From Russia With Love - Autumn 2012

[Cherub721]

I found M&K's FD to be just another generic Spanish program... IIRC they did tango last year. They're really not bringing it.

Loved Stolbova & Klimov's LP! They have two good programs and are on their way to being my fave Russian pair.

SDs:
Sinitsina & Zhiganshin - I kinda like it! I feel bad for them in the sense that, while country western was technically an option, nobody expected anyone to actually use it! They will look out of place. Maybe they should change the second piece of music and wear some Gone with the Wind type costumes instead of the denim. I don't think the program is juniorish, unless Kerrs and P&B country ODs were juniorish.

S&G - Absolutely loved the first part, so voidy. Cringed at the Witch Doctor.... so much more out of place in their dance than S&Z.

P&G - Excellent, very voidy, great choice of music. If I didn't know who's who, I'd guess they were the Russian champions. I pretty much couldn't find a good thing to say about them last season, but they are now skating with so much confidence and attack. Morozov is winning the coaching competition so far for me.

R&T - Loved the waltz, not crazy about the second song. They're great waltzers, but when they do it in every program, it dilutes the effect.

[martyross]

WHAT WAS THIS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
It is supposed to be the year that Sinitsina and Zhiganshin move up to seniors, not move up to kindergarten. Kustarova needs to be banned from ever making programs. In what world does "Ting Tang Walla Walla Bing Bang" scream maturity?

finally something that can challenge Mighty Mouse!!

[Cloudy_Gumdrops]

Morozov is winning the coaching competition so far for me.

I'm right there with ya.

I've got a lot of hope and anticipation for I&K's programs now.

[love_skate2011]

I have mixed views on who will do well this season
Bobrova/Soloviev is still a question mark same with Riazanova/Tkachenko
but I havent seen Ilinykh/Katsalapov yet

excluding I/K I would put what I saw in the programs

1 ( I/K ) - fingers crossed
2 ( S/Z ) - I have mixed views of their more youthful programs
3 (B/S ) - slow
4 ( P/G ) - slow
5 ( R/T ) - waltzy, but did notice improvements technically
6 ( V/G ) - witch doctor ruined it
7 ( M/K ) - boring generic programs

[Cherub721]

1 ( I/K ) - fingers crossed
2 ( S/Z ) - I have mixed views of their more youthful programs
3 (B/S ) - slow
4 ( P/G ) - slow
5 ( R/T ) - waltzy, but did notice improvements technically
6 ( V/G ) - witch doctor ruined it
7 ( M/K ) - boring generic programs

I more or less agree with these rankings.... at this point I&K have to be really bad in order to not be first! I liked P&G better than B&S, but that can't realistically happen. Really such a shame about R&T, I was expecting great things from them.

[lauravvv]

My impressions so far:

Didn't watch the men yet.

Ladies: Makarova's LP really was lovely. Leonova's SP is going to be fun, but the LP I can't ''digest" just yet - I remembered Lambiel's 'Poeta' while watching it, and the musicality in Leonova's version seemed severely lacking compared to that. Sotnikova's programs - can't say that I like either of them, although the SP is okay. Korobeynikova - she is lovely, but quite boring to watch. Yes, her SP suits her more than the LP with it's powerful music, but still quite boring. Haven't seen the rest.

Pairs: Kavaguti/Smirnov - their programs are lovely as well, but both seem like deja-vu to me. The LP music is new, of course, but the style is not new for them. Stolbova/Klimov's programs are really interesting, though. Still too many mistakes, but is it just me, or there is really some improvement with their speed? Tarasova/Morozov - seem like a lovely pair. Can't say more for now.

Ice dancers: Today I watched the FDs in the right order . Puskash/Gurreiro looked even worse when I first watched them after other teams. There are a few moments that I like in their FD, but the music is quite boring for me, the step sequences felt so slow, labourious and (for that very reason) boring to watch, and the lifts also seemed quite awkward. After them Riazanova/Tkachenko seemed like a vast improvement. I like the music (but I would agree that it's a bit too monotonous, and the moments when it builds are too short), the speed is much better compared to Puskash/Gurreiro (of course), although the second step sequence looked a bit slower than the first, and the lifts are much smoother/more effortless. Overall quit acceptable. Sinitsina/Zhiganshin are also okay, their music and style were refreshing after R/T's FD and their speed is good. As for Bobrova/Soloviev - the more I watch their FD, the more I like it, despite the weird music change. The choreo is really interesting. Only - that slowness... But I look forward to watching this evolve and improve (hopefully) during the season.

Monko/Khaliavin's FD style is okay and not juniorish like their SD style, but it seems like there is almost no choreography between the elements. Or it's just too generic. Starygina/Volobyev - of course, that russian gypsy style is nothing original, but the choreo was really enjoyable despite their obvious shortcomings.

SDs: Riazanova/Tkachenko - a lovely waltz, but I don't like the second part that much (not the skating itself, but the music - imho, it doesn't match the first part that well). Overall not too interesting. Puskash/Gurreiro - the SD looks much better than the FD, I really like the music, and the step sequences don't seem so labourious either. Sinitsina/Zhiganshin - juniorish, but different from other russian teams SDs, and not boring to watch. Starygina/Volobyev - yes, the first part was interesting, but the second part spoiled the dance for me. Bobrova/Soloviev - I too like their SD the most so far. The slower second part doesn't bore me at all, it's interesting that the ending is different than usual.

P.S.: I changed my mind after watching B/S and P/G SDs again - I still like B/S SD, but P/G SD is now my favourite too.

[VarBar]

Voronov LP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmg-EECJrm8&feature=plcp

I think that the music for Voronov's LP comes from Zefirelli's movie Romeo and Juliet and I'm not sure the theme or the mood suits Sergei. Also, his footwork looks rather bad for now with all those spastic arm moves which seem quite disconnected from the music.

[Macassar88]

Apparently their chosen music was 'Once Upon a Time in West' which is in the first part of the dance, and originally the whole dance was choreographed to it, but Tarasova didn't approve, and then they stuck this 'Tosca' version in the second half (pani already wrote about it).

Didn't you see other skater's programs - many of the ice dancers and also some single skaters were dressed in all black outfits which in most cases were apparently their training clothes. Do you really think that all of them are going to skate dressed like that in the real competitions ? Some people seem to not understand that skaters very rarely wear their competition costumes in test skates. In most cases their costumes just aren't ready yet.

Damn you TAT!!!

[VarBar]

riazanova tkachenko sd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7O2fek4Ock&feature=plcp

I would understand Tkachenko dancing to ''with a little bit of luck' all by himself and going for a humorous note with a touch of self-irony maybe but where does the girl wearing a glittering ball dress fit into the picture? Actually Tkachenko's costume for that part in My Fair Lady is a mismatch too IMO.

[HisWeirness]

My impression from the video was that possibly Tkachenko's SD costume was not ready. He was just wearing a basic black outfit from what I could see on the video.

[Domshabfan]

S&K LP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1byOWKU_bL4&feature=plcp

Last year he spanked her, this year she slaps him, are they married???

I love any program with

[Tak]

R&T SD: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7O2fek4Ock&feature=plcp

Finally, a senior SD that I like. Too bad their FD is so bad.

Again - thanks for the link!

I love their SD - I love the way their moves on the ice mirror the music - like their choreographer actually listened to it before he began! This should be Choreo 101, but in far too many cases hasnt been recently. The twizzles for ex are in perfect sync with the music. IMO this is far better than F/S MFL FD.

Who did their choreo this year - does anyone know? I think they have 2 great programs. I just hope they skate them well.

[marishka9]

I found M&K's FD to be just another generic Spanish program... IIRC they did tango last year. They're really not bringing it.

P&G - Excellent, very voidy, great choice of music. If I didn't know who's who, I'd guess they were the Russian champions. I pretty much couldn't find a good thing to say about them last season, but they are now skating with so much confidence and attack. Morozov is winning the coaching competition so far for me.

R&T - Loved the waltz, not crazy about the second song. They're great waltzers, but when they do it in every program, it dilutes the effect.

You Have my vote with the above view

[marishka9]

delete post

[Hanna]

Sinitsina's posture looks worse than I remembered. Not only hunched shoulders but a very visible swayback too. Sigh.

R&T - Loved the waltz, not crazy about the second song. They're great waltzers, but when they do it in every program, it dilutes the effect.

Eys... last season FD (and the previous season as well IIRC?), this season both SD & FD... they're starting to feel like a one trick pony.

[Hanna]

Leonova SPhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3OgwkQRwzQ

PML, the program construcion is EXACTLY like everyone anticipated: jump, jump, spin, jump, spin, crazy bollywood straightline steps that start with posing, spin. Sooo predictable.

[equatorial]

PML, the program construcion is EXACTLY like everyone anticipated: jump, jump, spin, jump, spin, crazy bollywood straightline steps that start with posing, spin. Sooo predictable.

That (minus the "Bollywood") would describe 99.9999% of ladies' SPs

[love_skate2011]

some better HQ videos

Sinitsina/Zhiganshin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7mbvRmrsSU&feature=plcp

Riazanova/Tkachenko
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIRAl_BNp64&feature=plcp

Tarasova/Morozov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykyePeaeXzk&feature=plcp

Starygina/Volobiev - why is there a sudden witch doctor popularity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZjfXe7yYA0&feature=plcp

[Loves_Shizuka]

Leonova's music is that used by Chinese gymnast Huang Qiushuang a few years ago. I like it alot. Is it really "Bollywood" though?

[morqet]

Leonova's music is that used by Chinese gymnast Huang Qiushuang a few years ago. I like it alot. Is it really "Bollywood" though?

Yes, it was originally composed for the film Indian Yuvvraaj, although it didn't end up being included on the soundtrack & most people will know it from Slumdog Millionaire.