National Treasures and all that.
HHGTTG
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Whilst I realise that T&D are national treasures and with their past history etc. etc. I personally, find their style of skating a bit stilted and old fashioned now but again realise that advancing years don't help, as they probably don't feel like doing more adventurous moves that much younger skaters would do.
Last night, I fast forwarded through their opening routine, not necessarily because of them, but because I couldn't stand that wailing singer whom they had to skate around - dreadful, dreadful as a certain Steve Allen would say.
Last night, I fast forwarded through their opening routine, not necessarily because of them, but because I couldn't stand that wailing singer whom they had to skate around - dreadful, dreadful as a certain Steve Allen would say.
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I LOVE to watch them skate and hope that they continue.
I'd like to see more from the pros like we do on SCD. I really liked the routine that Chris did with the male pros. Have watched it again several times.
What I do hate is them having singers on and missing half of what T&D are doing because the cameras are on the singer, like last night.
Er surely they don't skate the real Bolero because that was 4 minutes of Olympic standard skating. Our dear celebs would stuggle to pass level 5 (out of 10 plus 3 passport levels) of the UK learn to skate course let alone any of the next 10 levels of national tests. They would not have a hope and would look entirely silly.
I muted the sound and watched Jane and Chris skating because the singing was so dreadful.
I agree with you about the mournful wailing coming from pixie whaserface - truely dreadful!!
Re Torvil and Dean - they are most certainly past their best and I too find them a little stilted. However, for me its about embracing the entertainment they provide as a whole. I much prefer it though when they dance with the other professionals which gives it a bit more "whizz" somehow.
Agree with you re the singers. We know what they look like - establish it at the beginning and then let's just hear them. Strictly are exactly the same for that.
What a shame you decided to fast forward through their routine last night. It was beautifully skated and there were some very innovative lifts and moves. Although I have to confess the singing was painful to listen to and it was incredibly frustrating when the camera moved away from Chris and Jayne and focused on Pixie Lott and her guitarist.
What a lot of people seem to forget is that the size of the ice rink is extremely small and very restrictive. Torvill and Dean are still incredibly talented, beautiful skaters. Just look at their footwork - the steps and the speed. I think you'd be hard pushed to find any other skaters producing what they do in their 50's!
Yep, I love Fred and Mel, that would be great. What about Alexandra and her hubby Lukasz as well? I saw them on the programme of the tour and thought they were absolutely brilliant.
Not to say that T & D couldn't still open the programme most of the time, but a change would be nice from time to time.
Also more pro group routines a la SCD would be good.
I think you just pointed out a flaw in T and D's thinking, not skating. They seem to think that people want to see them perform ultra mod routines to current music that frankly, stinks, imo. that's not true. I, and I think, many others, would love to see a return to the true artistic roots of Ice Dance. with the Olympics coming up, these 2 could show younger viewers and skaters what artistic programs used to be like, before skating rules reduced all skating to jumps and flashy tricks. In other words, yes, they're old fashioned, and would look beautiful skating to some old-fashioned music which has stood the test of time.
But times move on. Have you ever seen footage of skaters such as Jeanette Alltweg (Sp?) or Sonje Henie. Or Fred Perry playing tennis. Their styles and athleticism are a world apart from today's protagonists.
Would you get any of the current crop of elite ice dancers on the show? Probably not, and certainly not given that it's broadcasting at the same time as the Winter Olympics.
Whether T&D are as good as they were in their prime is irrelevant. Whether they are as good as the current crop is irrelevant. Whether they are as good as ANYONE ELSE is irrelevant.
The show has their name on it and as such it's up to them to be as entertaining as possible when they step onto the ice. As far as I'm concerned they're doing a superior job to most of the other available talent and deserve the recognition they're still getting.
I agree, inasmuch that the men's and women's solo skating, as seen in the major championships and Olympics seems to be a load of required elements, linked by skating, where you can sense that they are getting ready to do those required elements.
This doesn't make for a very pretty sight, really. However the rules have changed here and in other aspect of competitition such as the pairs and free ice dancing.
Personally, I'd like to see school figures on TV and the compulsory dances that I remember, from my attempts at dancing at Bronze level, in my skating days.
If, indeed the programme is called "Dancing on Ice" then lets see more dancing and less spectacular lifts where the girls spend far too much time aloft.
I would like to see more dancing on the surface of the ice with Mohawks and Choctaws and cleaner edges and bent legs.
It's not too much to ask as most of the celebrities are young and are having intensive training. Far more than I had at Streatham and Queen's Ice rinks and my weekly 20 minute lessons!!
The argument from those who know more than I is that a) stunts are an integral part of elite skating these days, so it makes sense that stunts would be higher marked on this show, and b) the big stunts cover up the stars' lack of actual skating ability, by filling in large gaps in a 90-second routine.
I dunno how hard it is to do a Mohawk or a Choctaw. Any of the ice gurus want to fill me in on whether these steps are tricky or not?
Mohawks are a turn from one edge to the same edge eg inside to inside or outside to outside.
Choctaws - other than the stepping from backward to forward that is often technically a choctaw - are a step from h*ll! these involve stepping from an inside to outside edge or vice versa. And there are all different varieties forward and backward.
There's also rockers, counters, brackets etc which are harder again.
The problem seems to me to be that they don't have much chance to progress beyond what they learn in the first few months of training as they have little time to do much beyond preparing the next weeks routine so would think they are largely limited to what they could do or were close to being able to do before the shows run started and/or some of the simpler steps.
Ray Quinn is the only one who was beginning to show some command of his edges and could hold an edge after the turn. I would think his roller blading experience helped there. Suzanne was getting there. Chris F could skate fast but never really got to grips with edges during the show - although I am mightily impressed he can now do multiple twizzles.
Daniella and Hayley show promise in this area as do Gary and Mikey and to some extent Kieron. Danny is still very snatchy in all his turns and needs to learn to hold the edges which I think he would be capable of given time.
I hold out no hope for Dr Hilary
Ah, yes, I had forgotten all about those - tells you how long ago it was now.