skating today. Trying to make that into a flaw is baffling to me.

I like pipers expression - I also think her facial expressions are quite nuanced.

When some people keep their mouth open, they look like fish gasping in air, which I don't like. But when Piper does it, she feels the music, and the expression shifts with the music. It's a softer expression, not so intense and stressful like other skaters - some look like they are shouting the entire program.

 

[Anna K.]

My two cents: Piper's expression perfectly suits the era (Romanticism), genre (dark fiction/tragedy), and mood of Wuthering Heights. From me, she gets ten points of ten for being a perfect character.

 

[Andrina]

Personally, I don't care about facial expressions.

But I can't stand it when skaters angrily throw their fist in air like as if they were screaming "WHY ME, GOD?! FOR WHAT?! UUUUUH, I'LL SHOW YOU!!"

 

[Mathman]

About facial expressions in general, I think that figure skaters face the same challenge that stage actors do. You have to project to tghe back row of the balcony (or, for figure skating, t least to the judges' box). But then when the television camera zooms in, facial expressions and body language can look overdone.

 

[TallyT]

About facial expressions in general, I think that figure skaters face the same challenge that stage actors do. You have to project to tghe back row of the balcony (or, for figure skating, t least to the judges' box). But then when the television camera zooms in, facial expressions and body language can look overdone.

It can also be likened to silent film acting, since everything has to be emoted through actions, no words (okay, the music can help) so what we have could be compared to silent shorts in a big theatre with no closeups. And as anyone who watches silent cinema knows all too well, the line where it tips over into OTT is very very very thin.

 

[Magill]

About facial expressions in general, I think that figure skaters face the same challenge that stage actors do. You have to project to the back row of the balcony (or, for figure skating, t least to the judges' box). But then when the television camera zooms in, facial expressions and body language can look overdone.

And yet, as with any other aspect of skating, some manage it better than some others.

 

[Anna K.]

Personally, I don't care about facial expressions.

But I can't stand it when skaters angrily throw their fist in air like as if they were screaming "WHY ME, GOD?! FOR WHAT?! UUUUUH, I'LL SHOW YOU!!"

So what would be you suggested choreographic alternative which skaters should use when they need to express "WHY ME, GOD?! FOR WHAT?! UUUUUH, I'LL SHOW YOU!!" according to the story and/or character?
I have no doubt that there can be different ways how to express it.
In classical ballet, for example, dancers throw both fists in the air.

 

[soccerjc77]

I like the Italian FS the most, they create a beautiful story of love and I enjoy every moment in their performance. We were all worried about the accident with her dress. It made me cry in that moment, because I was afraid she would fall at any moment afterwards. It was the performance that touched me the most.

2024 Worlds. Charlene GUIGNARD - Marco FABBRI. ITA. Free Dance. 23.03.2024

ШаÑлен ÐинÑÑÑ Ð¸ ÐаÑко ФаббÑи. ÐÑалиÑ. Ð§ÐµÐ¼Ð¿Ð¸Ð¾Ð½Ð°Ñ Ð¼Ð¸Ñа 2024. ÐÑоизволÑнÑй ÑанеÑ

www.youtube.com

 

[Andrina]

So what would be you suggested choreographic alternative which skaters should use when they need to express "WHY ME, GOD?! FOR WHAT?! UUUUUH, I'LL SHOW YOU!!" according to the story and/or character?
I have no doubt that there can be different ways how to express it.
In classical ballet, for example, dancers throw both fists in the air.

I should have added "...in every other program". What mostly bothers me is when skaters do it no matter what the music implies.

But the gesture itself looks awkward. One can just look up in the sky. Or look down. Or lie down on the ice on the sound of a coming train like Anna Karenina. There must be multiple ways of expressing it but they should be only used when appropriate.

 

[jorge2912]

I like the Italian FS the most, they create a beautiful story of love and I enjoy every moment in their performance. We were all worried about the accident with her dress. It made me cry in that moment, because I was afraid she would fall at any moment afterwards. It was the performance that touched me the most.

2024 Worlds. Charlene GUIGNARD - Marco FABBRI. ITA. Free Dance. 23.03.2024

ШаÑлен ÐинÑÑÑ Ð¸ ÐаÑко ФаббÑи. ÐÑалиÑ. Ð§ÐµÐ¼Ð¿Ð¸Ð¾Ð½Ð°Ñ Ð¼Ð¸Ñа 2024. ÐÑоизволÑнÑй ÑанеÑ

www.youtube.com

I like It a lot, I think they FD have a clear theme , content and a tale to tell and that's is the interesting . Costume, music, choreography and expression merge for create an unison and that tells the full story and the story is understandable to everybody because is very known for everybody even intuitive.

Piper and Paul was good I liked it technically but for understand the theme it required read Wuthering Heights for know the story , understand the style and associates to their FD .

I seen two different swan lake, one from Mrazkova and Mrazek the other from Davis and Smolkin and I like it a lot the version from Czechs because keep origin idea that was from a ballet and music, costume was really like that ballet , idea was understandable if you know and see Ballet or just know the name and have a remote idea of it even looking on Google is easy to know what Daniel was prince Siegfried and Katerina was Odette and acted like them too

 

[4everchan]

Piper and Paul was good I liked it technically but for understand the theme it required read Wuthering Heights for know the story , understand the style and associates to their FD .

no need to read the book... their FD is about love and hate... and how they can coexist and how they can drive people to insanity

dixit Paul Poirier (check the fluff piece on their fan fest.)

 

[TallyT]

no need to read the book... their FD is about love and hate... and how they can coexist and how they can drive people to insanity

dixit Paul Poirier (check the fluff piece on their fan fest.)

which explains a lot.

 

[4everchan]

which explains a lot.

it's not the first time it's been mentioned that they were not following the book.

 

[TallyT]

it's not the first time it's been mentioned that they were not following the book.

What I meant was that what Paul described via your post is the plot of nearly every 80s-90s bodice-ripper, which explains why some people (okay one person, me) cringed. Well, to be fair with the proviso that the bodice-rippers did have the mandatory HEA. So I think everyone has to agree to disagree. (And no, I am not a romance fan but I have studied them and am a fan of a website which celebrates the good and oh god the bad in them)

 

[4everchan]

What I meant was that what Paul described via your post is the plot of nearly every 80s-90s bodice-ripper, which explains why some people (okay one person, me) cringed. Well, to be fair with the proviso that the bodice-rippers did have the mandatory HEA. So I think everyone has to agree to disagree. (And no, I am not a romance fan but I have studied them and am a fan of a website which celebrates the good and oh god the bad in them)

do you think i am a romance fan ? LOL

 

[labgoat]

My takeaway from the dance event is that there was some movement amongst the ranks. Lajoie & Lagha overtook Allison and Saulius and are coming for Lilah & Lewis next. Allison & Saulius also need to watch behind for Christina & Anthony and Evgenia & Geoffrey who are hot on their heels as well. I expect that there will be a tough battle in the next group of Juulia & Matthias, Loicia & Theo, Diana & Gleb, and the Mrazeks.

Amongst the top group Piper & Paul come out with respect and momentum going into next year. The RD sunk their gold medal hopes as it moved a bit too slow and a few of the transitions seemed a bit too quirky and questionable - the simple double foot hops, and under the arm twirls while staring at the ceiling just looked awkward at times. I did love the synchronized slides. The free dance however was a masterpiece. Charlene & Marco were a bit off their game due to her illness and the bad luck costume mishap - but I expect them back as the lure of Milano must still be quite strong and even with problems they are still ahead of the next group of skaters. Their technique and speed are their greatest assets. Madi & Evan opened a lead with their energetic and detailed RD and indulged themselves with an artsy modern dance meditation on time. While very creative, the major problem this dance had all season was a lack of speed and building to a climatic end and they deservedly lost this phase to Piper and Paul but had enough of a buffer from the RD to finish on top overall. If you are going to experiment though, now was the time to do it before going back to their strengths. It is time to deal with some technical weaknesses if they decide to continue.

Sad to see random errors sink the debuts of Bratti/Somerville and Smart/Dieck but lovely to see Hannah & Ye and Holly & Jason shine with inspired skates from both. Overall a very deep field with many enjoyable couples not making the cut beyond the RD.