New Free Dance Requirements - ISU Comm. 1610

[sap5]

Probably a good route for many teams to take would be to say that their program is an abstract expression of the musical structure. And then use a secret storyline known only to themselves if that helps them relate to the music better.

Totally this.

I'd love to know what is meant by "clearly understandable". Would D/W's POTO fail, since there were so many people who couldn't guess whether Charlie was playing the Phantom or Raoul? Or is boy chasing girl enough?

[Taso]

Free the Free Dance!

SERIOUSLY I don't even want to watch next season...I'll just d/l I&K and P&B and leave it at that...

[softlip]

Oh well to answer my own question the ISU communication states:

The Free Dances that do not adhere to these guidelines will be severely penalized.

How frightening.

From the proposed congress agenda (p 108, emphasis mine):

189. [Proposal of] ISU Council/Sports Directorate/Single & Pair Skating, Ice Dance and Synchronized Skating Technical Committees

Rule 353, subparagraphs 1.m) ii) and Rule 906, paragraph 8e) and 912, paragraph 9.e)
Change the deduction for costume and prop violations as follows:
- costume and prop violation – 3.0 per violation;

Rule 353, subparagraphs 1.n) ii)
Add the deduction for music violation and change the deduction for costume and prop violations as follows
- violation of music restrictions (Free Dance) – 3.0;
- costume and prop violation – 3.0;
- part of the costume/decoration fall on the ice – 1.0

Reason: to avoid to draw the public’s attraction more towards the costume than the performance, to stay within a proper sport character; the increase of deductions should reflect the severity of violation. Rules 906 and 912 of the SyS Special Regulatins to be adjusted accordingly. And to add to the Ice Dance Rule the deduction for violation of the Free Dance music requirements.

[Rob]

What do people really think "uplifting" means? It doesn't mean upbeat. My guess would be that it means don't get shot and die at the end of your Free Dance. Or possibly it means don't portray the holocaust at all.

Uplifting could mean any kind of program that shows the human spirit. It probably rules out portraying drug addicts skating to Requiem for a dream (no matter how hot the costume ) but a lot else could easily fit under uplifting.

I think its very wide open to intepretation. Ditto the silly understandable story thing, that's not even meaningful. I would hardly worry about these rules.

I am not sure it rules out drug addicts as long as they enter rehab by the end of the routine. I think don't die at the end of the routine is probably wise unless you want a deduction. -1 for a fall, -3 for a death, or a tragic ending. And moody voids are discouraged.

[BlueRidge]

From the proposed congress agenda (p 108, emphasis mine):

Thank you!

[Rob]

So, you could be drug addicts skating to You Fill Up My Senses as long as your story is easily understandable to the audience.

[cruisin]

So, you could be drug addicts skating to You Fill Up My Senses as long as your story is easily understandable to the audience.

Only if the addicts have not deteriorated to barely alive yet. Or, maybe they could be experimenting with drugs but not yet addicts. Disclaimers galore

[Asli]

I have heard that some drugs can be extremely uplifting while their effect lasts.

[Asli]

Personally I don't have a problem with smacking down the bullshit idea that "angsty" is somehow creative or voidy or art in and of itself anyway.

The part of the new rule that affects creativity is the part about dances being "easily understandable", not the part about the mood.

[BlueRidge]

The part of the new rule that affects creativity is the part about dances being "easily understandable", not the part about the mood.

I think that rule is hilarious. Let's see them implement that.

[beepbeep]

I think I'm better with pretending that this is not happening. First compulsories, now this?!

Next thing you know, there will subtitles on the big screen of competitions telling what that part of the dance represents: "Now she tells him she wants to kill him because he's got a man clevage"
Rule of the lowest common denominator... why give people a chance to think for themselves?

What happens to simply "skating to the music"? One could do a beautiful program just on this...

[tarotx]

I think tbtb don't want theater. They want "dance" and not performance art. They want even the most novice of audience to come into an event and understand it. They want the dance to speak for itself.

And imo they want the skaters music to leave the audience in a good place with their demand of uplifting music.

It's definitely going to be a train wreak this first season.

[ostile17]

ISU want DOI ratings!

[kwanfan1818]

and the results will be announced after 5 weeks.

Think of all the and and and and that could happen in that time. The follow-up politik would be just as long as the lead-up politik.

And imo they want the skaters music to leave the audience in a good place with their demand of uplifting music.

I will not be left in a good place if all of the music is perky and in a major key.

[Asli]

I think tbtb don't want theater. They want "dance" and not performance art. They want even the most novice of audience to come into an event and understand it. They want the dance to speak for itself.

Most of dance is theatrical - and has been from the origins. Ballroom dancing is a small subset of dance, and the fans of ballroom dancing form a small subset of the fans of dance. So I don't understand why the ISU would not want ice dance to be more like performance art. To eliminate part of the fans?

I understand your point about wishing that the most novice of the audiences would understand the performances. However, a performance can be enjoyed at many different levels. It is not necessary to understand the story to enjoy a dance.

For instance, I have only just learned in this thread that Crone/Poirier's free dance's theme was Orfeo and Euridice. But even without knowing the theme, I simply loved this free dance. Beautiful and very detailed choreography! If I watch it now, knowing what they were trying to say, I will surely notice what some of the moves actually meant. And that's another level of pleasure. Maybe some people had already understood what the theme was. Good for them, and good for C/P! Why should anyone wish there weren't a theme, just because some (or even most) people cannot understand it?

[kwanfan1818]

For instance, I have only just learned in this thread that Crone/Poirier's free dance's theme was Orfeo and Euridice. But even without knowing the theme, I simply loved this free dance. Beautiful and very detailed choreography! If I watch it now, knowing what they were trying to say, I will surely notice what some of the moves actually meant. And that's another level of pleasure. Maybe some people had already understood what the theme was. Good for them, and good for C/P! Why should anyone wish there weren't a theme, just because some (or even most) people cannot understand it?

libretti for all programs! I'm always amused by choreographers' descriptions of their own depth and importance in ballet and modern dance.

[casken]

ITA with what Asli said about C&P's FD.

I had no clue that there was even concept or story to that FD, but I loved it anyway becuase of the detailed choreography and fluid movement.

Learning about the concept now adds an extract layer of interest to the dance, but the program really doesn't really lose anything without the concept being obvious.

As long as the skating and movement makes sense with the music and is interesting, I don't need to have an idea/story/concept be that readily understandable.

i.e. I still don't know if Blanc and Bouquet's FD this year had a concept, but I still thought it was great. My interpretation based on the music and costumes was that it was an abstract representation of society's current obsession with celebrity. I'm probably totally wrong though.

[plushenkofan]

What drugs are the ISU snorting because they're putting WAY too many restrictions on ice dancing plus they've abolished CDs (at the junior and senior levels at least), which are very important to ice dancing.

[dinakt]

Well that's the end of using opera music, if "uplifting" is to be taken literally. No Carmen, no Traviata, no Samson and Delilah, no Tosca. There is nothing uplifting about being stabbed, dying from tuberculosis or jumping from windows. Yupee.
No druggies, no voidy clocks that indicate we all die... no 9/11 programs, no Romeo and Juliettes, no giant crosses on the chests, mea culpa, mea culpa...
...depressed now.

[taz'smum]

Now there are all these restrictions on the Free Dance, the name 'Free' no longer applies! It should be renamed the 'Long Program', as it is anything but a 'Free' choice now!