Virtue ~ Moir n. 20. L’amour est un oiseau rebelle

[girlscouse62]

This. I'm also a huge fan of The West Wing, so I'm turning, spitting, and cursing.

Me too!

[Cherub721]

Has anyone have vid of P/B?

Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbqu60DwfoE&feature=plcp

So what top couples haven't shown their FDs yet? V&M, D&W, Shibs, I&K... anyone else?

[girlscouse62]

Thanks Cherub. Had to wonder about that score though.

[Shayii]

Thanks Cherub. Had to wonder about that score though.

Why? Too high?

[Cherub721]

P&B skated at French Masters which is a national event which AFAIK uses only French judges, so I wasn't even paying attention to the score.

[pani]

Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbqu60DwfoE&feature=plcp

So what top couples haven't shown their FDs yet? V&M, D&W, Shibs, I&K... anyone else?

Yes, i think only 4 top-teams left

[Golightly]

P-B's program disappointed me a bit. I don't know, too early in the season, but that seemed uninspired somehow. And yeah, that score's a bit too high, but that's to be expected at The Master's.

[pani]

P-B's program disappointed me a bit. I don't know, too early in the season, but that seemed uninspired somehow.

Its early in the season. At least only P-B and C-B show really new lifts. And italian team Akessandrini-Vaturi.
I think P-B FD will have good reaction from aydience in London
O, i forget about amazing lifts from Carron-Jones

[Macassar88]

It's generic Carmen choreo. I wasn't impressed. I know they beat B/S FD but I actually thought B/S looked more polished. Anyway, I believe Tessa & Scott's Carmen will be much more special.

I agree on both counts - I thought that Bobrova and Soloviev were undermarked in comparison to Capellini and Lanotte. I was surprised at how much higher CL's GOEs were.
Also, I think that Tessa and Scott's Carmen will be amazing - even if the choreography isn't the best, their performance ability will bring their FD to amazing places.

[Macassar88]

I AM a big fan of C/L. They've done two free dances that I'd rank as among that season's best (Requiem for a Dream and La Strada). This doesn't do much for me. The mid section is the best - the two lifts have seamless entries and fluidity. I also noticed their twizzles seems to be faster.

The fact that the best program from the European teams is coming from Bobrova/Soloviev, however, is something I can't handle. How in the world did the rest of them let that happen?

Going to Zhulin was the best decision they could have made for their style - on the other hand, they still need A LOT of work with her posture.

[aka_gerbil]

Going to Zhulin was the best decision they could have made for their style - on the other hand, they still need A LOT of work with her posture.

Word. They made an excellent decision there going to Zhulin. I agree they've still got to work on her posture, but with the big goal for them being 2018, they've got plenty of time. Just like any skater reworking any major thing about their skating, it's going to take time.

Going back to C/L, I too quite liked the program. I think it's a very traditional/theatrical ice skating interpretation of Carmen, down to the usual suspects with the music cuts, but they did a good job with it and as far as that sort of Carmen program goes, it's one of the better ones in a long time. With all the hints about V/M's Carmen being a modern/contemporary version, I think it's going to be a very different sort of program from C/L's. Notably, for me, this was the first time I've seen them skate and felt that there was nothing juniorish about them.

[lauravvv]

Notably, for me, this was the first time I've seen them skate and felt that there was nothing juniorish about them.

How could C/L be juniorish at the age of 25 and 27, and after skating in seniors for six seasons (this is the seventh)? They haven't been juniorish for a very long time now. Or did I somehow misunderstand you?

[aka_gerbil]

How could C/L be juniorish at the age of 25 and 27, and after skating in seniors for six seasons (this is the seventh)? They haven't been juniorish for a very long time now. Or did I somehow misunderstand you?

I should probably explain better. In the past, I've felt that they haven't skated big, if that makes any sense. For reference, V/M skate big (and always have) in my book. For me personally, the not skating big gave their programs more of a junior-ish feel--to me. I'd watch them and feel like something was missing that they should have grown into more (nevermind their ages and how long they've been skating at the senior level). I didn't feel this way this time.

It's definitely a personal preference sort of thing. YMMV.

[Cherub721]

I should probably explain better. In the past, I've felt that they haven't skated big, if that makes any sense. For reference, V/M skate big (and always have) in my book. For me personally, the not skating big gave their programs more of a junior-ish feel--to me. I'd watch them and feel like something was missing that they should have grown into more (nevermind their ages and how long they've been skating at the senior level). I didn't feel this way this time.

It's definitely a personal preference sort of thing. YMMV.

I've felt the same way about C&L for a long time, and have seen many others post that same sentiment about them looking juniorish. They look physically young ( that he is 27) and don't really have deep edges or a lot of power to their skating. Their expression is usually light and playful (or looks like they're playacting if it's supposed to be otherwise). They just give off a young, juniorish vibe for a lot of reasons. The Shibutanis do the same, but it's more understandable since they are recently up from juniors.

I also felt like this FD was the first time there was nothing juniorish about C&L.

[lauravvv]

I've felt the same way about C&L for a long time, and have seen many others post that same sentiment about them looking juniorish. They look physically young ( that he is 27) and don't really have deep edges or a lot of power to their skating. Their expression is usually light and playful (or looks like they're playacting if it's supposed to be otherwise). They just give off a young, juniorish vibe for a lot of reasons. The Shibutanis do the same, but it's more understandable since they are recently up from juniors.

I also felt like this FD was the first time there was nothing juniorish about C&L.

I don't know about skating, since I haven't seen them live, but their expression has not seemed juniorish to me in the last seasons - certainly not in the way like Shibutanis seem juniorish. Light and playful is not necessarily juniorish in itself. Pechalat/Bourzat can be light and playful too, but I've never thought of them as juniorish because of that. Even Tessa and Scott are light and playful sometimes (like in 'Funny Face') - the same for them. And when Cappellini/Lanotte have been acting something more serious and/or dramatic, it has not seemed juniorish and studied to me. As for that you can see that they are acting when they are acting - I think it's true for most skaters, even for Tessa and Scott. After all, skaters are not actors to such an extent that real actors are - and only the greatest actors achieve that level when their acting truly seems like living when in reality they're not (living it). Those who really live in their role/performance are another thing.

Plus, most juniors are mostly not acting nearly as much and as well as C/L do, nor do they have the same musicality (Tessa and Scott are really an exception in that regard).

[Shayii]

Are they really 25 and 27? Lol they definitely do look younger. Anyways this is really random, but I really really hope Tessa doesn't wear her hair in a bun for their FD.

[Proustable]

Anna's stroking/edgework is a little under par for a top ice dance team; that alone could contribute to aka_gerbil's opinion (and indeed, it does seem like she's improved somewhat). Personally, I thought their programs (not merely Requiem for a Dream, but their La Traviata ex) went a long way to boost them.

The thing that's interesting to me is that V/M, D/W and C/L really are from the same generation of skaters. They made their senior debuts the same season (06/07, though V/M were at 4CC 2006) and in the JGPF 05/06, they were one-two-three. It was only when they became seniors that C/L started to lag behind.

[iggie]

the off season lounge is just about closed so i made this post to thank everyone who participated over the five months it took to host and to list all 22 interviews

[Shayii]

so the off season lounge is just about closed so i made this post to thank everyone who participated over the five months it to host and to list all 22 intereviews

I'll like to say thanks to everybody that contributed too!! But mostly to you Misha for doing, and continuing to do such an amazing job!

[iggie]

I'll like to say thanks to everybody that contributed too!! But mostly to you Misha for doing, and continuing to do such an amazing job!

thanks. you're always so supportive and i appreciate it