The Influence of Musicals on Figure Skating

[paskatefan]

Actually, he started using it during the 1992-93 season (I think midseason IIRC) and kept it through 1993-94 except for Goodwill Games when he already had a preliminary version of Swing Kids, not the final cuts.

Then he brought The King and I back for fall 1995. I'm sure I read or heard somewhere that he said the reason was because he had spent a fortune on the costume and wanted to get it on TV. But then he didn't wear it at Skate America, which was his best chance in the fall to get a short program on TV!

For whatever reason he went back to Swing Kids for Nationals-series final-Worlds 1996, at the same time he switched from Chess to First Knight for the long program.

However, just for that fall 1995, with TK&I and Chess, my friend and I described his programs as Two Nights in Bangkok.

And yes, he did use a lot of music from musicals over the years.

Thanks for clarifying all that, gkelly.

Re: Summertime - Joannie Rochette skated to it in Fashion on Ice a few seasons back.

Re: Cats - Liz Manley did a program to "Jellicle Ball" (don't remember if it was an exhibition piece or a pro comp program).

[gkelly]

I don't know if this qualifies- Klimova & Ponomarenko skating to Mack the Knife from Three Penny Opera (not sure if that qualifies for a musical; I know it's a play by Bertolt Brech, but the song was written later)

Not really -- according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mack_the_Knife), the song was added just before the original German opening of the Threepenny Opera in 1928, so it was written a little bit later than the other songs, but before the public heard any of them.

It was a few decades later that an English-language version of the song was recorded and released as a popular song as opposed to just part of the play.

[berthesghost]

It's a curious list to begin with... I mean, where's Oklahoma!, where's Camelot, where's sweet charity, wheres fiddler on the roof?

But impressive that skaters have chosen almost all of them. I have a hard time picturing a routine to "the man that got away" ( and let's face it, that is THE only song from that "musical" anyone remembers). I could maybe see someone like Kurt doing 7b47b.. And they were Sabin, Sabin, Sabin.... But I don't expect the list to be completed anytime soon.

[orbitz]

Midori Ito skated to 'Cats' (Memories) at the 1993 Pro competition:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd4YLNRJbGY



Ito skated to Little Mermaid's "Part of Your World (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvRun7ODmac)" the following year. It was actually sort of awkward for an adult woman to skater to that music though, and she lost to Kristi.

[floskate]

Thanks for clarifying all that, gkelly.


Re: Cats - Liz Manley did a program to "Jellicle Ball" (don't remember if it was an exhibition piece or a pro comp program).

And that reminded me that Mandy Woetzel and her first partner Axel Rauschenbach had a great (for the time ;)) LP to Cats back in 1989/90.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2Sgx6KEgZk

(Note the attempt at throw triple sal with just a step into sbs 3t's. She doubled but pretty :eek: for 1990!!)

[Maofan7]

It's a curious list to begin with... I mean, where's Oklahoma!, where's Camelot, where's sweet charity, wheres fiddler on the roof?

But impressive that skaters have chosen almost all of them. I have a hard time picturing a routine to "the man that got away" ( and let's face it, that is THE only song from that "musical" anyone remembers). I could maybe see someone like Kurt doing 7b47b.. And they were Sabin, Sabin, Sabin.... But I don't expect the list to be completed anytime soon.

Literally the only program I could find relating to Seven Brides For Seven Brothers was this one - Barn Dance (Seven Brides For Seven Brothers) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqFEu7bqeXM)

I've not been able to find anything relating to A Star Is Born. However, if there is no program out there for it, then 24/25 for the figure skating community isn't bad!

One of the omissions from the AFI's list which I was absolutely astonished by was Funny Face (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cputT1kKc9M). That is one of my all time favourites and what can you say about the following program except, 'S Wonderful:-

Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir - 2011 GPF Free Dance - (Funny Face) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJXhEkhO1NU)

Another classic Audrey Hepburn film is of course Breakfast at Tiffany's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOByH_iOn88). Although it's not a musical, it does feature one of the great songs, Moon River. Alissa Czisny did an absolutely exquisite version of that, and Rachael Flatt and Tonya Harding each did a short program based on it. There have been several others as well. Here are the three I mentioned:-

Alissa Czisny - Moon River (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM0c16_lYtQ)

Rachael Flatt - Cup of Russia 2008 - SP (Moon River) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHWWL-C_KQ)

Tonya Harding - 1992 World Championships - SP (Moon River) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1WMW6ZQWnQ)

I've also just remembered that Rachael Flatt's LP during 2006/07 was An American in Paris:-

Rachael Flatt - 2007 US Nationals - LP (An American In Paris) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x76ysJQundM)

[Wyliefan]

What a great thread!! :) I love having links to all these show-tune-related programs in one place.

[skatesindreams]

Didn't Evan Lysacek do a routine to "Singin' in the Rain"?

It was his 2005 EX. Here it is:

2005 Marshalls Challenge - Singing in the Rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nVvpzlmxGY

Only performance I've found on YouTube.

[centerstage01]

Another classic Audrey Hepburn film is of course Breakfast at Tiffany's (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOByH_iOn88). Although it's not a musical, it does feature one of the great songs, Moon River. Alissa Czisny did an absolutely exquisite version of that, and Rachael Flatt and Tonya Harding each did a short program based on it. There have been several others as well. Here are the three I mentioned:-

Alissa Czisny - Moon River (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM0c16_lYtQ)

Rachael Flatt - Cup of Russia 2008 - SP (Moon River) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBHWWL-C_KQ)

Tonya Harding - 1992 World Championships - SP (Moon River) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1WMW6ZQWnQ)

I've also just remembered that Rachael Flatt's LP during 2006/07 was An American in Paris:-

Rachael Flatt - 2007 US Nationals - LP (An American In Paris) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x76ysJQundM)

Don't forget Amber Corwin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAA0TJuISNU)! It was the tiara that made the program. :P

[Maofan7]

Don't forget Amber Corwin (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAA0TJuISNU)! It was the tiara that made the program. :P

I think that the 2006 US Nationals from which that SP is from was her very last competition. She designed her own costumes and retired to pursue a fashion career.

[VALuvsMKwan]

That GHASTLY showtunes medley from Bauil. :eek:

[VALuvsMKwan]

That GHASTLY showtunes medley from Bauil (TrashCan Classic indeed). :eek:

[falling_dance]

I even like the Olympic costume. :slinkaway

[TwizzlerS]

By the way, there's a list of the top 25 film scores. Anyone interested in starting a thread on that topic?

AFI's 100 years of film scores (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI%27s_100_Years_of_Film_Scores)

[taf2002]

Nobody has mentioned the definitive showtunes program: 17yr old Irina skating to "Tits & Ass" from A Chorus Line in 1996. Complete with ghashly & garish marabou fur adorned costume. (Inspired by Oksana's Oly Lp dress, only not as horrible.)