Canadian Ice Dance 2019/2020 season: News and Updates

[Colonel Green]

For those who don't have access to the competition threads:

Soucisse/Firus RD (blocked for any of you in Denmark)
Fabbri/Ayer RD

 

[ManiDani]

I like Fabbri and Ayers, but I don’t think they used the Sweet Charity soundtrack to their best advantage. I’m a Brass Band would suit their energetic style far more than Big Spender.

 

[dramagrrl]

Really liked S/F's RD, aside from the very abrupt transition between the two music selections. It's fun and suits them very well.

 

[screech]

Didn't love S/F. I found them incredibly off beat in the December 1963 section. Like any music could have been going. Also didn't like her dress for Jersey Boys (though his costume was awesome).
Also, I'm assuming it's acceptable that the December 1963 section isn't the version from the musical/movie? (i'm pretty sure it's the original).
I had higher hopes. I love Jersey Boys (the show, not the horrible movie). Though I LOVED Cappellini/Lanotte's use of the movie version of "Cry For Me" in 16/17.

Do we know Piper/Paul's RD music? I was hoping for Tootsie (just for him to do a costume change in the middle), but I don't think the cast album was released until June which may have been a bit late. If not that, then I could see them rocking Little Shop of Horrors.

 

[shutterbug]

Tigger and Eeyore?

@Colonel Green Awesome nickname for L/L. Very apt.

 

[Colonel Green]

Also, I'm assuming it's acceptable that the December 1963 section isn't the version from the musical/movie? (i'm pretty sure it's the original).

Yes, per the rules the song itself just needs to have been used in a musical, it doesn't have to be from a cast album -- which, for jukebox musicals, means you can basically just use the artist's original versions. Also why I'm sure Hawayek/Baker's Saturday Night Fever RD will be using the movie soundtrack, even though it's only because they made the movie into a stage show that it should even count for the RD.

In a different vein, Bashynska/Beaumont's King and I program doesn't use the movie version or any of the cast albums, but rather Julie Andrews' covers from an album she did in the early 1990s. I suspect, similarly, that if anybody uses Guys and Dolls, they'll use the Sinatra covers rather than anything from the movie or cast album.

Do we know Piper/Paul's RD music?

Nope, no word on what they're doing this year in either program.

 

[Wyliefan]

I had that Julie Andrews version on cassette! Nice choice.

 

[Colonel Green]

Emmy and Aissa's free dance, if you didn't see it. I like how this is coming together, though it's more of a work in progress than their rhythm dance. It definitely stands out compared to a lot of the other lyrical programs.

In general, it's kind of interesting at the moment that the center of gravity in senior ice dance is unquestionably in Montreal at the moment; Piper and Paul stubbornly keep Ontario in the game, but otherwise everybody is at Gadbois.

But for the juniors, it's the opposite situation, almost everybody is in the GTA, and Emmy and Aissa are Gadbois's only notable junior team for the moment.

And then there's the BC teams, struggling mightily to remind people they're still there.

 

[Colonel Green]

Fabbri/Ayer's free dance from Pierrefonds (I can't put up Soucisse/Firus' because YouTube hates "It's Not Unusual").

Alicia got to beat her old partner the first time out, so that's nice for her.

 

[barbarafan]

Fabbri/Ayer's free dance from Pierrefonds (I can't put up Soucisse/Firus' because YouTube hates "It's Not Unusual").

Alicia got to beat her old partner the first time out, so that's nice for her.

They got really good levels for first senior competition. PCS were not bad as well. Their twizzles in the FD were scored the highest of the competition. 9.38.. I think it is a great debut. Hopefully they get sent to a B competition.

 

[Colonel Green]

Bronsard/Bouaraguia have been assigned to JGP Croatia as their second event, competing alongside Bashynska/Beaumont in what could well be a deciding factor in who gets to go to the Youth Olympics (since I suspect that D'Alessandro/Waddell can probably be penciled into one of those spots).

 

[dramagrrl]

Finally got around to watching Emmy and Aissa's FD and even though it's obviously still rough around the edges, I think it's a great vehicle. May they continue to be interesting.

 

[Colonel Green]

And right before the announcement of all the initial assignments, Galiyanova/Lochhead confirm they're the other team in Russia. That's both Lane teams at the same event, so that's economical for them.

So I'd guess that Makita/Gunara and McIsaac/Circelli are in Poland, and then there's that other spot in Italy for somebody else.

EDIT: Gilles/Poirier and Soucisse/Firus are doing the Autumn Classic this year. The former, based on the field, will win in a walk; the latter have a shot at the podium again, though there's quite a cluster of mid-tier Gadbois teams there.

 

[Colonel Green]

Challenger and JGP assignments galore:

Lombardia: Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen, Lajoie/Lagha
US Classic: Soucisse/Firus, Lanaghan/Razgulajevs
Nebelhorn: Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen (going hard for those WS points), Sales/Wamsteeker

JGP Poland: Makita/Gunara, Li/Richmond
JGP Italy: D’Alessandro/Waddell, McIsaac/Circelli

 

[Wyliefan]

S/F will have at least four competitions under their belts by the time the GPs start (assuming no withdrawals). That should be good. I want them feeling as experienced and comfortable with their programs as possible!

 

[Colonel Green]

Interestingly, F-B/S and L/L are Canada’s first ever entries at Lombardia Trophy.

 

[Dobre]

Interestingly, F-B/S and L/L are Canada’s first ever entries at Lombardia Trophy.

I'm glad they are expanding the number of CS options. I think it is good for teams to get out there and get feedback away from home when they still have time to adapt/polish their material before the GP.

 

[Andora]

Interestingly, F-B/S and L/L are Canada’s first ever entries at Lombardia Trophy.

Interesting that they're going head-to-head so quickly. I'm dying to see their new programs. Both had just stunners last year, and need to stay aggressive now.

I actually went and watched Sales & Wamsteeker's FD at nationals, because I just couldn't remember anything about them other than seeming awkward or somehow... not at the level as the other top-five cdn teams. He needs a haircut, asap, and they get no help from their program itself, but I think there's serious potential there. Even though they didn't seem to have command of the ice, they seemed to have power. I didn't see it live, I could be wrong. If only they could move east...

 

[Colonel Green]

Interesting that they're going head-to-head so quickly. I'm dying to see their new programs. Both had just stunners last year, and need to stay aggressive now.

Laurence and Nikolaj are, I think, pretty incontestably in second nationally right now. The matchup that the teams are so far avoiding is L/L vs. Soucisse/Firus. Since the former didn't go to Championnats, that's in all likelihood not happening at all until Nationals.

I'm very interested to see what L/L do, program-wise. Last year was the first season I really loved both of their programs (indeed, they were some of the first programs we saw last year, and made a huge impression on me).

I actually went and watched Sales & Wamsteeker's FD at nationals, because I just couldn't remember anything about them other than seeming awkward or somehow... not at the level as the other top-five cdn teams. He needs a haircut, asap, and they get no help from their program itself, but I think there's serious potential there. Even though they didn't seem to have command of the ice, they seemed to have power. I didn't see it live, I could be wrong. If only they could move east...

With Haley and Nikolas, I'm not sure if they're likely to move up much beyond their current rank, but they've got a pretty nice niche for the moment that will probably keep them on the national team for at least another season or two. They've got the opportunity to live the dream and compete internationally multiple times a season.

 

[Dobre]

I really enjoyed Sales & Wamsteeker's Robin & Marian FD from two years ago. And I am looking forward to their Mama Mia RD.

(Meanwhile Igor/Camerlengo give them Samson & Delilah for an FD).

 

[Colonel Green]

I really enjoyed Sales & Wamsteeker's Robin & Marian FD from two years ago.

I was really charmed by that program.

Coming out of North York, we finally got to see Natalie and Bruce, and I got to see Irina and Grayson at last (I missed their Minto performance because I had theatre tickets, and we didn't known at the time that there'd be no archiving of the streams; and their Lake Placid RD never made it online):

1. D'Alessandro/Waddell RD
2. Bashynska/Beaumont RD (this we've seen multiple times, but they're in second after the RD, and this is better video quality than that poor Lake Placid stream)
3. Galiyanova/Lochhead RD
4. McIsaac/Circelli RD (not their day)
5. Kagolovskaya/MacDonald RD

Having seen all the junior RDs at this point, I think Emmy & Aissa have the best program. Nadiia & Peter have the best pattern at the moment, at least to the eye.

 

[Vase]

Early in the season, but the skating skill and expression Bruce Waddell bring to ice dance is amazing to me. He’s young and yet so powerful, I look forward to seeing him everytime he skates.

 

[Colonel Green]

More from North York:

Kagolovskaya & MacDonald FD:

Sophia Kagolovskaya & Kieran MacDonald - 2019 North York Junior FD

August 16, 2019 North York Summer Skate. Score: 72.20

www.youtube.com

McIsaac/Circelli FD:

Olivia McIsaac & Corey Circelli - 2019 North York Junior FD

August 16, 2019 North York Summer Skate. Score: 83.17

www.youtube.com

Galiyanova/Lochhead FD (my tweet about this that talked approvingly about the choreographic changes got posted on Irina and Grayson's IG Stories -- I made it, Ma!):

Irina Galiyanova & Grayson Lochhead - 2019 North York Junior FD

August 16, 2019 North York Summer Skate. Score: 85.86.

www.youtube.com

Bashynska/Beaumont FD:

Nadiia Bashynska & Peter Beaumont - 2019 North York Junior FD

August 16, 2019 North York Summer Skate. Bashynska and Beaumont's winning free dance. Score: 91.40 (152.48)

www.youtube.com

Nadiia and Peter are really on a roll in the pre-JGP period. But for Nadiia's twizzle mishap at Minto, they'd be 3 for 3.

I like Molly and Dmitre's program, though this wasn't a great outing for them, sadly.

Molly Lanaghan & Dmitre Razgulajevs - 2019 North York Senior FD

August 16, 2019 North York Summer Skate. Score: 78.65

www.youtube.com

 

[Colonel Green]

From BC, where the camerawork is maybe a bit shaky, but boy is the image quality pristine:

Makita/Gunara: Big improvement in the speed of the second half, and the overall impression, despite Miku's twizzle trouble.

Miku Makita & Tyler Gunara - 2019 BC/Yukon Junior RD

August 16, 2019 British Columbia/Yukon Summer Skate. Score: 59.72. Music: "I Can Hear the Bells", "You Can't Stop the Beat" (Hairspray)

www.youtube.com

Kam/Carter: I'm kind of surprised that Kagolovskaya/MacDonald beat these two at the novice championships, as this team seems overall more mature.

Kiera Kam & Mathew Carter - 2019 BC/Yukon Junior RD

August 16, 2019 British Columbia/Yukon Summer Skate. Score: 52.15. Music: "Sherry", "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" (Jersey Boys)

www.youtube.com

Sales/Wamsteeker: Fun!

Haley Sales & Nikolas Wamsteeker - 2019 BC/Yukon Senior RD

August 16, 2019 British Columbia/Yukon Summer Skate. Score: 66.16. Music: "Dancing Queen", "Mamma Mia" (Mamma Mia)

www.youtube.com

 

[Colonel Green]

Kiera Kam & Mathew Carter - 2019 BC/Yukon Junior FD

August 17, 2019 British Columbia/Yukon Summer Skate. Score: 77.00.

www.youtube.com

Miku Makita & Tyler Gunara - 2019 BC/Yukon Junior FD

August 17, 2019 British Columbia/Yukon Summer Skate. Score: 93.56 (153.28).

www.youtube.com

Haley Sales & Nikolas Wamsteeker - 2019 BC/Yukon Senior FD

August 17, 2019 British Columbia/Yukon Summer Skate. Score: 96.11 (162.27). Music: "Samson and Delilah" by Camille Saint-Saëns.

www.youtube.com

 

[dramagrrl]

Congrats to Alexandra Paul and Mitch Islam on their engagement.

 

[Sylvia]

Alexandra's Instagram photo link was posted in the "Royal figure skater weddings" thread on Saturday :

Alexandra Paul and Mitch Islam are engaged: https://www.instagram.com/p/B1SR_uOp7Xs/

 

[jmtfti]

Here's his take for good measure since I hadn't seen it yet when I posted in the other thread: https://twitter.com/mitchislam/status/1162880598995849217

 

[Colonel Green]

Post-Courchevel thoughts:

- Olivia and Corey feel more and more like they're falling markedly behind the other five notable junior teams in the standings, unfortunately. And while their free dance is really cool, their RD is clearly the weakest program among the six.

- Rough near-miss for Emmy and Aissa, in what was effectively a jump-ball result. I had been hoping after Aissa's two really good summer competitions that his twizzle issues were behind him, but they were back here with a vengeance, in the RD anyway. He was clearly on a mission in the FD, he got really good levels there and it was actually Emmy who was the problem, which is rare. But the FD, in general, has come together really well, after looking a bit unfinished in its first competition a few weeks ago.

Next week: our two teams both try to move past Andreeva/Desyatov onto the podium.

 

[Zazy]

- Rough near-miss for Emmy and Aissa, in what was effectively a jump-ball result. I had been hoping after Aissa's two really good summer competitions that his twizzle issues were behind him, but they were back here with a vengeance, in the RD anyway. He was clearly on a mission in the FD, he got really good levels there and it was actually Emmy who was the problem, which is rare. But the FD, in general, has come together really well, after looking a bit unfinished in its first competition a few weeks ago.

I was impressed with Aissa in the FD. I don't know if it was anger at himself for the twizzle error but that was definitely the best I've seen him skate.