The second day of the 2008 FEI Freestyle Forum kicked off with a theoretical session by Dutch kur composer Cees Slings on how to compose a freestyle. The core of Slings's presentation were concrete examples of bad and good synchronization
between movement and sound. As introduction he used the 2006 World Equestrian Games music leader which shows a parallel between the movement of the conductor and the sound. He then proceeded into showing two kurs to music from the 2008 CDIO Aachen. The names of the riders did not matter, but it was their performance which served as example for the forum.
Slings has made a click track to the footfall of each horse to show how the tempo of the music and the horse's hoof beat were irregular. He then paired a click-metronome to show the tempo of the music to the click track of each footfall and once more the two hardly ever seemed to match in the two selected Aachen kurs. Even the rider who used a clear drum beat could not correspond his tempo to the music.
Bemelmans was surprised to see this and recommended to rename the "Kur to Music" into "Kur with Music."
Slings stressed that the tempo of 90% of all music for freestyles does not match with the horse's movements and, thereby, prevents all synchronicity.
Slings's session was followed by three kur discussions on Grand Prix level. Beatriz Ferrer-Salat presented Faberge's kur to music "Balle Masquée" on video screen as the horse is injured. Kyra Kyrklund showed her Cabaret kur on screen as Max did not make the journey to Spain.
A practical demonstration by Daniel Pinto on Galopin de la Font concluded the day. Daniel Pinto's kur had highlights as well as some lowpoints. It showed that cadence and rhythm are two different and confusing terms in dressage and music.
Beatriz Ferrer-Salat expressed her joy in riding to tightly composed music. "If I miss the rhythm, I'm able to ride my horse back into it because the music matches my horse's movements," she said. She stressed that she knows her music by heart and knows where the cues are to change movement.
Kyrklund confessed that she tracks each step Max takes to count down to the next cue in her freestyle. When asked why she counted so much, Kyra said that it was her experience that not each ring has the same size. By counting her horse's steps and by looking where she is in regard to the letters, she could easily figure out if the ring was too big or too small. She needs to anticipate that and the music helps her.
Especially judges Gary Rockwell and Bernard Maurel had a great interest in the presentations. They had many questions concerning musical rhythms and were not afraid to sing them in front of Steinke and Slings, when asking questions about them. It was great to see that there are judges with an open mind towards kurs to music and who wanted to learn and improve their own judging skills.
Dieter Schüle concluded that the judges still need to learn much about music and that theoretical lessons by composers, choreographers and kur makers are a necessity.
Withages wrapped up the forum by stating that she would report her findings to the FEI and make recommendations about the teaching and training of the judges
According to the composers, a right synchronization between music and the horse's movements should be a standard for judging freestyles.
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Related Link
Eurodressage Coverage of the 2005 FEI Freestyle Forum
