The fact of the matter is, Cyber-Swan (Daisuke Takahashi’s short program, the one I showcased in the 5/13 post) featured a version of “Swan Lake” custom-arranged for him.
Various versions of Disco Firebird, on the other hand, ran rampant back in the day…making it seem as prevalent at the time as rainbow suspenders and “Foxy Lady” t-shirts.
As someone commented below, this is part of why modern-day music trends have been slow to translate to on-ice brilliance… they just aren’t pumping up Bach and Beethoven like they used to. Why not? Well, maybe glittery classical covers were to the late ‘70s what sampling is to today’s music scene. But that’s just speculation on my part.
Another speculation: perhaps there is now so much risk involved in upping the technical ante, and racking up the points, experimenting with the music too seems downright unwise. Not to give out yet another reason to question the judgment (no pun intended) of the Code of Points, but let’s face it: if you’re pre-occupied with multiple edge catch-foot spins and turning your Level 3 footwork into Level 4 footwork, the last thing you might be looking to do is change up your warhorse music of choice.
Finally, there’s this (and this is observation, not speculation): to use hip-hop music would seem a waste without utilizing elements of hip-hop dancing…and hip-hop dancing is TOUGH. With all of that isolation, popping, etc. running counter to so much of the flow that is skating itself, it must be that much harder to make it look as good as Takahashi did.
But I’m crossing my fingers for a few new Cyber-somethings to emerge from the pipeline next season anyway.
For the Clip of the Day I came across this 1983 performance of Toller Cranston’s, apparently from the International Professional Figure Skating Championships. Because if you’re going to hear Disco Firebird, you might as well watch it skated by one of the best…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cf_zI9Xo9o
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3 comments:
I understand how the Code of Points, etc. has left the focus heavily on technicalities but... I miss the days where it was more of an equal coin toss between technical and artistic. I miss some of the older choreography because it seemed like there was more attention to detail, because there could be.
Are you based near LA? If so email me at shimmyonline@gmail.com - you don't list an email on your profile- We are giving away tickets to Step It Up & Dance if you are interested.
I hope it's not overly optimistic to say that, with the CoP still in its formative years, I look forward to seeing more skaters transcend the new creative "restraints". A few already have, IMO.
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