Hannah Lim and Ye Quan: “We was a bit nervous at the beginning of the season, thinking, “We won’t be able to perform “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” as well as Tessa and Scott,” but we’re doing quite well.”
Translation of the Hannah Lim and Ye Quan’s comments about their dances and possible comparison with Virtue/Moir.
original source: mfocus.kr dd. 9th February 2024 by Hyunjin Kim
Translation of the comments made by Hannah Lim and Ye Quan in an interview for mfocus.kr
Q: Which program do you prefer more this season?
Ye Quan: I like both programs, but I prefer the free dance. I feel like there are more connected parts. The rhythm dance always feels like a lively party, which is fun. Although the types of skating are different, I prefer the free dance now.
Hannah Lim: The rhythm dance is always very fast-paced, while the free dance is smoother. That’s why I prefer the free dance.
Ye Quan: In the free dance, I can incorporate more of my personality and character, but in the rhythm dance, it was difficult to develop a character.
Q: I heard that when you two perform, Hannah thinks of the feeling being on the stage while Ye thinks about the character. How do you approach and express the character in the rhythm dance?
Ye Quan: Prince has a really complex character. I still don’t fully understand it, and I still find it difficult to understand. So, every time I prepare for the competition, I try to think more about connecting with Hannah in the slower parts. But usually, I just think, “This is a lively party, let’s have fun.”
Hannah Lim: I just think that we’re on stage. Since Prince is an idol and a singer, I try to find the rhythm while thinking about that.
Q: I think the theme of the 1980s is really difficult. It seems to have a unique and ambiguous difference from other eras. It doesn’t evoke the opulence and confidence of the 1920s-30s, reminiscent of “The Great Gatsby.”
Hannah Lim: That’s right. There are ambiguous aspects. The 1970s had disco, but the 80s and 90s were different.
Ye Quan: That’s right. Instead of thinking about how to express a specific 1980s style, I mainly focus on the character. We’re more focused on how to embody the character of Prince and his vibe.
Hannah Lim: We’re focusing on how to have fun with the character of Prince.
Q: Could you tell us about your approach to the free dance?
Hannah Lim: I had a hard time doing this program for the first time because I wasn’t used to soft love stories or vulnerable characters.
Ye Quan: I always played strong characters with a strong impact on the music.
Hannah Lim: I’ve always done dramas, but I did it in a stronger way. This time, I tried to do it in a softer, more connected way. It was really difficult to perform like that in the early competitions, but now I enjoy immersing myself in the character and performing that way on the ice.
Ye Quan: Yes, and since we had to think about new aspects of storytelling, it was a learning process. How we could be better connected, how we could help our partner get into the story, and so on.
Q: “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” is a masterpiece program skated by Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir in their early senior years. Did you feel any pressure to do the same program?
Ye Quan: No, I wasn’t worried. I’ve seen their programs, but I feel like Hannah and I have our own style. I focused on us, and I often forget that we used the same music.
Hannah Lim: The music was a bit different too. They used the music from the movie with male and female vocals, while we used a song with only male vocals, which was more dramatic and sad. I was a bit nervous and worried at the beginning of the season, thinking, “We won’t be able to perform as well as Tessa and Scott,” but…
Ye Quan: I think we’re doing quite well.
Hannah Lim: And I stopped reading comments. I used to worry a lot while looking at Twitter and Instagram, but now that I’m not looking anymore and focusing on skating, I feel like I’m improving faster.
“The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” is a French movie, and I was surprised to hear that Korean fans liked it when it was first selected. I understand now.
Related topics: Hannah Lim Ye Quan
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