“My matador has a feminine role, which is rare in the real world of matadors. To emphasize this, we added a strong feminist element to the design. The matador’s cape was transformed into my skirt.” Madison Chock on her free dance costume
Madison Chock and Evan Bates on Their Free Dance Costumes
original source: Sports by Maya Bagriantseva
In an interview with Sports correspondent Maya Bagryantseva, Madison Chock and Evan Bates provide insights into the concept and design behind their free dance costumes, which reimagine traditional flamenco with a modern twist, portraying a story of confrontation and mutual respect between a matador and a bull. Here’s a translation of their comments.
“Evan Bates: At first glance, it seems like we’re performing a traditional flamenco, but ours is a contemporary version. Madi is the matador, and I’m the beast – basically, we flipped this classic Spanish dance on its head.
It became a story about the relationship between a powerful human and an animal, where they challenge, attack, and confront each other. However, it ultimately evolves into a story of mutual respect and understanding.
Madison Chock: From the beginning, we knew I needed to wear pants – it gives the character the spirit and powerful energy of a matador. It was important to me to keep the costume traditional: high-waisted pants with a cropped bolero jacket.
My matador has a feminine role, which is rare in the real world of matadors. To emphasize this, we added a strong feminist element to the design. The matador’s cape was transformed into my skirt.”
When asked how she manages to work with the skirt during their nearly four-minute performance, Chock explained: “It’s incredibly fun. At first, it was challenging to get used to the length, but I really love how it looks. The skirt gives the dance more character and dynamism while highlighting the choreography and movements. Dancing with it is so engaging it really adds a lot to the performance.
Yes, I have a special practice skirt, and believe me, skating with it turns training into such a fun experience. Thanks to that, I learned how to handle the skirt during performances, as it took some time to get comfortable with it.”
Chock further elaborated on their choice of colors: “At one point, I considered black with gold accents. Actually, the underside of my training skirt is gold. But in the end, we felt that black and red – iconic, symbolic colors representing the duel between the bull and matador – were the perfect choice.”
“I think it’s immediately clear to everyone that Evan is a strong, imposing bull. The horns and decorative elements hint at the face of the animal. We wanted his look to show both masculinity and animalistic energy, and we’re thrilled with how everything came together,” said Madison Chock.
Related topics: Madison Chock Evan Bates
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