The Dance Hall, Part 4: To Helsinki & Back -- Seeking Rhumba Magic ...

[levineismine]

(last year, two silvers were enough for qualification, but not one silver and one bronze)

So of those 5 teams:

C/L were really unlucky last year, but this year they have good picks. If they manage to beat H/D on neutral ground at NHK and come second to the Shibs at SA, with two silvers they would make the GPF.

B/S also got good picks. If the Shibs don't show up 100% at the Rostelecom, where scores where quite questionable last year IMO, they could even grab gold. They then face C/B in China.

W/P go up against H/D at home at SC, and against C/B in China. They could end up with two silvers but also two bronzes.

C/B don't have it easy either, with B/S on neutral grounds (China) and W/P on neutral grounds (France). Like W/P, they could end up with two silvers but also two bronzes.

H/D don't have a home GP (I somehow thought they would get it), and go up against W/P at SC and C/L at NHK. May be tough to get two silvers, esp with W/P skating at home. If short dance worlds H/D show up on the GP, they can make the final, but no mistakes are allowed (please don't screw up your twizzles).

Who else could be a spoiler for a medal on the GP?
G/P vs S/B in Russia?
Skate america could also see G/P on the podium vs maybe H/B?

 

[Dobre]

^Agree with the reactions to some of the skaters being left out and others way lower in the ranks getting picks. Certainly Coomes/Buckland and FB/Sorensen would deserve more!

What do people think of the top skaters and chances of making the GPF?

Two things stand out for me about the top 9 teams. 1. The U.S. split up all their heavy hitters. We will not be taking ourselves out of the equation. 2. Weaver & Poje are going to SC with Virtue & Moir.

I think it's actually about the most level division of the top dance teams that we have had in years. No unseeded comeback skaters. And even though Chock & Bates and Hubbell & Donahue are oddly ranked, it comes out pretty evenly.

I have a lot of thoughts about how things may play out, largely based on homefield advantage; but even taking that into account, there are a number of good neutral matchups likely to determine the final berths. Silver & bronze may do it this year.

 

[CassAgain]

Just opened an email titled "BREAKING SD NEWS!" and was disappointed to find it was about a congressional race in South Dakota and not rhumba magic.

 

[VGThuy]

That reminds me, when are they going to start calling it the Rhythm Dance?

 

[Areski]

That reminds me, when are they going to start calling it the Rhythm Dance?

From 2018 / 2019 IIRC. Ugly name ...

 

[VGThuy]

I actually prefer it. To me it's more descriptive of what it is than short dance which just describes the length of the dance in comparison to the free dance (since it's not called long dance one who isn't familiar would have to assume it's longer than the short dance).

 

[sap5]

I actually prefer it. To me it's more descriptive of what it is than short dance which just describes the length of the dance in comparison to the free dance (since it's not called long dance one who isn't familiar would have to assume it's longer than the short dance).

Plus it stresses the importance of being able to ice dance to different rhythms.

 

[RoseRed]

(last year, two silvers were enough for qualification, but not one silver and one bronze)

So of those 5 teams:

C/L were really unlucky last year, but this year they have good picks. If they manage to beat H/D on neutral ground at NHK and come second to the Shibs at SA, with two silvers they would make the GPF.

B/S also got good picks. If the Shibs don't show up 100% at the Rostelecom, where scores where quite questionable last year IMO, they could even grab gold. They then face C/B in China.

W/P go up against H/D at home at SC, and against C/B in China. They could end up with two silvers but also two bronzes.

C/B don't have it easy either, with B/S on neutral grounds (China) and W/P on neutral grounds (France). Like W/P, they could end up with two silvers but also two bronzes.

H/D don't have a home GP (I somehow thought they would get it), and go up against W/P at SC and C/L at NHK. May be tough to get two silvers, esp with W/P skating at home. If short dance worlds H/D show up on the GP, they can make the final, but no mistakes are allowed (please don't screw up your twizzles).

Who else could be a spoiler for a medal on the GP?
G/P vs S/B in Russia?
Skate america could also see G/P on the podium vs maybe H/B?

I agree with your earlier post; I think V/M, P/C, and S/S are locks for the GPF. And you're right that B/S, C/B, H/D, W/P and C/L are the most likely for the last three spots. B/S are looking at a silver (or possibly gold) at CoR and a silver or bronze at CoC (fighting for silver with C/B). Then C/B have silver or bronze at CoC and silver or bronze (fighting with W/P) at IdF. W/P have silver or bronze at IdF and silver or bronze at SC (fighting with H/D). H/D have the silver or bronze at SC and silver or bronze at NHK (fighting with C/L). And finally C/L have that silver or bronze at NHK and probably silver (maybe bronze to G/P) at SA.

If B/S manage gold at CoR they'll be in. Otherwise it could be a whole lot of silver and bronzes.

 

[Dobre]

Summer Updates:

These are scattered around FSU in different places. (A few are probably listed in this thread, but I can't remember which ones).

I know we all read different threads, etc., so if you have more updates to add, please do!

Retirements:
Charlotte Maxwell & Ryan Devereaux from the U.S.
Cannuscio & McManus from the U.S.
Addison Voldeng from Canada

Senior Splits:
Ho-jung Lee & Richard Kang-in Kam from Korea (She may have retired).
Taylor Tran & Salius Ambrulevicius from Lithuania (I'm assuming she retired, but I can't remember exactly what was posted originally. He has a new partner--see below)
Maria Stavitskaia & Andrei Bagin from Russia

Junior Splits:
Sasha Fear & Elliot Verburg from Great Britain (both have new partners)
(For more, see the list of new junior teams below. I'm not sure about everyone who had a partner prior to the summer).

New Senior Teams:
Allison Reed & Salius Ambrulevicious for Lithuania
Molly Lanaghan & Dimitri Razgulajevs (I believe for Canada)
Andrew Dodds & Chantelle Kerry for Australia

New Junior Teams:
Sasha Fear & George Waddell for Great Britain
Tish Marsh & Elliot Verburg for Great Britain
Alisa Lozko & Adian Pitkeev for Russia
Ellie Fisher & Simon Mallette-Paquette for Canada
Olivia McIsaac & Elliott Graham for Canada
Isabella Amoia & Luca Becker for the U.S.
Avonley Nguyen & Vadim Kolesnik (for the U.S. or Ukraine)
Daria Popova & Cameron Colucci (for the U.S. or Ukraine)
Allie Rose & J.T. Michel for the U.S.
Nicolette Fey & Caleb Niva for the U.S.
Amanda Miller & Danile Tsarik

Drama (No announcement thus far):
There is now video of Elena Ilinykh skating with Anton Shibnev.

Heard but not confirmed:
A poster on GS reported that Diana Avaz & Val Katsman from the U.S. may have split & he may have a new partner for Israel. Anyone know whether this is correct or incorrect?

 

[ninalovesskating]

Drama (No announcement thus far):
There is now video of Elena Ilinykh skating with Anton Shibnev.

Do you have a link to the video?

 

[Dobre]

Coaching Changes:

Tobias & Tkachenko-to Zoueva
Lorenz & Polizoakis-to Zoueva
Sinitsina & Katsalapov-to Zhulin
Zahorsky & Guerreiro-to Kustarova

Nguyen & Kolesnik are with Shpilband.
Per the From Russia With Love thread, Lozko & Pitkeev are with Alexei Gorshkov.
(Ilinykh & Shibnev appear to be with Alexei Gorshkov also).
I believe I read that Marsh & Verburg are with Zoueva.
I believe I read that Fear & Waddell are at Dubreil & Lauzon's.
Amoia & Becker are at Wheaton.

Please correct me if I have misremembered any of these.

Do you have a link to the video?

This is the link in the From Russia With Love thread:

https://rutube.ru/video/48208e0741c68c5a890edde2aaa1a7fd/

 

[Marta24]

Coaching Changes:

Tobias & Tkachenko-to Zoueva
Lorenz & Polizoakis-to Zoueva
Sinitsina & Katsalapov-to Zhulin
Zahorsky & Guerreiro-to Kuznetsova

Nguyen & Kolesnik are with Shpilband.
Per the From Russia With Love thread, Lozko & Pitkeev are with Alexei Gorshkov.
(Ilinykh & Shibnev appear to be with Alexei Gorshkov also).
I believe I read that Marsh & Verburg are with Zoueva.
I believe I read that Fear & Waddell are at Dubreil & Lauzon's.
Amoia & Becker are at Wheaton.

Please correct me if I have misremembered any of these.


This is the link in the From Russia With Love thread:

https://rutube.ru/video/48208e0741c68c5a890edde2aaa1a7fd/

Thank you for your list, but Zahorski/Guerreiro`s new coach is Kustarova.

I`m surprised to see so many coaching changes few months before the Olympic season. I can`t wait for the season to begin to see if the coaching changes are already leading to significant improvements.

 

[ninalovesskating]

Elena looks like she's in good shape in recent pictures... She's always been gorgeous but she looks much better now than the last 2 seasons.

 

[sap5]

I don't know why a Latin dance couldn't benefit a team with a strong male lead. I see no reason why it can't.

Catching up on this thread. IMO, the best Latin dances are those with a strong male lead. Those where it's all about the woman are a total snooze. There needs to be some fire and that can't happen if the man is just "there."

And Carreira/Ponomarenko are the junior team I am most interested in. They seem to have what it takes to get Oly gold 4 years from now.

 

[Sylvia]

Thanks for compiling the lists, @Dobre!

Emi Hirai & Marien De La Asuncion (JPN) both announced their retirement in May.

Senior Splits:
...
Maria Stavitskaia & Andrei Bagin from Russia

Is this Bagin's way of confirming he has teamed up with Annabelle Morozov? Their photo with Weaver/Poje in Vaujany, France: https://www.instagram.com/p/BWQOXZTFzn4/?taken-by=b_v_g_g_v
Her mother was a French ice dancer and she competed once for France in junior singles over one year ago (Torun Cup in January 2016).

Also, Rebeka Kim & Kirill Minov (KOR) did not compete in the 2016-17 season and she is listed on icepartnersearch.com as of early March 2017 with coaches Krylova & Camerlengo.

 

[Dobre]

Also, Rebeka Kim & Kirill Minov (KOR) did not compete in the 2016-17 season and she is listed on icepartnersearch.com as of early March 2017 with coaches Krylova & Camerlengo.

Per GS, Kirill Minov is reported to have retired due to injury.

Korea is down from three couples to one in only a year. Makes me said, especially Lee & Kam. (Falling in love with junior dance teams is so hazardous!) Apparently Ho-jung Lee struggled with the effects of a concussion this season, which may explain why they missed the first half of their competitive year.

 

[nuge]

Catching up on this thread. IMO, the best Latin dances are those with a strong male lead. Those were it's all about the woman are a total snooze. There needs to be some fire and that can't happen if the man is just "there."

Yes you're right .An example Ilia Averbuch 2002 Flamenco OD!

 

[semogal]

So I googled Anton Shibnev and on the ISU bio page this is what I found (nothing for him):
http://www.isuresults.com/bios/isufs00102330.htm

 

[Sylvia]

So I googled Anton Shibnev

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=ru&tl=en&u=http://www.fskate.ru/skaters/452.html

 

[clairecloutier]

^^ So he and Elena are the same age, both 23.

 

[AquaLady]

Am I the only one who finds it ridiculous that Hubbell and Donohue are not part of this Olympic throne promotional shoot? Like WHY? Even though Dance is their strongest discipline right now, USFS and Team USA still chose to endorse 5 Ladies and 4 Men instead? Zero logic. Did they forget who the top US dance team was after the first half of the recent World Championships? As a fan of H/D, this is beyond frustrating.

 

[VGThuy]

I think we all were prepared for it since the throne pics were taken in late April with all the other Team USA pics (like the ones with dogs, Sesame Street characters, and Minions) and we all saw who were involved. Two ice dance teams seems to be the norm for these shoots. Hopefully, NBC filmed fluff pieces or will film more once the Olympics get closer and it becomes clearer who is going to make the Olympic team (though it seems as clear as it it can get before Nationals in ice dance right now). Hopefully, with their agent, H/D can book more time to do their own promotional material for NBC and Team USA.

 

[blancanieves]

Am I the only one who finds it ridiculous that Hubbell and Donohue are not part of this Olympic throne promotional shoot? Like WHY? Even though Dance is their strongest discipline right now, USFS and Team USA still chose to endorse 5 Ladies and 4 Men instead? Zero logic. Did they forget who the top US dance team was after the first half of the recent World Championships? As a fan of H/D, this is beyond frustrating.

Nope, it bugs the hell out of me. And there isn't any logic to it, just poor decision-making. But, life isn't fair and the exclusion is just something for them to process and move past. Like VIETgrlTerifa says, hopefully they'll be able to find some promotional opportunity for themselves.

 

[Dobre]

The U.S. press has no idea how to cover ice dance.

Like VIETgrlTerifa says, hopefully they'll be able to find some promotional opportunity for themselves.

Defeating a couple Canadian world-medal dance teams at SC would probably do it. (Though as the Shibs and Chock & Bates have shown during the past two seasons, you don't have to defeat the Canadians at SC to come out ahead. You just have to make an argument for yourself that you deserved it).

 

[supergirl573]

Am I the only one who finds it ridiculous that Hubbell and Donohue are not part of this Olympic throne promotional shoot? Like WHY? Even though Dance is their strongest discipline right now, USFS and Team USA still chose to endorse 5 Ladies and 4 Men instead? Zero logic. Did they forget who the top US dance team was after the first half of the recent World Championships? As a fan of H/D, this is beyond frustrating.

It's unfair, but USFS' logic is probably that we know who the Olympic ice dancing team is, barring catastrophic disaster, but we have no clue who is going for men and ladies outside of Nathan and Ashley (and probably Vincent).

 

[AquaLady]

It's unfair, but USFS' logic is probably that we know who the Olympic ice dancing team is, barring catastrophic disaster, but we have no clue who is going for men and ladies outside of Nathan and Ashley (and probably Vincent).

I still don't see any logic at all. Ice Dance is USA's strongest discipline and they have qualified three Olympic spots for it... There's no 'the' Olympic ice dancing team... All top three dance teams have beaten each other. If they can endorse as many Men and Ladies as they can, why can't they endorse people who are actually worth endorsing for? Unfair is an understatement.

 

[aka_gerbil]

It's unfair, but USFS' logic is probably that we know who the Olympic ice dancing team is, barring catastrophic disaster, but we have no clue who is going for men and ladies outside of Nathan and Ashley (and probably Vincent).

Actually, that is all the more reason for them to have been invited, not less. Spend the time on what should be a sure thing and less time on a handful of maybes.

It always feels like this team is treated as the red-headed stepchild by USFS. Given their results the last two seasons, it flummoxes me as to why this is continuing.

 

[chameleonster]

To be fair, USFS tends to treat their insane amount of ice dance talent as a consolation prize at best in general. I believe only D/W and Shibs were invited to the first Olympic photoshoot four years ago as well, and Chock/Bates had recently beaten Shibs at both Nats and Worlds at the time. C/B did get invited to later promotional events, so I'm sure H/D will too, but it is frustrating how the ice dancers get ignored.

 

[Bellanca]

It's unfair, but USFS' logic is probably that we know who the Olympic ice dancing team is, barring catastrophic disaster, but we have no clue who is going for men and ladies outside of Nathan and Ashley (and probably Vincent).

First of all, Ashley is not a given. USFS will not make that mistake again. World silver will not automatically get her on the team. Vincent is not a given either. He has to produce solid results and deliver the goods.

Re: Nathan, it is true that he has front-runner status and momentum, but he certainly cannot rest on his laurels.

Re: H&D, and moving away from your comment a bit, the concerns over their absence from the Olympic hopefuls' photo shoot continues to be slightly blown out of proportion. Obviously, USFS is well aware that they are a top team for the country. Of course, it would have been nice had they been included in the photo shoot, but the fact that they were not, doesn't automatically spell gloom and doom for them. Too much is being read into one photo, IMHO. Now, one could argue, obviously, that H&D's stock would rise considerably if they could, on a regular basis, defeat and surpass C&B, for example...

 

[Bellanca]

Actually, that is all the more reason for them to have been invited, not less. Spend the time on what should be a sure thing and less time on a handful of maybes.

It always feels like this team is treated as the red-headed stepchild by USFS. Given their results the last two seasons, it flummoxes me as to why this is continuing.

USFS is not going to do that. They are not going to highlight the top three ice dance teams at the same time, at least not very often. USFS is still primarily focused on directing the public's attention toward the single skater disciplines. I know, it does not seem fair especially in light of the fact that ice dance has been the most recent success story in the U.S.A.