Gabriella Papadakis, "Babylon", The Rink At Rockefeller Center

Gabriella Papadakis on Instagram:   / gabriellapapadakis  

"I made this piece thinking about what lingers after something collapses: the weight of ruins, the echoes they leave behind. Babylon was once a symbol of power, now it’s a story, a memory, a question.

What do we do with the remains of something that shaped us but was never ours to hold? Maybe ruins aren’t just endings but spaces to rebuild, to reimagine. For now, I’m sitting with the echoes, letting the dust settle, and seeing what still stands.

I created Babylon for the ‪@icedanceinternational5665‬ tour, and it’s been such an honor to be part of this community while challenging myself to skate solo. Skating has always been my way of telling stories, and coming back to it now with full freedom and agency feels like a privilege.

When choreographing, I thought about the Rockefeller Rink, the Prometheus statue, and how their symbolism intertwined with the piece. The timing of its reveal, the way the camera moves across it, every detail was considered to add to the story it tells.

I love that I get to do this with my life and I hope that this is only the beginning of a lifetime of exploration ❤️

Thank you ‪@OnIcePerspectives‬ for filming
Rockefeller Center for the ice time
Julie Marcotte for working on the choreo with me and also ‪@michelleldawley‬ for your eye during Art on Ice.
Costume is @feelingmathieucaron
Music by king ‪@tamino_amir‬
& music cut by Tim Koleto cause I can’t skate for 5:40 sorry ❤️
"
-Gabriella Papadakis, 2022 Olympic Ice Dance Champion

Filmed by Jordan Cowan of On Ice Perspectives in March 2025
Contact: http://oniceperspectives.com/contact

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