It takes a lot of practice, hard work, and a healthy dose of b***d, sweat, and tears to deliver a stellar figure skating performance. It’s what goes on behind the scenes that make for a performance like this one – 4:30 am training; strict diet; a coach’s tough love and detailed choreography executed to a tee.
Think you have what it takes to pull off something like this? I don’t. But I sure can appreciate those who do!
Putting in the effort gets the results. And that even includes the smaller things, like getting enough sleep, having a solid bond with your partner, taking off-ice classes and extra lessons to tighten up technique. For Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres, you can tell by their huge smiles that all of their hard work is worth the result. Success happens when you practice consistently. Something you do every day, rain or shine, tired or not tired. It’s a commitment together and to reap the benefits, hard work is what it takes to get to the top.
The French duo hit the ice in their unforgettable performance for the 2017 International Skating Union’s World Team Trophy, in Tokyo. The couple chose the 1964 Simon and Garfunkel classic, “Sound of Silence,” redone by Disturbed as their music piece to skate to. Probably not the first choice for many skaters, but upon hearing the track selection, it’s pretty beautiful. The singer’s voice is wrought with emotion and feeling. The song carries the two dancers blissfully and effortlessly across the ice. Haunting, heavy but strangely a stunning track selection, Vanessa and Morgan show the world what they’ve got.
Their routine is particularly beautiful to watch because of the carefully calculated choreography and timing – their technique is tight. The pair made sure to incorporate lots of technical moves to ensure additional points like the Death Spiral, incredible armpit and waist holds, hand-to-hip and hand-to-hand lifts, spins, axel jumps, spirals and so much more – done in tandem! Notice their facial expressions when they’ve completed a trick. This dynamic duo is on fire.
See the video below, and you can be the judge.
