The music behind figure skating
Gold medallist Jamie Sale dishes on the iconic music behind the athletic artistry of figure skating, writes Erin Harde.
MUSIC OF THE ICE: SKATING’S GREATEST HITS Regina Symphony Orchestra When: 8 p.m., Saturday Where: Conexus Arts Centre
Jamie Sale doesn’t watch figure skating anymore. Now a busy mom and heavily involved with the Special Olympics, the former world and Olympic pairs champion no longer tunes into the sport that made her a household name along with partner David Pelletier in 2002. But it takes only a few bars of the theme from Love Story to bring it all back.
As the host of Music of the Ice, Sale still gets swept up in the emotion and excitement of skating’s most iconic moments.
“It’s an emotional roller-coaster,” she says from her home in Edmonton. “If you’re a real skating fan, you’ll be moved. I make a joke that it’s OK to laugh out loud or cry because I do. Watching it on video or just listening to things, it’s very moving, and inspiring and touching.”
Even the most casual observer of figure skating will recognize many of the selections, curated by conductor Lucas Waldin who also pairs video highlights with the music. There’s David Foster’s Theme from the 1988 Olympics, the Battle of the Brians, pieces from Swan Lake and Phantom of the Opera, and many memorable moments from competitive and professional skating history, including Sale and Pelletier’s Love Story and Tango Jalousie from their short program.
While Sale has less than a minute to introduce each piece, she provides a behind-the-scenes look at skating’s most famous performances, including that of Joannie Rochette who took to the ice at the 2010 Olympics shortly after learning her mother had died.
“I talk about being there, not knowing how she was even going to skate, and her being a hero to me,” says Sale.
And when it comes to Bolero, the soundtrack to one of the most legendary performances of all time, Sale practically swoons.
“I watch it with my mouth open in awe,” she says of the program skated by ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1984. “When (Dean) choreographed for us, it took us months just to get it comfortable because it was so hard and intricate. So when I watch him skate and I see how easy they made it look ... the intricacy of their movements; it’s just incredible.”
And of course, the audience can expect a first-hand perspective of the Salt Lake City Olympics, which was rife with drama and judging controversy, but saw Sale and Pelletier land on top of the podium.
“Love Story was like an old sweater,” she says. “I talk about why we chose Love Story for the Olympics, and I talk about it being relatable for us as a couple then (they divorced in 2010), and I joke about that.”
When Sale hosted the show earlier this fall in Calgary, it was clear from the autographs she signed after the show that the theatre was packed with skating fans, all of whom enjoyed hearing her take on each performance.
“It’s my own script. I’m speaking about my own personal experiences with the music and being a skater myself, and the things I remember,” she says. “It’s cool; it’s a different kind of show.”