Bolero doesn't match anyone really - or at least doesn't match a majority of the field.
What's so good about Trovill and Dean and Carolina's Boleros was that they were old enough to pull off interesting choreography and a calm quiet confidence. Bolero works best when it's done as a march. In that sense it's just better for ice dance. But as Carolina did, you can pull it off in singles - you just really have to know what you're doing.
But I feel that most choreographers don't have a clue what they're doing with it. It builds - but they don't let the choreography build. It has repetitions of the same phrases over and over - but they don't do anything with that opportunity to create parallels in the program. It is powerful and sharp, but the movements are often repeated from softer programs or too flaily and imprecise to match.
The first point in particular is one of the huge reasons I hate it in singles - it's THE perfect piece to do a Zagitova-style backloaded program. Start with a step sequence or spin. Maybe a choreographic movement. Maybe put the easy jumping passes in there - then reflect that in the second half. Open the first with a 3Lz? Mirror that bigger and better with a 3Lz-3T in the second half on the same phrasing. Start with a choreo sequence? Finish with a great, strong step sequence that takes bits from the choreo sequence and makes them bigger.
Unfortunately that requires insane athleticism and as such it won't happen. I think another option to make Bolero fresh would be to use a remix of it instead of the same old standard interpretation. For instance, the
Legion SciFi bolero could make for a really interesting program choreographically. Start standard and take it somewhere new - but perhaps it's better suited to Synchro or dance than ladies.
after reading her hashtags!
