Yes, it seems quite risky to wait to debut in 2nd half given he was "at risk" of not getting VISAs because of his passport if there weren't other issues.
The Dance Hall 10: The Saitama Samba 2022-2023
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Yes, it seems quite risky to wait to debut in 2nd half given he was "at risk" of not getting VISAs because of his passport if there weren't other issues.
Karen-W
YMCA is such a catchy tune!
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Cesaria Evora - love it!
Wyliefan
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An I Love Lucy-themed RD would be glorious.
Karen-W
YMCA is such a catchy tune!
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Saturday cannot come soon enough so that we can see this RD! I really hope HawBak don't disappoint. I listened to the three pieces and I'm curious how they're being used. Cuban Pete certainly has some of the humorous character that HawBak have become known for in their exhibitions.
I'm less thrilled with their FD selections - very languid, soft, romantic type of music that's sort of perfect for a candlelit bubble bath. I'm not sure the music can live up to either Glass or Chopin, but we'll see.
Not the start of the season Green/Parsons looked for I would imagine, their RD debut was ok but to finish 5th in the RD probably wasn't on their wishlist. The program has potential but I'm not a fan of the music at all and it's apparent that while they were very comfortable with last season's theme, they are much less comfortable with Latin. Their lack of speed is still a real issue that I hope MIDA will help them improve.
Hawayek/Baker went more traditional with their choice, they seem comfortable and like they are having fun. They are also lacking a lot of speed and were a bit tentative here but it's understandable for a season debut. I was surprised that they were scored so high, a very substantial gap between them and Green/Parsons which they probably loved to see. Ironically they have a very similar lift to Green/Parsons.
Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen had the RD of the day and one of the best RDs we've seen so far at least for me. With more time to get comfortable with the choreography, I think it can be a really successful program for them, and considering they were injured not long ago they looked surprisingly well. Overall promising for the start of the season.
Hawayek/Baker went more traditional with their choice, they seem comfortable and like they are having fun. They are also lacking a lot of speed and were a bit tentative here but it's understandable for a season debut. I was surprised that they were scored so high, a very substantial gap between them and Green/Parsons which they probably loved to see. Ironically they have a very similar lift to Green/Parsons.
Fournier Beaudry/Sorensen had the RD of the day and one of the best RDs we've seen so far at least for me. With more time to get comfortable with the choreography, I think it can be a really successful program for them, and considering they were injured not long ago they looked surprisingly well. Overall promising for the start of the season.
Wyliefan
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Thank you for the videos, @angi!
I like Green/Parsons's program and think it has potential. Unfortunately, it's true about the lack of speed.
The Cuban Pete program is really fun and I think it will look much sharper after another outing or two. But that dress is the wrong cut and color for Kaitlin. And there ought to be a law against putting a man in black for a Cuban Pete number (though the sleeves were great, at least!).
F-B/S look very sure-footed for their first time out with this program!
I like Green/Parsons's program and think it has potential. Unfortunately, it's true about the lack of speed.
The Cuban Pete program is really fun and I think it will look much sharper after another outing or two. But that dress is the wrong cut and color for Kaitlin. And there ought to be a law against putting a man in black for a Cuban Pete number (though the sleeves were great, at least!).
F-B/S look very sure-footed for their first time out with this program!
I am not impressed with Green/Parsons' program. The lack of speed is a real issue. The Parsons team never lacked speed, and I don't recall the Greens having this issue either. Hopefully, it's something they can figure out because right now the Taschlers could literally skate circles around them. My other big concern with this RD is that there seems to be no connection or chemistry between the partners. I did like their lift with the languid dismount to match the music, but lots of work to do here!
Hawayek/Baker: This program has good potential. Lots of fun details and they are leaning into the fun character work that they've done in exhibitions. Room to grow on speed and selling the choreography.
F-B/S: Very good. Nice smooth movement and already looked polished.
Hawayek/Baker: This program has good potential. Lots of fun details and they are leaning into the fun character work that they've done in exhibitions. Room to grow on speed and selling the choreography.
F-B/S: Very good. Nice smooth movement and already looked polished.
Frau Muller
From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
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Cuban Pete (H/B) is totally my favorite RD this year!
That’s funny, because I’m not a fan of this RD at all. The music has so much potential, but they aren’t doing anything at all with it. Their choreo is extremely generic, and it’s not until the last 30 seconds of the program that we begin to see some real interpretation. Of course, that’s the time when they are mainly separate and/or skating in place. I miss the choreography that had dancers interpreting music while skating.
Frau Muller
From Puerto Rico…With Love! Not LatinX!
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I rolled - love it! LUCY, I’M HOME!!!
With Green/Parsons, I think the speed will come with more practice. I also liked the lift. Agree on the lack of chemistry— Michael has very little presence in this RD, and my eye is totally drawn to Caroline. Maybe putting him in a bright costume would temporarily help matters.I am not impressed with Green/Parsons' program. The lack of speed is a real issue. The Parsons team never lacked speed, and I don't recall the Greens having this issue either. Hopefully, it's something they can figure out because right now the Taschlers could literally skate circles around them. My other big concern with this RD is that there seems to be no connection or chemistry between the partners. I did like their lift with the languid dismount to match the music, but lots of work to do here!
Hawayek/Baker: This program has good potential. Lots of fun details and they are leaning into the fun character work that they've done in exhibitions. Room to grow on speed and selling the choreography.
F-B/S: Very good. Nice smooth movement and already looked polished.
Speaking of lack of chemistry, I must admit that I feel the same way about FB/S. I don’t know if it’s because 90% of the program is in Killian so they aren’t looking at each other, or because he’s just wearing basic black, but I feel like this program is “Laurence and some guy.” You could switch Nik out with Evan Bates, Zach D, Andrew Poje, or any other similar guy and it would look exactly the same.
litenkyckling
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FB/S are such a strange team for me - I feel like I should love them because they have so much on paper but in reality I just like them? Appreciate that they're very good and enjoy them well enough but I don't feel super strongly about them. I don't know why - maybe in part because their Spanish Caravan FD is one of my favourites and nothing has ever lived up to that for me but yeah, deserved lead here but they don't have that extra something for me.
Wyliefan
Ubering juniors against my will
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I did feel a little bit of a disconnect in F-B/S's program between "We are bringing THE SEX" and "We are not noticing each other's presence." 
Ena Grins
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Fournier-Beaudry/Sorenson skated well but I couldn't get into the program TBH. I had more fun with H/B, the Taschlers, and honestly G/P.
Green/Parsons didn't get the levels or GOE they should be capable of and I'm hoping some of that is the newness of the programs and their coaching. I think it was relatively late into the off-season when they switched and choreographed these programs.
Hawayek/Baker were fun and Kaitlin's confidence and performance skills on the ice continue to increase. I'm looking forward to this program getting sharper and cleaner as the season progresses.
Green/Parsons didn't get the levels or GOE they should be capable of and I'm hoping some of that is the newness of the programs and their coaching. I think it was relatively late into the off-season when they switched and choreographed these programs.
Hawayek/Baker were fun and Kaitlin's confidence and performance skills on the ice continue to increase. I'm looking forward to this program getting sharper and cleaner as the season progresses.
sk9tingfan
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The Dutch and Lithuanian judge were far right-hand outliers on judging and somewhat suspicious.
I LOVE Hawayek and Baker but their new Rhythm Dance really missed the mark for me. Latin rhythms, to me, are the ISU's invitation to the dancers to be sexy but it seems like Hawayek and Baker did not get this memo. I did not find their RD sexy at all. It was goofy, campy, corny...an attempt at humor that fell (completely) flat for me.
Their RD was G-rated, slow and dull which are just not qualities you would expect in a (supposedly) hot and sultry latin-themed rhythm dance. The joke that was Hawayek and Baker's whole RD felt stale, the skating looked slow and laboured, the music was dated (it sounded like it was recorded in mono in the 1930s) and the (crucial) "attitude" in this rhythm dance just came across (to me) as self-conscious and uncomfortable.
So, I give Hayawek and Baker's new RD a grade of F. They failed the assignment. They need to drop this dance completely and come up with something new.
The winners (of the RD), Fournier-Beaudry and Sorensen, nailed the RD. They brought the sex. Their RD was hot, passionate and fast.
I think Green and Parsons also nailed the rhythm dance (although their marks were suspiciously low). They also brought a sultry and passionate "attitude" to their RD and combined that with really innovative, never seen before movements and pictures (just like they did in last season's FD). I give Green and Parsons an A+ on their RD.
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Karen-W
YMCA is such a catchy tune!
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Did you get a look at the Canadian judge? Now there was a real outlier! The only team where the Canadian judge's marks were in line with the rest of the panel were FBSor. For HawBak and TurkVer, the Canadian judge was a good 8 points below each team's overall score, 3 points below for both the Taschlers and GrePar, nearly 6 points below for OriPir and RamKiz, 2 points below for LingWein. That's some questionable judging there and some pretty obvious national bias going on.
sk9tingfan
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I just sent ISU & Finlandia a rather pointed tweet with SkatingScores analysis, indicating the judges i had issues with.
skatfan
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Latin doesn’t have to be all about the sexy, see the Shibs dance in 2018 for how a fun dance can score really well. Gilles/Poitier also had a fun Latin dance (was it the same season?). Hawayek/Baker do humor well, and with more mileage I think it can be successful. Kaitlin in particular needs to up her face and that lift is clearly a work in progress. This team never starts strong, let’s see where they are in January.
Karen-W
YMCA is such a catchy tune!
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Ouch. I disagree with your opinion that the ISU wants the skaters to be "sexy" when they select Latin rhythms. I think they want them to be fun, lively and energetic. And, seeing as there are still plenty of sibling dance teams out there, wanting those teams to be sexy is asking a bit much, unless you're into Flowers in the Attic or Game of Thrones. There is a wide range of interpretations available to teams for any rhythm combinations the ISU goes with in any season.
I've already expressed my opinion on the range of interpretations teams have at their disposal for Latin rhythms. It doesn't HAVE to be sultry or hot necessarily. I thought HawBak brought a playful, quirky quality and I rather love it. Here's the other thing, they know who their top competitors are and where their strengths lie - they're never going to be sultrier than Chock & Bates, so why even try? That's true of most teams, though most of them will try to sex it up because they aren't thinking outside of the same box you're stuck in. I love that HawBak went in a completely different direction with their RD this season and are trying to play to what audiences love in their exhibitions - something humorous and with a bit of a wink to the music.
Also, the recording was probably from the 1940s, and it sounded like it. I'm not sure any of Desi Arnaz's music from before he became a TV star has ever been remastered, which is a shame, but it is what it is. Get over it.
To each his own, I guess, but I thought the complete opposite of their RD. It was cold and clinical - hard to make me think you're sexy or hot for each other when you can barely even look each other in the eyes through the entire dance. And don't get me started on Laurence's smile through most of it. This dance was giving Garabedian/Proulx Senecal a run for their vanilla, bland money.
Eh, they were better on sultry and passionate than FBSor, I'll give you that. I don't think their RD is appreciably better than some of the other US teams we've seen this season. I think Pate/Bye have a better RD and they're on par with McNamara/Spiridonov, which is borne out by their score here today - same general 72-73 point range that both of the other teams received when they skated clean at their Challengers earlier this season.
The thought of Hawayek and Baker keeping this dreadful RD through January fills me with gloom.
If they keep this (knee-capping) dance, I predict another lost season, like the season in which they had that awful Beethoven meets Marie Antoinette FD, a season where their momentum stalls, another season where they are passed by lesser teams.
litenkyckling
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look - I get that you don't like them, but the judges went with it here and plenty people enjoyed it? I'm sensing you'd like them to have a lost season so Green and Parsons don't
clairecloutier
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I just caught up on the senior RDs from today (thanks @angi for links), and also looked back at Fear/Gibson's and Lajoie/Lagha's RDs from the past few weeks for comparison.
The range of different opinions on these RDs so far is sure interesting! Just watching from a spectator point of view (no teknik), here's my reaction ...
My fave RD so far remains Lajoie/Lagha. It's sooooooo good! I know a lot of people here don't like it, but I love it so far. The speed, the energy, the attention to rhythm, the showmanship, Zach's posture, Marjorie's joy, it's just fab. I cannot wait to see more of this dance over the season.
Fear/Gibson's RD is also, I must say, very good in my opinion. I had missed the Nebelhorn RDs last week and questioned their score of 85+, and I still think that's high, but it is indeed a very fun dance, and they really go for it, which I appreciate. And they look extremely comfortable with it, which is important.
As to the debate about fun vs. sultry Latin RDs ... ????. Of course fun & upbeat Latins can be good! That's half the character of Latin dance, as far as I can tell anyway.
Fournier-Beaudry/Sorenson: Well-skated, but it just didn't do it for me. I wasn't particularly feeling the heat or passion here, in all honesty. I have to agree with @Karen-W about it feeling a bit vanilla, a bit check-off-the-Latin-boxes. Honestly, for a feeling of real passion/intimacy, I think their "Cry Me a River/Summertime" FD a few years ago was much better in this area. (Sadly, that is the last program of theirs that I really, really enjoyed. Their more recent efforts just haven't hit the mark with me for whatever reason, which I regret, as I do really like them.)
I enjoyed Hawayek/Baker's Cuban RD quite a bit. I love the retro feel and that it's something different. As someone said elsewhere, H/B do tend to be slow builders over the season, and I bet this dance is going to be pretty killer by Nationals. They do need to up the speed a bit to sell it more. But that will come, I think.
Turkkila/Verslius's RD was quite enjoyable, I thought. It didn't really make a super-strong impression but it was all very pleasant and enjoyable to watch, and I thought they looked well-trained and prepared for the season.
I adore the Taschlers' RD. As with L/L, I just love the speed and the real oomph in performance quality. Natalie is a wonder. Every time I see her, I love her more. What's not to like, honestly? Her deep, strong edges are a given, but what impressed me in her performance today was the flexibility through her back, and the way she uses even her head movements to add emphasis--just such an engaging performance. My favorite of the top 5 at Finlandia.
Green/Parsons ... Hmmm. Love these 2 so much, but this felt very early-season and relatively undeveloped in performance, and I just wonder if there's been an injury maybe that slowed their progress?, but also of course there's been the coaching change. What can I say? In all honesty, the dance needs a lot more in performance level and speed. They didn't feel really fully engaged in it. I like the middle section the best--I do think there is some chemistry and hotness there that can be brought out much more. I am not too sure about the opening/closing sections. Something is missing either in the music choice, choreo, or performance level. They do have a couple weeks before Skate Canada, hopefully they can work on this dance to make it stronger.
The range of different opinions on these RDs so far is sure interesting! Just watching from a spectator point of view (no teknik), here's my reaction ...
My fave RD so far remains Lajoie/Lagha. It's sooooooo good! I know a lot of people here don't like it, but I love it so far. The speed, the energy, the attention to rhythm, the showmanship, Zach's posture, Marjorie's joy, it's just fab. I cannot wait to see more of this dance over the season.
Fear/Gibson's RD is also, I must say, very good in my opinion. I had missed the Nebelhorn RDs last week and questioned their score of 85+, and I still think that's high, but it is indeed a very fun dance, and they really go for it, which I appreciate. And they look extremely comfortable with it, which is important.
As to the debate about fun vs. sultry Latin RDs ... ????. Of course fun & upbeat Latins can be good! That's half the character of Latin dance, as far as I can tell anyway.
Fournier-Beaudry/Sorenson: Well-skated, but it just didn't do it for me. I wasn't particularly feeling the heat or passion here, in all honesty. I have to agree with @Karen-W about it feeling a bit vanilla, a bit check-off-the-Latin-boxes. Honestly, for a feeling of real passion/intimacy, I think their "Cry Me a River/Summertime" FD a few years ago was much better in this area. (Sadly, that is the last program of theirs that I really, really enjoyed. Their more recent efforts just haven't hit the mark with me for whatever reason, which I regret, as I do really like them.)
I enjoyed Hawayek/Baker's Cuban RD quite a bit. I love the retro feel and that it's something different. As someone said elsewhere, H/B do tend to be slow builders over the season, and I bet this dance is going to be pretty killer by Nationals. They do need to up the speed a bit to sell it more. But that will come, I think.
Turkkila/Verslius's RD was quite enjoyable, I thought. It didn't really make a super-strong impression but it was all very pleasant and enjoyable to watch, and I thought they looked well-trained and prepared for the season.
I adore the Taschlers' RD. As with L/L, I just love the speed and the real oomph in performance quality. Natalie is a wonder. Every time I see her, I love her more. What's not to like, honestly? Her deep, strong edges are a given, but what impressed me in her performance today was the flexibility through her back, and the way she uses even her head movements to add emphasis--just such an engaging performance. My favorite of the top 5 at Finlandia.
Green/Parsons ... Hmmm. Love these 2 so much, but this felt very early-season and relatively undeveloped in performance, and I just wonder if there's been an injury maybe that slowed their progress?, but also of course there's been the coaching change. What can I say? In all honesty, the dance needs a lot more in performance level and speed. They didn't feel really fully engaged in it. I like the middle section the best--I do think there is some chemistry and hotness there that can be brought out much more. I am not too sure about the opening/closing sections. Something is missing either in the music choice, choreo, or performance level. They do have a couple weeks before Skate Canada, hopefully they can work on this dance to make it stronger.
Wrong... I LOVE Hawayek and Baker. That's why I don't want to see them saddled with this schlock!
They have to try. That would be trying something new for them, rather than doing something safe and expected (staying in their lane and comfort zone), that does not work.
This is like giving up at the start of the race.
Kateri
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Hawayek and Baker's RD is my favourite of all the ones I've seen! 
Karen-W
YMCA is such a catchy tune!
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Why? Why do they have to try to be sultry? Because you insist on it?
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