The Dance Hall 10: The Saitama Samba 2022-2023

[PRlady]

And why is no one commenting on the 9 point difference in the Japanese teams’ scores? I guess their Nats isn’t going to be very interesting in dance, cut-throat as it will be in singles.

 

[skatingguy]

And why is no one commenting on the 9 point difference in the Japanese teams’ scores? I guess their Nats isn’t going to be very interesting in dance, cut-throat as it will be in singles.

Last year Muramoto/Takahashi were ahead by 7 points overall - I guess we'll see where things stand after the free dance - and then were beaten at Japanese Nationals because they made so many errors. I think we're just taking it with a grain of salt, and 'there's gambling in this establishment' level of surprise.

 

[Habs]

I love the Danadians. Laurence is an exceptional ice dancer and athlete. I hope they can keep it together and be injury free this year.

 

[TheresMaude]

As a fan of Muramoto/Takahashi (and a big fan of Daisuke’s when he was a glorious singles skater), I am so dismayed that there seems to be a general acceptance that politicking (or is it literal bribery?) is going on with their scoring. I’ve seen a number of posts attributing their scores to "Marina’s influence."

How does something like that actually work? Is she simply applying personal pressure by talking to officials? Is there literally money or some kind of concrete deal involved? Or is it more likely that the Japanese Fed is doing this on their own because there is an advantage to them to have a famous name/star quality in their top dance team?

It’s easy to understand how devastating it must be to be the athletes who are the obvious victims of corruption like this, but I often wonder how athletes who are the beneficiaries deal with the knowledge that their success stems from this kind of influence. If you have any kind of core morality it must be somewhat shaming and undermining of confidence.

 

[ostile17]

As a fan of Muramoto/Takahashi (and a big fan of Daisuke’s when he was a glorious singles skater), I am so dismayed that there seems to be a general acceptance that politicking (or is it literal bribery?) is going on with their scoring. I’ve seen a number of posts attributing their scores to "Marina’s influence."

How does something like that actually work? Is she simply applying personal pressure by talking to officials? Is there literally money or some kind of concrete deal involved? Or is it more likely that the Japanese Fed is doing this on their own because there is an advantage to them to have a famous name/star quality in their top dance team?

It’s easy to understand how devastating it must be to be the athletes who are the obvious victims of corruption like this, but I often wonder how athletes who are the beneficiaries deal with the knowledge that their success stems from this kind of influence. If you have any kind of core morality it must be somewhat shaming and undermining of confidence.

You should probably stop listening to some people here...

And Kana and Dai are certainly not "victims of corruption". JSF couldn't care less about ice dance to move one finger to do some politicking, especially for them, and Marina, once the queen of politicking, for sure no longer has the power.

Enjoy Kana and Dai without worrying much about what is said here.

 

[Andora]

So FB&S are apparently in the hunt to podium at worlds?

I mean... I think the world team should be them and Laj/Lag... But I didn't expect judges would agree at NHK.

Even before the last GP event... the GPF is shaping up to be hella interesting!

 

[skategal]

FB/S, H/B, F/G are certainly pushing the presumed Top 3 this season.

 

[deegee]

FB/S, H/B, F/G are certainly pushing the presumed Top 3 this season.

this lineup feels like the new Olympic cycle's h/d, p/c & c/b, respectively

but in all seriousness, we know how the judges love to play with our emotions in the early half of the season.

 

[PRlady]

I think we have a top 6 with at least one surprise and maybe more on the GPF and Worlds podium. If any of the top 3 screw up and/or any of the next three skate really well, the shaky hierarchy will change. For that matter there’s a few hungry teams set to round out the top ten who could surprise with a big leap upward.

 

[Karen-W]

Well, well, well... The past 4 weeks have a new dress & concept for Chock/Bates FD - https://www.instagram.com/p/ClIJlh1sSQL/

 

[manhn]

Putting it out into the universe: The Danadians will win Worlds in Montreal.

 

[On My Own]

Jeffrey Chen pair up with Ian Somerville challenge!

 

[On My Own]

I don't think KoKo are a bad team - but I do think they're probably the team treated with most indifference by Marie-France and co.

 

[VGThuy]

I don't think KoKo are a bad team - but I do think they're probably the team treated with most indifference by Marie-France and co.

Marie-France and co. Really need to work with this team more to clean them up. This program isn’t nearly busy enough for it to be as messy as they are.

 

[On My Own]

Marie-France and co. Really need to work with this team more to clean them up. This program isn’t nearly busy enough for it to be as messy as they are.

I actually haven't minded some of their choices of movement these past two seasons in the FD (assuming they're involving themselves in the process). But it's clear that they're being treated as a fourth-rate team by their coaches, and I doubt they have anywhere else to go.

 

[On My Own]

Muramoto/Takahashi: I think they're being undermarked on performance and composition compared to some of the others, but hilariously overscored on skating skills. I think they hit nice shapes in this FD and perform it very well, but it's overall tepid.

Green/Parsons: Does he remind anyone else of Ryan Evans? lol

Chock/Bates: I think this might be their best FD? It's still a bit overwrought, but there are some interesting bits to it.

Fournier-Beaudry/Sorensen: If this is supposed to resemble a Paso Doble in some instances, then job well done, but this has nothing good going for it overall, in my books. Good performers, though.

 

[VGThuy]

Green/Parsons: Does he remind anyone else of Ryan Evans? lol

Probably more so if he was still skating with his “Sharpay”.

 

[cocotaffy]

The Danadians are knocking it out of the park, and I am thrilled. Always loved them. They have great material this year and their skating quality + presentation improved so much this season. Kuddos to have put so much work post Olympics season. If they keep it up they could create more upsets.
The 2 FD of this event were Danadians and the Lithuanians for me. I truly appreciate R/A style. We have the disco brits and the techno Lithuanians. I prefer the latter. Their lifts are quite original and the coldness of this FD contrasted well with the other more dramatic/passionate FDs today.

 

[VGThuy]

The Danadians are knocking it out of the park, and I am thrilled. Always loved them. They have great material this year and their skating quality + presentation improved so much this season. Kuddos to have put so much work post Olympics season. If they keep on they could create more upset.
The 2 FD of this event were Danadians and the Lithuanian for me. I truly appreciate R/A style. We have the disco brit and the techno lithuanian. I prefer the latter. Their lifts are quite original and the coldness of this FD contrasted well with the other more dramatic/passionate FDs today.

I’m totally with you.

 

[Andrea82]

With the race for GPF basically settled, the panel of judges for GP Final is also taking shape. Only ISU level needed to officiate at GPF.

First priority for invitation goes to ISU members with a couple in Senior GPF

1) Canada (Abbott, Butcher, Caron, LeBlanc, Hunter, Keen, Allain, Conacher, Topolski, Wong)
2) Italy (Ceccattini, Cesaro, Micheli, Orlandini, Bonfa or Rosa)
3) USA (Mast, Cole, Cutone, Engel, Marron, Millier, Dalley, Hampton, Matsumoto, Rey)
4) Great Britain (Buchanan, Coton, Hoppe, Fernandez, Leonard, Russell)

Second priority goes to ISU members with a couple in Junior GPF

5) Czech Republic (Misurec, Kosina, Tauchamonova)
6) Germany (Pipoh, Baumann, Wendt, Balasuriya, Faig, Kimminus, Stahnke)
7) South Korea (Rhee, Young)
8) France (Hurth, Beau, Dabouis)

Third priority goes to ISU members who host a Senior GP stage

so 9th judge should be Japan (Takino, Kobayashi) or Finland (Saarelainen, Kunnas-Helminen, Lenkola).

Judges draw "by number" for 2023 ISU Championships took place last week.

Ice Dance judges (I insert the name when that ISU member doesn't have any other option)

Worlds

Australia, Czech Republic, Estonia (Larissa Shuljatjeva), Finland, France, Great Britain, Hungary, Israel (Albert Zaydman), Italy, Lithuania (Laimute Krauziene), Poland, Switzerland, Ukraine

Come to think about it, hosting ISU member may recommend one of their officials for referee, technical controller or technical specialist. Japan doesn't have ISU referees or controllers. So it means Worlds will have one Japanese technical specialist: Ayako Higashino (Olympics 2022 and 2014, Worlds 2011, 2016, 2019, 2021) or Tsuzuki Nakako (who was on NHK panel this week. Never called in an ISU Championship)

 

[allezfred]

And why is no one commenting on the 9 point difference in the Japanese teams’ scores?

Because there is really nothing to say. It is pretty clear who will be going to the World Championships this season.

 

[Colonel Green]

Something is a bit off with Fournier Beaudry & Sorensen in this thumbnail, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

 

[marbri]

The disrespect by the ISU

 

[On My Own]

Something is a bit off with Fournier Beaudry & Sorensen in this thumbnail, but I can't quite put my finger on what it is.

It contains Ryan Evans?

 

[skategal]

It’s really great to see that the judges don’t have a preconceived pecking order in their brains this season.

Whoever brings it is gonna be rewarded.

So exciting.

And I am SO thrilled for one of my favorite teams EVER!! Lolo and Nik!!

She is a ROCKSTAH!!! And so happy Nik is recovered from that injury.

 

[Rukia]

Because there is really nothing to say. It is pretty clear who will be going to the World Championships this season.

I mean this was obvious before the season even started

 

[platniumangel]

I am sadly disappointed by most of the programs MIDA put out this season. So many talented teams with endless potential…..

 

[Rukia]

I'm willing to give MIDA a pass this season. Heaven knows IAMjr put out some stinkers last season, but this season they are vastly improved for the most part.

 

[litenkyckling]

I'm willing to give MIDA a pass this season. Heaven knows IAMjr put out some stinkers last season, but this season they are vastly improved for the most part.

I think adding Diaz and Hubbell to the team was an inspired idea

 

[Rhumba d’Amour]

I'm willing to give MIDA a pass this season. Heaven knows IAMjr put out some stinkers last season, but this season they are vastly improved for the most part.

I‘m not. It didn’t occur to them that they would need a choreographer?
(admittedly, Charlie has done some nice work for pairs—not dancers—in the past)