Essential Ice Dance

[Spun Silver]

Would anyone care to list and if possible link some of your favorite ice dance programs of all time? Please name them as well as list them for ease of reference.

There was a thread like this not long ago (like this past winter). IIRC it was on a more specific ice dance topic and morphed into a greatest hits thread. I wanted to make use of it during the off season but have not been able to track it down. If you know the thread I'm talking about, feel free to link it.

Thank you!

 

[VGThuy]

I'm gonna have to work on my list.

 

[Sylvia]

Courtesy of @gk_891:

If you want somewhere to start, I heavily recommend the following:

Torvill & Dean 1982 Blues OSP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmztHpSIT4E

Torvill & Dean 1982 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNJQXCQt7Ek

Torvill & Dean 1983 Rock'n'Roll OSP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEHsR679g1M

Torvill & Dean 1994 Rhumba OD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ethD-Kw48E

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1986 Polka OSP (really turn up the volume for this one)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58eMfC5WM0o

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1986 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5O85swOkgj8

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1987 Viennese Waltz OSP (it became the golden waltz CD)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7BN7KU8bmQ

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1987 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKE-c5-m2Ts

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1989 Charleston OSP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXspcION4m0

Grishuk & Platov 1992 FD (this one has the legendary Christopher Dean commentating)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRlNzp_V35A

Grishuk & Platov 1993 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiHi7-jjWKo

Grishuk & Platov 1995 Quickstep OD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE_9XOe72B0

Grishuk & Platov 1997 Tango OD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pFeVnhwkSU

Grishuk & Platov 1997 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMsoZSXp2-4

Grishuk & Platov 1998 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Th0zMycdYeo

Some more for you:

Anissina & Peizerat 1998 Jive OD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLHEBOrl7MI

Anissina & Peizerat 1998 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSxXABXBpJM

Anissina & Peizerat 2000 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fm18VlVQR2g

Anissina & Peizerat 2001 Europeans FD (this was brilliant until the fall towards the end)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frjDqRGQO3A

Anissina & Peizerat 2002 Spanish Medley OD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT968f7Q4oA

Denkova & Staviski 2001 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDvthhQBHMs

Denkova & Staviski 2003 Memories of Grand Ballroom OD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoGjwmOnfCE

Denkova & Staviski 2006 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3l11Jx5Mdc

Delobel & Schoenfelder 2005 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ_6KeAHJ8I

Delobel & Schoenfelder 2006 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQ9_iU8_VXY

Delobel & Schoenfelder 2008 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKE5EFNNZlo

Some more interesting ice dance programs from years back:

Moiseeva & Minenkov (beautiful program in spite of the fall at the very end) 1978 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oPQ84AyhN0w

Linichuk & Karponosov 1980 Foxtrot OSP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vN6XQ0CbtU

Torvill & Dean 1981 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsOSQAJ7DTI

Blumberg & Seibert 1983 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4dKhA6M_EE

Blumberg & Seibert 1984 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcmLc_XSp7Y

Bestemianova & Bukin 1985 FD (I personally wasn't a big fan of this team but artistically this program was amazing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iju_RarH3rk

Duchesnay & Duchesnay 1991 Europeans FD (this is artistically one of the most fascinating programs I've ever seen)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qaqag3LTHM

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1991 FD (many either love or hate this free dance)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT6nx_ahnNU

Klimova & Ponomarenko 1992 FD (their legendary program to Bach that won them the Olympic gold)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4LnD0laELk

 

[gk_891]

Courtesy of @gk_891:

Was going to post these again but thank you for doing that for me!

I should also add:

Klimova & Ponomarenko - 1988 FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acXA79rFf8c

Klimova & Ponomarenko - 1990 OSP (Samba)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz_l3PkGl78

Grishuk & Platov - 1991 OD (Blues)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zm21kQp1ME

 

[Spun Silver]

Yay, @Sylvia and @gk_891!! Thank you so much!

 

[VGThuy]

I also like add Anissina/Peizerat's waltz from 1999 Worlds:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMgEOtiy7Fw

 

[gk_891]

I can't remember the reasons why I didn't mention T&D's programs from 1984 in my prevoius post but here they are anyways since they should definitely be mentioned.

OSP (Paso Doble)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsHt7DRxpxA

FD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2zbbN4OL98

 

[Spun Silver]

I am just going to go through these in order. So far three T/D programs have me wondering where the }#{*^*+%%] I've been all these years!! Unbelievable!

 

[gk_891]

I am just going to go through these in order. So far three T/D programs have me wondering why the }#{*^*+%%] I've been all these years!! Unbelievable!

They are incredible aren't they. Their skating from 82-84 left me in awe.

Which 3 did you like?

 

[VGThuy]

I am just going to go through these in order. So far three T/D programs have me wondering why the }#{*^*+%%] I've been all these years!! Unbelievable!

I didn't fully appreciate T/D until I saw their non-1984 programs and I was like...omg. I was the same way with K/P until I watched programs other than their 1992 Bach FD.

 

[Spun Silver]

They are incredible aren't they. Their skating from 82-84 left me in awe.

1994 isnt too shabby either! My gosh, their style, their character, their musicality, their technique! I love how sharp and different every program is!

Have the Shibs worked with Dean?

 

[VGThuy]

1994 isnt too shabby either! My gosh, their style, their character, their musicality, their technique! I love how sharp and different every program is!

Have the Shibs worked with Dean?

No, but Chock/Bates are. He worked on their "Under Pressure FD" and did their "Sun Screen" exhibition.

 

[Spun Silver]

No, but Chock/Bates are. He worked on their "Under Pressure FD" and did their "Sun Screen" exhibition.

I knew he did Under Pressure and Sun Screen for the competition. I wonder if his qualities -- both physical and imaginative - could give the Shibs something new. What do you think?

 

[gk_891]

1994 isnt too shabby either! My gosh, their style, their character, their musicality, their technique! I love how sharp and different every program is!

Have the Shibs worked with Dean?

Very true. Every step and handhold expressed the character of the music perfectly. They were unreal in so many ways.

 

[gk_891]

I am just going to go through these in order. So far three T/D programs have me wondering why the }#{*^*+%%] I've been all these years!! Unbelievable!

I hope you like some of the programs skated by K&P, G&P, A&P, and D&S (both the Bulgarian D&S and French D&S)

 

[VGThuy]

I knew he did Under Pressure and Sun Screen for the competition. I wonder if his qualities -- both physical and imaginative - could give the Shibs something new. What do you think?

He could definitely come up with something creative for them, more so than Marina.

 

[Spun Silver]

Which 3 did you like?

I'm just going in order, so the first three, Summertime blues, whatever music the incredibly witty, fast gold one was, and the Rhumba. My jaw would be on the floor except that I am smiling through the whole programs. They are the champagne of ice dance!

 

[Spun Silver]

I hope you like some of the programs skated by K&P, G&P, A&P, and D&S (both the Bulgarian D&S and French D&S)

I already love K/P and French D/S. i have to admit I have a bit of a prejudice against Bulgarian D/S because of the aborigine dance. Nonetheless I will watch and rewatch everything here and hopefully learn more about the discipline as well as the skaters.

 

[gk_891]

Speaking of Chris Dean, I could've sworn I once read an interview years back where the interviewer asked him why he had never choreographed any programs for Russian teams (at that time) and he said that no Russian teams had ever asked him to. Except for one (Grishuk & Platov). If I am indeed remembering that correctly, I wonder what year that was. I wonder if it was the year that G&P left Linichuk and trained on their own for a while before Tarasova took them under her tow.

 

[VGThuy]

I'm just going in order, so the first three, Summertime blues, whatever music the incredibly witty, fast gold one was, and the Rhumba. My jaw would be on the floor except that I am smiling through the whole programs. They are the champagne of ice dance!

To add to gk_891's essential list:

Here are the Duchesnays (programs choreographed by Chris Dean):

1988 Olympic FD "Tribal Rites

1990 Missing

They really had a passion and rawness out there that hasn't been matched.

I already love K/P and French D/S. i have to admit I have a bit of a prejudice against Bulgarian D/S because of the aborigine dance. Nonetheless I will watch and rewatch everything here and hopefully learn more about the discipline as well as the skaters.

Did Bulgarian D/S do an aborigine dance? I know Domnina/Shabalin did, but not Denkova/Stavisky.

 

[gk_891]

I'm just going in order, so the first three, Summertime blues, whatever music the incredibly witty, fast gold one was, and the Rhumba. My jaw would be on the floor except that I am smiling through the whole programs. They are the champagne of ice dance!

The program with the gold costumes was Mack and Mabel. So different from Bolero yet equally as awe-inspiring.

 

[gk_891]

To add to gk_891's essential list:

Here are the Duchesnays (programs choreographed by Chris Dean):

1988 Olympic FD "Tribal Rites

1990 Missing

They really had a passion and rawness out there that hasn't been matched.

I've been highly critical of this team for many years for a variety of reasons but I do agree that they brought a rawness to ice dance that was amazing. That lift at the end of Missing was spine-tingling.

 

[VGThuy]

I've been highly critical of this team for many years for a variety of reasons but I do agree that they brought a rawness to ice dance that was amazing. That lift at the end of Missing was spine-tingling.

IMO, they were not close to K/P but I cannot deny what the Duchesnays' strengths were and they really did usher in something totally new and unseen in this sport. When they were "on" there was nobody like them and they were extremely compelling to watch.

 

[Spun Silver]

Did Bulgarian D/S do an aborigine dance? I know Domnina/Shabalin did, but not Denkova/Stavisky.

OH, sorry. Of course you are right. The D/S confusion got to me. Pardon me, Bulgarians!

 

[Spun Silver]

The program with the gold costumes was Mack and Mabel. So different from Bolero yet equally as awe-inspiring.

Thanks. I agree!! Their mastery of such different styles (and their brilliant choreography) really stands out. Forgot to mention the rock and roll program. I liked that one but didnt find it as amazing as the other three.

 

[VGThuy]

This will probably the last one I'll add tonight, but I have to include what I think is the best Carmen program of all time:

Bestemianova/Bukin 1985 Euro FD

I'm not a fan of this team and I found most of their other work to be tedious to watch, especially their 1988 FD, but I loved this program and I think it matched their super aggressive and powerful style. I think they were almost like the prototype for Tarasova's Grishuk/Platov programs where she tried to emphasize and highlight the power and aggression of their skating.

 

[Spun Silver]

He could definitely come up with something creative for them, more so than Marina.

I would also love to see them skating so close together with that unison (has it ever been matched?) -- play up the sibling thing instead of thinking of it as a problem. Not that they do but some seem to and most of their choreographers havent capitalized on the twinny possibilities.

 

[gk_891]

IMO, they were not close to K/P but I cannot deny what the Duchesnays' strengths were and they really did usher in something totally new and unseen in this sport. When they were "on" there was nobody like them and they were extremely compelling to watch.

For sure. They also pushed K&P to change their style as well (even though it was in a direction that I personally didn't care for).

Another really good original dance is Rahkamo & Kokko's OD from 1995. It became the Finnstep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m0xMDwr9HU

 

[gk_891]

I already love K/P and French D/S. i have to admit I have a bit of a prejudice against Bulgarian D/S because of the aborigine dance. Nonetheless I will watch and rewatch everything here and hopefully learn more about the discipline as well as the skaters.

I hope you'll let everyone know what your thoughts are on all of these classic programs.

 

[VGThuy]

I would also love to see them skating so close together with that unison (has it ever been matched?) -- play up the sibling thing instead of thinking of it as a problem. Not that they do but some seem to and most of their choreographers havent capitalized on the twinny possibilities.

I'd argue Klimova/Ponomarenko's earlier stuff had some of the best unison I've seen...at least unison plus intricacy. I think the most Deanish program the Shibs have done is probably their Peter Tchernyshev-choreographed "O" exhibition. I wished their "Evolution" was a bit more "twinny" actually.