Shibutanis thread 3: Evolution

:) Chapis and VIETgrlTerifa, I love frequenting the Shibs fan page with you guys :40beers: but I'll say sometimes I think the two of you worry like my Mother and Nanna :D

Maia and Alex are such supreme strategists. I expect that they have been training in Latin dance now already for months and will continue to do so with some of the best dancers in the business. For MJ, they went to MJ's own choreographers. For hip hop that they could be authentic to, they trained with the very best Emmy Winning Asian American hip hop crew.

I am totally unsurprised by the decisions that Maia and Alex are making with their schedules. They are clearly hungry for success during the Olympic season. WTT means losing a month training and competing "last year's programs." Then, spending time learning and rehearsing group numbers, then performing for maybe half full (half empty?) houses over the period of another month, is probably also not the best of use of time given how short the offseason is ahead of the Olympics.

None of the medalists from Worlds are doing WTT. The thinking of these teams seems to mirror that of other top Olympic medal contenders who have stated historically that a "con" of doing events like WTT is that it presents unnecessary risk for injury while competing again after having peaked so hard for Worlds. Just not a productive use of time or energy. The only benefit is the prize money purse, but likely more than offsetting that is the fact that the very top athletes probably know by now that they will have endorsements.

To pull together world class, truly creative programs takes thoughtfulness and time. I'm very excited to see what the top 3 teams from Worlds come up with for next season.
 
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DDNatalia said:
:) Chapis and VIETgrlTerifa, I love frequenting the Shibs fan page with you guys :40beers: but I'll say sometimes I think the two of you worry like my Mother and Nanna :D
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I feel myself turning into a worried aunt when it comes to the Shibs :lol:. I'm the oldest child so it's in my nature to worry.

Anyway, in case people didn't catch this, this exhibition at Worlds was really on fire:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIX9CJOzj60

Best performance of that program all season. There was something a little extra here, especially from Maia. She really brought it.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
I feel myself turning into a worried aunt when it comes to the Shibs :lol:. I'm the oldest child so it's in my nature to worry.

Anyway, in case people didn't catch this, this exhibition at Worlds was really on fire:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIX9CJOzj60

Best performance of that program all season. There was something a little extra here, especially from Maia. She really brought it.
Click to expand...

That was an interesting program. I'm not big on exhibition-type programs, especially when skaters try to do something funny and it falls flat. But this was pleasant.
 
I was watching Sotnikova's last LP and was a bit surprised by the intense, sharp-edged modern music she used. It really worked for the dramatic skater she's become. Turns out it was composed by a Japanese composer, Shiro Sagisu (apparently part of a long series of works called Bleach ... weird name!). Not sure how dancy it is but it would take the abstract moodiness of Evolution and lift it to a dramatic new level -- plus check the Asian (Japanese) box. Interesting, anyway. I think Sotnikova is getting new programs.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=Wj5y-OfrDQ4
 
I LOVED Sotnikova's programs at the Russian Test event and I was saddened she did not compete this season. I had no expectations that she would make the Russian team considering how incredibly competitive it was, but I just wanted to see more of what she was giving. I think you are on to something there. I also think Peter Tchernyshev was her choreographer this season, but I'm not sure.

BTW, Bleach is a well known manga and anime series. It's very famous actually.
 
I know nothing about anime, sorry. I looked around YT a bit but couldnt find a single other piece by this guy that I liked, but the one Adelina/Tchernyshev (if it was he... Goldenskate doesnt say) used was powerful.

It's actually kind of like the Shibs' current ex, now that I think of it, but more agonized. They could definitely wear black again.:/
 
Spun Silver said:
I know nothing about anime, sorry. I looked around YT a bit but couldnt find a single other piece by this guy that I liked, but the one Adelina/Tchernyshev (if it was he... Goldenskate doesnt say) used was powerful.
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yes, is by Peter, and I can´t believe that she is not using it for the olympic season, can she please give that programa to Evgenia?
 
Haha I had never seen that program, but it was awesome. She should definitely keep it!

Fun fact: my screen name and icon are from Bleach (but my icon is not Rukia).
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
I think Maia and Alex just need to really skate to the rhythm and learn how to shake their body (especially the hips). The brother and sister thing may eek people out but now is not the time for them to worry about that. Just come up with a really fun SD and look like they're having the time of their lives skating to it.
Click to expand...

I think this is 100% the right approach. Just forget about the sibling thing and create a terrific dance. If it's great, I think most people won't care about the sibling "issue." They'll just enjoy the dance.
 
DDNatalia said:
:) Chapis and VIETgrlTerifa, I love frequenting the Shibs fan page with you guys :40beers: but I'll say sometimes I think the two of you worry like my Mother and Nanna :D

Maia and Alex are such supreme strategists. I expect that they have been training in Latin dance now already for months and will continue to do so with some of the best dancers in the business. For MJ, they went to MJ's own choreographers. For hip hop that they could be authentic to, they trained with the very best Emmy Winning Asian American hip hop crew.

I am totally unsurprised by the decisions that Maia and Alex are making with their schedules. They are clearly hungry for success during the Olympic season. WTT means losing a month training and competing "last year's programs." Then, spending time learning and rehearsing group numbers, then performing for maybe half full (half empty?) houses over the period of another month, is probably also not the best of use of time given how short the offseason is ahead of the Olympics.

None of the medalists from Worlds are doing WTT. The thinking of these teams seems to mirror that of other top Olympic medal contenders who have stated historically that a "con" of doing events like WTT is that it presents unnecessary risk for injury while competing again after having peaked so hard for Worlds. Just not a productive use of time or energy. The only benefit is the prize money purse, but likely more than offsetting that is the fact that the very top athletes probably know by now that they will have endorsements.

To pull together world class, truly creative programs takes thoughtfulness and time. I'm very excited to see what the top 3 teams from Worlds come up with for next season.
Click to expand...

Well, no WTT for the Shibs who are using their time to move forward.
 
okay, what with those rumours about Shibs skating La la land ?. I don´t doubt they would do a great job with that music, but if everyone is skating that soundtrack :eek:?.

Maybe they went to the La la land party to contact the choreographers!!! :eek::eek:
 
chapis said:
okay, what with those rumours about Shibs skating La la land ?. I don´t doubt they would do a great job with that music, but if everyone is skating that soundtrack :eek:?.

Maybe they went to the La la land party to contact the choreographers!!! :eek::eek:
Click to expand...

Chock and Bates announced that they are skating to LaLa Land. So I doubt the Shibs would follow suit.
 
Jessica said:
That was stunning but would have been so much better with no commentary.
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Yes, besides that can't even be called "commentary" as Grishin (the regular commentator) and Bobrova were talking about things completely unrelated to what Shibutanis were skating at that time. Grishin has that unfortunate habit of asking his co-commentators questions that are not related at all to what is happening on the ice at the time. The only exceptions are when russians or major favorites of his own are skating. So I don't blame Bobrova - she is nice and even apologized quite extensively to viewers for talking over skaters performances at the end of this video.
 
Thanks chapis. That's much better.
This music suits them so well.

Laurvvv--yes them talking was so jarring. Of course, I had no idea what they were saying.
 
I loved the beginning and end of the exhibition and think it would be vastly improved if they could add more of this type of movement throughout.
 
They are in Los Angeles, I guess getting their SD :).

I was rewatching the SDs from 2011-12, and guys...Maia really knows how to move. IMO, she was one of the best that season, at least in the upper body and hips movements https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSomKCqvuPg&t=3s. Especially when you compare her to Madison H. , Elena I. and Meryl. It is incredible the details you can miss when not paying enough attention. I enjoyed much their performance at nationals 2012, but now rewatching it, I think the original choreo was more interesting, the problem with them was of concept / appearance. Maia was the problem, she was 17 yo and she looked even younger, and the ponytail, makeup and dress did not help. She was trying to dance sexy, and you can´t believe it because she looked very young and just cute. Elena I. was 17 yo, but the hairdo, dress and makeup made the difference, she looked like 21 yo.
I think the program got better at nationals because the new choreo was more juvenil, so it fitted them better https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfv_ACXZ3JA


So, watching all the girls, almost nobody can move hips and upper body convincingly, but the other couples had the advantage of to dance sensual and romantic to a slow music, then, we all could overlook the subpar moves. The other teams will have that advantage again, but at least I am relieved that the problem with Maia and Alex was more about image and attitude. Maia is an adult now, and she looks like an adult, her costumes have improved tremendously, same the makeup and hair. You know, Maia and Alex can't foolish us now, they know how to move, they just need a good program.
 
It looks like Maia and Alex are at a L.A. dance studio working with Hokuto Konishi again and with Ayano Ito. There was a live feed on Ito's Instagram where she and Hok were hula-hooping at the time they were there. Maybe they were telling Maia and Alex to do that to work on their hip movements for the Latin SD.
 
VIETgrlTerifa said:
It looks like Maia and Alex are at a L.A. dance studio working with Hokuto Konishi again and with Ayano Ito. There was a live feed on Ito's Instagram where she and Hok were hula-hooping at the time they were there. Maybe they were telling Maia and Alex to do that to work on their hip movements for the Latin SD.
Click to expand...

The things elite ice dancers have to do for their sport. ;):D
 
Do Hok and Aya have Latin training? Maybe they're getting another ex done or something - you'd think they'd go to ballroom specialists for a Latin program instead of hip hop dancers.
 
princeton123 said:
Do Hok and Aya have Latin training? Maybe they're getting another ex done or something - you'd think they'd go to ballroom specialists for a Latin program instead of hip hop dancers.
Click to expand...

Who knows. Maybe they're going to all sorts of people just to get basic dance training and move their bodies in new ways. I thought they'd go to latin ballroom dancers too, like how they went to Corky Ballas back in 2011-2012 midseason. Maybe they still are. I think they should also just go to latin clubs every once in a while and soak in the atmosphere and see how the "locals" dance and get a sense of the attitude.
 
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