A pensive Johnny,
ITNY warmup, October 24, 2011.
Photo © David Ingogly.
Today we present the final set of ITNY photos.
These exclusive portraits of Johnny were taken during his warmup late in the afternoon before the Gala.
I find these mesmerizing.
From the first three, in which he arrives on the ice and skates over to confer and joke with Doug Webster, assistant artistic director at ITNY, to the end, his face drenched in sweat, I'm riveted by these moments caught by the camera.
The black-and-white photography evokes a retro, Life-magazine vibe, and yet also takes us outside time entirely, to the space occupied solely by artist and art.
Somehow the starkness transforms the rather drab rink, smelling far too much of hockey players and their uniforms, neither of which have been washed frequently enough for me, into a place reminiscent of a ballet studio, where we, sitting quietly, almost holding our breath so as not to be an intrusion, are privileged to watch the star soloist rehearse.
The caress of light and shadow across his form, his face, and his reflection in the ice captures in high relief his intensity and complete inward focus.
Those who are watching are mostly not at all on his radar.
But he is very much on theirs.
He executes a number of beautiful jumps during his warmup, never falling once.
I don't know enough about the technical side of skating to even know what they are, other than mainly triple somethings.
He lands each as smoothly as the glassy surface upon which his blades slice, deeply, over and over.
And each time, nearly everyone--from the jaded lighting technicians to the staffer mechanically placing cushions one after the other on the hard and uninviting bleacher seats--stops what they're doing and applauds.
I am filled all over again with enormous respect for his power, athleticism, and grace, burnished through hundreds of thousands of hours of relentless rehearsals and workouts, such that he can make this gift that he has, this thing that he does--something so incredibly difficult that only a handful of people in the world can do it well--look utterly effortless.
Like he's floating on air rather than pushing forcefully, stroke after stroke, jump after jump, against the bitter-cold and unforgiving forces of ice and gravity.
We also see his exhaustion in unguarded moments--and yet, too, the playfulness and joy he still seems to find in creating and performing his art, even after so many years on the giant ice cube that has dominated his life.
Every move is fully expressive, even in this simple warmup, all the way down to his fingertips... because nothing less will do.
And, at the very end: my absolute favorite of these practice portraits.
Please click any photo twice to see the full-size image.
The future will not belong to those who sit on the sidelines.
The future will not belong to the cynics.
The future belongs to those who believe
in the beauty of their dreams.
--Paul Wellstone
All photos © David Ingogly.
And now for something completely different:
Get ready for "Kiss Me in Public,"
which they recorded just a few weeks ago...!
East Coast fans: Don't miss this!!
(And please post some pics or a video
for the rest of us!!!)
East Coast fans: Don't miss this!!
(And please post some pics or a video
for the rest of us!!!)
Tune in or set your DVRs!
The network broadcast of "Fashion on Ice"
is this Sunday, November 13,
on NBC at 4 pm EST / 3 pm CST.
on NBC at 4 pm EST / 3 pm CST.
Don't miss Johnny's performances
of Ave Maria and Bad Romance!!
Please vote for Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov!!
Their "Fever On Ice" program is up
for a $50K grant from Pepsi Refresh!
NEW!! The Sheraton Philadelphia University City
is now the official Holiday Dreams On Ice hotel!!
Book your rooms before December 9
and receive a special HDOI-only discount!
The Sheraton also will be hosting the VIP after-show party.
More info on the Holiday Dreams On Ice website!
is now the official Holiday Dreams On Ice hotel!!
Book your rooms before December 9
and receive a special HDOI-only discount!
The Sheraton also will be hosting the VIP after-show party.
More info on the Holiday Dreams On Ice website!
"Like" HDOI on Facebook,
and use promo code "philadelphia"
for 50% off your general admission ticket!!
Yes!! Q and A returns! Go read it now!
(Note: Now updated every Monday and Thursday...
more time to savor each one!)
At last: Pop Star On Ice is now available on DVD!
Order yours today from the Pop Star On Ice website!
"Buy my single,'Dirty Love' via iTunes.
Tell all your friends to as well. The more copies sold
takes me one step closer to making a video! №1!"
THE WORLD NEEDS THIS VIDEO
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
IN THE SAME WAY THAT IT NEEDS AIR.
You know what to do.
or just click the "Buy" button on the player
at the top of the blog!
Hey, Welcome to My World also is available
as an eBook! More info on Johnny's website!
Please help us nominate Johnny
for "Must-Follow Athlete on Social Media"
in the Fifth Annual Mashable Awards!
From the Mashable site: You can submit one nomination
per category every day. Mashable's editors will select
seven finalists for each category,
seven finalists for each category,
and finalists will be announced Nov. 21.
Then readers will vote for the winners.
Award winners will be announced on Mashable on Dec. 19.
Click here to nominate him!
4 comments:
oh, look! it's Johnny! Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!
hee hee!
lovely pics, lovely words, lovely man!
xo
Robin
I´m a sucker for words and languages. I love creative use of words. I love words which paint and draw pictures to the grateful audience.
I learned a new word just yesterday.
"ekphrastic"
Do you know what it means?
It means describing a work of art using another work of art.
You are fantastic using your art to describe Johnny´s art.
The same can be said about Dave who so wonderfully captures Johnny.
Thanks again and always for letting us be part of it.
Love the photos and the prose. Johnny intuitively, physically, and sensitively really understands ice on multiple levels. Watching him skate is a real privilege. Epic.
Like I said before, beautiful in it's simplicity (the black and white), and the photographer (and his mom) are genuises!
Post a Comment