"Romeo & Juliet"
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your comments about this routine here.
"Romeo &
Juliet" was A&P's free dance for the 1997/1998 season.
With high hopes for the Nagano Olympics, A&P decided to
change their style in 1997. They created a wonderful routine
with a famous theme: Romeo & Juliet. This routine
enabled them to win a bronze medal at Europeans and
Olympics, and a silver medal at Worlds.Three years later,
this romantic and dramatic routine is still seen as one of
the greatest ice dance routines of all time. Here is more
info on A&P's "Romeo & Juliet"...
Introduction: the story
The
story of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet is known
everywhere in the World. Romeo & Juliet, the children of
two rival families the Montagues and the Capulets, fall in
love with each other. The story ends with the two of them
committing suicide. Marina & Gwendal's routine was
inspired by the story but with an originality: they start
from the end!
Want to know more about the Romeo & Juliet story? Visit
this
page!
The
music
The music is
Prokofiev's
"Romeo & Juliet". The selections used by A&P include "The
Montagues and the Capulets" and "Death of Juliet". Marina
& Gwendal start with very slow music, then the music
gets more dramatic, then there's a slow sequence again and
the music is at its climax at the end.
This
routine was performed at:
1997
Nations Cup - free dance
1997 Trophée Lalique - free dance
1998 Champions Series Final - free dance
1998 French Nationals - free dance
1998 European championships - free dance
1998 Olympic Games - free dance
1998 World championships - free dance
1998 Golden Gala - exhibition
1998 Masters Miko - gala
1998 French team tour - exhibition
1998 St Gervais Grand prix - gala
Perfect
scores:
Marina & Gwendal received one 6.0 for
that free dance at the 1998 Champions Series Final from the
French judge.
Coreography
by
Shanti Rushpaul and Murielle Boucher-Zazoui.
Story,
highlights & pictures
Unless otherwise noted, the pictures are
screen captures from various television broadcasts.
The start
& introduction
_ _
The start
pose represents Romeo & Juliet at the end of
Shakespeare's story. Juliet (Marina) is holding the dagger
that killed her. Romeo (Gwendal) is lain down next to her.
This pose is very original, and to the limit of the
forbidden - because Gwendal is lain down on the ice, but it
is allowed because his blades are still on the ice.
(photos
2-3 © J.Barry
Mittan)
_
When the
music starts, Juliet (Marina) comes to life and removes the
dagger from her chest.
(photo
2 © J.Barry
Mittan)
_
Marina sits
down on Gwendal's legs, then turns on his back. Then she
goes behind him.
(Photo 1 © J.Barry
Mittan)
_ _
Juliet
(Marina) wakes Romeo (Gwendal) up. Gwendal then goes behind
Marina and they both get up.
(Photos
1-2 © J.Barry
Mittan)
_
Marina &
Gwendal then do some moves at the center of the ice. "We
wanted to make this start as flexible and smooth as
possible", Gwendal said.
(Photo 1
© J.Barry
Mittan)
The first
part
_ _ _
When the
music gets faster, Marina & Gwendal start doing steps.
Their footwork is very fast, intricate, and they are skating
very close from each other. This part ends with a lift
(third photo): Marina is head down with her legs very high,
and she ends in the position captured in the 4th picture.
Slow
part
_ _
The slow
section of the program represents the love between Romeo
& Juliet - you can actually see Gwendal kissing Marina
on her arm, and then on her leg. This part mainly consists
in spirals. Gwendal's beautiful extension is used into great
effect here.
(Photo 2
© J.Barry
Mittan)

At the
middle of the slow section, Marina lifts Gwendal for the
first time. These "reversed lifts" are now A&P's
trademark, but the very first time they included them in
their programs was in Romeo & Juliet. There's a lot of
balance in this first reversed lift. Gwendal is almost in a
split position, showing his great flexibility again.
(Photo
© J.Barry
Mittan)
_ _
This part
ends with another lift. Marina is head down on Gwendal's
back. This lift was modified throughout the season: at the
beginning of the season, Marina's legs were outstretched.
Then, by the time of the Olympics, she had one leg bent.
Then at Worlds all of her body was on Gwendal's back, with
Gwendal holding her by the leg.
(Photo 3
© J.Barry
Mittan)
Last
part
_
The music
gets fast again, in the same mood as in the first part.
There is a lot of footwork in this part, and the program
gets more and more dramatic. That's the climax of the
program.

The second
reversed lift is included in this part. It is a very
impressive move as Gwendal rests on Marina's tighs, and
Marina is going backwards at very good speed.
(Photo
© J.Barry
Mittan)
Final
lift & final pose
_
As I told
you before, the routine tells the story of Romeo &
Juliet from the end to the start. So, the final lift
represents... the balcony scene of course! And the final
pose represents Romeo falling in love with Juliet (I
guess).
(photos © J.Barry
Mittan)
Fan
comments
"I love this
programme, especially the music the costumes,the beautiful
flowover the ice.The only thing I didn't like was the slow
start ,of no skating right at the beginning of the
programme. "
Janet
"This
program was really a-m-a-z-i-n-g!!! I mean, the costumes,
the music, everything! It was one of their best. It was
really exceptional!"
Noga
"I think
that the program is great. It is a very dramatic dance. It
is beautiful I always love the dance steps which they do
together. It is a great program."
Sonja
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