John Curry - Afternoon of a Faun

One of his definitive moments as a professional skater was this performance with Cathy Foulkes. Inspired choreography. Taken from his 1980 special Ice Dancing.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• John
• Curry
• Afternoon
• Of
• A
• Faun
• Ice
• Figure
• Skating

[krakenwave]

Floskate - thank you so much for your John Curry uploads - its good to be able to watch him again.

But isn't the correct title for this in the original French as per the music by Debussy - L'apres Midi Du Faun? (I'm missing the accent over the e in apres btw)

Its just that it doesn't really translated into English well IMO...BUT of course if this is how it was properly billed in the US then do ignore me! ;)

[floskate]

If you look right at the beginning of the clip, the graphics actually bill it as Afternoon of a Faun.

[quillerpen]

I have just found out that Norman Maen, who choreographed this work, died of cancer last month. He will always be remembered for creating what many regard as John's 'signature piece'.

[floskate]

Oh I hadn't heard that. I totally agree that this work is amongst his very best.

[Torontobears]

I was lucky enough to get to work with John on his Snow Queen television special. He was sublime then and even more so with the passage of time. What have we allowed to happen to our sport that this type of skating is so rare now?

[passionofpersephone]

Given modern skating's emphasis on speed and height of jumps, Curry's slowness and control seems almost from another planet althogether. Flashiness wasn't his thing. He set out to create a mood, rather than to dazzle. Yet he was no less beautiful for it. In that way, he was comparable to Erik Bruhn in the ballet world.

[faeryquene]

Breathtaking. Just exquisite skating by John. I love the risque' costume too! :) I'd like to add that Cathy Foulkes's layback spin at the 3:00 mark almost jolted me out of my seat-I"ve grown so accustomed to so many craptacular 'layback' spin positions that I've near forgotten how that element is SUPPOSED to look like with very few exceptions over the years.

[Jayjen35]

This is incredible. I forgot how remarkable John Curry was. I guess its pointless to wish that this kind of beauty could be seen in today's skating. But still, I do wish it, and I keep watching hoping to see it someday...

[kamwrites]

Just found this vid...I keep studying his moves. Shows how crucial figures really is to the sport, and how rare it is to find a true artist on the ice. Absolutely mesmerizing.

[tinymavy]

this is just so beyond anything else on ice. Nobody since has come close to Curry's ability to bring true dance to the ice. This piece would be magical in ballet shoes, in fact sometimes I forget they are wearing skates. The fact that they are...and they way the blade and the ice is used as a true artistic medium makes this all the more memorizing.

[IanScott750]

Yet another perrfect performance from John. What a superb skater. So graceful and artistic. What a pity that skating is now so much more a 'sport; and less of an 'art; I know what I prefer! Thank you for these uploads.

[nuboyinfla]

(reblushes) "...d'un faune"

[krakenwave]

(Blushes) "...d'un faun..."