Davis and White #14 - Better Late Than Sinatra

[circuscandy]

I'm doing my best to avoid looking. I got my hatin' and debatin' jollies out when I was younger and battling with people on the internet doesn't appeal much to me anymore. Teams in the spotlight will always garner more vitriol and criticism than anyone else, of course, and I just accept it and move on. As long as the judges aren't hating, I can't bring myself to care about other people's dislike. I don't think D/W could do anything now and not face some sort of resistance from someone.

But suffice it to say that the audience did love the FD. I swear it. There was gushing all around me, and from people who were and were not obvious skating fans and would not necessarily know or care about D/W's reputation and records. I'd say that everyone really loved the dance portion as a whole, even the lower ranking teams.

[TanithandBenFan]

Here are my exhibition photos plus video of Meryl and Charlie's performance Wish I'd been able to capture Meryl going all Gangnam on video! She is awesome.

http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/...xhibition.html

[literaryfreak]

Here are my exhibition photos plus video of Meryl and Charlie's performance Wish I'd been able to capture Meryl going all Gangnam on video! She is awesome.

http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/...xhibition.html

Thank you for the video. That yellow dress is beautiful on Meryl. Someone Like You seems so nice and calm right now.

[Sk8fun]

I love the program and like others here, can't wait to see it grow and develop over the season. After watching I was excited to read the play by play thread and share the joy. Uh oh, big mistake. My mamma always told me that some people put other people down when they're insecure and want to make themselves look good. That saying tweaked a little works for skating fans. Enough of that subject.

Happy the new programs are out there and I like how they stay in character before and after the skate too.

[kosjenka]

I find it more and more difficult being a fan of both Davis&White and Virtue&Moir.
I dont know who it benefits such hateful and downgrading comments.
I asume that two teams are colleagues and have civil relationship. They even seem to be friends. I don't understand why their fans are so mean to the opposite team.

Now it is said that Meryl and Charlie are copying Tessa and Scott by trying to relate to each other more. Something that they claim T&S are natural at and M&C are copying and faking.

It is probably better I dont have access to K&C. What I read on GoldenSkate is more than enough.

[DORISPULASKI]

kosjenka, I know what you mean. I have to keep peace between my husband, who is a Giants fan and my son who is a Patriots fan...but with them, it's just teasing when the other's team loses.

The people around me at the arena really loved both of Davis & White's program. I loved Giselle to bits at first sight, and think all that needs to be changed there is for Meryl & Charlie to get all the key points on the first YP sequence and the circular step. Notre Dame has a bangup ending with those lifts there on high points in the music, and that's what got the crowd on their feet. The way the lifts come in is very emotional, and just hits you. The beginning is pretty good too, with bang, bang, spin & twizzles, but if the way the twizzles come in is difficult for Charlie, perhaps rethinking it would be good? The middle maybe needs a little work. By putting the highlight lifts at the end and the spins & twizzles (which are highlights too) at the immediate beginning, you can end up with a lack of highlight in the middle-two much footwork all in a row. BTW, for those who hate it, I didn't notice a Charlie cartwheel jump or Arabian or whatever it is this year, Did I miss it?

Absolutely true that the audience loved all the dancers, particularly Meryl & Charlie, Lynn & Logan, Alessandrini & Vaturi, and Zhiganshina & Gaszi, but really all the dancers. People were asking what W&P and B&S's programs were about, but they liked them. As to Z&S, most got right away that they were zombies, and I have been informed that among the young set, zombies are Hot. The only negative comment I heard was about Kaitlyn's costume, which when someone explained she was a statue, they understood completely the point of the costume.

[Sylvia]

The first thing to get in an SD pattern dance is the levels. The GOE is not as big a point difference as just getting the levels. And to get the levels this year, the timing as well as step correctness, is necessary. They got all Y's on one of the two sequences, so it's not like the 2nd key point that all the dancers were only getting- very intermittently last year; they can get these 6 keypoints for the Yankee.

Just possibly a little tweaking is needed on how they start the YP here, since their second sequence was better than the first?

When they're getting all 6 points on both sequences is the time to get more over the ground speed in the pattern, which is of course, what makes the pattern bigger. Getting a GOE of +3 on a YP sequence where you hit zero key points does not score well at all.

Check the protocols

4YP1 or 4YP2 with all 3 key points hit is 7.00 base. Doing it with all +3's only buys you an additional 1.5 points = 8.5 points maximum.
3YP1 or 3YP2 with 2 key points hit is 6.00 base. With all +3's is 7.5 points
2YP1 or 2YP2 with one key point hit is 5.00 base. +3's on that again is an additional 1.5 points = 6.5 points maximum
1YP1 or 1YP2 with no key points hit is 3.00 base (Z&G had one sequence with no key points)= 4.5 max.

If you miss all the key points due to timing problems (easy to do if over pushing for speed in as quick tempo'd a dance as the YP) your max score is 4.5 (and if your timing is glaringly bad, you won't get +3 from judges, nor should you. You probably get the base value at best). If you do the YP correctly and on time, but not particularly outstanding pattern size, worst case would be the base level of 7. So it's clear where teams should put their emphasis, even though old style CD judging gave more credit to pattern size and character of the dance, today that isn't how it's done. Chances are, if you had great polka character with a small, utterly correct pattern with perfect timing throughout, you might get +1, and so 7.5, or 0, and so 7. So you would be risking 4 points for a gain of no more than a point, point and a half. Not a good bet for any team to make.

Thanks for the explanation, Doris.

arakwafan2006 asked in GSD yesterday (before the thread was moved to Kiss and Cry) why Davis & White "only got 5.92 on the first portion of the Yankee Polka" and I'm re-posting your reply here in this thread:

They missed 2 key points, which they hit in the second sequence of YP.

[Jessiebanana]

I find it more and more difficult being a fan of both Davis&White and Virtue&Moir.
I dont know who it benefits such hateful and downgrading comments.
I asume that two teams are colleagues and have civil relationship. They even seem to be friends. I don't understand why their fans are so mean to the opposite team.

Now it is said that Meryl and Charlie are copying Tessa and Scott by trying to relate to each other more. Something that they claim T&S are natural at and M&C are copying and faking.

It is probably better I dont have access to K&C. What I read on GoldenSkate is more than enough.

Wow...so they're lacking if they don't bring the connection, but they're copycats if they do? Does that mean any other team that aspires to have the speed and awesome-ness of Davis/White's lifts are copies. I mean I think Virtue/Moir's lifts have gotten so much more challenging then they were...of course I thought that was, I don't know, rising to the occasion. What is wrong with people? Damned if you do and damned if you don't with no room allowed for improvement. I have teams I don't like, but I don't spend all day thinking about why I don't like them. It's weird. Okay, I just need to stop thinking about it.

[~tapdancer~]

Not worrying about any of the snark and the hating and especially the ridiculous notion that they are copying VM who certainly don't have exclusive rights to emotional connection. Keep up the good work, Meryl and Charlie, the audiences, the judges, and a lot of fans love it!

[Whitneyskates]

Hi everyone, lurker, first time poster. I am a D/W uber so I have to really work hard at blocking out all the negativity that this team receives when they skate. I've seen the stuff at goldenskate, I can only imagine what's being said in the competition threads here. I don't know what it is abot this team that causes such vitrol and at times, downright hatred. Maybe it's because they're the only team who can challenge ice dance's supposed golden couple? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone isn't going to be a fan of everyone's work, but there is no reason to stoop to the level of insults some people do. And I hate to break it to these people, but having a magic connection on the ice isn't new. In my book, K/P will always be tops when it comes to having that natural connection and chemistry on the ice, they were magic.

Now onto the programs. Giselle is totally If Meryl wasn't born to play that part, then I don't know who was. As for Notre Dame, I admit that it took me a few viewings to really get into it, but I think that's because DF was such an out of the gate spectacular performance. I do love the program, though, and I can't wait to see it after some mileage is put on it.

One more thing, I really appreciate that D/W are never afraid to admit their weaknesses and aren't afraid to work hard to improve. If they win, they win, if they don't, then they don't, it won't change my opinion of them. I would rather them take risks and challenge themselves then play it safe just for the sake of winning.

[sequins]

Hi everyone, lurker, first time poster. I am a D/W uber so I have to really work hard at blocking out all the negativity that this team receives when they skate. I've seen the stuff at goldenskate, I can only imagine what's being said in the competition threads here. I don't know what it is abot this team that causes such vitrol and at times, downright hatred. Maybe it's because they're the only team who can challenge ice dance's supposed golden couple? Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and everyone isn't going to be a fan of everyone's work, but there is no reason to stoop to the level of insults some people do. And I hate to break it to these people, but having a magic connection on the ice isn't new. In my book, K/P will always be tops when it comes to having that natural connection and chemistry on the ice, they were magic.

I'm a fan of both V/M and D/W(though I admit V/M are #1 for me) and I haven't seen the comments but they both get hated on because they are at the top of their games. I really don't think that I can think of any team/athlete who is at the top of their sport that doesn't have both the devoted fans and the vicious haters. It comes with the territory unfortunately and sometimes I think they don't even dislike the athlete they really just like to tick the fans off more than anything and in today's world it's so easy.

[Susan M]

The only negative comment I heard was about Kaitlyn's costume, which when someone explained she was a statue, they understood completely the point of the costume.

I didn't like this costume either. I thought it used way too much illusion and not enough solid fabric and was overly theatrical. Do we really need to see belly buttons?

[TanithandBenFan]

Let the haterz hate. I freaking LOVED the little carry move after the program, and my friends and I were going nuts because it surprised us so much. I'm glad they didn't practice that move and kept it under wraps Charlie is off the charts this year with the intensity and emotion. Even during practice he is so into it. Of course Meryl has always had beautiful expression! I hope they kick a$$ this year.

It was an awesome dance event all around. I barely recognized A/V because I think they've improved so much. LynnGLogan rocked the house, and I love W/P's program, more than last year's FD, which never thrilled me the way it did other people. And the zombies were so entertaining.

[Simone411]

Here are my exhibition photos plus video of Meryl and Charlie's performance Wish I'd been able to capture Meryl going all Gangnam on video! She is awesome.

http://jennifercomeaux.blogspot.com/...xhibition.html

Once again, thank you so much for sharing. The exhibition photos are wonderful! It's very much appreciated.

[arakwafan2006]

Sounds like you're the type who should hide theirs which would explain your bitterness.

[arakwafan2006]

I didn't like this costume either. I thought it used way too much illusion and not enough solid fabric and was overly theatrical. Do we really need to see belly buttons?

This post most likely came from someone who isnt allowed to show their belly buttons because society would generally be repulsed...

I think that W&P's costumes were perfectly suited for this dance. I didnt find it tacky or gauche at all. The only time i even noticed the costume's transparency was when they were standing still. Why wouldnt they push the creativity in a costume?

[mia joy]

FINALLY I got the chance to watch the FD (only a very low quality youtube vids unfortunately). And I think it has TONS of potetntial. I think it's gonna develop beautifully throughout the season.

First off, it went by like it was a minute, not four. Felt like it didn't even start and it was already finished. I'm blown away by their skating quality. I swear these guys are getting better and better every year, if it's even possible. I LOVE the Danse mon Esmeralda part. So emotional and dramatic. I missed Meryl and Charlie being dramatic. I might not be a particular fan of the music cuts yet, but I might change my mind. I agree with everyone that this one is more like the Tango than Die Fledermaus. The latter was already perfect at SA and didn't really have oportunity to grow. This one still has its weaknesses, but it's going to get more and more perfect everytime. So far so good.

I don't know if it's been discussed here yet, but I just hope these weren't their final costumes. Meryl didn't really look like a gypsy to me. And all black is more of a Scott thing, not Charlie. But then again, I love Charlie in almost everything

God, I love their connection and I adore the maturity they've gained. Exactly what I was hoping for a few years back.

It's so good to have them back, I missed them.

[pingu]

I didn't like this costume either. I thought it used way too much illusion and not enough solid fabric and was overly theatrical. Do we really need to see belly buttons?

How did Kaitlyn DARE to show her belly button in public!!!!

[shan]

Sounds like you're the type who should hide theirs which would explain your bitterness.

[Jessiebanana]

I don't see anything wrong with a belly button . I love her costume. Too theatrical...well good thing you weren't an ice dance fan back in the day. Those old school Russian teams were OTT.

Also I'm pretty sure illusion mesh refers to skin tone colors. I don't think blue-grey really qualifies.