Floor Ex Music and Interpretation

[Spider68]

We were watching the ladies gymnastics qualification this weekend, and hubby and I both made the observation that gymnasts do not appear to perform to the music. I realize there is a lot of start and stop to prepare for the tumbling runs, but it seems that any music could be playing, and the performance would be the same. A few exceptions, but very few. Nothing at all like Nadia or Olga performing to live pianist (who probably cold tailor the music to the actual performance). I guess skating allows more interpretation, and thus, is more "performance" pleasing to lay people. We went to a gymnastics show, and it just didn't come up to a Stars on Ice.

Anyway, good luck to all the ladies, especially Tabitha!

[MQSeries]

I agree. There was only one girl last week that had non-tumbling movements that went with the music (I think it was the 25 years old one). Everyone else's floor routine didn't go with the music at all. Especially when the gymnast take a few seconds at one end and then run down the mat for the tumbling pass. Any musak could have been playing over the loudspeaker during those moments and it wouldn't have made a difference to the audience at all. It made me wonder why they even bother having music and "choreography". Might as well as follow the men's example and just do straight tumbling on the floor. That's what the people want to see anyway and where their main scores are coming from. They should forget any attempt at musical interpretation, because it's too difficult to do so in gymnastic.

[mskater]

I tend to agree as well...it's a disappointing trend:( The only American gymnast (that comes to mind) who really expresses and moves well with her music is Holly Vise and she's not doing floor or vault b/c of a back injury. Btw, some of the Ukranian and Russian girls have lovely choreography both on floor and beam:]

Can't wait for Athen's coverage!!

[jcspkbfan]

Well, considering the gymnastics floor exercise is only a minute and a half long, there's not exactly a lot of time or room to add tons of innovative choreography (especially since a lot of gymnasts are doing four tumbling passes in their routines nowadays!) But last weekend's Olympic Trials was the first full gymnastics competition I watched in years and I have to agree the choreography of most of the floor routines just isn't what it used to be. :(

I don't know how much her figure skating background had to do with it (or with her choice of music), but I thought Tabitha Yim's floor exercise had the most creative choreography and artistic interpretation of the bunch.

And while I'm happy to see so many eligible skaters pay attention to footwork sequences again, the beginning choreography of a lot of these footwork sequences (particularily the Morosov-style straight-line sequences) reminds me of the expression on gymnasts' faces as they pause on the corner of the mat to do their tumbling passes. Sasha Cohen's footwork sequence towards the end of her Rachmianov LP is the most glaring example of "Okay, here I am taking a big pause at the corner of the rink/floor to begin my big footwork sequence/tumbling pass" I can think of (although fortunately she's improved in this aspect this past season!) I know judges don't like it when skaters telegraph jumps, but I wonder if it might be a good idea to do the same for telegraphing footwork sequences, too...

[flippet]

I didn't get a chance to see the gymnastics, but I agree, the 'choreography' stinks. It has for years. What I hate most are the miming-type movements...like when they mime playing the piano. Um--that's not choreography, sorry. The routines now are all chopped up--big tumbling pass, oh-now-I-have-to-'act'-to-the-music---big pass, ooh, more music, dance dance dance---big pass....etc. It's gotten to the point that I almost don't want to watch it at all, because it's ridiculous. It makes them look foolish. Choreography should be a natural extension of the music--it should flow out of your body almost as if your body is making the music. If you can't do that, just scrap it from the start.

[Alexa]

I didn't get a chance to see the gymnastics, but I agree, the 'choreography' stinks. It has for years. What I hate most are the miming-type movements...like when they mime playing the piano. Um--that's not choreography, sorry. The routines now are all chopped up--big tumbling pass, oh-now-I-have-to-'act'-to-the-music---big pass, ooh, more music, dance dance dance---big pass....etc. It's gotten to the point that I almost don't want to watch it at all, because it's ridiculous. It makes them look foolish. Choreography should be a natural extension of the music--it should flow out of your body almost as if your body is making the music. If you can't do that, just scrap it from the start.

I agree. So many of those "miming" type movements you describe make the gymnast look like they are 5 years old. I have always thought those floor routines looked so awkward, but thought I must be the only one to think so.

I agree with MQSeries--they should just do the tumbling passes and leave it at that.

[yogurtslinger]

I agree. So many of those "miming" type movements you describe make the gymnast look like they are 5 years old. I have always thought those floor routines looked so awkward, but thought I must be the only one to think so.

I agree with MQSeries--they should just do the tumbling passes and leave it at that.

Yeah, I never got the supposed "dance" moves on beam, floor, etc. (Swirl arms around, pause, pose, drop arms). It's truly not dance... I'm not sure what it's supposed to be... or why it's there, frankly.

But as for floor ex & musical interpretation... I remember Boginskaya (sp?) really touched me with her routines, quite frequently. It's not just that her choreography was good-- but look at her facial expressions and pay attention to her timing: she's feeling the music, she's dancing and performing. Emoting. Khorkina does this as well, to some extent.

To a lesser degree, Podkapayeva, Mighty Mouse, etc. used to have some quite elegant (form-wise) routines.. they didn't emote quite as much or "get into it" really. But- beautiful gymnastics and gorgeous form... which is enough to satiate me... for gymnastics, at least ;).

Of the current US batch, I think McCool has good timing to the music. But many seem to still find her interpretation cold... reminiscent of Sasha Cohen, to some extent. Mo, the 25-yr old veteran had cool music and some interesting moves. She's a dynamic performer & fun to watch.. but not great form, especially on those split jumps. It annoyed me to hear all the gushing over all the supposedly great choreography... esp. w/ Tabith Yim & her music. Sorry, but the music isn't *that* strange... it started off kind of "different", but it faded into this weird jazz thing, which I did not quite enjoy.

Yeah. For floor ex, I think I prefer the Russians.

[Alexa]

Yeah, I never got the supposed "dance" moves on beam, floor, etc. (Swirl arms around, pause, pose, drop arms). It's truly not dance... I'm not sure what it's supposed to be... or why it's there, frankly.


Oh yes, how could I forget the swirling around of the arms on the beam? I never have quite understood all of that extra movement on the beam routines. Another example of how they could just simply do the routine and leave out the fluff.