I thought laying down and rolling on the ice

[zowie]

was gone forever!!!! Just when you think you are safe, someone comes along and brings it back. ARGH! thanks Irina, your program was gorgeous without it!

[Excidra]

it's not like she just layed on the ice for a few seconds and looking out to the audience. She was doing movements and it went well with the program.
The way she has been skating through out the GP, I was glad she came to her old self in the end.
If Irina decides to bring back an old program, I hope she considers bringing back 'Cry of the forest' or 'Schindler's List'.
Those two programs are one of my favorites.

[AxelAnnie22]

I simply LOVED Irina's program. (Although I never like skater's emoting while prone on the ice). :oops:

I wish she would skate this as her LP. The thing I don't understand is that the very things people complain about with Irina's skating (lack of artistry, musicality, etc., ) were all present here....in abundance. She looked gorgeous on the ice. She showed a beautiful lyrical style. I would love to see more of that in her LP.

I always use my husband as an indicator of Mr. "Everyman" - you know, the casual fan....he loves Katerina Witt, Nicole Bobeck, and he thought Sarah would win the OLYMPICS (go figure!). When Irina took the ice, he was poo-pooing. But after about 45 seconds, she had him totally wowed! I just wish everyone could see her live as well as on tv. You just can't even grasp the speed and power until you are there. Although I can't be too upset that Yuka won, I think the evening belonged to Irina.

[spiralsrfun]

I also liked her interpretive free at Hallmark....after all her lackluster performances this season...that was a nice surprise! :)

[Blue Ridge]

She skated this program last year and rolled on the ice then too. I think the program would be better without that part, myself.

This skating was such a turn-around from her other skates this year. This is clearly the sort of program Irina excels with. You can be sure, though, that she won't use it as a competitve LP and she won't bring back old programs. She is always very clear about that.

We will either see a completely new LP or a La Traviata that has changed considerably and hopefully brings out this side of Irina's skating.

[Alexeiskate]

I don't have a problem with lying on the ice if it's done right. Although I didn't think the lying on the ice part was choreographed very well in Irina's program, I really liked the overall performance from her and thought she skated it great. Interestingly Karyn Kadavy skated to this same music several years ago and she also had a section where she was lying/sitting on the ice and I thought it was done beautifully.

[Aaron W]

I'm somone who absolutely despises seeing a skater lay or roll around on the ice. I have yet to see a singles skater actually make it work for me in the context of the program. When I watch skating, whether in person or on television, I expect to see them actually skating.

If I were a judge, a skater would pretty much be guaranteed a lower presentation mark from me for laying and/or rolling around on the ice. And I for one felt Irina's laying around and extending her arms in no way helped the program. And it's not just Irina. I was fuming when Yagudin layed down on the ice as well. They are both too great of skaters to be wasting moments in their programs not showing off their skating.

[Ellyn]

Originally posted by Blue Ridge
We will either see a completely new LP or a La Traviata that has changed considerably and hopefully brings out this side of Irina's skating.

Actually, I thought her performance of La Traviata at the Detroit competition did bring out that side of her skating more than its earlier performances. (Or maybe it's just that the costume showed her off better despite all that distracting fringe?) Too bad the jumps were out to lunch.

[Serenity]

I don't care for the lying down or kneeling or rolling on the ice either. I also don't like it when a skater just stands still and poses too often. I prefer to see them keep skating. (I thought Irina and Yags both were great overall though, despite the wallowing on the ice).

Do you remember several years back when so many skaters "died" at the end of their programs and ended up just lying on the ice? The ISU finally had to forbid this type of ending. The ice dancers especially got carried away with this. It seems like one of the network commentators was talking about this once and showed clip after clip of skaters "dying" at the end of their programs-- some with a ridiculous amount of dramatics. It was hilarious. This discussion topic reminded me of it again.

[Ivan W]

The forementioned illegal lying down on the ice rule was affectionately called "The Torvill and Dean Rule.";)

Like all good ice dancers, once ice skating trick or style is used by a winning team, it get used right into the ground...kind like disco.

[dbell]

Actually I miss the Ice Dancers dying every program! Maybe next year's LP 'theme' could be Shakespearean Death Scenes. I want to see A&P or L&A do Hamlet or Titus or Romeo & Juliet... :lol: Sure beats "I Will Survive! ;)

[Serenity]

ANYTHING beats "I Will Survive"!!!

[Blue Ridge]

Originally posted by Ellyn
Actually, I thought her performance of La Traviata at the Detroit competition did bring out that side of her skating more than its earlier performances. (Or maybe it's just that the costume showed her off better despite all that distracting fringe?) Too bad the jumps were out to lunch.

I agree that the Detroit performance of La Traviata definitely showed where Irina will probably be able to take this program. I think the program has a lot of potential; I hope she keeps it and develops it. I really didn't think that costume suited the program, though. As for the jumps, she'll have them back when she is back to 100% which she is not yet.

[wvgal57]

That the "new" LaTraviata costume got lost enroute to Moscow for her return trip home. I did not like it and hope she goes back to her longer skirts, spaghetti straps and KEEPS the tights over the boots!

I hope she beefs up that circular footwork section and improves on this program if she keeps it.

I'd also love to see S&D as a free program - Irina was gorgeous!

[Hannahclear]

I think longer skirts are not necessarily the best option, I think they make her look stocky, which she is actually not at all, so I don't think it's a good look for her.

However, something between no skirt (just that awful fringe) and a long skirt is surely possible. The first La Traviata costume was OK, without those weird color blends.

[Blue Ridge]

LOL, wvgal, I hope the costume got lost too... ;)

Hannahclear, are you missing a "not" in your first sentence? I like the longer skirts, the wispy ones, and I think that style of costume would do well for Traviata. No doubt whatever the costume is you won't like the colors, you and Irina seem to just not have the same tastes there. :P

[Hannahclear]

I certainly am missing a "not". Ooops.

Hey, I liked "Cowboy Dance" outfit and "Seranade" Very nice color and they all matched! :D

[wvgal57]

from "Timeless" and the "Cowboy Dance" costume are good examples of why these kinds of costumes should be allowed by the women in comepetition. Irina looked gorgeous in both of these and I'd love to see the ISU get a little broader minded about costumes. I'd rather see the unitards that all that messiness of tissue wrapping. I agree though that Irina does sometimes make terrible costume choices, I wish she'd just stay simple and plain because she is beautiful and doesn't need the flashy costumes at all.

[nits]

I agree the rolling on the ice was a bit over the top. I don't think it went well with the rest of the program. Her costume at Hallmark was a big improvement from what I saw at other competitions.