I am a figure skater. I just wanted to know what the "dance world" thought about the "skating world" . . . our body positions and music interpretation.
In ballet - for instance, your "arabesque" is our "spiral". I've heard of ballet dancers cringing at our spirals. In skating, some do lift their hip up, keep their upper back or head down (sometimes close to the ice) - it's undesirable in ballet, but considered "beautiful" on the ice.
Ballroom - In ice dancing, our "footsteps" are nearly completely off from floor steps, though it is still about keeping tempo/mood and patterns.
As they say, they are 2 completely different worlds - though some things will be similar, some things will be VERY different - and it's not wrong. But hey, everyone is entitled to their opinions - so I'd like to hear them!!!
2007-07-23 03:36:27 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Dancing
Ha! I am a very good ballerina, going on 11 years. I absolutely love Ice skating. I think it is an amazing form of dance. Yes, if you were a ballerina you would be breaking some rules, but as you said it is beautiful on the ice. I know some of the greatest ice skaters in the world took Ballet, and you can tell the difference. Not because people who don't take ballet are bad. I guess it just helps with posture and hand form. I would love to BE and ice skater, but my mom actually wont let me because I would be breaking ballet rules. I don't agree with that but I do think Ice Skating and Ballet are different and shouldn't keep the same rules. I still think both are gorgeous!
2007-07-23 03:44:47 · answer #1 · answered by Nails 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I currently dance ballroom and I did a little bit ice skating in the past. As you might know, any serious ice skating is accomplanied by ballet trainig. (This very fact suggests that ballet is foundation for all dances, ice skating/dancing is not exception.)
Althout the tecnique is obviously different, they are all about creating beauty, moving gracefully to music and being in great control of your body.
The difference in names of the terms is unimportant. Anyone with brain should be able to keep them apart.
You learn you use your weight and your momentum differently. You have a lot more momentum on ice, and you have you manage that. You have a lot of restriction on exactly how to use your foot. Ice skates don't bend, they are completely inflexible in the sole, obvioulsy. And you can't slide/move sideways as freely as you can on the dance floor. But in exchange, you gain so much more speed that no ballroom dancer could dream of. There is a similarity, too: in every style, it is important to use the correct part of the foot.
There is no use to compare steps in skating to those of ballroom, but neither style is about steps anyway. Steps are the easy part of it. It's how you do them, that's hard.
I don't think good dancers of either style crignle at the site of how the other style is danced, as long as it is done well and with taste. "Crignling" is usually done by beginners who learned a little bit of tecnique in their own style, but know nothing beyond that. You know, like when you got a hammer everything starts to look like a nail. And what doesn't look like a nail should look like a nail anyway. But when you got the whole toolbox.... Although I must say, when I see a ballet dancer's knee go up and to the side, my first reflex is OMG, and olny a second later my brain adjusts to it.
2007-07-23 13:30:06 · answer #2 · answered by Snowflake 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am strong in ballet, going on 10 years, and I have the utmost respect for the ice skating world, as I hope they feel the same about ballet. What you described about keeping hips up and backs down, yeah, that would make 85% of ballet dancers cring, but it is considered right in ice skating, so I have no reason to conridict these things.
I hope you continue to figure skate and hope you go far in it. Remember, have fun!
2007-07-23 07:02:42 · answer #3 · answered by danc3r4god23 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I've taken ballet, taught ballroom and am an ice skater and on a sychronized skating team. Let's see...........dancing and ice skating seem to go hand in hand. Maybe because you flow on the ice and the dance floor. that is what makes both look effortless.
They are two worlds but when combined both experiences are very enjoyable.
I also get kids,teens and adults interested in taking lessons on ice and showing them that they don't have to be graceful as a dancer or skater, just take it step by step.
I choreograph dance and ice skaters and even a taught technique to a Jr Olympic Champion ice skater.
2007-07-23 04:11:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've been a ballet dancer for 11 years and I absolutely LOVE iceskating. Except for the fact that I fell the first and last time I did it. : P I think it is very beautiful. I understand that all the postures can't be exactly the same as ballet, but you iceskaters change it so that it fits what looks good on the ice. I love watching ice skating whenever it's on tv. You're awesome! Keep skating!
2007-07-23 05:25:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I look at figure skating as its own thing and I don't really like to make comparisons. I think such comparisons are unfair. True I may cringe at spirals when someone if lifting their hips because to me such a movement is 'unnatural', but I accept that figure skating doesn't hold the same ideas, which is fine. I'm not sure I'm making sense. I admire figure skaters for what they do and appreciate the differences. I know I can't do what they can and have really very little room to criticize their acts.
2007-07-23 05:11:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I agree with what the others have said. Sure lifting the hip is a no-no for ballet, but it looks fantastic when you guys do it. The rhythm/musicality and poise of both activities go hand in hand, and I'm sure its pretty fair to say many skaters understand how hard dancing is, and vice versa.
2007-07-23 07:42:55 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I dance ballroom. This is the same arguement between american and international style dancers. I personally appreciate evry art form for what it is and try not ot compare it to any other. They are different for a reason. They developed different and have different motivations. So, basically I respect a good figure skater, I don't even compare them to dancers.
2007-07-23 13:49:41 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
well pointe shoes is easier for me to do that ice skates. there are many things about both that are harder and easier. this is probally something to do with that cheerleaders are retarded dancers. while i think it is a funny idea, figure skating doesn't fall into this category. figure skating is like modern ballet in my opininan.
2007-07-23 07:37:59 · answer #9 · answered by jessica b 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I used to figure skate and then i started ballet but ballet really helps figure skating and vise versa
2007-07-24 07:38:43 · answer #10 · answered by summ3r1ovin 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋