The Dance Hall 6: We're All Off Our Rockers 2018-2019

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Marta24 said:
Congrats to Team Russia qualifying 3 ice dance teams for the GPF. First time that happens in seniors! :cheer2:
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I think Russian ice dance is back on track! I would not be surprised to see 1 or even 2 medals from them at worlds this year. Bobrova & Soloviev made the right choice in retiring, I am 100% certain they would have been surpassed this year even had they continued.
 
This free dance lineup was just amazing today. Great to watch without commentary. Paul and Piper's dance is so unique and emotional. Definitely art on ice. P/C - on first viewing, I LOVE it - smooth as silk, beautiful lifts; however, the scores ... Yes, Russian ice dance is truly back on track. Victoria & Nikita were on fire.
 
Having finally seen H&B's FD, if Chock/Bates don't show up with their Elvis number, the final FD flight at Nationals group is going to be kind of :yawn:

Funny considering all the success and influence the US has had in dance in recent years, we're going to get a final group of P/C style FDs back to back.
 
Wow—look at the separation in total scores amongst the top 5:
http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gpfra2018/CAT004RS.HTM

So the closest result at worlds this season may actually be between S/B and S/K. They are in a close fight for Russian number 1.

And I may totally be wrong, but I am guessing that we will see separation between G/P and W/P at worlds (G/P’s momentum crashed into a wall here :(). I am more confident now that one of the two Russian teams will medal this season, which would happen most easily via the route where both Canadian teams are out of a medal. I think G/F will be slotted with a bit of distance behind both top 2 Russian teams, if they go clean. I am also guessing that H/D will have separation from C/B (if they do get ready by Nationals), who will have separation from H/B. If all my guesses are right, then 2019 Worlds might see the most separated worlds results in who knows how long amongst the top 10.
 
Maybe the trajectory will be different, but it's like every two years, G/P has a program people go crazy over and love and people think it may finally be their season, but by the time the GP series ends, it's not really the case.
 
The first part of P/C's FD is gorgeous but they lost me a bit when the music changed. I'd like to see their movement change to match the new piece of music. I also think the judges aren't doing them any favours by telling them they're essentially perfect in November - the PCS are nearly maxed out already!

I would give S/K the most-improved award this year. They may not have the most original programs but they suit them and I thought they clearly deserved second here.
 
I think the fight right now is between #2-4: HubDon, StepBuk, SinKat. One of these three will miss out on a medal at worlds. They’re all three going to medal at the GPF, in that order I think, but that order will be meaningless by worlds. Any of the three could take silver and bronze.

I don’t think W&P will be serious contenders to medal. W&P have never skated to the level of difficulty and athleticism S&B and S&K are showing right now. Also, H&D outskate W&P in all their strengths.

And of course, baring disaster or injury, P&C will probably win gold comfortably.
 
thvudragon said:
I don’t think W&P will be serious contenders to medal. W&P have never skated to the level of difficulty and athleticism S&B and S&K are showing right now.
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Before their move to Morosov, I thought WeaPo had some of the more choreographically-full programs among the ice dancers and thought they always looked like they were doing a lot in their programs. However, I think you might be right about S/B and S/K both doing even more right now.
 
firstflight said:
Wow—look at the separation in total scores amongst the top 5:
http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1819/gpfra2018/CAT004RS.HTM

So the closest result at worlds this season may actually be between S/B and S/K. They are in a close fight for Russian number 1.

And I may totally be wrong, but I am guessing that we will see separation between G/P and W/P at worlds (G/P’s momentum crashed into a wall here :(). I am more confident now that one of the two Russian teams will medal this season, which would happen most easily via the route where both Canadian teams are out of a medal. I think G/F will be slotted with a bit of distance behind both top 2 Russian teams, if they go clean. I am also guessing that H/D will have separation from C/B (if they do get ready by Nationals), who will have separation from H/B. If all my guesses are right, then 2019 Worlds might see the most separated worlds results in who knows how long amongst the top 10.
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Come to think of it whether 1 Russian team medals or not might depend how ready Weaver & Poje are for worlds. If they are fully ready they and Hubbell & Donohue probably have the slight edge on the Russian teams for now.
 
thvudragon said:
I think the fight right now is between #2-4: HubDon, StepBuk, SinKat. One of these three will miss out on a medal at worlds. They’re all three going to medal at the GPF, in that order I think, but that order will be meaningless by worlds. Any of the three could take silver and bronze.

I don’t think W&P will be serious contenders to medal. W&P have never skated to the level of difficulty and athleticism S&B and S&K are showing right now. Also, H&D outskate W&P in all their strengths.

And of course, baring disaster or injury, P&C will probably win gold comfortably.
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Personally I think the top 2 Russian teams are superior to both H&D and W&P but I sense a lot of reputation judging still in dance, so I am not sure if either will actually medal at worlds if W&P are fairly ready (H&D definitely look ready). Chock & Bates also might still be in the running, but it is really hard to guage them. I could see them anywhere from close to challenging Hubbell & Donohue which would definitely put them in medal contention at worlds to way down to fighting to hold off Hawayek & Baker, which is a large variance I know, but it is really hard to guage where they are more than any other team right now. It is hard to tell where they are with the judges and we haven't even seen their programs yet, but their momentum last season seemed going down, but that change.

I honestly dislike Hubbell & Donohue's programs this year, but I don't think that will matter much if they don't make the silly mistakes they sometimes make in big events.
 
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H&D already have lost ground because of their sub par program this season. Neither make it. The RD is anything but sensual, and that FD is sleep inducing.
Really, they chose the wrong season to go back to stupid romantic things.
 
H&D skate bigger. Team Montreal are also excellent at designing smart entries and exits that garner high GOEs (basically, smooth). While I think they are losing ground in terms of overall difficulty and program choreography/construction, S&B will never match their speed and S&K will not match their power. For elements like step sequences & the patterns, H&D will maintain an advantage.

The new GOE values for the choreographic elements I think will be the most telling, and seeing how the scores each team earns will stack up. There's 12+ points available in GOEs now on those elements. Most teams are lucky to get 5. P&C got 11.74. Here's how they stack up:

HubDon: 9.6 (GP CAN)
SinKats: 8.66 (GP FRA)
StepBuk: 9.48 (GP FIN)

I think H&D's biggest weakness this season will be cleanliness. S&B and S&K are skating consistently clean in the FD, whereas H&D are not known for that. H&D need to be their best from here on out. Any mistake and S&B and S&K can (and probably will) overtake them.
 
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MarieM said:
H&D already have lost ground because of their sub par program this season. Neither make it. The RD is anything but sensual, and that FD is sleep inducing.
Really, they chose the wrong season to go back to stupid romantic things.
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They took all the wrong lessons from the Olympics. The lessons they should have taken was improve their twizzles and overall consistency, not get a Baz Luhrmann program to win Worlds.
 
kadavygrace said:
Come to think of it whether 1 Russian team medals or not might depend how ready Weaver & Poje are for worlds. If they are fully ready they and Hubbell & Donohue probably have the slight edge on the Russian teams for now.
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Eh... I think Canada may need to wait awhile for some young and fully solid teams to come in to their own before they return to an ice dance podium at worlds. I'd like to be wrong, but I don't see W&P being welcomed back by the judges after skipping the GP series - they have zero momentum this year, even if I think they really do have the best programs of their career.

Lovely as G&P's FD is, they aren't a top team, imho. I often watch their programs and wonder how it would look either skated by Paul and his former partner, or by a really good team.

supergirl573 said:
They took all the wrong lessons from the Olympics. The lessons they should have taken was improve their twizzles and overall consistency, not get a Baz Luhrmann program to win Worlds.
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I doubt they're planning to ever win worlds. They know their rank. :P
 
kadavygrace said:
I think Russian ice dance is back on track! I would not be surprised to see 1 or even 2 medals from them at worlds this year. Bobrova & Soloviev made the right choice in retiring, I am 100% certain they would have been surpassed this year even had they continued.
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Personally, I think it would be good for ice dancing to have different teams being competitive during the quad rather than one dominating every major competition. It keeps things fresh and interesting. The teams ranked below P/C are looking pretty hungry and who knows which way the wind will blow. Judges are fickle.
 
G/P were tentative on both programs during this GP. The pressure was obviously high having to dig themselves out of the small hole after that RD fall. The FD was not as magical as last time either and the RD, cleaner, felt uninspired. Piper looked tensed throughout. They are used to setbacks but after such a start of the season with such good materials on their hands it must hurt not to make the GPF and that FD score was rough. They can surely bounce back though. However, they have to make a splash at Canadian Nationals.
S/K's RD looked sharp and Nikita really improved his twizzles and is getting better at partnering. Their FD however felt rather dated especially skating right after P/C. Lots of flailing arms very 90's Russian circa. As much as I don't enjoy S/B, I have to acknowledge they have the edge with their FD but S/K's RD is superior imo.
S/D, I just don't enjoy their skating except maybe for the RD but the quality is just not there.
Lauriault/Legac, they're fun but lack charisma and amplitude of movements. Plus those music cuts in the FD just don't fit with the choreography, such a strangely built FD. I prefer their lovely Queen FD.
I was pleasantly surprised by Thauron and his new partner. He looked much happier than in his previous partnership and they looked decent in the FD.
H/B, like G/P they were not as good this time around. This FD is not very interesting on them, they need to play with their fun personality they've shown in galas and off the ice. But the size differential will always be a hindrance for this team. He needs to muscle up and like some mentioned study how Fabbri learnt to skate around the size problem.
Last but not least P/C, well I just wish the fan thread would reopen already so we don't bother you guys on the Ice Dance thread. So I'll just be quick, I expected not to like it so much for the first time but they once more proved me wrong. That choreographic sequence towards the end is just :swoon: And that curved lift, the position is defying the law of gravity, yet I'm sure we will be told how easy their lifts are. Anyway, they finished every single of their movements to the finger tip and never ever make it look rushed. As for their RD, they need to grow into it a bit more but it is one classy Tango showing that yes, they can do sharp and fast and staccato.
 
Out of interest, how far off the maximum free dance score was P/C?

Will we be getting a new judging system each year so world records can be broken at the Olympics?

As a side note, the uneven nature of the Grand Prix series has been a dampener. But I suppose a few of the teams that are now having success weren't really a threat last season. So the uneven nature kind of appeared as the Grand Prix was under way. It will correct itself next season.

Also, it would be interesting to know how the judges would have applied that proposed 'entertainment bonus' had the rule gone through. (Of course it would be as political as all heck, but it would be interesting to know what kind of programs they were backing)
 
I think too that G/P's FD was better last time.. it was still lovely though, much more than what S/K offered us, which look even more bland after P/C dazzled us lol.
P/C floated on the ice, they're so fluid it's hypnotising. I think this FD has room to grow in terms of choreography but I love the mood they aimed for, I love Gaby's costume and the humming of the music... *sigh* I'm in heaven.

Edit : and really, like, seeing it live, you can feel the smoothness wash over you. If that makes sense...
 
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