BEIJING — Ice dance has come a long way from the days of sleepy compulsory waltzes and endless repetitions of foxtrots.
The rhythm dance segment of the Beijing Olympics ice dance competition Saturday featured music by Billie Eilish, Rihanna, Janet and Michael Jackson, Tina Turner, Donna Summer and that old standby Elvis Presley, bringing vibrancy and interest to a figure skating discipline that sometimes has been criticized — with good reason — for being garishly over the top.
Ice dance has evolved with the times and has moved forward. French dancers Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron advanced it to another level Saturday with a captivating performance that put them in position to win the gold medal that eluded them four years ago at Pyeongchang after Papadakis' unfortunate costume malfunction cost them precious points.
