ICE STYLE.....Grand Prix de France RECAP: ICE DANCE!

80's Fab--Ice Dance Teams during their 80's Themed Rhythm Dances: Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen (Canada), Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (Italy), and Lorraine McNamara and Anton Spiridonov (USA), Grand Prix de France 2023

Recapping the costumes from the 2023 Grand Prix de France, I have blogged about the WOMEN HERE, and the MEN HERE...so now I wanted to finish with the ICE DANCE:

Charlene Guignard and Marco Fabbri (Italy) Rhythm Dance--Skating their 80's Music Themed Rhythm dance to Holding Out For a Hero by Bonnie Tyler, John Steinman and Against All Odds (Take a Look At Me Now) by Phil Collins, this Italian Ice Dance team looked 80's Kitchy Fab! The Retro Eurovision Vibes were off the charts! I loved the shocking colors of electric blue, and fuchsia pink...the zig-zag/pointed/thunderbolt-like details were so good...and her makeup and side ponytail: WOW! I expected nothing less than 1000% in terms of an 80s-inspired look from these two! Bravo!

Free Dance to Through the Sheets (from "Emily" soundtrack) by Abel Korzeniowski, Arrival of the Birds (from "The Crimsonwing Mystery of the Flamingos" by The Cinematic Orchestra, A Model of the Universe ("The Theory of Everything" soundtrack) by Johann Johannsson, Closing Credits ("The Dressmaker" soundtrack) by David Hirschfelder--Guignard and Fabbri's costumes for their Free Dance were more classic and subdued elegant in their design and coloring. I enjoyed the midnight blue and magenta hues and light sprinkles of crystals. But what I really loved was Marco's look and how sexy that top looked on him and how it fit, especially showcasing those very toned arms of his!

Laurence Fournier-Beaudry and Nikolaj Soerensen (Canada) Rhythm Dance--Take one guess at what they skated to? If you guessed "Top Gun", you were right! In fact, they skated to Top Gun Anthem (Top Gun soundtrack) by Harold Faltermeyer, Steve Stevens, Playing With the Boys (Top Gun soundtrack) by Kenny Loggins, Take My Breath Away (Top Gun soundtrack) by Berlin, Hot Summer Nights (Top Gun soundtrack) by Miami Sound Machine, and Danger Zone (Top Gun soundtrack) by Kenny Loggins. In terms of costumes, they got it right! Nikolaj looked Tom Cruise-dashing in his figure skating version of the iconic "Top Gun" bomber jacket (tighter and with stretch, and worn as a shirt). I also liked the "jeans". Laurence looked pretty in her red and dark denim mini-wrap skirt. 

Free Dance to Music from "Notre Dame de Paris"--Laurence and Nikolaj looked the part of Esmeralda and Grigoire (I assume he's not Quasimodo!) in these costumes above for their Free Dance. The looks evoked the blend of 1990s and late 1400s Period (the time when the story was from) which were the inspirations for the original designs from the musical, created by the costume designer Fred Sathal. While Nikolaj's top was more 1492-esque, her green swirly crop top and low-slung wrap skirt were definitely 90s...with the top especially being reminiscent of Esmeralda's costume in the musical (above photo) but updated to showcase Laurence's incredible body. 

Marie-Jade Lauriault and Romain Le Gac (Canada) Rhythm Dance--Skating to Need You Tonight, Never Tear Us Apart, and Devil Inside by INXS, Lauriault and Le Gac wore these red and black looks above. Marie-Jade wore a skin-tight red bodysuit with sheer panels, an open back, and silver crystal embellishment. Romain's look featured black stretchy jeans and a loose deep-v-neck tunic top. The jeans and top were a bit of a Michael Hutchence homage since we know he loved those loose-fitting rocker/hippy looks. Interestingly enough, the top had prints that looked like Louis Vuitton's classic monogram featuring the quatrefoil and flower symbols. I haven't found any reference to Vuitton creating these looks so?

Free Dance to Corpse Bride (soundtrack) by Danny Elfman--One word: WOW! Oh, and let me add two more: SPOOKY Couture! These looks were great for many reasons: Of course, they went with the music and theme/inspiration, and they were done very well, very thought out, and complete--from the hair, and makeup (both his and hers) to each of their costumes. Her violet ombre dyed skeletal look was Iris Van Herpen-like in its design and detail...and Romain looked both debonair and evil in a sleeveless tuxedo tails suit with perfectly gathered sleeves. 

Marie Dupayage and Thomas Nabais (France) Rhythm Dance--For the 1980's-themed Rhythm Dance, this French team chose to skate to a more Rocker 80s by skating to St. John by Aerosmith, Cry Me a River by Aerosmith, Should I Stay Or Should I Go by The Clash. I liked the black, the slashing, and especially, his asymmetrical open-sleeve top, and to be frank, it gave me more of a 1990s-style vibe than 80s. But I still thought they looked HOT!

Free Dance to Mechanisms by Kirill Richter, Arioso (Largo F minor concerto) by Johann Sebastian Bach performed by William Haviland--For their Free Dance, they wore these black looks with a velvet-and-chiffon "windowpane" detail, as seen on their arms, neck and shoulders. These were modern, and minimalist designs that worked with the music. My only critique is that from the black sleek looks of their Rhythm Dance to these black sleek looks, there really wasn't that much of a differentiation. 

Lorraine McNamara and Anton Spiridomov (USA) Rhythm Dance--For their Rhythm Dance this season, McNamara and Spiridomov went with the one-and-only Prince! They skated to Kiss by Prince, Slow Love by Prince, Let's Go Crazy by Prince, and Slow Love arranged by Karl Hugo wearing these looks featuring...what else? PURPLE! Lorraine's costume featured a multicolored printed number with nude netting illusion and purple straps and trim, as well as fun fingerless gloves (of course!). Anton went with THE ICON (Prince), as the inspiration, with a lace/jacquard printed jacket and pants and a very sexy sheer second-skin top that I am sure made Prince proud up somewhere in his Purple Heaven.

Free Dance to Chalkboard by Johann Johannsson, A Deal With Chaos by Johann Johannsson, Camping by Johann Johannsson, and Run by Ludovico Einaudi--For their Free Dance, the costumes were minimalist in design and modern dance-inspired, featuring clean lines, no crystals, no ruffles, just showcasing the lines and movement of their skating and their very toned bodies.