Wow, I think I am about to throw in the towel.. Even you, Brutus! In terms of figure skating, I really am starting to feel what Rick Grimes must have felt like waking up in the hospital to the world of walking dead.
Dear Morozombie, not only have you scarcely posted this season, and note that I respect your time constraints and I know that the muses can be a fickle bunch of non kissing goddesses of inspiration, but to come here in those most dire times of skating for some consolation and finding you apparently obsessing about V/M Carmen is just too much for my pour soul.
It is, btw., high time to announce that the time has come to fully and unconditionally root for Patrick Chan. Not only are his programmes and his performances more appealing than ever, there is also no alternative to turn to in Men skating, be it with regard to quality skating or quality programmes.
It would, nonetheless, be great to hear your take on the rather generous judging of V/T at the GP in Russia.
Et tu, Morozombie, indeed. I can only hope that you mean you never expected anything so trashy from the purest of them all (on ice, at least), whose Olympic FD you once described as "a program in which they espouse both the sanctity of traditional marriage and the pleasure of romance free of lascivious lusts and other prurient innuendos". There is nothing so subtle as innuendo this time!
The V/T overscore is too depressing. Can we instead discuss Ms. Leonova and her commitment to selling the most atrocious Morozovian choreography? The mind boggles at such skill.
Whoa, beloved readers! I've been out of the loop recently, so enlighten me: has V/M's Carmen been the target of universal revulsion among the figure skating fandom? Am I the only one obsessed...?
The short answer is probably no, there are a lot of people among the figure skating fandom universally obsessing over it, be it fans, commentators on air from every country etc., but!, within the elite group of the inner circle of your most dedicated followers, there exists, I believe, a certain revulsion towards that programme.
You see, Morozombie, your blog attracts a special type of follower. Hitherto, we have been blessed enough in that we could always come here to find you already having put in wonderfully articulate and opinionated words excatly what we had been thinking all along and what was rarely communis opinio among the majority of the skating community. And we could always say to ourselves: "Morozombie, he has done it again, our kindred spirit in skating if there ever was one!"
Now, we come here, anticipating a post that sees that Carmen as not the brilliant masterpiece most everyone deems it to be, but, instead, we find you joining in on the praise. However glad you might be to hear that you are actually not out of the loop and very much in tune with the fandom majority, it was a huge surprise to us. But fear not, we will still remain your dedicated followers, of course.
p.s. Making you understand our dislike of that Carmen requires a much longer post and is not that easily explained. We have come a long way in a certain regard and that Carmen is the tip of the iceberg, metaphorically speaking. Maybe one of the other posters will relieve me of the duty to explain. I'll finish this post now. It always takes ages because I feel compelled to try to sound as eloquent and learned as you. :)
My impression is that it's quite polarizing: a fair number of people seem to think it's a masterpiece, while plenty of others think it's vulgar and offers little of interest beyond the shock-value lifts and crotch-grabbing. I haven't seen too many people who say it's just meh, so I suppose V/M have succeeded insofar as it's at least a program people care about. I personally don't think either view will survive to the same extent in the long-term, that is, I don't think the program is that memorable for either good or bad, but maybe I'm wrong.
I wonder if part of the enthusiasm for it stems from satisfaction (ha!) that V/M have ditched their classic/young love approach in favor of something more mature and sexual - rather than the quality of the program itself. But while I can't say I only like subtlety in ice dance, I just don't like this. It feels cheap and obvious, like they're trying too hard. Trying too hard to be sexy or funny is a major fail for me.
I might have liked it more if they weren't presenting it as a revolutionary take on Carmen, and instead opted for lesser known music.
I do like Carmen and I am a reader of your blog as well. For the time,the opera was very explicit (19th century) and the novella "Carmen" (on which the opera is based) was even forbidden in some european countries. Carmen in itself is polarizing, ever was. If you go and watch any Ballet based on Carmen today, you will see the same moves and sometimes even more obvious. For me, they are not trying to hard but rather showing what Carmen is about: A women in a world ruled by men finding fighting for her freedom and independence, taking her female advantages to get what she wants. I just love the ending of their FD because it perfectly shows that Carmen would rather die than owned by anyone, she is in charge of everything, even her own death. The cheography, for me, portrays the conflicting emotions Carmen is going through. Having a certain love for Don Jose but dreading the loss of her individualism, thus becoming completely desperate. My point is, the quality of the program is there (to my mind) And it might not revolutionary since any modern production of Carmen has that take on it, but it still modern, starting with not wearing red. Further on, I don't think they try to hard, Carmen is an incredibly complicated piece and really takes time to find a channel to it but they doing a good job. Especially considering they completely changed their cheography in August. For me, it is true art and the best Carmen I have ever seen in ice dance. They made it their own and when they come through with it until worlds, they proved the point and showed everyone that they can do everything, regardless of what others may say. I also do not see any lack of quality, the lines are still great and the movements/ elements/ transitions are mighty difficult. With some additional speed, this program is a winner (in my opinion). To end this rather long post (sorry!), I am training as ballet dancer and one of our pratical test was set to a collection of Carmen. Our ballet teachers always told that we have to take each others clothes off with our eyes to create the tension and should not be afraid to actually touch each other! And before put down my teachers: it's the L’École de Danse de l’Opéra de Paris.
^Adding: I am truly sorry for my english. Reading through the post again, the mistakes I did are quite embarrassing. Plus, I really enjoy your very well written blog and I am looking forward to the next entry.
I think it's dreadful. I agree with what the Anonymous person above me wrote, so I won't rehash the whole thing. I think they are also trying way too hard to be sexy...or something.
Wow, I think I am about to throw in the towel.. Even you, Brutus!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of figure skating, I really am starting to feel what Rick Grimes must have felt like waking up in the hospital to the world of walking dead.
Not that I lov'd Caesar less, but that I lov'd Rome more....
DeleteDear Morozombie, not only have you scarcely posted this season, and note that I respect your time constraints and I know that the muses can be a fickle bunch of non kissing goddesses of inspiration, but to come here in those most dire times of skating for some consolation and finding you apparently obsessing about V/M Carmen is just too much for my pour soul.
ReplyDeleteIt is, btw., high time to announce that the time has come to fully and unconditionally root for Patrick Chan. Not only are his programmes and his performances more appealing than ever, there is also no alternative to turn to in Men skating, be it with regard to quality skating or quality programmes.
It would, nonetheless, be great to hear your take on the rather generous judging of V/T at the GP in Russia.
I think you may enjoy a post that's been percolating in my head as of late :)
DeleteHopefully I will have the time to write it, and write it well!
Et tu, Morozombie, indeed. I can only hope that you mean you never expected anything so trashy from the purest of them all (on ice, at least), whose Olympic FD you once described as "a program in which they espouse both the sanctity of traditional marriage and the pleasure of romance free of lascivious lusts and other prurient innuendos". There is nothing so subtle as innuendo this time!
ReplyDeleteThe V/T overscore is too depressing. Can we instead discuss Ms. Leonova and her commitment to selling the most atrocious Morozovian choreography? The mind boggles at such skill.
I think it's increasingly apparent that my taste in ice dance runs closer to melodrama than subtlety...
DeleteAbout Ms. Leonova: I know it's blasphemous to say this, but I think her Poeta LP is probably one of her better LPs in a while...
That SP is entirely dreadful though.
Whoa, beloved readers! I've been out of the loop recently, so enlighten me: has V/M's Carmen been the target of universal revulsion among the figure skating fandom? Am I the only one obsessed...?
ReplyDeleteThe short answer is probably no, there are a lot of people among the figure skating fandom universally obsessing over it, be it fans, commentators on air from every country etc., but!, within the elite group of the inner circle of your most dedicated followers, there exists, I believe, a certain revulsion towards that programme.
DeleteYou see, Morozombie, your blog attracts a special type of follower. Hitherto, we have been blessed enough in that we could always come here to find you already having put in wonderfully articulate and opinionated words excatly what we had been thinking all along and what was rarely communis opinio among the majority of the skating community. And we could always say to ourselves: "Morozombie, he has done it again, our kindred spirit in skating if there ever was one!"
Now, we come here, anticipating a post that sees that Carmen as not the brilliant masterpiece most everyone deems it to be, but, instead, we find you joining in on the praise. However glad you might be to hear that you are actually not out of the loop and very much in tune with the fandom majority, it was a huge surprise to us. But fear not, we will still remain your dedicated followers, of course.
p.s. Making you understand our dislike of that Carmen requires a much longer post and is not that easily explained. We have come a long way in a certain regard and that Carmen is the tip of the iceberg, metaphorically speaking. Maybe one of the other posters will relieve me of the duty to explain. I'll finish this post now. It always takes ages because I feel compelled to try to sound as eloquent and learned as you. :)
My impression is that it's quite polarizing: a fair number of people seem to think it's a masterpiece, while plenty of others think it's vulgar and offers little of interest beyond the shock-value lifts and crotch-grabbing. I haven't seen too many people who say it's just meh, so I suppose V/M have succeeded insofar as it's at least a program people care about. I personally don't think either view will survive to the same extent in the long-term, that is, I don't think the program is that memorable for either good or bad, but maybe I'm wrong.
DeleteI wonder if part of the enthusiasm for it stems from satisfaction (ha!) that V/M have ditched their classic/young love approach in favor of something more mature and sexual - rather than the quality of the program itself. But while I can't say I only like subtlety in ice dance, I just don't like this. It feels cheap and obvious, like they're trying too hard. Trying too hard to be sexy or funny is a major fail for me.
I might have liked it more if they weren't presenting it as a revolutionary take on Carmen, and instead opted for lesser known music.
I do like Carmen and I am a reader of your blog as well. For the time,the opera was very explicit (19th century) and the novella "Carmen" (on which the opera is based) was even forbidden in some european countries. Carmen in itself is polarizing, ever was. If you go and watch any Ballet based on Carmen today, you will see the same moves and sometimes even more obvious. For me, they are not trying to hard but rather showing what Carmen is about: A women in a world ruled by men finding fighting for her freedom and independence, taking her female advantages to get what she wants. I just love the ending of their FD because it perfectly shows that Carmen would rather die than owned by anyone, she is in charge of everything, even her own death. The cheography, for me, portrays the conflicting emotions Carmen is going through. Having a certain love for Don Jose but dreading the loss of her individualism, thus becoming completely desperate. My point is, the quality of the program is there (to my mind)
DeleteAnd it might not revolutionary since any modern production of Carmen has that take on it, but it still modern, starting with not wearing red. Further on, I don't think they try to hard, Carmen is an incredibly complicated piece and really takes time to find a channel to it but they doing a good job. Especially considering they completely changed their cheography in August.
For me, it is true art and the best Carmen I have ever seen in ice dance. They made it their own and when they come through with it until worlds, they proved the point and showed everyone that they can do everything, regardless of what others may say.
I also do not see any lack of quality, the lines are still great and the movements/ elements/ transitions are mighty difficult. With some additional speed, this program is a winner (in my opinion).
To end this rather long post (sorry!), I am training as ballet dancer and one of our pratical test was set to a collection of Carmen. Our ballet teachers always told that we have to take each others clothes off with our eyes to create the tension and should not be afraid to actually touch each other! And before put down my teachers: it's the L’École de Danse de l’Opéra de Paris.
^Adding: I am truly sorry for my english. Reading through the post again, the mistakes I did are quite embarrassing. Plus, I really enjoy your very well written blog and I am looking forward to the next entry.
DeleteI think it's dreadful. I agree with what the Anonymous person above me wrote, so I won't rehash the whole thing. I think they are also trying way too hard to be sexy...or something.
ReplyDeleteGo Meryl & Charlie!