2025 NHK Trophy Free Dance PBP - Hmmm for the Weekend

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Wow, that seems quite good from the Shibutanis.

 

[Colonel Green]

In all seriousness, I was a huge fan of this team, and it's totally understandable that they have personal reasons for this comeback, but nothing about either of their programs suggests any strong artistic reason for this comeback.

 

[her grace]

Shibs

Time for Maia to get fixed again

This was a really dumb idea because their old program was iconic and in comparison this one looks s l o w. Good levels on one foot turns and step sequence. But I don’t think their skating skills look any better than Fabbri/Ayer here today

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

OK I’m not mad at that.

Although technical school doesn’t seem to be that high

 

[tony]

So I mentioned in the RD that I think the panels were hard on them. Here we already see MUCH higher levels being called. The element order in the first half matched the music really well and everything was almost meticulously held to show how clean it is. One foot was really long and slowed but still looked good. Lifts are somewhat ordinary aside from the straight line (a lot going on there).

Everything is a little slowish and rusty, but they are totally in contention for an Olympic spot. Sorry about it.

One thing I can't get over is how EVERYTHING seems to be put on, even long before that video.

 

[mtnskater]

Posture from Alex not as good as it used to be. Need to be more down in the knees too.

Smooth, lovely dance. I’ve seen it before…like a flash back in time. Sure wish they had new material and had started back a year ago.

 

[Wyliefan]

They looked more like themselves that time. But still slow. And Maia seemed oddly detached until the end.

 

[skatingguy]

Maia Shibutani/Alex Shibutani
Rank after RD: 6
Coach: Marina Zueva, Massimo Scali
Music: Fix You by Coldplay

Midline Step Sequence W:3 M:3
One Foot Turns W:2 M:2 (W:2 M:3 after review)
Curve Lift 4 + Rotational Lift 4
Straight Line Lift 3 (4 after review)
Dance Spin 4
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
Choreo Character Step Sequence !
Choreo Dance Lift
Choreo Twizzling Movement

Slow, and tentative in places, but well skated overall. I'm still not sure why they've returned with a redux of a program, and I would have thought after all this time they would have something new to say.

108.76 = 1st Place
180.50 = 1st Place

 

[my little pony]

I love that Maia's hair is purple, + 5
and I like that more than any of the other American free dances so sure why not

 

[Jay42]

That looked better than what I saw of their RD yesterday but I wouldn't put them anywhere near Zingas and Kolesnik (I haven't had the chance to see CarPom's FD properly yet).

 

[Barbara Manatee]

Smoother than the RD. Better levels but not getting the GOEs they need.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I don’t mind the bun it’s the uneven purple in the hair

 

[Ka3sha]

Seriously, just +1.75 for 4 sections of good, old, well-executed twizzles?

 

[peibeck]

This dance is giving me Stockholm syndrome after that video of their screaming match practice.

 

[Lilia A]

China will be doing the TE - they've qualified an entry in all 4 disciplines. Normally, I'd agree with you but I think YoMori have hurt themselves with not qualifying for the individual ID event and going back to this old FD.

That's why they should focus on the RD and try not to place last. They'll be last in the FD regardless, they might as well skate around in circles.

 

[terisa]

Well, how about that? The ShibSibs remembered how to do it. That was beautiful.

 

[Karen-W]

Well, that was rather enjoyable, but the judges are definitely NOT buying what they're selling. Twizzles weren't nearly as perfectly in synch and matched as they were able to deliver in the past.

Those waves and bows make me think they've already made the decision to end the comeback after this competition.

 

[skatingguy]

Katarina Wolfkostin/Dimitry Tsarevski
Rank after RD: 5
Coach: Charlie White, Tanith White, Greg Zuerlein
Music: Bang Bang, The Lonely Shepherd

Dance Spin 4
One Foot Turns W:2 M:2
Stationary Lift 4
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
Choreo Sliding Movement
Curve Lift 4 + Curve Lift 4
Choreo Dance Lift
Diagonal Step Sequence W:1 M:3
Choreo Character Step Sequence

A solid senior Grand Prix debut, and another generation of American ice dancers begins to climb the ladder.

110.73 = 1st Place
182.85 = 1st Place

 

[Braulio]

when you get barely over a point in GOE for a Choreo element is a bad bad sign

 

[skatingguy]

Natalie Taschlerova/Filip Taschler
Rank after RD: 4
Coach: M. Margaglio, N. Brown, M.Scali, S. Parkinson
Music: The Matrix

Choreo Spinning Movement
Curve Lift 4 + Curve Lift 4
One Foot Turns W:2 M:2
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4 (W:4 M:3 after review)
Straight Line Lift 4
Choreo Sliding Movement
Dance Spin 4 (3 after review)
Diagonal Step Sequence W:3 M:1 (W:2 M:1 after review)
Choreo Character Step Sequence

A number of awkward, and uncomfortable positions, and movements in that program.

108.63 = 3rd Place
183.33 = 1st Place

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

They looked more like themselves that time. But still slow. And Maia seemed oddly detached until the end.

That’s why I’m surprised they did not do any challengers before this. This performance here should be a September performance.

 

[skatingguy]

Caroline Green/Michael Parsons
Rank after RD: 3
Coach: Charlie White, Tanith White, Greg Zuerlein
Music: Escalate, Son of Nyx

Dance Spin 4
Rotational Lift 4
One Foot Turns W:1 M:1 (W:2 M:1 after review)
Synchronized Twizzles W:3 M:4 (W:2 M:4 after review)
Curve Lift 4 + Curve Lift 4
Choreo Assisted Jump/Lifting Movement
Choreo Dance Lift
Diagonal Step Sequence W:2 M:2 (W:2 M:1 after review)
Choreo Character Step Sequence

Unique program, and many original pieces of choreography throughout the performance, but clearly needs more time to smooth out some transitions.

112.76 = 1st Place
187.90 = 1st Place

 

[susieB129]

I was ambivalent bordering on against it when the Shibutanis announced their return since I don’t trust the judges in any discipline, but especially not in dance and fear for all the non-Chock/Bates teams who I assume will be fighting for one spot instead of two (the same way I do for Lopareva/Brissaud). Then came the video, then came the rehash of “Fix You,” and I wish they had something new to say or offer.

 

[Lilia A]

Shibs - I kinda liked that. Definitely better than the RD. Exclamation mark, says Mark.

 

[Wyliefan]

Maia's freckles are so cute.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Uffff that’s low.

 

[susieB129]

They look utterly exhausted and joyless.

 

[Matryeshka]

For almost this entire quad, the Germans have been one of my least favorite teams if not my absolute least favorite but I really love this FD and their whacko RD.

I'm going to say this, and yes, I'm probably reading too much into it. After the Livebarn incident and looking at the state of her, Fix You to me actually kind of has a sinister undertone. Maia does not look OK to me.

 

[Lilia A]

Uh oh, is Mark's feed delayed?

 

[susieB129]

Why do Taschlerova's costumers hate her so?