In Pyeongchang, Figure Skating Gets a New Sound

When competitors hit the ice Thursday night for the start of the figure skating team event at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, don’t be surprised if you find yourself itching to watch “Moulin Rouge!”That’s because, for the first time at an Olympics, skaters will be permitted to feature music with lyrics in their routines — and for U.S. skaters, the soundtrack from the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film is a hit. Pence Trip to Asia, Olympics Aimed at Countering N. Korea Vincent Zhou, the youngest U.S. Olympian competing in Pyeongchang, will skate to a medley of “Nature Boy” and “Come What May” in his free skate — despite being less than a year old when the movie hit theaters. The pair of Alexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris Knierim uses “Come What May” in their short program this season.Nathan Chen, a gold medal contender in men’s figure skating, will use “Nemesis” by Benjamin Clementine for his short program, while 28-year-old Adam Rippon may have the most adventurous choice among the United States’ contingent. His 2017-18 short program selection, “Let Me Think About It” by Ida Carr and Fedde le Grande, features synthesizers and a thumping beat that wouldn’t be out of place at a gym; for his free skate, Rippon uses “Arrival of the Birds” by The Cinematic Orchestra and Coldplay’s “O.” Military to Cover for Norovirus-Hit Winter Olympics Security Music with lyrics has been allowed in figure skating since the 2014-15 season — just after the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Lyrics were already permitted in ice dance.Not every U.S. skater jumped at the chance to add pop music to their routines. While some of their music does include lyrics, Karen Chen, Mirai Nagasu and Bradie Tennell — the 2018 U.S. champion — decided to stick with more traditional skating selections this season, such as medleys from “Miss Saigon” and “Cinderella,” or Chopin’s “Nocturne in C Sharp Minor.” Shaun White Is Back for Another Shot at Olympic Gold Aside from the United States team, keep an eye out for the pair of Yevgenia Tarasova and Vladimir Morozov, competing for Olympic Athletes from Russia. In free skate, they have performed to a medley of Christina Aguilera’s “Candyman” and “Nasty Naughty Boy,” capped off with “Ready Teddy” by Elvis Presley.Here is what the U.S. figure skaters will skate to at the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics:Karen ChenShort Program: “On Golden Pond” by Dave GrusinFree Skate: “Jealousy Tango” by varoius artistsMirai NagasuShort Program: “Nocturne in C Sharp Minor” by ChopinFree Skate: music from “Miss Saigon” by various artistsBradie TennellShort Program: “Taegukgi” by Lee Dong-JunFree Skate: music from “Cinderella” by Patrick DoyleNathan ChenShort Program: “Nemesis” by Benjamin ClementineFree skate: music from “Mao’s Last Dancer” by Christopher GordonAdam RipponShort Program: “Let Me Think About It” by Ida Carr and Fedde le GrandeFree Skate: “Arrival of the Birds” by The Cinematic Orchestra and “O” by ColdplayVincent ZhouShort Program: “Chasing Cars” by Snow PatrolFree Skate: music from “Moulin Rouge!” by various artistsAlexa Scimeca Knierim and Chris KnierimShort Program: “Come What May” from “Moulin Rouge!” by Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregorFree Skate: “Unchained Melody” from “Ghost the Musical” by Bruce Joel Rubin, Dave Stewart and Glen BallardPhoto Credit: Jamie Squire/Getty Images This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
Source: NBC San Diego