It ain't got thing if it ain't got that SWING: Bring the Swing back in Ice Dancing!

[SwingDancer]

In 2004 the Original Dance (remember that kids) was the Swing, Jive combination and it was a joy to watch. Every team had zoot suits, twirly skirts, and big smiles, the music was fun, different, and fast paced. Every team had a great program, and and the best part was that they were all different. There was not a boring program in the bunch, and what was better was that I actually stayed to watch all of the teams and through that I discovered the Kerrs who I still enjoy watching to this day.

My question is, Why isn't there more Swing and Jive in ice dancing, why most we always go back to the same lating rhytham, and waltz type dances, what was worse was the folk. Swing dancing shows off partner cohession, unison and lift skill, plus the ability of the dancer to keep up with the fast pace tempo of the music and program.

I would like to start a campaign let us put the SWING back in ice dancing!!!!

[barbk]

Yes, it feels like the Golden Waltz is in the rotation far too often. Swing would be fun.

[clarie]

Anything is better than walzes at this point. Swing/jive is fun to watch. It sure would be a nice change...

[zilam98]

jive is so difficult as well. it would separate the wheat from the chaff

[Jot the Dot Dot]

Does Krylova & Ovsiannikov's Jive program, or Krylova & Federov's Cha-Cha count? I liked those.

[whiteskates]

I'd like to see actual dancing back in ice dance, both in the short and free dance. I'm fed up with the dramatic theatre style free dances and want to see jive, jitterbug, foxtrot, quickstep, waltz, the latin dances etc etc. Like in the floor dance competitions. Old and conservative? Maybe, but that's what I'd like to see.

[Conga]

I'd like to see actual dancing back in ice dance, both in the short and free dance. I'm fed up with the dramatic theatre style free dances and want to see jive, jitterbug, foxtrot, quickstep, waltz, the latin dances etc etc. Like in the floor dance competitions. Old and conservative? Maybe, but that's what I'd like to see.

IMO dance includes a lot more than the floor dances in ballroom and I like to see the variety. Let the SD provide the ballroom with its compulsory component and, yes, let's go through all the rhythms. BUT, let's continue to see some creativity in the FD. I, for one, do not like to see a constant rehashing of anything. That can be very boring and growth stultifying.

[loulou]

Wasn't jive the rhythm Fusar Poli like best?
Oh well, I don't know much about ice dancing, maybe I'm wrong.

I know I love it though. I don't mind the waltz (I'm a long time Strauss/Vienna/german-culture fan), but jive is so fun.

[Cheylana]

Totally agree! I took swing dance lessons once upon a time... I wasn't particularly good at it, but it was fun to do, and it would be very fun to watch more of it!

[smartblade]

How they ISU used the golden waltz for sr. and viennese waltz for jr. pattern dance with the other traditional ballroom rhythms of tango, quickstep, and foxtrot. They can always somehow incorporate, the midnight blue for sr. and blues for jr. pattern dance with other rhythms of lets say the 40,'s 50,s and 60's such as swing, jive, and lindy hop for a SD or use rhumba, samba or cha cha pattern dances and incorporate it into a latin combo themed SD.

[neptune]

I would like to start a campaign let us put the SWING back in ice dancing!!!!

But let's not stop there! Next we can start a movement to bring back the BLING in ice dancing!!!

[danceronice]

How about a cha cha and samba that actually vaguely resemble their counterparts in terms of tempo and style? It's impossible to listen to the Silver Samba music without thinking "Wow, Blackpool circa 1955!" (Most of the CD/test music sounds laughably dated compared to, well, almost anywhere that isn'st Blackpool, which will leave the musical dark ages when you pry the sheet music from their director's cold, dead hands...)

I realize, it's hard--cha cha, rhumba, and jive are not naturally dances that travel (kind of inherent in skating) and samba action is difficult to replicate wearing a skate boot and traveling forward at speed. The Standard dances are more travel-friendly, but please, something peppy. Something fun.