The infamous "hooker on crack" program

[all_empty]

It's been the stuff of legends and up until now there's only been a grainy version from Trophee Lalique on YouTube.

But cantahalfloop uploaded three versions of Laetitia Hubert's "hooker on crack" program from each of her Grand Prix performances (she was seeded in 1998/99).

Skate Canada: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avdiE1QJiFw (watch with the close captioning for extra enjoyment)

Trophee Lalique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52Xzp-7ibrY (the ending is painful)

Cup of Russia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVyADS-p4I4 (Amber Corwin enjoyed it)

I have to say Canada was my favorite, with the unfortunate fall, the jittery street walk, the hideous layfront spin and the crotch shot.

I actually liked her 1998 programs, and all the jazzy stuff she's done. It's a shame, but I can't figure why she would put out a program like this, especially with so much prize money at stake.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

What pairs team was it that did a domestic abuse program?

[all_empty]

Schwarz and Muller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoevkgvJPZw

He is my all-time favorite male skater. Great posture and back.

[walei]

I'm at work but I'm going to a meeting room to view them right now!

[aftershocks]

Schwarz and Muller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoevkgvJPZw

He is my all-time favorite male skater. Great posture and back.

Those German pairs ... such innovators! That's a very dynamic and powerful program skated with verve, emotion and tension, but the theme is difficult to portray effectively throughout a competitive program. The mood was well-depicted in the opening and they remained in character throughout, but the actual concept did not get that well incorporated into the choreography except for the opening and closing bits of sturm und drang.

Maybe it might have worked more effectively for an ice dance couple?

[briancoogaert]

Schwarz and Muller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoevkgvJPZw

He is my all-time favorite male skater. Great posture and back.

I loved them (especially him) and this program. Even if their 1998 LP and 2000 LP are still my favorite, and two of my all time favorite !

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Those German pairs ... such innovators! That's a very dynamic and powerful program skated with verve, emotion and tension, but the theme is difficult to portray effectively throughout a competitive program. The mood was well-depicted in the opening and they remained in character throughout, but the actual concept did not get that well incorporated into the choreography except for the opening and closing bits of sturm und drang.

Maybe it might have worked more effectively for an ice dance couple?

I agree.

It was a brave choice, and I like it when skaters try to push the artistic boundaries, even if it delves into difficult subject matter.

However, I'm not sure a pairs routine or at least this pairs routine was really that successful. There were too many "ta da" pairs moves in-between the opening and ending of the choreography that detracted from the theme.

[gkelly]

Maybe it might have worked more effectively for an ice dance couple?

Something like this?

I don't know if there was supposed to be an overarching theme to that free dance or what it was supposed to be.

[Vagabond]

It's been the stuff of legends and up until now there's only been a grainy version from Trophee Lalique on YouTube.

But cantahalfloop uploaded three versions of Laetitia Hubert's "hooker on crack" program from each of her Grand Prix performances (she was seeded in 1998/99).

Skate Canada: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avdiE1QJiFw (watch with the close captioning for extra enjoyment)

Trophee Lalique: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52Xzp-7ibrY (the ending is painful)

Cup of Russia: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVyADS-p4I4 (Amber Corwin enjoyed it)

I have to say Canada was my favorite, with the unfortunate fall, the jittery street walk, the hideous layfront spin and the crotch shot.

I actually liked her 1998 programs, and all the jazzy stuff she's done. It's a shame, but I can't figure why she would put out a program like this, especially with so much prize money at stake.

It's smack, surely, not crack. Note the beginning and ending choreography.

One thing that always gets me about these videos is how the commentators never refer to the theme of Hubert's program. Were they completely oblivious to it, or were they under instructions to ignore it?

[IceIceBaby]

I have never heard of this! Why did she want to portrait a hooker doing drugs? Was it a big scandal back then? I can't imagine anyone skating to such theme nowadays.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

I have never heard of this! Why did she want to portrait a hooker doing drugs? Was it a big scandal back then? I can't imagine anyone skating to such theme nowadays.

It may have been a bigger scandal had she been more successful in landing her jumps with it and placing higher or if she had competed at Worlds and Euros.

[leafygreens]

I'm at work but I'm going to a meeting room to view them right now!

Priorities...

[Cherub721]

It's smack, surely, not crack. Note the beginning and ending choreography.

One thing that always gets me about these videos is how the commentators never refer to the theme of Hubert's program. Were they completely oblivious to it, or were they under instructions to ignore it?

In a similar vein, how did she list it on her ISU bio? Did she give any interviews explaining what the program's theme was?

[Clay]

In a similar vein, how did she list it on her ISU bio? Did she give any interviews explaining what the program's theme was?

I've never officially heard of the theme of this program from the Hubert camp. Just that the French Fed didn't care for the program. She returned to the "Dead can Dance" program at French Nationals. She had a new program (Indochine) for Worlds, but withdrew.

So...it seems no one knows the music unless they had a Media BIO sheet from Skate Canada 1998. That would be the one thing I would ask about, but I guess no one asked since she never medaled that fall. On the other hand, maybe that's part of the mystery of this legendary program.

Watching all three versions at once is like watching a Groundhog Day. Her efforts were similar in each outing and the commentators had the same depressing tone each time.

[Vagabond]

Actually, Laetitia Hubert says what it is on her own website: "musique de M. Bretomeu," 'music of Mr. Bretomeu." http://laetitia.hubert.free.fr/fr/index.htm

After a little research, I strongly suspect that the "M. Bretomeu" in question is Thierry Bertomeu (note the different spelling), a musician, composer, and sound engineer who has worked in such modes as New Wave and hip hop and who has worked with Brian Eno, Cesario Evora, and Serge Gainsbourg, among others. Some of the pieces on his myspace page sound like the music in Hubert's program.

I assume that Hubert worked with her coach and choreographer to develop the concept and that it wasn't explicitly the subject of Bertomeu's music, but maybe it was. Or maybe "M. Bretomeu" wrote it expressly for the program. I would love it if someone (*cough* manleywoman or cholla *cough*) interviewed her about this program.

And now I see that cholla was going to interview her: http://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/show...ideo-interview

[AndyWarhol]

I wish more people who skate to Requiem would do a more accurate interpretation of the film.

[aftershocks]

Something like this?

I don't know if there was supposed to be an overarching theme to that free dance or what it was supposed to be.

Looks like a love story gone bad, skated to the blues. Perhaps they were playing out the break-up that was happening in their marriage too.

[Loves_Shizuka]

I can't imagine anyone skating to such theme nowadays.

I can totally see Ashley Wagner attempting such a theme next season; especially as it's Olympic year. She's clearly saving her best for Sochi.

[casken]

Didn't Hubert explain that on her way to train at her rink everyday, she would see women living on the streets as prostitutes, and she wanted to use the program to draw attention to that issue? Or am I just making that up?

After some googling I found this quote from http://www.iceskatingintnl.com/archive/results_sk8can/sk8ca98l.htm

Another bizarre performance was turned in by Laetitia Hubert. She managed only two triples and managed to skate into the wall on her opening footwork. Her expression, however, perfectly matched her music. It was ugly music skated with ugly choreography with ugly hair and ugly makeup in an ugly costume. Her routine is about a drug addicted prostitute who dies.

Besides the obvious fact that person who wrote that clearly had no taste, it shows that the concept was known at the time the program debuted at Skate Canada. I could swear I remember hearing that she released a statement/explanation about the program there to the media at the time too, but it was so long ago.

[TheIronLady]

The French skaters have sometimes portrayed characters without having enough concrete feeling for the role. The movements of Laetitia as prostitute are all abstract. Comedy and camp can result from this sort of theatricality.