'The Sound Of Silence' Starts To Play As Ice Skating Duo Make Song Theirs

Sep 16, 2020 by apost team

Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres are a figure skating pair from France. They presented their routine to Simon and Garfunkel’s classic The Sound of Silence at the International Skating Union’s World Team Trophy competition in Japan in 2017.

There are athletes who are excellent at what they do, with technical routines and physical feats that amaze fans.

Then there are athletes who go even further, raising their performance to a true art form. This is the case with the French figure skating pair Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres during their presentation at the International Skating Union’s World Team Trophy competition in Japan.

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They skated onto the ice casually, greeting fans with waves and idly sliding across the ice in random curves as they made their way to their starting positions. Perhaps their costumes should have given viewers a hint that this was not going to be a traditional performance. 

Both were dressed in black; Vanessa wore a skin-tight black bodysuit in a gleaming material and Morgan donned a loose black shirt and pants. Often pairs in figure skating competitions opt for a more ballroom-dancing look, with flowing gowns, sequins, and lavish color. In contrast, Vanessa and Morgan’s costumes were stark.

When the first melancholic, subdued notes of Disturbed’s haunting version of Simon and Garfunkel’s classic The Sound of Silence echoed through the arena, the audience connected the dark costumes to the somber song.

But the matching color served another purpose. As they skated, Vanessa and Morgan appeared to effortlessly match each other’s movements and tempo; at times when they drew close, they almost melded into each other.

The choreography perfectly mirrored intricate individual movements. The pair seemed lost in the music and the moment, so exactly in tune to one another that they could sense where the other was on the ice without the smallest glance.

When they joined together, Morgan lifted Vanessa as if she were weightless. Often he balanced her overhead with one hand and she lightly held his shoulder or arm as they spun. Their moves were smooth, deliberate, powerful, graceful, and totally appropriate to the moody chords of the song.

The couple took first place, to no one’s surprise. Watching them, many have wondered if some of their incredible chemistry might be from romantic attachment off the ice. But the pair has never mentioned anything other than the strong friendship between them.

They have worked together for almost a decade now, so perhaps all the hours of practice alone have created the almost telepathic communication and deep trust they appear to have when performing.

Whatever the reason, their performance is well worth watching. Make sure to pass this amazing performance on to your friends and family so they, too, can watch their incredible performance. Then be sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments.