The Dance Hall 9: Bring the Bling or No Beijing 2021-2022

[Rhumba d’Amour]

There's a scene in the new IAM series that has the Canadanes having dinner with Chock/Bates & talking about how they are the best of friends, and I couldn't help but think of this scene from the Virtue/Moir series.

I had exactly the same reaction on seeing that segment Couldn’t help remembering that scene in the Tessa & Scott show where Tessa feigns surprise at the revelation that Weaver & Poje live together. If they were such besties, um, wouldn’t she know that? I thought it was hilarious then, and I still do.

Generally speaking, all these efforts to suggest that elite athletes who compete against each other at the highest levels are really just such great BFFs, and are always popping over each other’s places for dinner and watching each other’s dogs and all that, don’t really ring true with me given how competitive all these athletes are.

 

[dancing_on_ice]

I had exactly the same reaction on seeing that segment Couldn’t help remembering that scene in the Tessa & Scott show where Tessa feigns surprise at the revelation that Weaver & Poje live together. If they were such besties, um, wouldn’t she know that? I thought it was hilarious then, and I still do.

Generally speaking, all these efforts to suggest that elite athletes who compete against each other at the highest levels are really just such great BFFs, and are always popping over each other’s places for dinner and watching each other’s dogs and all that, don’t really ring true with me given how competitive all these athletes are.

With WeaPo, it was incredibly awkward, especially because they were direct domestic rivals with Tessa & Scott. With Chock/Bates and the Canadanes, I feel like it's more believable since they aren't each other's direct competitors. They don't compete for the same country, and they have different goals in terms of what type of silverware they want at Challengers, Grand Prixs, and Worlds. What would have had more similar vibes would be Chock/Bates vs. Hubbell/Donohue. In that case, they're direct domestic rivals and are direct competitors at events like Grand Prix Final, 4CC, Olympics, Worlds, etc. It's interesting to see how the documentary will portray that relationship since in interviews, C/B and H/D always emphasize that they're the best of friends. I believe that they're friendly, but less so that they would be BFFs just considering their ambitions.

 

[sap5]

Generally speaking, all these efforts to suggest that elite athletes who compete against each other at the highest levels are really just such great BFFs, and are always popping over each other’s places for dinner and watching each other’s dogs and all that, don’t really ring true with me given how competitive all these athletes are.

Sorry— the above quote belongs to Rhumba d’Amour, but for some reason I can’t fix it.


Except in figure skating, you aren’t really competing against another person. Especially in ice dance. Like V/M and P/C had such different qualities as teams that they couldn’t really be compared. It was more like which team could show the best version of themselves using the rules of that season’s RD and FD. Everyone has their time on the ice to show what they can do. Everything else, politics, etc, is out of their control.

I think that as coaches, if you emphasize that perspective, and can show that you are giving equal quality and attention to all of your teams, you really can reduce the competitive feeling between teams.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

I think that as coaches, if you emphasize that perspective, and can show that you are giving equal quality and attention to all of your teams, you really can reduce the competitive feeling between teams.

Yes, but can coaches show that, or even do that, especially when there's such a large group? Human nature being what it is, someone is always going to feel that another team gets more love or better programs or harder politicking.

 

[sap5]

Yes, but can coaches show that, or even do that, especially when there's such a large group? Human nature being what it is, someone is always going to feel that another team gets more love or better programs or harder politicking.

I guess we will see. I’m just saying, it’s a different perspective, and just because other coaches haven’t been able to manage it so far doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

 

[Bigbird]

I don't think it takes a genius to recognize P/C's greatness. Nothing off him to say they're the GOAT. And if we're fortunate enough we might get to see the new pair that will draw the same accolades.

 

[Andora]

I kinda love the snarky/ shady aspect to Scott. I just wish this shady bitch persona had come out more in the Zueva years

It sure did - but then he was a whiny Canadian.

I thought the V/M reality show really didn't show either Tessa or Scott in a very favorable light.

Funny, I thought Tessa came across as much more sweetly neurotic and less plastic than I expected.

Generally speaking, all these efforts to suggest that elite athletes who compete against each other at the highest levels are really just such great BFFs, and are always popping over each other’s places for dinner and watching each other’s dogs and all that, don’t really ring true with me given how competitive all these athletes are.

Except that MANY of the IAM skaters DO show up in each other's IG's and such. Maddison & Gabriella are quite close friends from their own ardently written friendship tributes. And while realistically they aren't each other's competition, I'm sure H&D are aiming for P&C level in practice all the time. It's impressive how well the IAM skaters seem to get along, in general. I'm sure there are pockets of snark and pettiness here and there.

I didn't think this was shady either. He's consistently said P/C are great skaters since the start of the V/M comeback. At the same time, V/M wouldn't have come back if they thought P/C were unbeatable. I think it's more that he knows how much work he and Tessa had to do to be able to beat them, and it was a lot.

Agreed - I think he's always been confident and comfortable in his abilities. I think he sounds like an excellent coach who recognizes the sport evolves to see new levels of "greatest of all time". To me it reflected the potential for an excellent career as coach/mentor.

The only thing better would be him actually working with P&C, but he's certainly playing the IAM Party line, and I dig it.

 

[cocotaffy]

Every single team except S/K today seem to miss the 3rd keypoint in the MB. Could someone put a time stamp on one of the performances to help spot which one is this oh so difficult keypoint ? Why is it so difficult to get it right ?

 

[thvu]

Every single team except S/K today seem to miss the 3rd keypoint in the MB. Could someone put a time stamp on one of the performances to help spot which one is this oh so difficult keypoint ? Why is it so difficult to get it right ?

https://youtu.be/ipiMinuOUVc?t=108

1:48 - 1:55

Third key point is the Man’s. Starts on a RBO, 3turn to RFI, bracket back to RBO, then holds the RBO for four beats, then change of edge to the RBI, rocker to RFI.

When I’m armchair calling, the most common mistakes I see are:

• The RFI bracket ending on a flat instead of an RBO, and then the skater just leans into the RBO.
• The RBO edge after the bracket wobbles / isn’t secure. Most men can’t control it for the 4 beats.

Most men also miss the last turn, the RBI rocker, but the keypoint allows those edges to be wrong.

 

[TheresMaude]

https://youtu.be/ipiMinuOUVc?t=108

1:48 - 1:55

Third key point is the Man’s. Starts on a RBO, 3turn to RFI, bracket back to RBO, then holds the RBO for four beats, then change of edge to the RBI, rocker to RFI.

When I’m armchair calling, the most common mistakes I see are:

• The RFI bracket ending on a flat instead of an RBO, and then the skater just leans into the RBO.
• The RBO edge after the bracket wobbles / isn’t secure. Most men can’t control it for the 4 beats.

Most men also miss the last turn, the RBI rocker, but the keypoint allows those edges to be wrong.

This is AWESOME, thvu! During the off-season I would love if one or more of our ID experts on this board would give a tutorial on spotting these. (Perhaps this has already been done and I’ve overlooked it?)

What did Guillaume miss in this example?

 

[thvu]

What did Guillaume miss in this example?

I think he misses the RFI bracket for the common reason stated above. Though, I’ve often disagreed with the panels this season (and I’m just a fan, not an experienced ice dancer), so who knows the reason this panel gave an N.

 

[litenkyckling]

Every single team except S/K today seem to miss the 3rd keypoint in the MB. Could someone put a time stamp on one of the performances to help spot which one is this oh so difficult keypoint ? Why is it so difficult to get it right ?

also, next to no teams have managed that KP this season - not including today I think only 15% of the midnight blues patterns we've seen across the Challenger and GP series have achieved it.

 

[sap5]

I think he misses the RFI bracket for the common reason stated above. Though, I’ve often disagreed with the panels this season (and I’m just a fan, not an experienced ice dancer), so who knows the reason this panel gave an N.

I had the same thought, and I wonder if it's the variation they are using during that key point that causes a bit of an awkward weight placement.

 

[deegee]

I had the same thought, and I wonder if it's the variation they are using during that key point that causes a bit of an awkward weight placement.

yeah, from the angle in that video, it really doesn't look like a strong rbo.

and i think you're correct about the variation possibly throwing them off. they seem farther apart than they should be, i think.

 

[Rukia]

Doing bracket to the correct exit edge can be really, really hard (especially when you're going to an outside edge). I'm an expert at going to a flat then rocking to an outside edge.

 

[Bigbird]

How is Katsalapov's attempt any better could that video be posted? Is it that this pattern is incompatible with the classic elegant presentation Guillaume is going for? It would explain why Katsalapov's posturing in this dance is all sorts of fugly, but it does match the drunk uncle vibe he's going for, right?

 

[deegee]

How is Katsalapov's attempt any better could that video be posted? Is it that this pattern is incompatible with the classic elegant presentation Guillaume is going for? It would explain why Katsalapov's posturing in this dance is all sorts of fugly, but it does match the drunk uncle vibe he's going for, right?

omg

katsalapov's posture aside, he does have pretty incredible edges. i went back to the peacock broadcast to rewatch s/k's rd, but the angle is totally different and it's hard to tell if katsalpov's bracket exit is really much better than cizeron's (it doesn't seem that different to me).

i do have to say that the wide angle of the opening steps of the mb pattern for rostelecom shows off a HUGE and fast pattern by s/k... very impressive. p/c's seems very large, too but they're shown in a closer angle so you can't see just how much ice they're covering.

 

[Orm Irian]

it does match the drunk uncle vibe he's going for, right?

Druncle Katsalapov is a mental image I did not know I needed but now very much appreciate having, so thank you for this!

 

[Karen-W]

Druncle Katsalapov is a mental image I did not know I needed but now very much appreciate having, so thank you for this!

Druncle Kats - can we make this nickname happen?

 

[skatingguy]

Druncle Kats - can we make this nickname happen?

That sounds like a character from the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical.

 

[Orm Irian]

That sounds like a character from the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical.

Or a particularly boozy modern update of the Nutcracker!

 

[Bigbird]

Druncle Katsalapov is a mental image I did not know I needed but now very much appreciate having, so thank you for this!

Or Drunkle? I am here for this. Really, I am.

 

[canbelto]

Here's a twitter thread about Nikita:

https://twitter.com/mad4skating/status/1464321931864383494

 

[Khaleesi]

Here's a twitter thread about Nikita:

https://twitter.com/mad4skating/status/1464321931864383494

That’s a lot of serious allegations. How much of this is true? And I don’t see how Nikita should get the blame for Elena and Morozov’s inappropriate relationship. He was a kid himself.

 

[skatingguy]

Here's a twitter thread about Nikita:

https://twitter.com/mad4skating/status/1464321931864383494

That's @Mad for Skating

 

[marbri]

That's @Mad for Skating

My god that person continuously says they don't want to make assumptions in one breath and then goes on to make assumptions.
Are people that threatened by S/K this season that this is what they are resorting to, for instance it's Nikita's fault Elena was with Morozov. Does that make Victor Kraatz abusive as well? Or every other male that skated with a female that mad seduced?

 

[Tak]

Here's a twitter thread about Nikita:

https://twitter.com/mad4skating/status/1464321931864383494

Wow - is all I can say. Was that written by Elena?

Is there any proof of any of this, or is it just another internet rant?

 

[litenkyckling]

These rumours have been around for years, and come from many sources. They don't come from nowhere. I think in these instances, you should always support the victim. Often with DV and SA there isn't the same "proof" that different crimes demand.

 

[angi]

These rumours have been around for years, and come from many sources. They don't come from nowhere. I think in these instances, you should always support the victim. Often with DV and SA there isn't the same "proof" that different crimes demand.

I generally agree but there's a level of interpretation and assumptions in that thread that go way beyond the reasonable. It feels less of a case of supporting those who were abused and much more a case of "woke" fs twitter not liking certain skaters and instead of presenting what is known or even strongly rumored, they also work hard to villainize certain skaters.
What's really bad is to see the numerous comments from people who never heard about the rumors and now accept them as the undeniable truth.

 

[Bigbird]

I generally agree but there's a level of interpretation and assumptions in that thread that go way beyond the reasonable. It feels less of a case of supporting those who were abused and much more a case of "woke" fs twitter not liking certain skaters and instead of presenting what is known or even strongly rumored, they also work hard to villainize certain skaters.
What's really bad is to see the numerous comments from people who never heard about the rumors and now expect them as the undeniable truth.

These will never see the light of day he is a talented Russian male ice dancer. If you've read between the lines of several interviews there is some truth there but only those who experienced it know the full story.