Ice Dancers Rock As Russian Leaders Roll On
Rockin’ and rollin’, twistin’ and turnin’, jukin’ and jivin’, with more leather than a biker convention and skirts so short they’d make a mother shudder.
Forget the nasty things you’ve heard about boring old ice dancing. It came to life Sunday - and it had nothing to do with a judging controversy.
Jive was the rhythm of choice for the Olympic original dance, and to liven things up, the International Skating Union did something radical - it allowed vocals. So instead of waltzes and tangoes that have the effect of sleeping pills, the 24 couples rocked around the rink to Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard and Elvis.
“A lot of times people don’t understand the meaning of the dance you’re doing. But if you put rock ‘n’ roll out there, everyone knows what it is,” said American Elizabeth Punsalan, seventh with her husband Jerod Swallow.
“You can’t help but just start moving to it.”
The leaders did plenty of shimmying and shaking, but no moving - at least not in the standings. Russians Pasha Grishuk and Yevgeny Platov, who have a 21-event winning streak going, stayed in first place with a fiery routine to “Jailhouse Rock” that would have made Presley proud.
Their usual challengers, Anjelika Krylova and Oleg Ovsyannikov, were second. Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France were third.
The original dance is worth 30 percent. The free dance, worth 50 percent, was early this morning.