Music Issues - Any Ideas?

[sarahemarie]

Okay, so as a coach, do you ever get completely stumped with music?

I have a beginner skater competing for the second time. She needs a 1:30 beginner program, and I CANNOT find anything that we agree on. Here's the problem: she's almost 12, but looks AND skates like she's seven. She's very small and cute...so I naturally grativate towards the young sounding, showcase the speed kind of music that wins the cute vote from judges. She hates that, and I guess I don't blame her. But she wants grown-up music, and points out music that she likes from other skaters at our rink--which is nice, but those skaters are usually strong Novice lady teenagers. It's hard to explain that she can't pull that off yet. We have to find some sort of compromise here, but does anyone have any suggestion?

It must be:
-Fast
-Not overly strong and overpowering.

Anyone have any ideas? I've been looking all week, and can find nothing!

thanks for your help!

Sarah

[sk8tegirl06]

I vote for possibly movie soundtracks. I did a test track pre-pre competition program to the soundtrack from the movie Rudy. (I was also 20 years old when I did this.) I feel like movie soundtracks could be more age appropriate without being in way over her head. Is she suggesting anything? For either shows or competitions, I have always picked my own music, but then again I'm not 12.

[Kim to the Max]

How about something from the movie Hook (the prologue is actually 1:29 and a pretty good cut) or there are even some Disney pieces that are a little more grown up feeling...or take a look at some of the music from "a little princess"...I was listening to some of the samples on iTunes and it sounds like it might work...

[sarahemarie]

Wow, fast responses! Thanks!

My student actually already vetoed Hook...I LOVE it, and am now using for another skater:) I am a proud owner of that soundtrack.

I'm using Rudy for another skater. Another piece of music I LOVE! (Maybe I just have too many skaters...):)

I am checking out A little Princess right now on itunes...looks like it has possibilities. Thanks! Keep em coming!

Sarah

[Kim to the Max]

The Great Mouse Detective is another good one...

[sarahemarie]

Ooh, I really like that one! Never heard it before, but nice find! Don't know if she'll go for it, but I downloaded it anyway, because I'll definitely use it in the future. Thanks!

[sk8tmum]

Try the soundtrack from Stardust. It's got some pretty twinkly stuff, and you can mix in some of the more dramatic items so that you can meet both agendas. Also not overused as yet. We've got an itsy-bitsy that looks way younger than she is, and the coach has chosen to go cutesy little girl music, but, the judges do know how old she is and find it a bit inappropriate. Don't know if that would apply in your region; everyone knows everyone here.

[luckeylasvegas]

Are you looking for a spotlight or a free skate song?

My DD is the same age and her last spotlight program was Le Jazz Hot from Victor Victoria.

Let see...... before that she did

Just Arrived from At The Copa Barry Manilow's Broadway Musical. (Scores Album)

Like Steve McQueen - Sheryl Crow

Jelicle Cats from Cats

Main Theme from Return to Neverland - Tinkerbell (but she was six then

If you need an instrumental I really like the music from The Greatest Game Ever Played, but DD gave it a thumbs down:roll:.

Also a girl at our rink did a cute program to Barry Manilows Jump Shout Boogie.

[sarahemarie]

Thanks for all the suggestions, again.

It is a competitive program-- so instrumental only. But I do a lot of show programs to in the Spring, and those are some great suggestions. Will check out Stardust and The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Thanks!

[Tennisany1]

The Suite from the Polar Express has some great cuts in it and you can get fast and slow that work really well together. It is also a bit dramatic and she might like that. There is also the suite from the musical Ragtime (you can download it off itunes) that has some fabulous cuts. Off course, there is always the Pink Panther. It drives me nuts and is somewhat over used IMHO; however, she might like it.

[luckeylasvegas]

My DD did a great FS4 program to an instrumental version of My Favorite Things from the Carpenters Christmas Album.

Her last technical program was a piano version of Elanor Rigby by Carl Doy.

[JazzySkate]

Theme from "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves"

"Mulan(?)"

[Kim to the Max]

Theme from "Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves"

"Mulan(?)"

Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves is a good one too!! I'm still racking my brain for ideas :)

[celticprincess]

Lets see here are a couple ideas:

Freestyle:
-Stardust
-The 10th kingdom
-Mists of Avalon
-Lady In The Water- I know it's supposed to be a scary movie, but the music is amazing. Im doing an artistic to one of the pieces.
-Ice Castles
-Mission Impossible
-What about like ballets like Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker??
-Fantasia

Hopefully some of those helped:)

[vesperholly]

You definitely need music that can be interpreted several ways. What about the Harry Potter soundtracks? I've seen some cutesy "magical" programs to that music, but also some fairly grown up ones (Bebe Liang's SP). It could fit both your desire to match the music to her skating and her desire to choose challenging music.

BTW, good for your student for wanting to push herself with more grown-up music. Picking something that is a little out of her reach could be very motivating for her to stop skating "like a 7-year-old".

[Kay]

Programs that are more of a feminine "enchanting" delicate aura can sometimes be transcending of age than faster "gung-ho" music. If she skates to something that is more of the enchanting vein, she will feel that it is more mature music, yet if an onlooker/judge thinks it is a seven-year-old that is skating, it can also give off that innocent/pure child vibe.

Polar Express could accomplish this, and I'm also thinking of Forest Gump Soundtrack, and well as the Land Before Time soundtrack (a hidden gem, in my opinion).

Just because you want a skater to skate faster, that doesn't mean you need to pick "fast" music - often if you pick music that is too fast, the skater will develop a flailing sense of artistry as they try to keep pace and, in their minds, interpret the fast music. This may be contributing to why your skater looks like a younger skater - try offering smoother music to develop a more mature sense of movement.

Could I suggest that you take a few samples to the rink and play them, and just let your skater skate around to them for a few minutes? Often sitting in a chair, it can be more difficult for younger skaters to imagine moving to the music. If you let her skate around and think about it, she won't feel pressured to make a snap judgement, and may find that a piece of music unexpectedly grabs her attention or grows on her as she moves to it.

Just a few suggestions! Good luck! Finding music can be tricky....

[sarahemarie]

Thanks for all the suggestions! i'm updating my itunes library as I type:D Anyway, took a bunch of music to the rink on Thursday for her lesson. She really liked "The greatest game ever played." I think we might go with that. she also liked something from "The Natural."

btw - I love the Harry Potter music -- so much so that I already have 2 skaters using different parts of it. Also having a girl skate to a sound of music medley.

And I totally agree about being fortunate to have a skater who wants to push herself with grown up music. It's just so hard, because no one in the world would believe that she is 12, even if I could produce a birth certificate! So it's hard to find music that's age appropriate for her mentally, as well as in the judge's eyes...but I think we found a compromise, hopefully! I'm going to mess with the cuts this weekend and see what I can come up with.

robin Hood has some great music too, I forgot about that one!

Again, thanks so much! All of the ideas were marvelous. I definitely know where to come if I ever get stumped again!:) and tis the season, because there's regionals this week, and then testing up, and then lots and lots of new music to cut! I feel like I spend half my life in the music library:)

[luckeylasvegas]

Just out of curiosity, which cut from the Greatest Game Ever Played did you like? I always liked the End Title best myself.
I really wish my dd had like it but at least I still have it in my itunes file of skating music :lol:. Maybe someday she'll change her mind.

[sarahemarie]

We liked the end title as well. I am going to try and cut it for her this week, and see how she skates to it. Should be fun. Thanks for all the suggestions again!