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

[lauravvv]

Thank you once again, Sylvia. Actually I was hoping to find the entry list for pairs, that's why I asked about a possible link. I guess I'll have to look somewhere else (on another thread etc.).

 

[msmandaskates]

At risk of being self-promoting, I did a preseason rundown of American dance teams over on my blog, if anyone is interested http://thestoryologist.blogspot.com/2017/08/journey-to-pyeongchang-preseason-part-1.html

 

[Doggygirl]

At risk of being self-promoting, I did a preseason rundown of American dance teams over on my blog, if anyone is interested http://thestoryologist.blogspot.com/2017/08/journey-to-pyeongchang-preseason-part-1.html

I really enjoyed reading this summary of American Ice Dance season prospects! Thank you for putting this together and for sharing it with us here!

 

[nimi]

SP videos (e.g. Smart/Diaz, Lauriault/LeGac) from the Quebec competition on this YT channel

ETA SP protocols: http://www.patinage.qc.ca/resultats-competitions/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/CQE17_21_DET.pdf

 

[Dobre]

Videos of Hawayek & Baker and Muramoto & Reed are posted in the Dance Chicago thread in the Kiss & Cry also. (Fan cam. Makes it hard to tell if the movement is with the music).

So what do people think?

I think Lauriault & Le Gac's program has more potential than their SD from last season, once they get comfortable enough to connect all the slinky movement.

I liked the beginning of Muramoto & Reed's SD.

Also I think it's going to be a challenge to stand out in the short this season. So many of the programs seem to blend together. Really looking forward to the top teams bringing their unique personalities into the programs.

(Boom, chicka, chicka and cha, cha . . . cha, cha . . . Kind of annoying how few real Spanish lyrics we are getting. Reminds me of being in Mexico when the most popular song in English was The Barbie Song. I kept thinking . . . of all the songs in the world. But, of course, no one cared what it was saying. They just liked the beat).

 

[chapis]

. Reminds me of being in Mexico when the most popular song in English was The Barbie Song. I kept thinking . . . of all the songs in the world. But, of course, no one cared what it was saying. They just liked the beat).

I plead guilty, in my defense I was a kid and of course I had no idea about the lyrics of Barbie girl, haha. Now we hear "Despacito" but at least it is spanish.

 

[chapis]

I just watched some programs and I liked the SD of Muramoto/Reed, too bad the audio is terrible. I liked the second part of Smart/Díaz SD, they dance very well, I don´t like their FD.
H/B

 

[sap5]

I haven't had a chance to see all the dances yet, but I have been disappointed when I see teams use very classic songs for the SD. Yes, classics are classics, and judging panels tend to be skew old, but there is so much (new) music out there! When an old piece is being used, unless the team is bringing a fresh energy, the SD starts to look like a skating exercise or something that just needs to be done to get to the FD.

 

[chapis]

I haven't had a chance to see all the dances yet, but I have been disappointed when I see teams use very classic songs for the SD. Yes, classics are classics, and judging panels tend to be skew old, but there is so much (new) music out there! When an old piece is being used, unless the team is bringing a fresh energy, the SD starts to look like a skating exercise or something that just needs to be done to get to the FD.

So far I've seen enough variety, big difference to 2011-12. I have seen and I think we will see more classics in the FD

 

[nimi]

So far I've seen enough variety, big difference to 2011-12.

I'm trying to wreck my brain and remember anything from any SDs from 2011-12 but the only thing etched in my memory is Ilinykh's sideboob dress. I know I saw a bunch of those SDs a bunch of times during that season but... Nah. I just remember the sideboob (lol). Either I'm suffering from a very specific form of amnesia or 2011-12 was the season of truly forgettable short dances and this season just has to be better. Just has to.

As far as my impressions of these SDs we've seen floating around the Youtube this far... Nothing truly great or memorable has come up yet, but it doesn't feel that monotonous to me either. Plus it's only August. Right now I'm actually feeling pretty positive about what we'll see later on in the season.

 

[nimi]

Done with the Quebec vids, it's now time for some Chicago clips! (ETA: talking about SDs here, saving the FDs for later.)

Videos of Hawayek & Baker and Muramoto & Reed are posted in the Dance Chicago thread in the Kiss & Cry also. (Fan cam. Makes it hard to tell if the movement is with the music).

So what do people think?

Feeling pretty neutral about M/Reed's program itself but I like Kana's energy. I think she could really sell this program once they get more comfortable with it.

I'm kinda loving Jean-Luc and his hip shimmies! *picture a shimmy emoji here*
Liking the program & music okay, I guess. Looking forward to seeing how it develops.

BTW, I'm glad that this season the pattern dance bit and the partial stsq don't have to be combined into one big blob like they were last season, when many of the blues stsqs felt painfully long and same-y. This season's stsqs are more viewer-friendly, including the no touching stsq with the permitted stop. So, gotta thank the ISU ice dance committee for tweaking the rules!

 

[Alilou]

I'm trying to wreck my brain

trying to remember anything wrecks my brain too

 

[mollymgr]

trying to remember anything wrecks my brain too

Being an ice dance fan will do it quite easily.

 

[ninalovesskating]

Just saw Nazarova and Nikitin's new Pirates of the Carribean FD... I think it has a lot more potential than their circusy FD last season

 

[Lutzlvr]

What happened to the music during Smart and Diaz's SD?!?!! Could they have stopped in the middle and asked the referee for a restart? Anyone know what the rules are for this kind of music mishap?

 

[VGThuy]

There wasn't a music mishap. The YouTube link's audio was messed up. The Dailymotion link works.

 

[Dobre]

Just saw Nazarova and Nikitin's new Pirates of the Carribean FD

I like Nazarova & Nikitin's FD also. Has unique movement, a strong build at the end, and keeps my attention throughout. Should be fun.

Also really like Smart & Diaz's FD for them. Suits their dynamic as a team. I think once it's cleaned up and the elements are zeroed in to hit the right notes of the music, it will leave a great impression.

Could give or take either SD at the moment. It's especially hard to analyze the SD video from Chicago because the sound seems to echo so you can't get the feeling for which teams are hitting the music. But, yay!, we have video.

 

[AquaLady]

Just saw Nazarova and Nikitin's new Pirates of the Carribean FD... I think it has a lot more potential than their circusy FD last season

Yes, this FD is interesting... They have some really nice, impressive lifts! I also liked Abachkina and Thauron's SD... Very polished, especially considering the fact that they just got out of Juniors.

 

[nimi]

Back to Quebec... I was not impressed by SDs from Soucisse/Firus and Lauriault/Le Gac but I'm pleasantly surprised by their FDs! (Here and here.) Yeah, there were rough moments and some general awkwardness, but on the whole I think they've found something that suits their style. I'm especially grateful that L/LG ditched Elton and found Freddie. I also like Lauriault's dress that doesn't look like an ice dance dress. It really suits her and the program, I think.

 

[nimi]

Yes, this FD is interesting... They have some really nice, impressive lifts!

I'm one the people who liked Nazarova/Nikitin's last season's quirky FD, although I understand why some others found it gimmicky and juniorish. It kinda felt like a breath of fresh air on a sea of lyrical FD mush. I'm glad to see that even though they've gone with a more conventional style of music & concept this time around they haven't completely abandoned their quirkiness. Looking forward to seeing a professionally filmed version of this with actual costumes!

I also liked Abachkina and Thauron's SD... Very polished, especially considering the fact that they just got out of Juniors.

I found Abachkina/Thauron's SD quite likeable, too, even though the music cut seems pretty random and disjointed to me. I have mixed feelings about their FD... I just don't think Celine Dion is the greatest choice for a fresh young team, especially given WeaPo's performances to 'Je suis malade'. Comparisons are hard to avoid. But maybe they can make it work. We'll see.

 

[nuge]

Forget the Latin from 2012 06 was so much more memorable for all the wrong reasons
I know it was OD then and not quite the same.Wonder if Babs will include a death stare in G/F SD

 

[lauravvv]

I'm especially grateful that L/LG ditched Elton and found Freddie. I also like Lauriault's dress that doesn't look like an ice dance dress. It really suits her and the program, I think.

Elton or Freddie, classical pop music seems to be their niche. They did an FD to The Beatles 'Come Together' in their last junior (2015/2016) season. As for Marie Jade's dress, it's definitely just temporary as she wore it for that Beatles FD. I agree about the style, though. Something similar would be good also for this Queen FD.

 

[Sylvia]

For those without access to the Kiss and Cry section, here is the official results document for Dance-Pairs Chicago 2017 (missing the Senior SD results): [ETA: original link no longer works] - updated results link: http://www.dance-pairschicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Results2017Dance-PairsChicago-1.pdf

Fortunately, Ice-Dance.com posted Senior SD & FD results photos, with TES/PCS included, on their FB page:
Senior SD: https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=cce886c8c57988b94167d53e381df28d&oe=59EE8D60

Senior FD: https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.ne...=4c9fa916a9544650dcbc3e488f7b1ab8&oe=5A29ED2C

 

[Dobre]

For those without access to the Kiss and Cry section, here is the official results document for Dance-Pairs Chicago 2017 (missing the Senior SD results): http://www.dance-pairschicago.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Results2017Dance-PairsChicago.pdf

If you click on "results 2017," the document is there with the Senior SD results on the left and the Senior FD results on the right. (I don't see any protocols. If someone does, please let me know).

 

[Jun Y]

Are Nazarova and Nikitin with Shpilband now? When I saw them at Boston Worlds, it was pretty clear to me that what's limiting their advancement is skating skills, particularly speed and power, particularly Nikitin. I'm afraid this new free dance does nothing to reduce this concern. It has a very large amount of two-footed skating, especially his part, disguised as choreographic moves that look like semi-lifts. There is not enough substance on the feet/blades. I wish their coach would spend less time on fancy lifts and more time on training the basic skating.

Abachkina and Thauron look pretty good for pre-season competition. He too is the weaker partner in this team and has a lot of work to make up for the deficit. I don't care for the free dance music selection but it's accessible to the audience and dramatic romantic relationship works for their style.

 

[chapis]

In other forum I just read from someone who was in Helsinki when they announced the rhythms for SD. He says that the responsible of the technical commite in Ice dance, Alla Shekhovtsova said clearly that reggeaton is prohibited because it is not purely Latin, but fusion with other Africans and different kinds of rhythms and that fomented the misogyny. Despacito has some rhythms but it is clearly reggeaton, I mean, Daddy Yankee is singing it, or it will be only permitted the Luis Fonsi part?, haha.

 

[Dobre]

reggeaton is prohibited because it is not purely Latin

Rhumba is not "purely" Latin. But alrighty then.

 

[VGThuy]

In other forum I just read from someone who was in Helsinki when they announced the rhythms for SD. He says that the responsible of the technical commite in Ice dance, Alla Shekhovtsova said clearly that reggeaton is prohibited because it is not purely Latin, but fusion with other Africans and different kinds of rhythms and that fomented the misogyny. Despacito has some rhythms but it is clearly reggeaton, I mean, Daddy Yankee is singing it, or it will be only permitted the Luis Fonsi part?, haha.

That seems odd to me. Reggaeton clearly comes from Puerto Rico. The misogyny justification is cool and all, but it has nothing to do whether music fits the rhythm requirements.

 

[chapis]

Rhumba is not "purely" Latin. But alrighty then.

That seems odd to me. Reggaeton clearly comes from Puerto Rico. The misogyny justification is cool and all, but it has nothing to do whether music fits the rhythm requirements.

I guess it was only a pretext and their concern was that it fomented the misogyny, though not all those kind of songs are like that .
I think I watched a team skating the song Bailando Enrique Iglesias https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUsoVlDFqZg&list=RDEMVehdR34HPpuzfEroKgl2Lw&index=1., I don´t remember what team. Obviously it is very mixed with pop, but come on, he is singing with Pitbull and Yandel, it is Reggaeton.

 

[sap5]

I could have sworn that I saw some ISU communication that said that reggaeton was allowed, but now I can't find it.

Edit: It wasn't ISU, it was US Figure Skating: http://www.usfsa.org/content/isu-ice-dance-qanda-2017-2018-no1.pdf