Today’s video is a beautiful expression of ice dancing by Oona and Gage Brown who are part of Team USA.
The precision is amazing when seeing it so close and from ice level.
While you should enjoy this video, there are a couple of things to note.
First, it was 6:45 a.m. when recorded. You read that right–in the morning.
Second, it is outside–in November, in Bryant Park Winter Village in NYC. Without an audience.
Third? This is practice. Not a competition performance. Practice.
Imagine that after they were done, the coach came over and said, “Not bad. Let’s do it again.”
How dedicated are you to your art? When do you do your best writing? Are you willing to “practice” this hard and realize you need to do it again in a few minutes?
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Incredible! Such amazing talent, I can’t imagine the number of training and practice hours spent to get to this point.
Impressive precision. So graceful and beautiful.
Here’s another perspective, however – the videographer.
I suspect that was a drone camera. Whoever was flying that thing knew exactly what to do, and when and where to do it to capture the beauty on the ice for the “readers.” He/she knew where the skaters would be the entire time, knew when to move in and when to move out, knew when to move in circles around them clockwise as they moved counter-clockwise to let us feel the spin.
The skaters were a story the videographer was telling us.
It was so beautiful and such a blessing to watch. Someday when they are old, they will be so glad they worked this hard to produce something so amazing that so few people would be willing to achieve.
What stunning artistry! They looked disappointed afterwards … I hope they know in their hearts they’re already in the ether of performing. I think we need the same perspective. When an agent gives us a personalized rejection, that’s a far closer to a “yes” than many people get–and it’s encouragement to keep on keeping on.
The performers here are stunning. But that’s not all. This video is also a beautiful expression of how the practice and performance of one’s art is brought to an audience–by those who work so hard without getting in the way.
Someone was skating on that ice that morning, taking video of what those two were doing there. That person had to understand their performance, be able to be in the right place, not be in the wrong place, and keep that camera aimed and steady the whole time. That was not done with a high-tech system in an Olympic stadium. That video was taken by one, amazing cameraman who is as dedicated and skilled as the artists. (https://www.oniceperspectives.com/about On-Ice Cinematographer, Jordan Cowan)
The most dedicated, professional, talented, and skilled writer is brought to audience by the dedication, professionalism, talent, and skill of their agent, editor, and publisher.
To me, Steve, this video is not just a showcase of these artists’ hard work, but a reflection of yours and your agency.
That was amazing to watch! The dedication those two have and the discipline to practice as much as they did to get to that point. So inspiring. Thank you for posting this! I think I’ll go write now!!!
Oh. Wow. What skill, what precision, what hard work just to get to this point. And they’re out practicing while their contemporaries are snuggling under warm covers for another couple hours of sleep. What does that say to us writers? We are working toward a prize too, only ours is eternal, to hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Interesting. Because it’s Fun Friday I admit I don’t usually read the Friday post. I want the challenge and knowledge of Monday-Thursday. But I like your analogy Steve if I’m reading correctly.
Watching I was reminded of how art doesn’t start out pretty. It’s rough sketching, correcting, layering, perspective or with music it’s sour notes and sore fingers in the beginning. Meeting the challenge head on. It’s putting in long hours. It’s self-discipline and not settling for mediocre while being true to the art and self.
Thank you for the reminder.
I was thinking what people more than 100 years ago would have thought of that performance. Scandalous!
Gorgeous! It made me tear up. Such a powerful and artistic performance.
Thank you for the reminder to practice. I thought I was a writer, but my first draft is story telling. The most important thing to be a writer, is studying the craft of writing and then apply what works for great published writers.
I am grateful for YET. You let us see into a loving soul.
Your emails are a gift.
Wonderful, the coordination and the symmetry of such graceful movements is breathtaking!!! What beauty the Lord has created!! They are as delighted to perform as we are to see the performance!!! Blessed!
Thank you for sharing it with us all!!!
That is the living example of “poetry in motion.” What a tremendous performance. It was very convicting. Thanks so much for sharing it, Steve! Absolutely fabulous.
Thank you for sharing such a stunning and beautiful reminder to keep on working our hardest.
So perfect as today, cyberspace decided to eat many hours of my hard work on my book. I was devastated. But seeing the inspiration and beautiful artistry and craft of this story on ice, gave me the courage to go on and rewrite the lost chapter.
I shall not soon forget this vivid beauty.
Breathtakingly beautiful and very original. I saw moves I’ve never seen before, and one would think that would be almost impossible, given the physical boundaries of what is possible on skates and how much high-level ice skating is televised today. Besides the concept of practice, I thought of the need to be willing to be attentive to and change even the smallest nuances if it means improvement in the completed performance (or book).
Beautiful image of raw talent paired with hard work and dedication. And structure. Love it.