Dressage-News

The latest teaser of “It’s Broadway” musical freestyle created by Cees Slings for Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfvén has been released by the composer while the Swedish Olympian trains in Florida in preparation for her second winter circuit based in Wellington.

Part II provides an inside look at Lövsta Stutery farm in Sweden where Tinne is based as well as detailed information about Tinne’s new freestyle; including three specific choreography elements and some saddle-cam shots of Tinne riding Favourit while testing the music.

To view the video, click http://vimeo.com/34812476

“As a result of a ‘creative explosion,’ three variations were made of this ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ freestyle,” Cees said. “Initially planned were a 2011/12 World Cup competition version, a 2012 Olympic version and a Special Show-Freestyle for specific use. It finally became a mix of the Show freestyle and the Olympic version that will premiere at the World Dressage Masters Palm Beach at the end of January.

“Testing, adjusting, riding competitions; adjusting, testing, riding competitions: this is one of the key factors of getting the perfect fit for horse and rider.

“Of course during these freestyle testing sessions Tinne only rides Favouirit in competition frame for the specific exercises, in order to refine the timings and adjustments without tiring the horse.”

In the video, special animated graphics of the choreography are used, devised from the EQM-C (choreographer’s) app that is currently being developed by Cees Slings and his EQ-Musync team for iPad and Mac OS software. The EQM-C graphics had to be reconverted for this video as it’s not yet possible to export EQM-C files to a clear video layer; this is one of challenges the EQM team has to solve in the near future, to make this app suitable for multi-purpose tasks.

The choreography animations used in the video, show a never before seen display of animated dressage gaits. The EQM-C app has its own style of equinotation, an equivalent of labanotation, including graphics, symbols and icons. (Labanotation is a system of recording / drawing human movement, originated by the Hungarian-born dance theorist Rudolf Laban. Because worldwide patent and copyright is pending, the graphics in the animations are simplified; however they show what Cees said is a good example of what is coming soon.

EQM-C introduces names for certain dressage figures and movements; in this particular video the Vilhelmson-Nathhorst Fishbone figure is introduced. In gymnastics, figure skating, and many other sports it’s common that certain specific movements have a name; very often named after the inventor, or the one who launched a new kind of exercise.

According to composer Cees, who does the voiceover in the video, the Vilhelmson-Nathhorst Fishbone figure was introduced many years ago in a pas de deux performed by Tinne Vilhelmson and Louise Nathhorst. Slings, who also designed Favourit’s choreography with Nathhorst and Vilhelmson, said he was “highly charmed” by this movement and used it again in this freestyle.

The video is an example of Cees Slings’ deep passion to improve freestyle dressage, not only in musical production but also in the development of possible educational tools for riders, judges, coaches, trainers and stakeholders. In his unique style Slings opens up again his cookbook of recipes, and shows his tricks and those of his kitchen-crew.

He said that EQ-Musync http://www.eqmusync.com will launch its own E-learning platform in the near future, including a support desk for the EQM-C app.