by Sonia Bianchetti
When I first saw the list of the skaters named by the ISU to
take part in the Trophée Eric Bompard, I said to myself: I cannot miss this
event. And Paris in one of my favourite cities in Europe!
After the disappointing quality of the performances, with very few exceptions,
at the previous Grand Prix events ( Skate America, Skate Canada and the Cup of
China), my expectations to watch some good and exciting programs in Paris
decreased significantly. Still, being optimistic by nature, I left for Paris
with joy, confident that things would be different there.
I could not have been be more wrong!
I am sitting here in front of my computer and really do not know what to write.
What we saw in Paris was much worse than I could ever have expected. Sadly, the
only thing that comes to my mind is how each program has been turned into a
boring sameness, with each skater doing an ugly leg-grab spiral and too many
sloppy jumps and goofy-looking spins.
The programs look totally absorbed in point accumulation and there is no room
for interpretation or expression of the music or creative movement. The whole
skating facade is a joke really. There is no likeness with what we used to
consider figure skating.
The first shocking news that I got upon arrival was that Brian Joubert had
withdrawn. So, what was supposed to be the brightest star of the event was
turned off right way!
The first day, for the short programs, the arena was practically empty. Only a
few hundred spectators were there and half of them left after the men's and
ladies' short programs. For the free skating more people attended; still,
the wonderful Bercy arena looked half unfilled. Nothing new!
As to the skating it was more than disappointing. Really sad for me. In the
ladies' event only one short program out of twelve was clean and no one in free
skating! Mao Asada, although she fell on her first jump, the triple Axel,
and two footed the triple flip/triple loop combination, deservedly won with a
beautiful program, well choreographed and pleasant to watch. Her technique is
pure and she is so expressive and artistic too. To me this was the only program
where the choreography was built
around the music, a beautiful "Fantaisie" by F. Chopin, and she skated
with her heart.
In the men the panorama was even more depressing. In the short program, out of
11, only two skaters had a clean program, Sergei Voronov (RUS) and Alban
Preaubert (FRA), and in free
skating only one: Sergei Voronov's (RUS)! Sergei's program was relatively
simple but was well choreographed . It was not filled up with too many
difficult and complicated elements, but they were all beautifully well executed.
This, in my opinion, was a winning move of his coach, Alexei Urmanov, and perhaps it
should be considered as an example to follow. The only other good and well-choreographed program was that of Patrick
Chan from
Canada. He skated to the Four Seasons by Vivaldi. And it was a real joy to
watch, at least! Although Patrick fell down at the end of his program
while executing his final spin combination he deservedly won. He is a
young, talented and very promising boy .
The best event was definitely the pairs, although once more only a few programs
were executed without mistakes: four out of eight in short and three in free
skating (less than 50%). Qing Pang & Jian Tong and Dan Zhang & Hao Zhang, both
from China, performed breathtaking lifts, twist lifts and throws, as well as
elegant and original spins. The best choreography and musical
interpretation was that of Pang & Tong. The pairs event was highlighted by
the first quadruple throw Salchow landed for the first time in competition by
the US pairs skaters Tiffany Vise and Derek Trent.
I leave the technical comments on ice dancing to people more knowledgeable than
I am. However the thing that struck me once again are the lifts which are more
and more unaesthetic with the lady thrown onto the boys' shoulders, up and down
like a sack of potatoes, in horrid positions! Worse than in a circus. What is the purpose of all this shame?
As a general remark I would say that it is just distressing to see all these
talented skaters, some of whom are real marvels, who are unable to perform at
their best. Why? Because the earning of points starts with jumps and
triples earn the highest number of points.
The new must is "difficulty for the sake of difficulty." This is what
counts today. Art comes last! Is this what the ISU wants? .
The music is a just background noise to most skaters and is the only difference
between one program and another!. A titanic challenge for the
choreographers who work to develop passionate pieces of work but who are limited
by the multitude of restrictive boundaries which undermine the
development of a personal style in a sport where such style is essential. Not only the jumps,
but the entirety of the sport itself has been downgraded to
counting to three
over and over again and not listening to the music.
What is left? Just a great sadness and regret for all that is missing to
day: "free skating."
www.soniabianchetti.com