U.S. Ice Dance 2016/17 season - news & updates

[AYS]

Interesting but not surprising nor undeserving really to see Hawayek/Baker being first alternates over Pogrebinsky/Benoit. Is it a surprise that Gunter/Wein are third alternates?

So glad, and I hope they have a chance to do 4CCs, though everyone's been opting to do 4CCs in recent years. They've been fantastic this season. Yesterday was an absolutely freak occurrence. I've never seen anything like it. Closest was Charlie's 3-fall performance at CoR, but that was a much less important situation.

 

[AYS]

Considering no one else has minimums, no.

Really? I thought P/B had gotten them on the GP.

Regardless, I agree with H/B as first alternate.

 

[Sylvia]

Really? I thought P/B had gotten them on the GP.

They did. wickedwitch was referring to Gunter/Wein being listed as the third alternate for Junior Worlds over 3 teams that placed ahead of them in junior.

 

[Jun Y]

They had a highlight in the beginning of the program where he was lifting her off the ice and rotated a full turn which is not allowed. That had to be called a rotational lift no level (because neither was in a difficult position). As a result, the rotational lift at the end of the program received no credit and they got a deduction for having an extra element (lift).

Thanks! I suppose this was a case of transitional move gone wrong.

 

[Spiralgraph]

I felt so bad for Kaitlin and Jean-Luc, but I'm happy they were named as first alternates. I winced at their falls what a freaky thing to happen.

 

[Twizzler]

Yesterday was an absolutely freak occurrence. I've never seen anything like it. Closest was Charlie's 3-fall performance at CoR, but that was a much less important situation.

Reminded me of 2006(?) Nationals Dance event. Multiple falls with tons of pressure on all the teams vying for the 3rd spot at Olympics. Hopefully this is the one "bad" event of this Olympic cycle and everyone will skate clean next year!!!

 

[DDNatalia]

Maia and Alex Shibutani's short dance performance from Nationals has close to 2 million views on the NBC Olympic Facebook page.

It's exciting to see their hard work continuing to help draw eyes to the sport. The exposure can only be positive for the visibility of ice dance. Here's to hoping that NBC takes note. Exciting performances by relatable athletes, that appeal to a wide audience, happen across all 4 disciplines, not just (the historically emphasized by NBC) singles disciplines.

 

[VGThuy]

I wonder if it's the most watched video from Nationals. Either way, it's great for ice dance.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

They should've posted the top 3 SDs. I think all would've appealed to a wide audience.

 

[Chemistry66]

First post-Nationals split has already occured. Oleg Altukhov (from Senior Dance team Ponomaryova/Altukhov) is on IPS as of today.

 

[Sylvia]

Alice Serbin, who just won the Juvenile silver medal in KC with Kenan Slevira, is also newly listed on IPS. She is 13 and coached by Dmitri Kazarlyga in Mass.

Heidi Washburn/Ilya Yukhimuk WD from Junior Dance at Nationals and he is listed on IPS (citizen of Belarus), based at Detroit SC.

ETA:

Also on IPS is JT Michel, 16 (5th in Novice at Pacific Coast Sectionals with Gianna Buckley) - he trains in Louisville, KY.

 

[VGThuy]

First post-Nationals split has already occured. Oleg Altukhov (from Senior Dance team Ponomaryova/Altukhov) is on IPS as of today.

That's sad to hear. They made such helpful videos about skating technique. I suspect she's just ready to move on, but I wonder if she actually wants to continue and will also look for a new partner.

 

[Debbie S]

That's sad to hear. They made such helpful videos about skating technique. I suspect she's just ready to move on, but I wonder if she actually wants to continue and will also look for a new partner.

Oleg posted on FB that he would still be making those vids. He is using a different YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChSHNZvZlrv6D4GA-9zUe9Q

 

[peibeck]

Yikes, not a great competition for McNamara/Carpenter. I was actually thinking that they looked so much better here, more like last season, right before the fall. Carriera/Ponomarenko must be very pleased, big scores with two great skates, and a silver. No one is more pleased than the Parsons to finally get that National title, setting themselves up well for worlds.

What is nice is that the horrible rivalry you see among some skaters in the same club doesn't seem to really be the case in D.C.

How do we know that it wasn't USFS who suggested to M/C and P/P that they stay Junior another year, since they were eligible?

I can't speak for the Parsons, but I'm guessing they stayed junior to try and win the US Jr Title and Jr Worlds. Carpenter stayed junior while she was still in high school (or at least that is what I heard).

 

[Bellanca]

Maia and Alex Shibutani's short dance performance from Nationals has close to 2 million views on the NBC Olympic Facebook page.

That is awesome! I cannot think of two people who deserve this more. Maia and Alex have exceeded expectations as to where most fans (probably) thought they could go and the heights they could reach. I am so proud of them. Full speed ahead and continue to rock that ice dance boat!

 

[Sylvia]

First post-Nationals split has already occured. Oleg Altukhov (from Senior Dance team Ponomaryova/Altukhov) is on IPS as of today.

Here is Altukhov's message on FB ("It has been a privilege and an honor to have skated with her these past five seasons. I wish her the best in her skating. As for me, I am as dedicated as ever to skating competitively, and am now looking for a new partner."): https://www.facebook.com/oleg.altukhov.1/posts/1194014554050508

Karina Manta/Joe Johnson are fundraising for the new season: https://www.gofundme.com/mantajohnson

ETA:

Anthony Haddad is listed on IPS - he finished 6th in Juvenile Dance at Nationals with Emily Winter. He is 14 and trains in northern Virginia.

 

[Jun Y]

I really enjoy Manta and Johnson's spunkiness and their faithful execution of Christopher Dean's choreography. I hope they, particularly he, work hard in the off season on his skating skills and become faster and more secure on their edges. They're both quite young. If they can take the skating up a notch, they could become a threat in the middle tier of senior ice dance.

 

[Sylvia]

USFS is sending 4 young dance teams to the Bavarian Open, Feb. 14-19, in Oberstdorf, Germany.

Junior Dance: Alina Efimova/Alexander Petrov (J7) - their Team USA debut.

Adv. Novice Dance: Caroline & Gordon Green (J5), Team USA debuts for Katarina DelCamp/Maxwell Gart (N2) and Sophia & Christopher Elder (N3).

The Novice champs, Jocelyn Haines & James Koszuta are not age-eligible for ISU Novice dance comps as he is 18. (The female partner must not have reached the age of 15 and the male 17 as of July 1, 2016.) If all goes well, they should be line for a JGP assignment this fall.

 

[Chemistry66]

I was JUST typing that up, lol.

Congrats to all the assigned teams!

 

[SCeline]

Maia and Alex Shibutani's short dance performance from Nationals has close to 2 million views on the NBC Olympic Facebook page.

It's exciting to see their hard work continuing to help draw eyes to the sport. The exposure can only be positive for the visibility of ice dance. Here's to hoping that NBC takes note. Exciting performances by relatable athletes, that appeal to a wide audience, happen across all 4 disciplines, not just (the historically emphasized by NBC) singles disciplines.

Now more like 7 million views and counting

 

[SCeline]

Maia and Alex will appear on TV this weekend in Nickelodeon's Nicky Ricky Dicky & Dawn
Saturday night (1/28) at 8:30pm ET.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPyX2e1Fd3N/?taken-by=alexshibutani&hl=en

From the show's website, there's a sneak peak clip called "No Ice Dancing"
http://www.nick.com/videos/clip/nicky-ricky-dicky-dawn-304-clip.html

 

[Sylvia]

On IPS:

Layla Grace Karnes, 11 (Int/Nov) - Intermediate silver medalist in KC with Jeffrey Chen (also Juv. champs)

10th in Novice in KC:
Leah Krauskopf, 17 (Jr/Sr)
Caleb Niva, 18 going on 19 (Jr)

5th in Novice at Pacific Coast Sectionals:
Gianna Buckley, 15 going on 16 (Jr)
JT Michel, 16 (Nov/Jr)

From past/recent Nationals:
Aya Takai, 19 going on 20 (Sr; has dual JPN citizenship)
Payten Howland, 17 (Jr/Sr)
Sara Zhao, 15 going on 16 (Nov/Jr)

 

[Sylvia]

What it takes to be the best: An inside look at figure skating champs' training
MoCo pairs [Parsons/Parsons, McNamara/Carpenter] will compete in the World [Junior] Championships in March (2-min. local Maryland news video segment):
http://www.your4state.com/news/i-27...k-at-figure-skating-champs-training/648460623

 

[Jun Y]

Wheaton Ice Skating Academy will have its annual fundraising show on February 11 at 12:15 pm at Rockville Ice Arena in Maryland. The ticket is $20 per person. See their Website for details:

http://www.wisa.us/

Last year the fundraiser was well attended in the community. I recommend getting there a bit early to find parking space.

 

[Dobre]

On IPS:

Layla Grace Karnes, 11 (Int/Nov) - Intermediate silver medalist in KC with Jeffrey Chen (also Juv. champs)

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I felt like Karnes & Chen came a long way from last season. I wish them both the best!

 

[VGThuy]

For anyone interested, Maia and Alex will be doing a Facebook Live session on the Olympic FB page today at 1:30 pm EST.

 

[Sylvia]

The Detroit NBC news station aired a "1 Year to PyeongChang" piece yesterday that included interview clips with the Shibutanis and Chock & Bates (plus a bit of C/B practice footage): http://www.clickondetroit.com/sport...cused-on-making-team-for-2018-winter-olympics

 

[VGThuy]

You can find a copy of the Shibs' live stream here:

https://www.facebook.com/OlympicChannel/

They answered some good questions and did two demonstrations on the ice.

 

[Sylvia]

Direct link (14-minute video by the Shibs) is: https://www.facebook.com/OlympicChannel/videos/vb.1430238910623206/1736781086635652/?type=3&theater

 

[VGThuy]

Direct link (14-minute video by the Shibs) is: https://www.facebook.com/OlympicChannel/videos/vb.1430238910623206/1736781086635652/?type=3&theater

Thank you! I couldn't figure out how to do it.