Music comes alive and takes form when it is performed – by musicians and by dancers, including on the ice. Olympian ice dancer Beata and her pianist mother Tomoko know this all too well.
The recent Olympics showcased the impact of music on rhythm skating
and ice dancing performance. The music itself should have a rhythmic beat and
change in tempo and expression. Skaters are judged on their interpretation of
the music, including how the piece is expressed in the relationship of the skating
pairs. The wrong choice in music can distract from the performance, but a wise
choice can highlight their accomplishments.
So how do ice skaters choose their music? They usually start
with their own skating assets, which shapes their choreography. The ideal music
accentuates those assets, such as startling lifts and spins. The music also has
to resonate with the skaters. Not surprisingly, then, skaters with their
coaches and choreographers spend many hours matching a music piece – or a mix of
related pieces – to their movements. The team also has to consider judges’ own
preferences as well as the audience’s.
There is so much music to choose from: traditional songs,
classical instrumental music, “classic” and current pop songs, and abstract pieces.
In international competitions, skaters may choose music written by their
country’s composers. Only recently have skaters been able to use music with
lyrics in the Olympics. Of course, skaters want to provide a unique experience
in their performance; even the same composition such as the popular “Swan Lake,”
which might be performed in the same composition, undergoes a singular
transformation by each skater.
Musicians certainly benefit from such exposure, especially
when the skater wins a medal. Elton John, for instance, tweeted Nathan Chen “for
winning Gold skating to Rocket Man.” Composers also benefit monetarily because
the skaters have to pay a royalty for each time that piece is performed
publicly. Even for compositions in the public domain, the performers are due royalties.
The symbiotic relationship between skater and musician is
keenly appreciated by millions.
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