The Dance Hall 13: When You Dance on the Ice and Your Feet Twizzle Twice, That's Amore

[Bigbird]

I don't think just about anywhere will do. It's not like absolutely all other coaches are good with levels.

As for last season's RD, it was nice, but I didn't think it was particularly special or imaginative either. This season's programs are okay - they suit them well and are pretty well choreographed too (especially the FD).

Then I AM Ontario to Scott Moir. They have the right vibes.

 

[angi]

Is this the first Olympic season in a long while where none of the perceived top contenders for an Olympic medal (C/B, G/P, G/F) are doing a Challenger or a senior B event at the start of the season?
At this point, I'm not sure if it stems from overconfidence or from a bit of paranoia about what will happen if they get bad feedback while the rest don't. Almost like a weird game of playing chicken...

 

[Tesla]

Age and protecting bodies could be a factor.

 

[lauravvv]

Age and protecting bodies could be a factor.

I am not so sure. Do you think they are training less during off-season and at the beginning of the season than the younger teams and doing less full run-throughs? Otherwise it wouldn't make sense, as I assume training with full run-throughs is just as taxing on one's body as competitive skates. The only thing I can think of is that they want to do less traveling, especially with time zone changes, as it's also exhausting.

 

[Tesla]

I am not so sure. Do you think they are training less during off-season and at the beginning of the season than the younger teams and doing less full run-throughs? Otherwise it wouldn't make sense, as I assume training with full run-throughs is just as taxing on one's body as competitive skates. The only thing I can think of is that they want to do less traveling, especially with time zone changes, as it's also exhausting.

Yes, I do think it can be a factor. Aren't theses teams older than a lot of past Olympic favorites? They've also been competing for a very long time. Resting their bodies when possible doesn't seem out of the realm of possibility. Wanting to do less traveling potentially due to exhaustion relates back to age and protecting the body. I am not saying age and protecting the body are the only factors, just a factor.

 

[PRlady]

FB/C and the Shibs are also nowhere to be seen except for the former at French Masters. Are the Finns anywhere before the GP? Even Car/Pon and LaLa are relatively late (and withdrawn for LaLa.) Seems to be a strategy for the teams with most at stake.

 

[almiranara]

FB/C and the Shibs are also nowhere to be seen except for the former at French Masters. Are the Finns anywhere before the GP? Even Car/Pon and LaLa are relatively late (and withdrawn for LaLa.) Seems to be a strategy for the teams with most at stake.

T/V and Pirihara will be at Nepela, Lala will be at Budapest Trophy

 

[litenkyckling]

FB/C and the Shibs are also nowhere to be seen except for the former at French Masters. Are the Finns anywhere before the GP? Even Car/Pon and LaLa are relatively late (and withdrawn for LaLa.) Seems to be a strategy for the teams with most at stake.

FBC and CP will be at Nebelhorn along with FG and BS. The field at Nepela is deep this year with Finns, SD, GrP, LB and Taschlers. LaLa will now start at Budapest (non challenger this year).

I don’t think teams are actually starting that late, Nebelhorn is a week later than usual, Kinoshita was far to travel and Lombardia has a historically shallow field.

I think that the lack of a NA Challenger that includes dance has an impact too.

 

[angi]

FB/C and the Shibs are also nowhere to be seen except for the former at French Masters. Are the Finns anywhere before the GP? Even Car/Pon and LaLa are relatively late (and withdrawn for LaLa.) Seems to be a strategy for the teams with most at stake.

FB/C and C/P are doing Nebelhorn Trophy, FINs are doing Nepela, and L/L are doing Budapest Trophy. I don't think the top teams are the only ones not to debut at a challenger or a senior B, but it does stand out as odd given they will go into the Olympics season with no feedback (and given how G/F ended their season, it hardly feels like a smart idea).

 

[RoseRed]

I don't believe G/P or C/B have done a Challenger since 2021, so them not doing one this year it pretty expected. It's a change for G/F compared what they've been doing. I would also question it, given how last season ended, but who knows, we'll see how it works for them. The Shibutanis not doing one seems pretty wild, given how long they've been out of competition.

 

[RoseRed]

FBC and CP will be at Nebelhorn along with FG and BS. The field at Nepela is deep this year with Finns, SD, GrP, LB and Taschlers. LaLa will now start at Budapest (non challenger this year).

I don’t think teams are actually starting that late, Nebelhorn is a week later than usual, Kinoshita was far to travel and Lombardia has a historically shallow field.

I think that the lack of a NA Challenger that includes dance has an impact too.

Absolutely on this, as well. I hate that there's no dance CS in North America, especially given how many teams train here.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I don't believe G/P or C/B have done a Challenger since 2021, so them not doing one this year it pretty expected. It's a change for G/F compared what they've been doing. I would also question it, given how last season ended, but who knows, we'll see how it works for them. The Shibutanis not doing one seems pretty wild, given how long they've been out of competition.

I’ve always wondered why not, at least for some points to keep them in the top two in world standings

 

[Karen-W]

I’ve always wondered why not, at least for some points to keep them in the top two in world standings

Top 2 doesn't really matter. Top 5 is really all they need in order to skate in the last group of any major competition.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Top 2 doesn't really matter. Top 5 is really all they need in order to skate in the last group of any major competition.

Yeah, I just meant for higher standings, you also think they want to get the rust out. I remember chock and bates have had some rust at their first event, which has been skate America.

 

[princeton123]

Is it just me or is it harder than ever for promising junior teams to transition to senior? It’s probably because now no one wants to retire and are skating well into their mid to late 30s whereas people would do two quads max in the past

But it seems like it’s been ages since a junior team really made a splash in seniors. Now you win a JWC medal and you have to wait at least five years before they even let you on the world team, let alone crack the top 10

The last junior team that had a good-ish transition was Lala and they’re what? Still just breaking the top 10 at worlds? 15 years ago they’d already have a bunch of world medals

 

[PRlady]

Well in the US it certainly is. Look at Kolesnik, the Browns, Nes/Mar, now Wolf/Tsar…all with JWC medals and none yet close to going to Worlds, except Kolesnik. Bekker/Hernandez and the Koreans benefit from almost no competition, but in the U.S., Canada and France, a lot of patience is required.

 

[Karen-W]

Is it just me or is it harder than ever for promising junior teams to transition to senior? It’s probably because now no one wants to retire and are skating well into their mid to late 30s whereas people would do two quads max in the past

But it seems like it’s been ages since a junior team really made a splash in seniors. Now you win a JWC medal and you have to wait at least five years before they even let you on the world team, let alone crack the top 10

Which country are we talking about? LajLag made it onto the Canadian Worlds team 2 years after they won Jr Worlds, and went to the Olympics the next season. CarPon took 5 seasons to make it onto the US Worlds team from their Jr Worlds silver. The Mrazeks made the Czech Worlds team the season after they won Jr Worlds. Rachel Green made the US Worlds team 4 seasons after she & her brother finished 7th at Jr Worlds.

 

[princeton123]

Which country are we talking about? LajLag made it onto the Canadian Worlds team 2 years after they won Jr Worlds, and went to the Olympics the next season. CarPon took 5 seasons to make it onto the US Worlds team from their Jr Worlds silver. The Mrazeks made the Czech Worlds team the season after they won Jr Worlds. Rachel Green made the US Worlds team 4 seasons after she & her brother finished 7th at Jr Worlds.

I'm not talking about anyone specific. In general, it just seems you have to wait your turn in your country, and then after you wait you turn in your country and get the international assignments, they make you wait your turn before you begin moving up in the world. No one has really broken out in a major way in a long time. I don't know if it's the judges fault for the reputation judging or the skaters' fault for their own lack of vision and ownership of their careers and the over-reliance on all the same coaches who are stretched thin and only prioritize their top teams.

Or maybe even the aging field's fault for continuing to compete into their mid 30s when they haven't had anything fresh to offer in years and seem only to be motivated by the fact they have no other purpose in life. maybe a combination of all 3

 

[Debbie S]

Rachel Green made the US Worlds team 4 seasons after she & her brother finished 7th at Jr Worlds.

Are you talking about Rachel Parsons or Caroline Green?

 

[Karen-W]

Are you talking about Rachel Parsons or Caroline Green?

Caroline Green, lol. Whoops!