ICE STYLE.....2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships: Ice Dance

Go US: Gold Medal-winning Ice Dancers Meryl David and Charlie White, 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships, London, Ontario, Canada

Part Three of my 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships Costume Recap involves the always visually-entertaining ICE DANCE! There is lots to discuss including all the "folkloric"-looking costumes (it's like a Miss Universe Parade of Nations competition!), Cowgirls and Cowboys (in CHAPS!), an IMPORTANT Costume Change (Mon Dieu!) and much more...Here are some of MY highlights from both the Short and Free Dance portions of the Ice Dance competition at the Worlds 2013:

Olesia Karmi and Max Lindholm of Finland--I loved their very folkloric and Finnish-looking costumes for their Short Dance to Säkkijärven Polka and Kesäillan Valssi. The colors were great, loved the trim and applique detail and they both looked very polished. They looked like teenagers from "The Sound of Music" von Trapp family...the Finnish version!

Madison Chock and Evan Bates of USA--Chock and Bates skated their Short Dance to Selections from Quidam by Cirque du Soleil. Madison designed the costumes and I liked them. The colors were impacting, vibrant and perfect for the dance. Hers, especially is a bit over-the-top but then again, that's Cirque du Soleil! I also liked Evan's slim, fitted velvet midnight blue jacket with trimmed lapel. I kind of wish his pants would have matched though.

Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi of Germany--For their Free Dance titled "Two From the Grave", they skated to three songs "Tore My Heart", "Et Maintenant" and "Rama Lama". They look like these messy/torn-up seemingly-rising-from-the-shipwrecked-"grave"couple. It's such a MESS that I'm actually all for it. I just feel bad for Alexander, because he really looks as if he got the BAD end of the Costume-and-Makeup Stick. They both look very Helena Bonham Carter going to an Awards Show!

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri of Italy--I LOOOVE! When I saw them step onto the ice to do their Short Dance, I think I quietly exclaimed "Now, these are Costumes!". For their Short Program, they skated to a Waltz sung by Luciano Pavarotti and a Polka by Strauss. These two looked like they came out of a Vienna Austria dinner theater and straight onto the ice! These costumes blend camp, color, and actual historical period costumes and do it superbly.

Sara Hurtado and Adria Diaz of Spain--For their Short Dance, these two cuties from Spain chose a Waltz to "Jane's Waltz" and a Polka to "Modern Times". I thought they both looked elegant, so "Old Hollywood Glamour" and still "costume-y" enough for this portion of the Ice Dance competition. I thought her dress was FABULOSO! And I especially liked how the costume designer brought in her lemon yellow color into the boutonniere he had on his chest. Muy bien chicos!

Pernelle Carron and Lloyd Jones of France--Carron and Jones skated their Free Dance to "La Chanson des Vieux Amants" by Jaques Brel. These two looked elegant and very "Red Carpet Ready". I especially admired her costume and that front torso heavy sequin detail. It looked expensive. I also liked his very fitted double breasted suit.

Justyna Plutowska and Peter Gerber of Poland--For their Short Dance to "Mary Poppins" (of course!), they wore these great costumes above. I appreciated the bold and graphic vest of multicolored harlequin print and the juxtaposition of her soft, delicate and lacy dress. It was nice to give him a red neck-tie to go with the pops of red in her dress.

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier of Canada--Gilles and Poirier also skated their Short Dance to Selections from "Mary Poppins" (like the Ice Dance team from Poland above them). As you can see, there were some similarities between both costumes--the red ribbons, red neck-ties on the men, the lace top sections of the girl's dresses. Paul's vest however, was much more subdued than his Polish counterpart. Which Ice Dance "Mary Poppins" costume do you guys like the best?

Allison Reed and Vasili Rogov of Israel--Reed and Rogov performed their Short Dance to "Claudia's Waltz" and "The Rambler's" by The Dreadnoughts. I wanted to highlight her yellow with teal ribbon'ed detail dress because well, it really stood out. It's a little "St. Pauli Girl" and she's a hot minute from serving beer at a Hofbräu but, somehow, I still like it!

Cathy Reed and Chris Reed of Japan--These two really brought the Capital "C" in Costumes for their 2012-2013 Season. For both their Short and Free Dances, they went 110% and I liked them. For their Short Dance to "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", they wore these costumes above. The bright pink and shiny fabric of her dress was a bit much but very "on trend" with what's going on in fashion for Spring 2013. But the overall theme was appropriate for the musical.

For their Free Dance to Selections from "The Beatles", they went pop-art 60's Mod (well, she was!). Again, I really liked these looks. The color-blocked dress on Cathy was very on-trend yet seem perfect for the music and ice dance. And notice, kids, how his tie had the SAME colors as her dress. They get an "A" in costumes for this season!

 Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani of USA--The costumes this brother and sister team from the US wore for their Free Dance were some of my favorites of the entire season. They skated their Free Dance to John Williams' "Memoirs of a Geisha" and I thought their costumes were perfect. Alex looked sublimely chic in his grey side draped waist-coat/vest, black pants and white dress short. Maia was a vision of pretty in her rose-pink and steel-gray Kimono-and-Obi costume.

Julia Zlobina and Alexei Sitnikov of Azerbaijan--For their Short Dance to "Violente Valse" by Caravan Palace and "Dolly Song" by Holly Dolly, Zlobina and Sitnikov went very colorful and festive with their costumes. I like colorful and festive but something about the entire looks hinted of Cirque du Soleil backup performers and looked a little "Happy Hands At Home" arts-and-crafts.

Elena Ilinykh and Nikita Katsalapov of Russia--For their Short Dance to "Andijan Polka", they wore these costumes above which were some of my favorites of the 2012-2013 Season, especially amongst the "Folklore Costume Category". The print was fabulous, the crown she wore, the little details in her wrists/sleeve hem, she looked like a Miss Universe contestant at the Parade of Nations Costumes Competition. Oh, and yes, Nikita looked very cute as well.

Irina Shtork and Taavi Rand of Estonia--For their Short Dance to "Old Country Waltz" and "Cotton Eye Joe", these two went COUNTRY!!! On Irina, I absolutely loved the richness, vibrancy of the red gingham, the perfectly tailored denim and the delicacy of the lace trim. She was sassy and looked right at home for a good ol' barn ride--or a line dance competition. But the Star here are those chaps on Taavi! I need to repeat: CHAPS! Plus the matching fringed vest! I want this entire look the next time I go to my Gay Rodeo! Seriously.

Nathalie Pechalat and Fabian Bourzat--For their Free Dance, Pechalat and Bourzat skated to "Miss You," "Angie," "Symphony for the Devil" and "Start Me Up" by The Rolling Stones. Their "costumes", if you could call them that, were what I would call "Boho Hippie Chick Meets 'Survivor' Reality Show Contestants". It was a bit of a mish-mash. She wore a cami-like tunic top (or was it a dress) that was a teeny bit short and her panties kept showing whenever a turn or a lift occurred. She had accessories on her forehead and a long dangling necklace that I guess were there to reiterate the "Hippie" part but they looked a bit contrived. He looked like he belonged in a "Jesus Christ Superstar" revival. To sum it up: I wasn't a fan.

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir of Canada--One word: WOW. Another word: Sublime. Kids, I could go on. And I will. They skated their Silver Medal-winning Free Dance to "Carmen" by Rodion Shchedrin and these ensembles were flawless. So chic, so modern and directional. We have seen those "Carmen" costumes over and over...and OVER again. So how refreshing to not see a red rose in sight, or a mantilla or lace. Yet still, through their powerful performance, you get it! This, kids, is a MODERN Carmen. Thank you very much. Now, to the Costume Change news: This sheer and solid black asymmetrical neckline dress was a change for Tessa in terms of what she had been wearing all season long for this Free Dance...

This above is the dress/costume she had worn for the 2012-2013 season. For the Worlds, she--and her costume designer(s) decided a new black dress would be right. I LOVED the "old" plunging neckline dress above and in fact, thought it was one of THE BEST of all the Ice Dancers this entire season.But I liked the change as well. It's always refreshing to keep the Figure Skating Costume Watchers (such as myself) on my toes, looking out for any little (costume) changes.

Meryl Davis and Charlie White of USA--Gold Medal-winning Ice Dancers Davis and White wore this above for their 2012-2013 Season Short Dance to "Giselle". They looked great--and more importantly, appropriate for the music. I liked the bold colors on her waist corset and the fringe on Charlie's tan suede vest. I also thought Meryl was very "St. Pauli Girl" (it's a theme it seems here in Ice Dance!) and maybe that's why I loved it!

For their Free Dance to "Notre-Dame de Paris", they went a little more subdued--Meryl donned a maroon midriff corseted costume and Charlie...well, he went into his closet and got a black stretch long sleeve shirt and black pants (or so it seemed). I would have LOVED to have seen a compatible COSTUME partner to Meryl's corseted damsel. I understand the simplicity in the Men's costumes, allowing the women to be the highlight, but I would love to see just a bit more of a "costume connection" between the two of them.

 Congrats to Davis and White for winning the GOLD!

**Up Next: My Fourth and Final Recap of the Costumes of the 2013 ISU World Figure Skating Championships-THE PAIRS!