Revisiting this particular controversy

[gk_891]

I agree. Even the judge who placed them highest still only had them 4th (a generous 4th, IMO). Their program was flamboyant and showy for the audience, but judges need to look at other things. Still, the Duchesnay's Calgary performances positioned them really well to move up to become contenders in the next quadrennium. The next year, Dean really worked on improving their skills and pushing them to more difficulty.


IMO the dance crime of 88 was Klimova-Ponomarekeno not winning, made to wait their turn behind the painful to watch Besty-Buk.

I never understood why the judges wanted to keep Klimova & Ponomarenko behind Bestemianova & Bukin when the formers were so clearly superiour to the latter. I would've had B&B no higher than 3rd at the Calgary Olympics as technically W&M were also so clearly superiour to B&B.

As for D&D, I couldn't stand their poor skating skills. At the 92 Olympics, they should've been off the podium altogether. My placements would've been Klimova & Ponomarenko in first, Grishuk & Platov in second, and Usova & Zhulin in third.

[gkelly]

I never understood why the judges wanted to keep Klimova & Ponomarenko behind Bestemianova & Bukin when the formers were so clearly superiour to the latter. I would've had B&B no higher than 3rd at the Calgary Olympics as technically W&M were also so clearly superiour to B&B.

Maybe it was not so clear to the judges that these other teams were superior -- maybe they were prioritizing different technical skills than you are.

[gk_891]

Maybe it was not so clear to the judges that these other teams were superior -- maybe they were prioritizing different technical skills than you are.

From what I saw, B&B were relatively weak technically while both K&P and W&M skated with far superiour content in both the steps and handholds and better edge quality. From what I remember of B&B, their garish expression was a very obvious attempt to overcompensate when they lack technically. I thought B&B should've been no higher than 3rd in 1986, 1987, and 1988. But that's just me.

[pollyanna]

From what I saw, B&B were relatively weak technically while both K&P and W&M skated with far superiour content in both the steps and handholds and better edge quality. From what I remember of B&B, their garish expression was a very obvious attempt to overcompensate when they lack technically. I thought B&B should've been no higher than 3rd in 1986, 1987, and 1988. But that's just me.

I tend to agree, but I will say that B&B had some CDs back in the day. Their 1988 kilian CD was to die for, incredibly deep edges and perfect unison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y3do9T5SoI

[briancoogaert]

I tend to agree, but I will say that B&B had some CDs back in the day. Their 1988 kilian CD was to die for, incredibly deep edges and perfect unison.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3y3do9T5SoI

That's what I was going to post.
It's not difficult to understand why B&B were first. They were so superior at compulsories. And if you watch the rankings, the places were the same for almost every team from compulsories to fd.
Anyway, I don't particularly like K&P, and think B&B were superior.

[Erin]

K&P also had a dreadful FD in 88 IMO (Beatles muzak) and most years in that quad. The only FD I liked from that era was their Hungarian Rhapsody, which was in either 86 or 87. It was a shame because they had some wonderful exhibition programs from that time, so it wasn't like they weren't capable of good programs. I felt like they started to really hit their stride in 89 with their Mack the Knife program, which was dance-y without being as generic as their 85-88 programs.

[pollyanna]

K&P also had a dreadful FD in 88 IMO (Beatles muzak) and most years in that quad. The only FD I liked from that era was their Hungarian Rhapsody, which was in either 86 or 87. It was a shame because they had some wonderful exhibition programs from that time, so it wasn't like they weren't capable of good programs. I felt like they started to really hit their stride in 89 with their Mack the Knife program, which was dance-y without being as generic as their 85-88 programs.

I blame Dubova.

(Hungarian Rhapsody was 1987)

[briancoogaert]

K&P 1992 FD was beautiful. One of the best FD ever, IMO.

[pollyanna]

K&P 1992 FD was beautiful. One of the best FD ever, IMO.

Totally agree. Thank you Tarasova.

[gk_891]

That's what I was going to post.
It's not difficult to understand why B&B were first. They were so superior at compulsories. And if you watch the rankings, the places were the same for almost every team from compulsories to fd.
Anyway, I don't particularly like K&P, and think B&B were superior.

I thought Klimova & Ponomarenko's killian was better. They skated closer together, had more fluid handholds, and smoother edges.

[gk_891]

K&P also had a dreadful FD in 88 IMO (Beatles muzak) and most years in that quad. The only FD I liked from that era was their Hungarian Rhapsody, which was in either 86 or 87. It was a shame because they had some wonderful exhibition programs from that time, so it wasn't like they weren't capable of good programs. I felt like they started to really hit their stride in 89 with their Mack the Knife program, which was dance-y without being as generic as their 85-88 programs.

A lot of people disliked that FD but technically, it had far superiour content to that of B&B but they performed it to absolute clinical perfection. K&P were masters at making the difficult look easy while B&B tried very hard to make the easy look difficult.

[briancoogaert]

I thought Klimova & Ponomarenko's killian was better. They skated closer together, had more fluid handholds, and smoother edges.

I think it can't be more fluid than B&B.
IMO, K&P's pattern is not as good (although the pattern of this dance changed a lot, I prefer the perfect outside-inside before the choctaw of B&B). Marina doesn't have her knees perfectly placed for the inside edge, compared to Natalia Bestemianova. And the rhythm is more difficult to count with K&P, IMO.
Really, B&B are perfect on the killian. Perfect.

[Aussie Willy]

My favourite K&P FD was their My Fair Lady FD.