Let's Talk Music - Chapter 3, The Pitfalls of Modern Music
After more than 150 years since its official appearance, figure skating finally caught up with modern times last season when the International Skating Union (ISU) decided to allow all disciplines to skate to music with lyrics. This decision was seen by many as the perfect opportunity to bring modern music into the equation. After all, it's been ignored for far too long in competitions, always kept at bay by how much of an impact the lyrics have over it.
The assumption that the new rule - which kind of translates into 'there are no rules' when it comes to the choice of routine - would encourage more skaters to turn to contemporary tunes was right. There has been a noticeable increase in this type of programmes last season. Some feared that this would take something away from the lyricism of the sport, but anyone who has seen Joshua Farris' performance of Give Me Love by Ed Sheeran knows that this fear is unfounded. The song was one of the hottest hits of recent times, but that didn't make it incompatible with figure skating. It goes to show that in the end what matters more than the genre of music is the skater and their style.
That being said, modern music has a flexibility to it that can make it risky to skate to - unlike other genres - because it is itself made of different types of music: pop, rock, alternative, electronic, you name it. So if when skating to opera, for example, there is only one kind of music you're skating to, when skating to modern music, there are several. That is why I personally believe that there is a right way and a wrong way to use it. The right way is Joshua Farris' way - choose a song with a clear theme and a consistent tempo. The wrong way is how his compatriots, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue chose to do it.
The two American ice-dancers skated to the soundtrack of The Great Gatsby, which was really a collection of contemporary songs.
I won't comment on how un-Gatsby-like they both looked, but I have to say that because they didn't seem to skate to the story itself, I always took their programme as just a dance routine set to modern music.
They started with Lana del Rey's Young and Beautiful, which is another great example of a modern song that seems to have been made for figure skating, but then a cover of Back to Black by Beyonce and Andre 3000 butted in on it so out of context that it ruined the mood. Then Fergie joined in with her A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, and I got really confused. Here were three very different songs written for three very different reasons used for three very different scenes exuding three very different atmospheres that didn't have much in common except that they were part of the same soundtrack. And that's how you do modern music the wrong way: you put three different genres together with no story or common rhythm to connect them. Ideally, I would have preferred them to choose just one song and stick to it. Fergie's was probably not intense enough to stand on its own, but Back to Black and Young and Beautiful are a whole different story.
Then again, modern music has just recently made its official entry on the ice rink, so perhaps skaters are still experimenting with it, and it's too soon to give a verdict. What do you think - is there a wrong and a right way to do modern music in figure skating?
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| Joshua Farris took the Four Continents Championships by storm last season with his Ed Sheeran routine. Photograph: Chung Sung-Jun / Getty Images Asia |
That being said, modern music has a flexibility to it that can make it risky to skate to - unlike other genres - because it is itself made of different types of music: pop, rock, alternative, electronic, you name it. So if when skating to opera, for example, there is only one kind of music you're skating to, when skating to modern music, there are several. That is why I personally believe that there is a right way and a wrong way to use it. The right way is Joshua Farris' way - choose a song with a clear theme and a consistent tempo. The wrong way is how his compatriots, Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue chose to do it.
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| Madison and Zach at the US Nationals Photograph: Streeter Lecka / Getty Images North America |
The two American ice-dancers skated to the soundtrack of The Great Gatsby, which was really a collection of contemporary songs.
I won't comment on how un-Gatsby-like they both looked, but I have to say that because they didn't seem to skate to the story itself, I always took their programme as just a dance routine set to modern music.
They started with Lana del Rey's Young and Beautiful, which is another great example of a modern song that seems to have been made for figure skating, but then a cover of Back to Black by Beyonce and Andre 3000 butted in on it so out of context that it ruined the mood. Then Fergie joined in with her A Little Party Never Killed Nobody, and I got really confused. Here were three very different songs written for three very different reasons used for three very different scenes exuding three very different atmospheres that didn't have much in common except that they were part of the same soundtrack. And that's how you do modern music the wrong way: you put three different genres together with no story or common rhythm to connect them. Ideally, I would have preferred them to choose just one song and stick to it. Fergie's was probably not intense enough to stand on its own, but Back to Black and Young and Beautiful are a whole different story.
Then again, modern music has just recently made its official entry on the ice rink, so perhaps skaters are still experimenting with it, and it's too soon to give a verdict. What do you think - is there a wrong and a right way to do modern music in figure skating?
Como siempre, en estas cuestiones y en el afán de sorprender al jurado y al público, se salen de contexto. No tienen que perder de vista que es una competición, o sea, si querés ganar tienes que elegir bien. La música es una elección importantisima, conozco temas mediocres que bien ejecutados son prodigiosos. No importa si clásico o moderno, importa la ejecución y el impacto que tiene en quien reciba el espectáculo. (veace Litsniskaya y la Lista de shlinder) Menos en danza creo que un solo tema musical es lo ideal.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could have done a bit more research to learn that Hubbell & Donohue's concept for their dance was to highlight their versatility as dancers. They chose the Gatsby soundtrack because it contained various genres of contemporary music. They chose three tracks to show the difference in interpretation from ballad to hip hop to electronica.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying they picked the songs out of a hat just that (and this is solely my opinion) the songs didn't go well together. You're right - the idea to show the difference in interpretation was definitely innovative - perhaps they'll do something similar with their new Tron: Legacy routine. Now that's a modern soundtrack that has a backbone story, and I can't wait to see what they do with it. But compared to this, last season's routine seems a bit too heavy.
DeleteThey already previewed their free dance at Championnats québécois d'été in Montreal. Like every season they're tackling something new for them, a theatrical program with more of a storyline. They explained their concept as an angel of death figure coming to take a lost soul. As they connect, she hesitates to take him and have him die, and he struggles between giving in or keep fighting to stay alive.
DeleteThat sounds amazing. You've really spiked up my interest. I'll keep an eye out for it.
DeleteA mixture of music genres could improve their performance on ice, I mean, they could come up with an explosive story combining different skating elements. This way they show their originality, creativity and at the same time, they can still touch the hearts of the public. It is like someone is saying "use all you've got! show me what you are made of! :) of course, this is only my opinion, I think change is good most of the times :)
ReplyDeleteOne of my fave subjects. Music and now voice has provided a rich experience. Now we can hear the Passion of Pavorotti on ice with Nessun Dorma, the true meaning of demons with mirai, and the exuberance of Footloose with Max. It is another medium to paint a picture on ice. It can however be as dangerous as mismatched costume and program. With voice on ice we must remember the Bocelli rule which applies to skating as it does music; if it doesn't chill your spine, why do it? The lesson learned from American nationals 2015 is this: if you cannot reach people emotionally with some kind of message, be it laughing, crying, or inspiring, it may be less than competetive.
ReplyDeleteSome says that classic music is being used for too long so you hear same sound from the different skater every year. Modern music may do its job here on bringing new wind of changes smile emoticon it is very challenging though for skaters, lets see who will take the shot!
ReplyDeleteBefore voice in skating fusion music became popular
DeleteThis was a fusion of classical and modern music. Voice needed to happen to keep skating from becoming stale. Agreed that this is an opportunity for more innovation and something different
I think it is a new ethos of painting on ice.