Ice Dancing to the Rhythm

[MsZem]

Hmmmm... How about a Bollywood category? Or an all-encompassing "world/folk dance" category?

That's not a rhythm.

But if there's a folk category, I demand an honorable mention for John Kerr's kilt.

 

[Karen-W]

That's not a rhythm.

But if there's a folk category, I demand an honorable mention for John Kerr's kilt.

Well, neither are Middle Eastern or Elvis...

John Kerr's kilt ALWAYS is worth a mention!

 

[gk_891]

Folk dance

Klimova & Ponomarenko - 1987 Worlds FD (the music is Hungarian Rhapsody so I guess this would count as a Hungarian folk dance?)

Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko at Sinsinatti 1987 free dance

Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko performin their free dance program at Sinsinatti World figure skating championship at 1987. This performance gave them...

www.youtube.com

Grishuk & Platov - 1991 Worlds FD (Italian folk dance)

Gritshuk and Platov 1991

Early Oksana Gritshuk and Evgeni Platov. Free dance / 4th place at World figure skating in Munich 1991

www.youtube.com

I apologize for not including more recent stuff. I have to admit that I started tuning out of ice dance in more recent years.

Bollywood

The only one I know of is Davis & White from 2010.

2010 OG Davis White OD USA NBC

www.youtube.com

 

[gk_891]

Waltz Combination aka Grand Ball (waltz + foxtrot, march, or polka)

Klimova & Ponomarenko - 1986 Worlds FD

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Denkova & Staviski - 2003 Worlds OD

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Latin Combo (Meringue, Cha Cha, Samba, Mambo, Rhumba, etc. rhythms)

Klimova & Ponomarenko - 1985 Worlds FD

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Spanish Combination (Tango, Flamenco, Paso Doble)

Anissina & Peizerat - 2002 Olympics OD

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

ETA - Virtue & Moir - 2010 Olympic OD (forgot about this one)

[HD]Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir OD 2010 Vancouver Olympics (Farrucas by Pepe Romero )

Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir 2010 Vancouver Olympics Original Dance (Ice Dance Champion)Music: Farrucas by Pepe RomeroTotal Score68.41Executed Elements32.90Fact...

www.youtube.com

 

[VGThuy]

That's not a rhythm.

But if there's a folk category, I demand an honorable mention for John Kerr's kilt.

Well, neither are Middle Eastern or Elvis...

John Kerr's kilt ALWAYS is worth a mention!

Feel free to make up any categories you want, this thread is all about fun! I chose to stick to prescribes rhythms of the past because honestly, it was much easier to minimize the pool for each category that way and I love the way the OSP, ODs, SDs, and RDs were trying to compare "like" programs from one another even though the ODs started to become broader and broader to the point where some SDs and RDs categories were just slightly less "free" free dances.

I'm so glad to see all the submissions. I've loved all the dances posted!

With that in mind, I'm going to travel to Spain for a sec and provide my own rankings.

Right now...

TANGO!

Tango

1. Oksana Grishuk/Evgeny Platov's 1997 European OD to "Libertango": The perfect tango and a refresh in look and style that they sorely needed. I'm convinced this season put them near legendary status and cemented their unshakeable placement at the top even though their skills in of themselves should have been enough to do that considering the competition.

2. Sophie Moniotte/Pascal Lavanchy's 1997 European "Tango" OD to "Adios Nonino": A part of me prefers this Tango to G/P!

I just love everything about this dance and they have the snap and quickness of movement I find most teams are missing when they attempt a tango.

3. Marika Humphreys & Philip Askew's 1997 Worlds "Tango" OD: I probably wouldn't have watched this team if not for Youtuber Sk8FraSch's comment that they had a top 3 tango that season and honestly, despite their 16th or whatever finish at Worlds, they really do. I'm so happy I saw this. All my top tangos came from this season and this team had one of the best characterizations of the tango despite their low ranking.

 

[VGThuy]

Put on your cape and get ready for take the bull by the horns because it's time for the...

PASO DOBLE

1. Jayne Torvill/Christopher Dean's 1984 "Paso Doble" OSP: A classic and standard Paso Doble. This is the manifestation of the matador/cape theme ever on the ice that created the trend for every ice dancer who has done a "cape" theme for their dances. Just as responsible for their legendary 1984 Olympic experience as their "Bolero" FD with the skating world, IMO. Between their CDs, this OSP, and "Bolero" this team was probably the most undeniable ice dance team going into any Olympics ever.

2. Anjelika Krylova/Oleg Oviasnnikov's 1996 Worlds "Paso Doble" OD set to "Espana Cani" - This and their 1995-96 FD are the only times I felt they had better choreography than Grishuk/Platov. No wonder Oksana and Evgeny jumped ship after this season. I'm not their biggest fan (I may even prefer Anjelika with Federov!) but this dance is them at their best and makes it easy to see why people were huge on them.

3. Elena Ilinykh/Ruslan Zhignanshina's 2015 Europeans "Paso Doble" SD to "Carmen" - This is mostly about Elena Ilinykh for me, she's incredible. Ruslan though is no slouch and kept up with her energy the best he's ever done in this dance. I believe this was THE SD of that season.

Hon. Mention:

Despite people complaining about the lack of content compared to their past work and how it seemed they were kind of copying choreo from their previous routines, I have a soft spot for Grishuk/Platov's 1996 Worlds "Paso Doble" OD to "Espana Cani" as well.

I think the reason why the above works at all is because of the sheer talent, skill, drive, and hard work of Oksana and Evgeny.

Bonus:
I only found one video of any of the 1977-78 Paso Doble OSPs, and this one from Janet Thompson/Warren Maxwell was pretty great that I wanted to share it:

I wish I was able to see more OSPs that season, especially from the top teams.

 

[VGThuy]

Now it's time to stomp your feet, clap your hands, and declare your space!

FLAMENCO

1. Tessa Virtue/Scott Moir 2010 Olympics OD to "Farrucas": I'm gonna tell you all the truth, when this OD debuted earlier that season, I did not like it at all. I thought they lacked character and that Tessa over-used the skirt to the point where it became a novelty or a prop. Then they edited it and gelled with the program and now I in love with it. Does it have the most "flamenco flavor" of the flamencos I've seen? I don't know, but the sheer skill, difficulty, and energy behind his performance has made this my most watched one.

2. Nathalie Pechalat & Fabian Bourzat's 2008 Worlds "Spanish Flamenco" OD to "Le Gitare al viento"/"Imagen del recuerdo"/"Bianca de Plata". Probably the most authentic character in a straight up flamenco I've seen with Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat - they're in the Spanish Combo category. Everything is perfect from the posture to the fingertips, and the fan, an actual prop, was used in a way that felt necessary and not superfluous whatsoever. Nearly no. 1, but V/M's Olympic performance put that one over the top for me.

3. Sara Hurtado/Kirill Khaliavin's "Flamenco" FD to "Orobroy" and "Puerta del Sol" - I couldn't find the 11th place 2021 Worlds FD performance but from what I saw, I appreciated Hurtado/Khaliavin and Najarro's attempt to do a stripped down flamenco to showcase the dance itself without all the frills and at-times distracting bells and whistles.

This probably should have been their 2021-2022 FD.

NEXT UP: The Spanish Combo (Flamenco, Paso Doble, Tango, Spanish Waltz)

 

[VGThuy]

1. Marina Anissina/Gwendal Peizerat's 2002 Olympics "Flamenco"/"Spanish Tango"/"Flamenco" OD to "Malagua" & "Tango de Guell". Sheer perfection. Nothing more needs to be said. This is what a top-tier team looks like when they push themselves to work with authentic dancers and really sink their teeth into the dance while still maintaining all the proper fundamentals of ice dance and highlighting their personal strengths. What we have here is simply a masterpiece.

2. Madison Hubbell/Zach Donohue's 2015 Worlds "Flamenco" and "Paso Doble" SD to "Fiesta Flamenca" and "Espana Cani". This is one of my favorite SDs that season and it was a shame that Zach biffed the second set of twizzles as I believed they could have ranked higher with this.

3. Irina Lobacheva/Ilia Averbukh's 2002 Spanish OD to "Tanguera" and "Bulerias Magna Mafa". The only time where I felt they were worthy of being contenders against Anissina/Peizerat. This is probably their best work...by far. As always, I appreciate the energy and the humor they bring into this dance.

BONUS:

This dance below doesn't count for the Spanish Combo category because it's to the Frida soundtrack, so it's Mexican guitars. Also, this FD is more of an interpretative dance with some of the above genres included (music wise and dance wise) but I need to share this dance.

Isabelle Delobel/Oliver Schoenfelder's 2005 FD to Frida: The best FD that season and definitely the best FD performance at Worlds. Placed third in the FD at Worlds and 4th overall, but I would have placed this first in the FD no question and probably would have had them medal. One of the few teams that Worlds that didn't seem like they were with sluggishly moving through the new stringent IJS requirements or were messing up on those elements. This dance looked so easy for them but it was actually one of the more difficult dances in the field.

NEXT and FINAL Rankings: The "FOLK" Dance...whatever that means.

 

[VGThuy]

Last but not least...

Folk (not already represented above)

1. [tied] Meryl Davis/Charlie White's 2010 "Indian Folk" Original Dance to "Kajra Re"/""Silsila Ye Chahat Ka"/"Dola Re Dola": When your dance goes viral among the citizens of the country that you're representing, and for the right reasons, you know you got the dance and culture down. This is still one of the best examples of doing folk from another culture and paying homage and respect to it by doing the work and research to do it well. It also helps that you have the kills Meryl and Charlie have to pull it off with high energy and performance ability.

1. [tied] Sinead Kerr/John Kerr's 2008 "Scottish Folk" OD to "Erin Shore"/"Auld Lang Syne" by Robbie Burns. When the ISU announced the folk theme for the OD, I believe this is exactly what they wanted and what they intended to be repeated for the Olympics two seasons later, but well.... John Kerr proves that it's time we let men wear skirts/kilts. This is THE folk dance of all folk dances.

3. [tied] Zoe Blanc/Pierre-Loup Bouquet 2010 OD to "Medieval Breton" dance set to "La Jument de Michao" by Tri Yann: It says a lot that I have NEVER forgotten this dance. I wish more teams took after them, especially the top ones.

3. [tied] Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani 2010 "Japanese Folk" OD to "Itsuka Mata" and "Ao-ki Kaze". Love their take on Japanese drum. Non-stop percussion and potential galore.

Hon. Mention:

Ekatertina Bobrova/Dmitri Soloviev 2010 Olympics "Russian Sailor Dance" set to "Yablochko" from The Red Poppy: "Gay Sailors" on ice...what more could you ask for?

Ice Dance Figure Skating Full Event - Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics

Full coverage of the ice dance classification in the figure skating event at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games.For more Vancouver 2010 videos go to htt...

youtu.be

Danielle O'Brien/Gregory Merriman's Australian Aboriginal OD: A respectful take on a dance from a culture that is not yours. Compare and contrast with...

 

[MsZem]

1. [tied] Sinead Kerr/John Kerr's 2008 "Scottish Folk" OD to "Erin Shore"/"Auld Lang Syne" by Robbie Burns. When the ISU announced the folk theme for the OD, I believe this is exactly what they wanted and what they intended to be repeated for the Olympics two seasons later, but well.... John Kerr proves that it's time we let men wear skirts/kilts. This is THE folk dance of all folk dances.

I believe John later said that not only was he told he could wear the kilt, it was suggested that he should wear a kilt. For which we are all grateful

Agree that this is the one folk dance to rule them all.

3. [tied] Zoe Blanc/Pierre-Loup Bouquet 2010 OD to "Medieval Breton" dance set to "La Jument de Michao" by Tri Yann: It says a lot that I have NEVER forgotten this dance. I wish more teams took after them, especially the top ones.

YESSSSSSS! I was at 2009 TEB and it was a delight, though sadly Zoe did not keep the headdress she wore there for the full season.

 

[gk_891]

For tango, I neglected to mention Punsulan & Swallow's excellent FD from 1998. I thought they should've been 3rd in Nagano behind G&P and A&P. And 2nd at Worlds behind A&P.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

 

[VGThuy]

For tango, I neglected to mention Punsulan & Swallow's excellent FD from 1998. I thought they should've been 3rd in Nagano behind G&P and A&P. And 2nd at Worlds behind A&P.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

I love this dance and I think this is probably Igor’s best work. Seeing this dance and even the Elvis FD from P/S and seeing a more recent Igor program can be used as some sort of barometer of how ice dance has evolved…whether for better or worse….

 

[sap5]

Fun thread @VGThuy! I need to work my way through all the videos, but starting just at the very top, my favorite version of the "My Sweet and Tender Beast" waltz is this junior version by Silverstein/Pekarek. It hit the nuances of the music better than anyone, imo, and is still something I show to people new to ice dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b16CLKRIWT4

 

[sap5]

For foxtrot/quickstep, another junior od, this time from Virtue/Moir. I use this to show that even juniors can have excellent skating skills: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEhD1dek_JQ

 

[VGThuy]

Fun thread @VGThuy! I need to work my way through all the videos, but starting just at the very top, my favorite version of the "My Sweet and Tender Beast" waltz is this junior version by Silverstein/Pekarek. It hit the nuances of the music better than anyone, imo, and is still something I show to people new to ice dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b16CLKRIWT4

That was my first time seeing that and I agree with you. I'm just of the way they really hit every nuance and accent of the music. Their choreography was so well-matched to the music, but Jamie's posture and carriage was perfect while Justin provides the right amount of support with his own great bodyline and attention to music. I always wondered if Silverstein/Pekarek should have had the career that Belbin/Agosto had (maybe even better!) if things were much better for Jamie on and off-the-ice. It's one of those things that make you wonder. Also, Igor's choreography was much better back then! Who was in charge of choreography at Canton at that time?

Another lost American ice dancer to me is Emily Samuelson. I really do believe she had what it took to be the most talented female ice dancer from the generation right after Tessa/Meryl had she been able to develop more. Moving to Igor really killed her career. Not going to blame anyone though. These things happen and Evan had to do what was best for him. But when I re-watch Samuelson and what she was just able to do with with her blades and her body and with her posture/line/carriage and flexibility, she really had it all. Imagine the basic skating skills and power of Madison Hubbell, but the freedom of movement and flexibility of Madison Chock with some of the line of Maia Shibutani. That was Emily Samuelson to me...at least during her and Evan's prime. Some of the senior programs Yaro and Yuri gave her and Evan were and didn't quite show her off as well as her junior dances.

 

[deegee]

That was my first time seeing that and I agree with you. I'm just of the way they really hit every nuance and accent of the music. Their choreography was so well-matched to the music, but Jamie's posture and carriage was perfect while Justin provides the right amount of support with his own great bodyline and attention to music. I always wondered if Silverstein/Pekarek should have had the career that Belbin/Agosto had (maybe even better!) if things were much better for Jamie on and off-the-ice. It's one of those things that make you wonder. Also, Igor's choreography was much better back then! Who was in charge of choreography at Canton at that time?

Another lost American ice dancer to me is Emily Samuelson. I really do believe she had what it took to be the most talented female ice dancer from the generation right after Tessa/Meryl had she been able to develop more. Moving to Igor really killed her career. Not going to blame anyone though. These things happen and Evan had to do what was best for him. But when I re-watch Samuelson and what she was just able to do with with her blades and her body and with her posture/line/carriage and flexibility, she really had it all. Imagine the basic skating skills and power of Madison Hubbell, but the freedom of movement and flexibility of Madison Chock with some of the line of Maia Shibutani. That was Emily Samuelson to me...at least during her and Evan's prime. Some of the senior programs Yaro and Yuri gave her and Evan were and didn't quite show her off as well as her junior dances.

i'm sure madison chock is a lovely human, but as an ice dancing fan i much preferred emily as a skating partner for evan. alas.

 

[VGThuy]

Maybe we should do a space-themed category or a Russian "Romani" theme...I'm sure there will be plenty to choose from with the latter.

 

[VGThuy]

@clairecloutier, I was thinking about your post a lot and I can’t stop watching Cappellini/Lanotte’s SD to 42nd St. Not only did it get the period right and was really one of the best SDs of that season, but…it may be the best “Broadway” program I’ve ever seen in ice dance. If you noticed, I skipped the “Broadway/Musical” category because other than Moulin Rouge (Weaver/Poje and Virtue/Moir) and La La Land (in ice dance Guignard/Fabbri’s), I don’t know if I ever really “loved” a “musical” themed dance outside of Bourne/Kraatz’s High Society. I think ice dancers are so focused on getting the elements right and not losing GOE that they can’t let loose the way you really need to for that category and unless you’re doing one of those dramatic faux opera musicals with sweeping music, it doesn’t translate with modern day ice dance too much. That is what makes Cappellini/Lanotte’s dance so good. I can see how they won Worlds on the strength of their SD. It probably was a top two SD that season quite honestly.

I want to know what you think of the Shibs’ 2011-12 FD to Glenn Miller. Obviously this is before their prime and I wish another choreographer was there to fill in some of the “gaps” that I think could have been included throughout the program to give it more choreographic character and substance (compare to the constant bouncy movement in Delobel/Schoenfelder’s OD), and they lost me with the slow section because I think it was too mature for them at that age, but I think what they did well, they did really well. I think they had the potential to do a really good swing program had they continued to develop a bit more with Igor. Once Igor left, we hadn’t seen the same sort of “busy” quality they had potential for from them again.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

 

[gkelly]

I skipped the “Broadway/Musical” category because other than Moulin Rouge (Weaver/Poje and Virtue/Moir) and La La Land (in ice dance Guignard/Fabbri’s), I don’t know if I ever really “loved” a “musical” themed dance outside of Bourne/Kraatz’s High Society.

Well before IJS, so not addressing your later point. But here are some earlier Broadway-themed free dances I have enjoyed:

Jayne Torvill & Christopher Dean - 1982 European Figure Skating Championships Mack & Mabel FD

For some reason this performance isn't as well publicised as their Copenhagen one but it's brilliant and so are the marks! Still, after all these years, Mack...

www.youtube.com

Torvill & Dean's Barnum World Championships 1983 HQ

www.youtube.com

Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko 1990 Worlds (Halifax) Free Dance "My Fair Lady"

Marina Klimova and Sergei Ponomarenko / Марина Климова, Сергей Пономаренко / マリナ・クリモワ, セルゲイ・ポノマレンコ1990 World Figure Skating Championships, Halifax, Canada. M...

www.youtube.com

1992 Dance Duchesnay & Duchesnay FD West Side Story

www.youtube.com

 

[overedge]

Thank you so much, @VGThuy. This is a great thread.

I know you love CDs and you've posted some of them already, but this one is just.... The unison, timing, and expression are unbelievable. They got three 6.0s which was an incredible achievement in the CDs.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Also this one (thank you @floskate)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

I have a VHS tape of T&D giving a seminar in the US, while they were still competing, and it shows them doing the Blues CD. I'm sure someone else out there must have the same tape as mine is about 18th generation or so That is an incredible performance too, and it's not even in a competition.

 

[clairecloutier]

@clairecloutier, I was thinking about your post a lot and I can’t stop watching Cappellini/Lanotte’s SD to 42nd St. Not only did it get the period right and was really one of the best SDs of that season, but…it may be the best “Broadway” program I’ve ever seen in ice dance. If you noticed, I skipped the “Broadway/Musical” category because other than Moulin Rouge (Weaver/Poje and Virtue/Moir) and La La Land (in ice dance Guignard/Fabbri’s), I don’t know if I ever really “loved” a “musical” themed dance outside of Bourne/Kraatz’s High Society. I think ice dancers are so focused on getting the elements right and not losing GOE that they can’t let loose the way you really need to for that category and unless you’re doing one of those dramatic faux opera musicals with sweeping music, it doesn’t translate with modern day ice dance too much. That is what makes Cappellini/Lanotte’s dance so good. I can see how they won Worlds on the strength of their SD. It probably was a top two SD that season quite honestly.

I'm glad you liked this SD! I agree with your comments about how it's also is a great representation of a "Broadway" theme. (Which, yes, seems harder to get right than one would think!)

I want to know what you think of the Shibs’ 2011-12 FD to Glenn Miller. Obviously this is before their prime and I wish another choreographer was there to fill in some of the “gaps” that I think could have been included throughout the program to give it more choreographic character and substance (compare to the constant bouncy movement in Delobel/Schoenfelder’s OD), and they lost me with the slow section because I think it was too mature for them at that age, but I think what they did well, they did really well. I think they had the potential to do a really good swing program had they continued to develop a bit more with Igor. Once Igor left, we hadn’t seen the same sort of “busy” quality they had potential for from them again.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtu.be

I think I agree with your thoughts on this FD. I love the first section and the final section especially, and I do think they have a really nice swing feel in these portions. The opening mood-setting moves at the start of the program are just right; true to the Lindy/swing spirit and even echoing a couple specific steps. The Shibs have a leg up when it comes to swing, IMO, as I always felt there was an inherent athleticism and dynamism to their movement that isn't necessarily always there with other dancers. And, you need that in swing. I actually love the placement of the twizzles here to a fast, climactic section of the music because it again shows that athleticism, which is part of swing. (As an aside, isn't it amazing to see the Shibs do 3 sets of twizzles so straight and perfectly, with no intervening steps to rebalance themselves? Something you just don't see any more.) I agree that the slow section doesn't really live up to the rest of the dance, it's just lacking intensity/chemistry, I think. But the rest is pretty darn good!

Speaking of the Shibs, I was also really impressed with their 2014 Michael Buble quickstep program that you linked to. I had forgotten this program, but it's really good. I like how the charming, vivacious mood is sustained throughout this piece so easily, with no letdown at any point, and the Shibs are so light, quick, and smooth on their feet. It is kind of amazing to think that they were, at that point, only the third-ranked American team and were considered to have kind of made that Olympics by the skin of their teeth. When they were putting out this level of quality in the SD. Interesting.

 

[gk_891]

Thank you so much, @VGThuy. This is a great thread.

I know you love CDs and you've posted some of them already, but this one is just.... The unison, timing, and expression are unbelievable. They got three 6.0s which was an incredible achievement in the CDs.

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

Also this one (thank you @floskate)

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

www.youtube.com

I have a VHS tape of T&D giving a seminar in the US, while they were still competing, and it shows them doing the Blues CD. I'm sure someone else out there must have the same tape as mine is about 18th generation or so That is an incredible performance too, and it's not even in a competition.

That Blues CD was fantastic. Much better than the one they did in 1994. I saw that video a little while ago but forgot all about it.