Give It Up For the Ice Dancers

You know I have not been such a faithful watcher of this year's Olympic games. I have watched  more events the past few days, however, and I'm here to tell you those ice dancers rock!!

How brave do you have to be to dress in those quaint costumes and glide around the ice to jazzy, Latin, and/or folk music. The music is not something I can really put a label on. My husband said he kind of liked it because it reminded him of his grandfather. (Does that give you a hint as to its genre.) I'm telling you if they were kids on a play ground they'd be beaten to a glittery pulp. But here at the Olympics, they come across as pretty cool.

I can't deny that they have talent and moves. I can't even stand up on ice skates, so I know they are highly skilled doing those technical and rigorously stylized moves. Every move is regimented. The first night they had to follow a stricly choreographed routine to the same music as the other dancers. Then I only caught part of last night's program, but I know it was a tribute to folk music or folk groups or something like that. They wore REALLY unusual costumes and the music was--well--folksy. The Russian skaters wore rather risque aboriginal costumes that I heard had to be altered to be suitable for public viewing. I tried to figure out what they changed. What I saw were nudish colored body suits decorated only by slim, red ribbon strips and leafy fringe. Aboriginal where??

So tonight is medal night for ice dancing. I have my popcorn microwaved and I'm ready. These people are trained, fearless and graceful. Their event might not be as strenuous as snow boarding, ski jumping, speed skating or the luge, but they are still Olympians. Ya gotta love 'em for their guts. They've worked hard to get where they are. I'm here to pay my respect to their intensity and athleticism.

So what if they are about as cool as those Nordic curlers who wore the argyle pants. There should be a medal just for having the chutzpah to get out there and dance...just dance.(But, psstt, there is someone watching...)