U.S. Pairs 2021-22 season - News & Updates, Part X

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

The gribbles and Company at my local airport LAX changing planes. I would’ve brought them snacks had she let me know

Ashley Cain on Instagram: "Thank you @delta for getting us to Beijing safely! 🇺🇸➡️🇨🇳 #olympics #beijing2022 #delta"

3,685 likes, 40 comments - icegirlash on January 29, 2022: "Thank you @delta for getting us to Beijing safely! 🇺🇸➡️🇨🇳 #olympics #beijing2022 #delta".

www.instagram.com

 

[Sylvia]

Ashley & Timothy have been training in Anaheim, California for the past week (4 photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZSWpJnv49A/) and she shared this fun video that captured the excitement of getting Team USA Olympic outfits together with Jason & Mariah: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZTI4TyqkGj/ - same video is on her Twitter: https://twitter.com/icegirlash/status/1487305674107207682

A KXAN News (Austin, Texas) reporter tweeted this photo of Ashley, Timothy & Peter Cain at the airport today: https://twitter.com/Jala__WashTV/status/1487547866629345282

3 photos are posted on Team Meno/Sand's Instagram account of Alexa & Brandon on official Olympic ice with Todd Sand: https://www.instagram.com/p/CZU1nyUPK-A/

 

[BittyBug]

It must be extra special for Ashley to be able to share her Olympic dream with her dad.

 

[clairecloutier]

I'm glad that Brandon has passed all the required CV tests. I was worried about that!! Exciting to see them under the rings.

 

[skylark]

@Sylvia :

“There is nothing inherently wrong with doing a romantic program. … We just want to make space for other stories to be told,” LeDuc said. “Sometimes not relying so much on the standard portrayal of gender roles, in the way women are often portrayed as more fragile, or the men always portrayed to be masculine and strong.”

LeDuc is right that there is room in pair skating for programs (and human beings) of all kinds, not just romantic ones. But I've never considered a pair girl "fragile"; they are some of the toughest athletes in the sport.

Timothy didn't call any pair girls 'fragile;' and I doubt they would disagree with you that pairs girls are some of the toughest athletes in the sport. Just that Timothy and Ashley chose from the beginning not to rely on a portrayal of gender roles that they saw often (but not always) being presented in the artistic, fictional programs of pairs skaters. CG/L spoke about telling other stories. Timothy and Ashley felt there had been a preference for teams that portrayed romantic stories and also stories that implied the man was taking care of the woman. They chose to forge a different pathway for themselves, and it hasn't been easy.

They weren't wrong. I heard an interview from none other than Tamara Moskvina years ago that absolutely suggested that idea; speaking of Elena B and Anton S., she promoted the illusion that the two might possibly be in a romantic relationship even though she knew they weren't .... because she felt audiences liked to see that in a pair -- not just in the stories of the programs. She felt that audiences liked to believe the stories reflected reality.

And all pair guys, whether masculine or not, have to be very strong.

Again, Timothy didn't say that pairs men don't have to be strong. I think that all pairs 'lifting partners' worth their salt (and that certainly includes Timothy) absolutely take seriously their responsibility to have strong bodies so they can safely lift, throw, and catch their partners. But in every figure skating program, there's fiction, there's illusion, there's a story. In that story, Timothy thrives on the freedom to portray a masculine side and also a feminine side.

To me, this is healthy. Every woman has an animus, or a masculine portion of her personality. Every man has an anima, a feminine side. I'm not very familiar with the idea of a non-binary identity, but I think it's great that Timothy has chosen not to hide who they are. And I think that's more the point of what Timothy and Ashley are both saying in the interview.

They're responsible for showing off/presenting their female partners and protecting them (not because the girls are "fragile",

Again, you're talking about the reality of pairs' roles and responsibilities. Timothy and Ashley were talking about what they felt were preferences for dualities like 'strong-fragile' and 'protective/dependent' in the programs. In the stories.

The man trying to outshine the woman or wanting to have the same role as her doesn't fit the nature of pair skating,

I've never seen Timothy trying to outshine Ashley or have the same role.

Cain-Gribble and LeDuc’s competitive routines build on their strengths: long, well-matched lines, strong individual skating skills and the ability to gracefully execute difficult footwork.

“We really want to focus on having that equality of skating skills on the ice,” Cain-Gribble said.

https://www.teamusa.org/News/2022/January/27/Cain-Gribble-And-LeDuc-Creating-The-Space-To-Be-Different

 

[tylersf]

Because there seems to be a romantic element in pairs and ice dance, do these people practice those lifts at home to integrate them into their personal lives and activities?
Furthermore, are some of these lifts inspired by what they do in their personal lives?
I'm thinking many of these people have high ceilings in their homes.

 

[Carolla5501]

Because there seems to be a romantic element in pairs and ice dance, do these people practice those lifts at home to integrate them into their personal lives and activities?
Furthermore, are some of these lifts inspired by what they do in their personal lives?
I'm thinking many of these people have high ceilings in their homes.

Just because there seems to be a romantic element, doesn’t mean there’s actually any romance. A lot of these people don’t live together and definitely are not practicing lifts in their living room at home

 

[tylersf]

Just because there seems to be a romantic element, doesn’t mean there’s actually any romance. A lot of these people don’t live together and definitely are not practicing lifts in their living room at home

That's good. To rent or buy a place with 16 foot ceilings isn't cheap.

 

[BittyBug]

And I wouldn't underestimate how important Pairs can be to the Team Event.

You were saying....

 

[manhn]

I know they had issues but Alexa and Brandon’s free program is totally my kind of program. They had a lot of errors but it didn’t really mar the performance for me. I hope they can do it clean, how the music crescendos can be a real moment.

 

[olympic]

OMG. What is up w/ Alexa and checking the jump landings??

 

[Cant Skate]

Has this been shared anywhere yet?

Musical duo sues US figure skaters, NBC over Olympic song use

The skaters used the song in their short program earlier this month, in a performance that contributed to the U.S.’ silver medal in the team figure skating event.

nypost.com

Why are these musicians so special that they feel their version of this song shouldn't be used? I don't get this.

 

[VGThuy]

Has this been shared anywhere yet?

Musical duo sues US figure skaters, NBC over Olympic song use

The skaters used the song in their short program earlier this month, in a performance that contributed to the U.S.’ silver medal in the team figure skating event.

nypost.com

Why are these musicians so special that they feel their version of this song shouldn't be used? I don't get this.

Everybody has the right to protect their copyright. Individuals have their own feelings about how people use their copyrighted material without their permission. I’d probably be ok with it because I’d take it as free publicity, but I don’t expect every other artist to feel the same way. I guess their cover wasn’t covered by the blanket license NBC usually has to cover these sorts of things.

Honestly, even if it’s a cover, it’s still their cover. I get it. If I wrote something and someone used it without my express permission I’d be livid.

 

[~tapdancer~]

So proud of our pair teams! Outstanding placement really. Here's praying for clean FS's!

 

[barbk]

Everybody has the right to protect their copyright. Individuals have their own feelings about how people use their copyrighted material without their permission. I’d probably be ok with it because I’d take it as free publicity, but I don’t expect every other artist to feel the same way. I guess their cover wasn’t covered by the blanket license NBC usually has to cover these sorts of things.

Honestly, even if it’s a cover, it’s still their cover. I get it. If I wrote something and someone used it without my express permission I’d be livid.

Per this NYT article, it shouldn't be an issue as a live or tape-delayed live performance unless NBC wants to license rights to replay it in the future: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/arts/music/olympics-figure-skating-songs-copyrights.html. Not sure why it would involve the skaters at all.
But since the Olympics are considered a “live event,” even when tape-delayed, no such special permission is needed, said Steve Winogradsky, a lawyer who is an expert in music licensing.

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“These are basically live performances,” Mr. Winogradsky said, “so there is no synchronization right, as there would be in a pretaped motion picture.”

Instead, according to Mr. Winogradsky and other executives, music in routines at the Olympics are covered by what is known as a performing right: the permission to perform or broadcast a piece of music in a public, commercial setting.

If NBC were to broadcast the routines outside the context of its Olympics coverage, however, then it may need further permissions.

Using it commercially (commercial or movie, for example) is a whole different thing that does require rights negotiations and payments.

 

[AxelAnnie]

Petty Post Warning:


If Alexa is going to be pulling her hair back in a ponytail....she needs to tend to her roots. So not a good look. Did she not realize she was going to be on TV?

 

[Karen-W]

Petty Post Warning:


If Alexa is going to be pulling her hair back in a ponytail....she needs to tend to her roots. So not a good look. Did she not realize she was going to be on TV?

She and Victoria Sinitsina seem to be using the same hair colorist, lol.

 

[miffy]

Petty Post Warning:


If Alexa is going to be pulling her hair back in a ponytail....she needs to tend to her roots. So not a good look. Did she not realize she was going to be on TV?

I thought the same about her hairstyle and roots, although my roots are far worse than hers but of course I’m not at the Olympics or on tv

 

[Sylvia]

Slo-mo clips of triple twists in their respective Olympics SPs:

C-G/L: https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1494664631306047495

K/F: https://twitter.com/NBCOlympics/status/1494628695641833477

Tai & Randy narrated USFS' pairs preview video: https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1494485567966302209

U.S. pairs recap by Karen Rosen in the Fan Zone - "This marks the first time since 1998 that the U.S. has two pairs in the top 10 after an Olympic short program":

U.S. Pairs Take Sixth and Seventh After Short Program - U.S. Figure Skating Fan Zone

So much time has passed since Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier first performed their short program in Olympic competition that their music to "House of the Rising

usfigureskatingfanzone.com

So much time has passed since Alexa Knierim and Brandon Frazier first performed their short program in Olympic competition that their music to "House of the Rising Sun" could have been "House of the Setting Sun."
Eleven days after they represented Team USA in the figure skating team event at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 and a full two weeks since their short program, the 2021 U.S. champions were back.
"The team event felt like so long ago, so this was like a fresh start," Frazier said.

For Ashley Cain-Gribble and Timothy LeDuc, it was simply a start.
Although they departed the United States on Jan. 29, Friday marked their first official appearance at the Olympic Games.
They were so happy after finishing their program that Cain-Gribble was jumping up and down on the right ankle she sprained Wednesday before hugging an ecstatic LeDuc.
"It was such a joyous moment for us out there today," LeDuc said.
"It was honestly a little bit of an out-of-body experience as well," Cain-Gribble said. "Because we are so trained, we just allowed that to take over. So when the music ended, it was when we finally felt everything."

 

[sk9tingfan]

Petty Post Warning:


If Alexa is going to be pulling her hair back in a ponytail....she needs to tend to her roots. So not a good look. Did she not realize she was going to be on TV?

She's been there for more than two weeks already. Maybe there is no good colorist or colorist at all in the Olympic Village beauty parlor.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Honestly, even if it’s a cover, it’s still their cover. I get it. If I wrote something and someone used it without my express permission I’d be livid.

Wait a second are 60–75 figure skating teams amongst Junior and senior ranks asking permission to artists every single season for rights to the music?

What has been the rule with this? Like for example on RuPaul‘s drag race when they lip-synch for their life they have to pay mega bucks for that lip-synch song to the artist and most songs can’t get approved because they want a lot of money

How have figure skaters been able to use music without having to pay for it for decades?

 

[feraina]

So proud of both pairs. They skated amazing! I wish the judges would've rewarded C-G/L a bit more for their step sequence. That was really enjoyable!

 

[wickedwitch]

Tai & Randy narrated USFS' pairs preview video: https://twitter.com/USFigureSkating/status/1494485567966302209

I honestly teared up a bit watching this. Although, I'm not crazy about the characterization of Ahsley as "a single skater who was told she could never make it as a pairs skater." It sounds like she switched instead of the fact she was doing both. (I don't doubt the "told she could never make it as a pairs skater" line.)

 

[VGThuy]

Per this NYT article, it shouldn't be an issue as a live or tape-delayed live performance unless NBC wants to license rights to replay it in the future: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/arts/music/olympics-figure-skating-songs-copyrights.html. Not sure why it would involve the skaters at all.
But since the Olympics are considered a “live event,” even when tape-delayed, no such special permission is needed, said Steve Winogradsky, a lawyer who is an expert in music licensing.

Sign up for the Louder Newsletter Stay on top of the latest in pop and jazz with reviews, interviews, podcasts and more from The New York Times music critics. Get it sent to your inbox.
“These are basically live performances,” Mr. Winogradsky said, “so there is no synchronization right, as there would be in a pretaped motion picture.”

Instead, according to Mr. Winogradsky and other executives, music in routines at the Olympics are covered by what is known as a performing right: the permission to perform or broadcast a piece of music in a public, commercial setting.

If NBC were to broadcast the routines outside the context of its Olympics coverage, however, then it may need further permissions.

Using it commercially (commercial or movie, for example) is a whole different thing that does require rights negotiations and payments.

I thought NBC and the arena would still had to purchase a blanket license that allowed them to play music even in live settings as was explained to me when we spoke about music copyright before.

Do Olympic Figure Skaters Have to License the Music They Skate To?

Nathan Chen won gold against a backdrop of Elton John songs. But who shelled out for the music license?

www.mentalfloss.com

Luckily for figure skaters, their Olympicroutines are considered live performances, and therefore require a much less costly licensing agreement. Also luckily for figure skaters, they’re pretty far removed from both the paperwork and the payment. Instead, the broadcaster—in this case, NBC—is responsible.

As IPWatchdog explains, many musicians and music publishers outsource licensing power for their entire catalogs to public rights organizations (PROs) like Broadcasting Music Inc. (BMI) and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP). TV networks, performance venues, and other music-playing establishments can then buy a blanket license that grants them public performance rights to every song under the PRO’s purview. Blanket license fees aren’t one-size-fits-all; they depend on everything from audience size to frequency, and licensees are often expected to track their music use so the PROs can determine artist royalties.

So I wondering if that cover was one of those songs that weren’t covered by the blanket license.

I guess we’ll find out when the judge either dismisses their claim for failure to state a claim or allows the case to proceed because there exists a claim that can be pursued under the law.

 

[Rukia]

Reading those stories it seems like that group has sued a lot of people in the past over this same thing, so idk maybe they just are very litigious and like to see what they can get.

 

[hlp728]

Hase/Seeger skated to this same song a couple of seasons ago. Are these musicians going to sue them too? Maybe it’s a good thing, so we won’t have to hear other skaters using this not great song version. Hopefully, this lights a fire under K/F to fight for every point in their long program. If I were them, after the LP in the Kiss and Cry, I say “Coldplay, please don’t sue us too for using your music” as a petty retort to the band sueing them. “Don’t sue me” may be their new catchphrase. I get the band wanting to get paid for their creation/remake and use, but still, maybe it’s just the timing that irks me. I wonder if K/F will change the music or use a different version for Worlds.

Beyond that, both teams put out great performances today. Hopefully, they can do this at Worlds too.

 

[skipaway]

Reading those stories it seems like that group has sued a lot of people in the past over this same thing, so idk maybe they just are very litigious and like to see what they can get.

Probably feel their attempt at singing Fix You HOTRS was so bad that no one would buy it….so sueing people is how they make their money.

 

[tony]

Probably feel their attempt at singing Fix You was so bad that no one would buy it….so sueing people is how they make their money.

Except you have the wrong program

 

[skipaway]

Except you have the wrong program

Thanks…Fixed it.

 

[Sylvia]

6th and 8th at the 2022 Olympics!!!

6 Alexa KNIERIM / Brandon FRAZIER USA 212.68 6 7 (3 ISU PBs, including total, 138.45 in FS today & 75.00 in team event SP)

8 Ashley CAIN-GRIBBLE / Timothy LEDUC USA 198.05 7 9 (74.13 in SP is ISU SB)

Congrats to both teams!!