Ok so I’m obsessed with VM’s Rhumba….

Here’s why…

First few things:

E D G E S (I’m not a skater but I have watched enough at this point to know what edges are and that VM have all of them..) so low down in the knees and the side of their boots nearly catching the ice. I know T got called on the edge in the Choctaw in the TE and… again… I’m not a skater but from what I could see.. and I’ve watched this event a lot I really couldn’t see any difference/ stronger edge in any of the the other girls/teams- Tessa’s seemed the same or at least very close in both the TE and IE.. but WHATEVER.. (like even all the commentators said how good it was so idk)

What Tessa does with her arm. She does like a push out movement on the side step that mirrors the movement with their legs-then keeps it beautifully extended into the first Choctaw step. It just works so beautifully with the music and the vibe of it all- she just exudes confidence and the quality of it just adds the the whole ‘sex on ice’ vibes we got.

The… kinda (I can’t think of the exact name for the movement) but on the last ‘OWW’ as the music transitions from SFTD to HC and they’ve already started the rhumba they.. well in ballet it’s like a pas de chaval- but it’s when they extend their right legs to arabesque and bend it while it’s still close to 90 degrees, and like a cat bend it back in as they go into the next step. It’s so musical and so fitting with the animalistic vibes and energy. They’ve done it in the past where on that step they would leave it extended and that was beautiful too, and most teams this year (2018) did an extended leg but it’s turned in and often the legs aren’t matching height. It doesn’t look as good. What VM did with that was just so perfect. They lift from the glute even more to give it extra stretch and height before retracting it. *chefs kiss 💋:

But here’s what I’m really obsessed with:

So I can’t really emphasise enough what a good partner Scott is. Like really I’ve never seen a male dancer partner his girl so seamlessly- make it look so effortless, while at the same time be as charismatic and engaging of a performer and equally talented dancer as their partner. There’s great male ballet partners but usually in ballet- during a pdd, the man is literally just their to support the girl- he isn’t really dancing. In most ballets the structure is the pdd, man solo, girl solo, coda. So what makes Scott so special is he is dancing and partnering her at the same time without ever compromising one of the two. He truly makes it all about her and is not at all resentful of that- he knows people watching her doesn’t mean he is bad- it means he is presenting her and matching all her lines, complementing her movements, playing off her and interacting with her. A lot of male dancers say it’s about the girl but will often compromise or risk their girls’ safety at times- not always intentionally, but they forget that the pdd is about the girl and then they can have their moment in their solos. So what makes VM so unique as dancers (notice I almost always refer to them as ‘dancers’ and not simply ‘skaters’) is in their discipline there is no ‘solos’ (even hardly ever in shows- they are always together unless it’s a boy/girl no.). There’s no chance for one of them to shine without the other- they shine together. Its not quite like you are seeing only one person, but I feel even if you are watching one of them specifically, you are still seeing the other because they’re are so connected and every movement one of them does relies on the other to match/compliment.

So: the one thing I watch on repeat over and over is Scott’s hand placement in the rhumba pattern:

(And it’s not just in the rhumba, it’s anytime he’s holding her like this)

You will notice if you look carefully how far he has his hand around to the front of her waist compared to the top teams:

You will notice of all the teams here (top teams coz there’s no point comparing to lower ranked teams, but for the record I can’t think of another team at all that partners as well as Scott partners Tessa). In the first set of screen shots (sorry.. they’re fuzzy) the guys have their hands flat-palm just sitting on the crest of the girls pelvis, or in Alex’s case on her ribs. What Scott is doing, and you can see it in motion in the top video, is he bends his fingers round and digs into the space- kinda between her abs and her obliques- the soft(er) part/muscle between her ribs and her hip bone. His arm is also bent at nearly 90 degrees which means he holding her much closer than the other guys are holding their girls. The others just have their arm curved around the girl’s back and resting their hand on her side- they aren’t ‘holding’ them, more just ‘touching’ them.

What all this means and shows (at least to me in my experience) is that Scott is actually partnering Tessa through this whole pattern, rather than what the other guys are doing is just doing the steps with their partner. Scott is actually aiding and assisting her through this entire pattern. Giving her that feeling of being lifted (through her upper body), helping her feel lifted out of her hips. The way his arm is bent- he is partnering her with his whole arm (really his whole body) but he can make minor adjustments without anyone seeing them because he is holding her so close. If she is a little off balance, or to close/far away, he can use his forearm to bring her back a bit, or give her more space if she needs it. You will see in the top video how as they step right, left (just before it cuts out) that he re adjusts his grip. He reaches his hand around a little further and digs his fingers in again and lifts in and up towards her ribs. If you go and watch every performance of this- you’ll see he does this hand movement on this exact step every time.

He isn’t helping her through this because she needs assistance- as if she’s weak and doesn’t have the strength to skate it and hold herself up, it is literally him being the perfect partner for her and making it easier for her so she can use her upper body and feel more free. You will also notice in the second set- him holding her left hand- how parallel her lower arm is to his upper arm. Again, go watch any performance of this- his left arm DOES NOT MOVE. It is so strong and ridged. He is basically acting as a ballet barre for her- screwed into the wall that doesn’t move, so Tessa and lean in an out of his hand, use it for balance and feel her whole left side stable. He is holding her so steady that there is no movement in her left arm at all- it stays so straight. This whole pattern is almost like he is driving her through it. Having his left arm so strong and ridged however, isn’t visible, that stiffness isn’t reciprocated in the rest of his body. His neck is so lose and he too is able to express through his upper body, while being so strong and supporting for Tessa.

You will see compared to other teams, how this partnering allows them to match. Their lines are better because they are closer together. If you look at the second set with B/S - he is the one guy who is holding her kinda like Scott with his right hand, but his left hand is not assisting her, they are much further apart and their hips aren’t level.. in that second set with VM, their shoulders are level, her free hand extended is in a straight line with her left and his upper arm holding her. Their hips are only centimetres apart and are at the exact same level and completely square. Free legs PERFECTLY parallel and straight and POINTED with THEIR HEELS REACHING FORWARD WHICH MEANS THEY ARE TURNING OUT FROM THE TOPS OF THEIR LEGS (urrggghbb I can feel my piriformis switching on just writing this, FUCK I love them 💞).. their chests lifted without pocking their ribs out (no banana backs) and those beautiful, confident smiles. Seriously this whole pattern is perfection and like honestly, the neck kiss was a moment, but this is like satisfaction porn..

I love this slo-mo part where they (idk what it’s called in skating so I’ll just say it’s a pivot round the corner..)

But just watch his right hand. The way he shapes it, uses his fingers to direct her, the heel of his hand and his wrist/forearm to form like an arch for her to sit in where he can use each part of his hand/arm he needs so keep her on balance. Watch in the second gif how far his around his fingers are and presses into her abs as she combrés forward, he is holding her steady to give her freedom in her upper body to bend forward while staying on balance. You can see as they complete the last bit of the pivot he pulls her closer to make it round the corner. (Like pulling tight at the end of a spin to go faster- create less friction against the air). Straight after that you can see he shifts his hand as their transfer weight to their left leg, he moves it more to the back of her hip to use the heel of his hand to assist her in changing direction- as she as to step her steps out a little further- and he is more doing his on a pivot point as she goes from being in front of him facing the front to stepping in front of him facing the back in only one ‘ball change’ (sort of step).

The way he shapes his arm reminds me of how guys are to taught (at least the guys at my school) how to do partnered pirouettes: they are taught, when the girl is standing on point, or in 4th preparing to relieve to pirouette, if you are turning to the right, (which most of the time we are) to have (I think it’s this way around but I could be mixing it up) to have their left hand in an ‘L’ shape and their right hand with their fingers on the crest of our hips, the left hand in the L shape is for us to ‘sit’ in as we turn, and kind of keeps us on our axis (like a spinning top) where as the right hand does the turning, flicking our hip around, in each turn. Here’s a gif of some partnered pirouettes not that you can really see the hand technique but give you an idea: (they aren’t really doing this technique- that more for training but with multiple pirouettes like this there’s more movement to keep us spinning, btw this is Marianela Nunez for the Royal Ballet who is STUNNING and reminds me soooo much of Tessa)

So what Scott is going here in the rhumba is he is doing the job of both the left and right hand all in his right + arm.

I would really be so interested to hear about VM’s off ice training coz even tho the basis of Ice Dancing is ballroom- I see so many similarities to ballet/contemporary partnering in their programs- so I wonder if they did lots of off-ice pdd and partnering training because with don’t see this type of partnering in other teams.

You will also notice if you watch any version of this, but I especially noticed it on the olys version, he talks to her the whole way through it- up until the the end of the side step where they curve round into the Choctaw and the judges can obviously see them. I like to think the little minor squeezes and adjustments he makes with his right hand are also little communications.

Again, this has nothing to with Tessa being weak and him needing to support her. It’s literally just good partnering. It’s the tiniest little things he’s doing but it just helps her so much and makes it so easy for her. That’s his superior partnering skills and him just putting her safety and ease of movement as first priority. Like other guys probably don’t even see the difference. So many skaters are taught by the same small group of coaches at this level so I don’t really think it’s something-a style taught- I think that’s something TS mostly developed between themselves, however there are clips from when they were very young where you see he has similar hand placement, so it could be something their first coaches taught them. The big difference, just me imagining doing these steps and knowing what it feels like to be partnered well and also by weaker partners, there is so much difference and just watching all these teams, I can feel that Tessa feels so much more assured and supported in her movement than the other girls would, just by the way the guys are partnering in this killian hold. It’s the difference between doing really hard ballet steps at the barre vs in the centre, or like if you start class in the centre without barre and it takes you so much longer to find you legs (balance)-being at the barre is just inherently easier.

The other difference is Scott and Tessa are doing it together- they are connected and their partnering just as intricate and necessary as their skate placement. All the other teams- they are touching just coz it’s necessary- they aren’t actually helping each other. The guys are just resting their right hands on the girls hip. That’s not helping her in anyway. Funnily enough it’s kinda the same approach some teams have to the whole sport- only touching coz they have to. TS’s partnering is literally the core of their programs- it’s so complicated and so nuanced and they way partner is like a language of communication. They talk through their programs but I feel lots of talking also goes on just by the way he shifts his hand or squeezes her.

Everything about what they do is just crazy fascinating when you get down to the tiny details.

Of VM’s Farrucas vs Dream A Little Dream vs Latin - best Olympic SD in your opinion and why? And because it’s such a hard question what are your favorite moments and best parts of each? I love them all so much and almost wish their Latin short got more love…it’s just outdone by the magic of Moulin Rouge!

Easiest answer ever, Dream A Little Dream is the best Olympic short dance, because Farrucas is the best Olympic original dance, so the answer can magically be both. I love their sympathy for the devil short dance, I think it's wonderful, I just think DALD is the best short dance every made, with Prince being a very close second.

It's hard to choose best parts, because all of those programs are perfection start of finish, but I'll be discerning, and just pick one of my favourite small little detail moments of each, just for funsies.

Farrucas: I love this transition, it's so difficult, to control the skirt, and her free leg, and her arm, and everything else, to have it look so clean and extended, Scott such a strong base and on one foot. You just don't see transitions like this anymore, they did this just for because they could.

Dream A Little Dream: I love love love that V/M would always nod to the pattern dance in their programs, a reference to the steps somewhere else to make it all so seamless, this little moment is so reminiscent of the finnstep, and I love Tessa going around Scott's body, on one foot, free leg perfectly extended, while Scott has lovely arms and is just serving face, right on the music.

Sympathy for the Devil: I just love this moment, I think it's wonderful, charismatic, fun, and great. They are giving such face, Scott get's his little moment in front to shine, arching his back and extending his arms, Tessa having the time of her life, it always makes me smile.

pre olympics virtuemoir

SD: Dream a Little Dream of Me ~ 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics

For the sake of this not becoming a university length dissertation, in analysing this program I am going to focus on discussing the textbook example of musicality they display in this performance. (Though there is so much to love about it from costumes to skating technique, but the musicality is 1000 chefs kisses 🤌).

This is going to be a bit tricky to break down in gif form, so please if you feel it necessary jump back and forth between watching the video and this analysis.. I’ll do my best to bring it to life through text!

Before that I really do have to comment on their performance quality and showmanship, and it’s not like this performance is an outlier as a supreme example over their other performances, but it is just such an easy to understand example of what being a truly gifted performer is. In more lyrical/contemporary programs, it’s more subjective and can be said to be too over or under done, this program however.. it’s like they’ve been pulled straight out of a mid century movie. It’s hard for me to say what is their best dance style because they really do excel at them all, but this really is just.. as close to perfect as you can get. Its fits them so well. They have the EXACT amount of expression needed to carry the story, the tone, the movement, interaction with each other, and are able to make it visible for the judges, audience close up, watching on TV, and way in the back row of the arena. This is what we call in the theatre/dance world ‘projection’- that encompasses how long you have to hold an expression for, what angle your head needs to be at, how much to squint your eyes, how much you interact together/to each other as opposed to the audience. Their field of performance is unique bc they have essentially 5 sides they are performing to - 4 sides of an arena and the cameras. Most dancers/ stage actors have just the front. There is never a moment or angle from which VM aren’t being watched.

I can’t even begin to explain how rare a quality and ability to perform like them is, let alone find the one other person in the world as equally charismatic as you and have that performance relationship work- perfect compatibility. Tessa is a freaking superstar. She’s so absurdly beautiful, she has the most gorgeous sparkling eyes and infectious smile. Her face just reads soooo well from an audience POV. It sounds harsh to say but some people just do not have the face for this- and it’s not about being attractive or beautiful- it’s just the ability to read expression. Having features in proportion to all the expressions you need to portray. Same with Scott. It really can not be said enough what a once in a lifetime gift he is to the world of dance/theatre/ performance, LET ALONE skating. I am not exaggerating: he (within their field) is akin to Fred Astaire. Not to get stereotypical, but it is just rarer to find a male performer with that kind of natural charisma, either there are more who have it and are bullied out of it bc dancing/performing is considered “girly” or they don’t have the mentors around them to see that untapped talent/potential for it to be come what it can be. And even THEN it is so incredibly rare to find. There are phenomenal male actors and dancers, but I can’t think of any- out of literal movie actors, that invoke leading man, all-round talent… just that kind of performer you don’t see anymore. Scott optimises vintage style not vintage values on the ice and in their partnership. Scott would not be out of place in the mid 1900’s classic cinema is what I’m trying to say-that kind of performer doesn’t exist anymore and there is something nice about watching watching VM, even with IDing moving in the direction it’s going now, to look back not even 10 years ago and watch this team so brilliantly skate a more traditional style of performance, and also be able to perform modern/current themes and music. VM HAVE NOT had a perfect or easy journey by any means, but by their own retelling they were incredibly fortunate to have families, coaches, mentors who nurtured them exactly how they need to be to fulfil their incomprehensible amount of talent. (Back to S) I am just so moved by him everytime I manage to draw my eyes away from T to just watch him- and the reason why I struggle to stop watching T: bc HE IS MAKING ME WATCH T.. seriously. Challenge yourself to just watch him, and see everything he does himself to shine and also make her shine.. I just can’t comprehend it. He is just so incredibly rare and a freaking gift of a performer.

To bring it back to this exact program and performance now.. I think it is one of the better examples where both of them are equally as stunning, charismatic, equally shine. S was born to be this kind of dancer.. I think is what I’m saying. It just looks so easy for him, it’s not a deep, complicated character like don jose or Christian, but it is a character none the less and is one that he just fits so perfectly. Thinking about how perfectly he expressed Farrucas which was fiery and had this internal rage that manifested as passion and love- he even more perfectly expresses this charming, handsome, leading man with stunning posture and exquisite lines. Everything he does looks easy. I love that BESP commentary where they say “he NEVER looks as though he’s got a problem” he’s doing the most complicated skating in the world to the highest quality, while partnering T seamlessly and with a smile on his face. He just gets that a huge part of his job is to make her look good. It’s not about him- it’s about her. Sorry but it is, and he FREAKING GETS THAT and has not one microfibre of resentment over that, you never see him cringe or wince or get mad at her for messing him up. This goes back to their inspiring work ethic and empathy towards each other and being the best team possible, but to be such a selfless male partner- and be that selfless when he is as good as he is… to have no resentment over that and never wish he’d been a singles skater to have the spotlight for once- nope-he doesn’t want that. Ughhh..

I know that seemed to get off track but it really does go into it- that lack of ego, when you can just be so free to perform bc you love it and you get to do it with the person you love more than anything- all that shows when they dance.

OKAY…

Back on track now.

I’m going to try to hit the big/most inspiring musical moments. (Obviously I’m not gonna hit all of them) (Apologies in advance for my attempt to text-verbalise musical accents).

On this little trumpet (I think it is excuse me if I mix up instruments), you can hardly see it, but S throws T’s arm up and its not her arm that’s expressing that full trumpet trill, but his left arm as he drops it down after throwing hers up. He also give a bit of that smirky face as he does so. Starting with this musical moment bc its so perfect but you barely see it- it’s that kind of attention to detail that is so under appreciated in this program.

Included in this one gif so I don’t waste any: the helicopter spin. This is so subtly iconic and I know I’ve read someone else point out the brilliance of this moment musically, but just let me throw in my own thoughts.

So on the lyrics “Sycamore trees”, that’s over two counts of music. T has her leg extended for one count, and S has his extended for two counts. The second count, with the sound of the music the key drops on “more”, so he continues that spin but goes to a bent supporting leg for the completion of the turn . Together they do the first part of the turn with their legs in second then S finishes it by ronding it derriere. It’s also the dynamics with the way he rounds his leg to the back… he ‘milks’ it to the end of the count.

They use A L L their music. Every single part of it. The counts, the notes, the accents, the syncopation, the breathes in the voices, the character of the voices. This is the brilliance of the choreography but a huge part of it is on VM to express the music like this- this kind of supreme musical expression is unique to VM- they hear music differently to most human beings-let alone figure skaters.

All these little indulgent body movements on the kind of ‘scats’ in the singing. They start off with accenting in the upper body, then as they need to get around the corner to be ready for the step sequence, they continue that same rhythm with their feet- they aren’t just doing the steps necessary to get them in the right spot, its like they’ve got that groove of the dance in their bodies and continue it from their upper bodies to their feet.

Its also how much they emphasise these accents. There’s one movement S does with his head, now he could’ve really thrown his head back, but instead he does a much smaller head movement that is just so perfect for the style of dance they are doing- its the restraint they show as much as it is the complete commitment and abandon to the moment.

The exact same thing a little later halfway through the non-touch step sequence (so I won’t gif it but you can go watch it). I know this got pointed out- I’m pretty sure by Kurt- about how S watches and reacts to T- its him watching her that informs how he does his steps-his steps are his reply to her- as if they were having a conversation - this is one of the biggest examples of Scott being a perfect partner. That they are doing the same choreographed steps but its performed like a conversation-letting her movement inform how he performs his.

The second half of the step sequence is just ….. i really can’t keep using the word perfect (insert the arthur fist clench meme that they were SCREWED on this score). All on one foot. The first few steps are again as if having a conversation he is responding to her saying “a huh, a huh, ok watch this” and they do that last twizzles, then…. PERFECTLY skid out along with Louie stretching out that “oohhhh” lyric, and S’s little shoulder shrug like “damn, you’re good”. (Also mirrors the skid in the finnstep that comes later). I’m not really the biggest fan of when figure skaters.. kinda acknowledge their surroundings mid program.. ie interacting with judges directly, using the boards.. but surprise surprise I love how vm do this here- they kinda go ‘oh shit, gonna run out of room’. I think again bc its so musical and is in the character of the dance it works.

This is a little off topic, but I, with all the in-depth blogging I’ve done on them, really haven’t appreciated: HOW FREAKING GOOD OF A SKATER IS TESSA!!!! Like.. of course, she’s the best ice dancer if all time, a 3x time oly champ, 5 olys medals, 3 world champs, some of the best skating skills ever, (I wrote this before their CSHOF speech) but I don’t even think of her as a skater, and yet Scott I do. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently and even though I watch her skate on a daily basis, I don’t think of her as being part of the sport of skating.. like I can’t imagine hearing skating terminology come out of her mouth; worlds like ‘rocker’ ‘counter’ ‘spiral’ types of jumps.. I have heard her say ‘twizzles’ and ‘axel’ but it’s just this really weird thing that I don’t associate her with the sport. I probably do Scott bc he coaches, but VM together even I don’t see them as being part of that figure skating infrastructure.. its weird, maybe it’s a generational thing- like I don’t associate them with other famous skaters from before their time (that’s normal I think) but even other skaters in other disciplines from their time- Yuna, Mao, etc.. maybe bc I’ve studied them so long and feel close to them on a personal level, other skaters are more foreign to me but VM are just people. Its weird.

So when I really focus on T doing steps like this, its like ‘how does she do that’. Maybe its bc (and sorry I don’t mean this to sound pretentious) but I really relate to her and see a lot of myself in her, so if I imagine myself skating I wouldn’t have a clue what I was doing, so I think ‘but how can she do it?’

Ok, enough of that, that’s for me to work out in therapy (hahahahahhah 😅)

*MOMENT TO SAY HOW PERFECT THESE TWIZZLES WERE PLEASE GO WATCH THEM ON REPEAT*

The ending of the twizzles- that little clap scott added, as he watches her. (I really don’t like clapping in FS. Except VM- I’m bias you know that) They talked a little in the stupid show about the story of this program- though I feel that’s kinda just to set the scene of it- once that’s done they (maybe) and the audience can kinda let go of that very literal telling of them being on this date and he showed up late and he’s gotta try and charm her.. once that’s established they are really just performing- and I appreciate that bc a) it’s a sport and they have to get the required elements done, but also its not this cheesy, pantomime kinda thing- they perform as though they know the audience is smart enough to understand that without it being spoon fed the story, then they can just wow us all with their dancing. You could just so easily imagine them on stage doing this dance (a version of this dance) they could be on a broadway stage in tap shoes and these exact costumes performing this duet and they would not look out of place-they have such wonderful showmanship they almost look out of place in a sport arena- that’s how good they are! But as I’ve mentioned before, the way they approach their programs, from costumes to structure, seamlessly bridges this divide between the stage and arena-their costumes are athletic and do not impede their skating and also don’t look like idiots dressed in outrageous over the top costumes in a sports arena.

I can’t gif the whole finnstep pattern but god I’d love to!

Firstly a more general comment: and I’ve probably said this before, but something I really love about VM’s skating and all their programs (marina programs and Montreal programs) is the where they put and how they perform the set pattern within their short dances. Some teams I feel hide their patterns in the program by not using highlights in the music, not starting it at the start of a phrase of music, putting it in a weird/unnatural place within the program. I love how VM usually have a different track, and if not, brilliantly edited musical transitions into and out of their patterns. Here in DALD there is a fantastic, fanfare-like musical transition into the instrumental music for the Finnstep, there’s this ramp up to it.. and it’s like this incredibly satisfying beat drop moment as they start the first step in the pattern.

That sharpness of their heads on these first steps. The look to each other then the syncopated ‘down up’ I have watched this whole event but I can’t remember what every single team did, but I remember there were a few attempts to add heads and arm variants in here, but the majority were slower- not really with the music. VM’s is just right on with the style and musical accents. The coordination to do those heads while doing those steps is so hard, it’s so fast and there is so much to concentrate on.

Lastly on this gif is T’s twizzle. NO OTHER GIRL turned this fast. It is such a fast movement anyway, and so many fall behind on that musically. I don’t even know how T does it that fast- how her blades doesn’t stuck is beyond me (an example of why Scott said she is the greatest skater he has ever seen ✅). You can see S is giving her everything he can give her to do that turn super fast- strong hand/finger hold above her head, keeping a secure hold around her torso to keep her on centre, and he stays looking at her the whole time-there’s never a moment they aren’t communicating. The way they bring out the joy and lightness in this instrumental music with their skips and high jetes. THEY ARE ON ICE.. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE???

Sorry to get off topic again, but this is an example of how they work with their limited height difference: In this dance, they seem to have much more height differential. You can especially see that in her twizzle. I can’t comment on exactly how it works between them (and it’s all they’ve ever known) but I like to think S does an enormous amount of work in these pattern dances to make himself taller- he does this but ‘growing’ taller-not literally but in terms of elongating through his spine as much as possible without straining his neck and shoulders. He has superior posture (B A L L E T). His form in holding tessa is impeccable. He is supporting her and is so strong that he not being dragged down in supporting her, she in turn is so strong she could basically do all these steps un-partnered- she is not grasping onto him in the slightest. He is also just so light through his steps, he does not appear heavy. I’m sure off ice he has phenomenal balloné (bouancy in his jumps) so these steps can appear so easy and eleveated while completing every edge and turn to perfection (did you read that right judges!?!?!?)

Moving on..

The sharpness of their feet- T’s turns on the ‘5,6,7, and 8’ counts. (Im sorry I don’t know what the turns are called) but she goes ‘back, forward, back, pick’ its just soooo musical. Both their picks to cou de pied are exactly the same- same shape, same timing. Exquisite

The beautiful lean on those two crossovers as she passes under his arm, then the skid stop is so.. extreme, yet calculated. They are sooo good they can do the craziest shit on ice-not just do the required steps but push the boundaries of whats possible technically- something no other team since them has done. On these quick step flicks they just look stunning, the hold he has on her to make her appear so high and sparkling- not pushing her down.

Im obsessed with the slow, drawn out choctaws, then quick snappy twizzles.

These last steps on the diagonal (not part of the Finnstep pattern) where they hop on one leg and face each other is my favourite part of the program. Omg how precious. This is an incredibly mature program (as are all their competitive programs) but this moment here has such an essence of child-like joy and humour. It goes quick so you cant see their faces but I sense their smiles at each other here was a micro moment for them to look at each other out of character- one of those checking in moments. I don’t know, I just love it, its so pure.. also the addition of another quick step jeté- I think this might be there one there’s a picture of them mid air from Scott’s side so you can barely see T bc they are so in sync.

The button ending with that drop back. Right on the music. Just perfect. Then that little look he gives her like ‘damn straight kiddo’ 😏

It’s not just the dancing and the steps, but also musicality in terms of energy. They’ve just finished the finnstep which is probably the fastest of all the CD’s, then through their energy they tone it down to give layers to the program- this I think helps in making the SD feel like a free dance- that it is not just all one level for 2:50 minutes. I feel so many other teams and their their choreographers/coaches miss that in creating programs by not highlighting moments properly- there is no artistic transition out of the compulsory portion so it all blends into one. VM’s programs highlight all their elements without feeling like useless connecting steps between elements. So I love after the dip back, they have their kiss moment and the next little bit through Cheek to Cheek up till the lift is relatively more chill and indulgent- while not letting up/ having a break. Its like he’s won her over, he’s been so charming and can dance and treats her beautifully, now its just like, ‘ahh, how lovely’ now its about ‘dancing cheek to cheek’.

Their lifts are god tier. They are the best ice dance lifters to ever exist (along with best ice dancers everything else). I won’t go on about the technical aspect of it rn.

Everything that goes on before T gets into her scorpion (thats the position she’s in when he spins) is crazy, then once he starts rotating- the way his speed kinda revs up with the music. Its hard to here but there’s kinda this background ‘da da da da da’ that speeds up and they match it perfectly. Its incredible.

And lastly. I don’t think they had hit that ending right on the music all season, and here: they did perfectly! I think that was part of his ‘yes’ in the ending pose.

Marie France Dubreuil watching Tessa and Scott’s SD

“Don’t do that to me”.

tessavirtue17: Let’s start this week with where it all began … and end it with @cansportshall 🇨🇦

Going to try and share our different “eras” over the next several days. What are we calling this one?

Ok forget the rest of the amazingness of Carmen for sec. Just look at this opening:

This is incredible. From the second their names are announced they are in character, but not in an overdone way. It’s very subtle and internalised but you can feel the energy radiating off them- even through a phone screen which I honestly don’t know how that’s possible..

Then if you look away for a split second you wouldn’t notice because again it’s so subtle, but you see Scott has stopped dead centre and Tessa is just staring at him, stalking him like he’s prey that she has already caught, put in a cage and is waiting to devour. He watches her as she approaches him knowing he is helpless against her.

Then as she moves around him… like he just… accepts his fate.. the way she runs her hand down his back.. it’s like she’s counting each of his vertebrae, deciding which one to snap, and then his reaction (which varied through the season).. it’s like she’s just stripping him of his dignity.. ugh it’s so emotional. With such little movement, no over the top expression (from either of them) she conveys so much power. The bottom one is particularly chilling. That shudder through is body and reaction in his hands. I truly love to believe that is a genuine reaction to her touch. I need to believe they give each other chills because every moment of them moving together is so visceral and they are so present.

It’s like in this moment they are not friends, they do not care about each other. They are adversaries and the power balance is completely flipped. They portray that so honestly and convincingly- neither of them are forcing it.

I can’t even begin to explain how much courage, commitment, abandonment and trust in each other it takes to go there together.

They are just so much more than their sport in this respect. Their sport doesn’t require this of them, the judges can’t make sense of it because they are skating people, not stage and theatre people therefore it is not appreciated or reflected in the scores. TS are artists who blur the lines between a sheet of ice and a Broadway stage. They are having a real human experience in a world they have entirely created themselves each time they perform that we as an audience are just lucky enough to get to witness.

Virtue/Moir Program Videos Masterpost

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Sweetest moments ever ❤  CTN2017 / Worlds 2017

Flashback to this super cute behind the scenes moment prior to their Sochi FD in which Scott just strolls up to Tessa, wraps her into his arms, and rubs her back/arms. (The feed cuts before the end of the hug but that sucker lasts over 8 full seconds.) 

TEB 2009 Podium (x) the struggle to keep hands off

Scott Moir spread eagle

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When people ask why I think Tessa and Scott are literal perfection I show them this. The lines. The unison. The deep curves. This is why they are the best.