Anissina & Peizerat | Salt Lake 2002 Dance OD – Spanish Medley (Flamenco/Tango) (Aus. 7)

Summary: Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat’s masterful 2001–02 Original Dance interpreted that season’s required Spanish Medley, through contrasting flamenco and tango rhythms. Choreographed with Spanish dancer Antonio Najarro, it suited their theatrical, unconventional partnership beautifully: sculptural poses, deep edges, sudden changes of direction and tightly intertwined holds, with Anissina’s commanding intensity balanced by Peizerat’s elegant control. Rather than chasing relentless speed, they created a sense of contained heat—smooth, sensual and sophisticated—with especially expressive upper-body and arm movements. At the Salt Lake City 2002 Winter Games, they entered the OD already leading after both compulsory dances. Their poised performance placed first with eight of the nine judges, the Polish judge preferring Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh, whose more explosive Spanish dance received the segment’s only 6.0. Anissina and Peizerat therefore retained the overall lead before the free dance and ultimately won Games gold—the first French ice-dance team to do so. Australian coverage (commentators: Sandy Roberts, Belinda Noonan) --- #figureskating #フィギュアスケート #eiskunstlauf #фигурноекатание #피겨스케이팅 #pattinaggioartistico #patinageartistique #icedance