Shibutanis thread 3: Evolution

[chapis]

Just adorable!

Aww, I know, they are so cute.

 

[chapis]

What do you think?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQGhlCyAD9L/?taken-by=theskatinglesson

It seems she is trying or just choreography, but I already hear to Marina raving about Nathan and Gracie . The positive side is she, Maia and Alex are very good friends.

 

[VGThuy]

I think it's fine. Some people on another forum were worried that Gracie will bring her bad juju to Canton and affect Maia and Alex but the last season and a half has taught me that Alex and Maia have become really great and tough competitors with a great albeit somewhat hidden killer mental game.

 

[chapis]

I think it's fine. Some people on another forum were worried that Gracie will bring her bad juju to Canton and affect Maia and Alex but the last season and a half has taught me that Alex and Maia have become really great and tough competitors with a great albeit somewhat hidden killer mental game.

Tell me about it. I thought Gracie was just having a bad season, but after read all her drama, honestly I think she has other kind of problems, I hope I am wrong.

 

[Hillrose]

Here's another compliment: I like them second best after Torville and Dean.

 

[VGThuy]

Here's another compliment: I like them second best after Torville and Dean.

Wow, that's high praise.

Now, I'm curious to know from all of us posting here. What is it about the Shibs that made you a fan of theirs?

 

[Dobre]

What do you think?
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQGhlCyAD9L/?taken-by=theskatinglesson

Gracie needs a friend, and she & Maia are close. I think Maia & Alex can lend Gracie some good perspective when it comes to high expectations and dealing with adversity.

 

[chapis]

Wow, that's high praise.

Now, I'm curious to know from all of us posting here. What is it about the Shibs that made you a fan of theirs?

Like many other people I became a fan watching their Cinema paradiso program at JGPF 2008. But analyzing their qualities I think I love their posture, their elegance, their attention to details, skating skills and their love for skating, especially Maia, when you see her skating it is obvious she would not want to be in another place or doing other thing more than skating. I am a big fan of Mao Asada and I find exactly the same qualities about her skating, excellent posture, elegance, lines, SS, attention to details and love for skating, so in general I think those are the characteristics that I looking for in any skater, if a skater is skating with all her/his heart but is having bad posture or he/she is sloppy, the most of the times I won´t be so impressed. A random similitude is when they (Shibs and Mao) are in the 5 min of warm-up, the most of the time they are just sliding on the ice while the other skaters are doing their big tricks, maybe trying to impress the judges, haha. And both, the Shibs and Mao are criticized for being slow, so I guess the speed is not a priority feature for me.

Plus their personalities, they are so smart and adorable.

 

[clairecloutier]

I became a fan during their first senior season. Back then, I didn't watch juniors, so I never saw them before the 2010-11 season.

I think what appealed to me most that season was their grace, smoothness, posture, chemistry, and classic yet also modern style. Their free dance that season was sort of traditional, and yet it had this updated modern feel as well. When you think about it, that's been a consistent vein through all their skating--respect and reverence for classic ballroom technique and style, while also somehow injecting their own modern personalities into the skating. I suppose you could say that's what their SD this year is all about.

There are many other things I like about them too. But I think the concept of them as bridging past & future is at the core of it. They do these fun, very 21st-century vlogs, which are great--but they also work with an older Russian coach who draws on all the great traditions of Russian skating. They are very hip and stylish, but at the same time are also serious about school and education (in a traditional way). They are very American and Alex is totally into American sports teams and stuff, yet they retain a close connection to their Japanese heritage and study Japanese and follow Asian-American issues. There is always this strain of connection to the past while reaching to the future.

 

[VGThuy]

With Chock/Bates and Hubbell/Donohue announcing that they have signed on to the U.S. SOI tour, I take it the Shibs aren't doing it. It's hard for me to imagine that U.S. SOI would feature four ice dance teams, assuming Davis/White are also doing it.

 

[chapis]

With Chock/Bates and Hubbell/Donohue announcing that they have signed on to the U.S. SOI tour, I take it the Shibs aren't doing it. It's hard for me to imagine that U.S. SOI would feature four ice dance teams, assuming Davis/White are also doing it.

Maybe they want to rest and prepare their next season early. Or they will be doing The Ice (I wish) or Stars on ice Japan. Or they want to make the World team trophy and it would be too much work.

Add. Seems they were interviewed for NBC, for wednesday https://twitter.com/TomEschenJr/status/828778803480649728

 

[DDNatalia]

If in fact they aren't doing the Stars on Ice tour, I would assume they are just being selective with how they use their time during a shorter off season. World Team Trophy likely extends their season into April. The Stars on Ice tour goes almost every weekend throughout May. While it would be a disappointment for fans, arguably they already do more to help promote US skating and for skating fans than just about any of their peers.

The Shibs have a proven track record of going after and creating their own unique opportunities. "Bootcamps" with top dancers and choreographers, getting creative with musicians and artists. As a fan who admires how they approach their craft, I have no doubts that they have unique and creative plans that they will be attacking for their programs next season. Being smart with their time will help them be their best as competitors during the Olympic season.

 

[SCeline]

... arguably they already do more to help promote US skating and for skating fans than just about any of their peers... The Shibs have a proven track record of going after and creating their own unique opportunities. ... I have no doubts that they have unique and creative plans that they will be attacking for their programs next season. Being smart with their time will help them be their best as competitors during the Olympic season.

Couldn't agree more. Partly to respond to an earlier post, I became a fan of the Shibs first because of their off ice presence, before their skating was apparent to me. It was their captivating personalities. Their enthusiasm and joy that was bursting through my social media feed (my profession) when they were at the Olympics that captured my attention. Then, I watched their skating and their performances and story have transitioned me from casual "every 4 years" fan of skating, to year-round enthusiast. I discovered how cool ice dance is, because of them.

It's interesting to me that there are many ways that they defy "convention" in their sport. Like, being siblings, which seems to bring on rigid mindsets and skeptics. Also being Asian. Ice dance is the one discipline where very let's say "traditionally Western" standards regarding appearance weigh so heavily. Asian skaters have simply never had a foothold. The Shibs have had to find their own path. Like others have posted, they blend worlds seamlessly and totally own it. Like, as was mentioned, their loyalty and respect for Russian coaching, with totally "current" sensibilities with style, music, dance which they integrate to make it their own.

I see Maia and Alex as bridge builders. Now and in the future. I'm definitely going to be glued to instagram and their Youtube channel over the coming year, enjoying as the Shibs pop up in cool and unexpected places being their kind and fun-loving selves, bringing the skating world to other worlds, and drawing others like me to the skating world.

 

[chapis]

Gracie skated in the Today Show and it was aired https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Wmd2wmtD4 Seriously!!?? with training clothes and not hairdo. I know is not Gracie´s fault but God, life is unfair, last year the Shibs skated dressed up and we never had the video . It just reaffirms your post SCeline.

 

[chapis]

First time watching the instagram live, I don´t know if they had done this before but it was so uncomfortable for me, there were many stupid, rude and vulgar comments and questions. Poor Shibs, obviously they kept cool as ever. Anyway, I think I understood they are indeed working and improving their FD, they are happy about their SD having so many views on facebook and they are excited about to skate in Korea (4cc). The most annoying feature of Alex to Maia is that he is frequently late and for Alex is annoying that Maia is better than him at a lot of stuff .

Don´t trust my listening 100% .

 

[VGThuy]

They've done one once before and Alex was visibly annoyed at all the vulgar trolling but they laughed about the "not very nice" comments. This time was actually a lot worse but they seem to much more prepared to see such comments and didn't seem phased at all. There were a lot more positive comments though and real questions from newcomers who didn't know much about figure skating.

 

[chapis]

They've done one once before and Alex was visibly annoyed at all the vulgar trolling but they laughed about the "not very nice" comments. This time was actually a lot worse but they seem to much more prepared to see such comments and didn't seem phased at all. There were a lot more positive comments though and real questions from newcomers who didn't know much about figure skating.

oh, I see. And yes, in fact, at the end Alex looked a little annoyed when he said ¨we are real, very real¨, Maia noticed him annoyed and she immediately took the camera and started to say good bye. However they did a good job.

 

[VGThuy]

When I told my fiance about it, he said that's the rule of the Internet. If there's a girl doing anything live, all the comments will be sexual, unless they think she's ugly or fat, then they will tell her to kill herself.

 

[chapis]

When I told my fiance about it, he said that's the rule of the Internet. If there's a girl doing anything live, all the comments will be sexual, unless they think she's ugly or fat, then they will tell her to kill herself.

that is so sad, I don´t wonder why so many celebrities are kind of insane, after deal with so much crap. Fortunately figure skating community and fans are usually nice, their instagram counts are practically praise centers .

 

[SCeline]

Social media is a double edged sword and not for the faint of heart. Maia and Alex have clearly developed 'tough skin' I would think simply from growing up in the world of figure skating. The Shibs are impressive across so many platforms. So much so that you can see other skaters (desperately) trying to mimic their approach. One or two skaters amongst their peer group in particular

 

[VGThuy]

Social media is a double edged sword and not for the faint of heart. Maia and Alex have clearly developed 'tough skin' I would think simply from growing up in the world of figure skating. The Shibs are impressive across so many platforms. So much so that you can see other skaters (desperately) trying to mimic their approach. One or two skaters amongst their peer group in particular

Notice that too, eh? I think the other skaters amongst their peer group are just taking a more active approach now. They have a new website and everything, so I'm sure it's part of their new branding, which is really smart.

 

[flippedstargirl]

Well, we get a chance to see how well they handle facebook live tomorrow hopefully not too many trolls... but I don't really trust people...

 

[VGThuy]

Well, we get a chance to see how well they handle facebook live tomorrow hopefully not too many trolls... but I don't really trust people...

Yep. For anyone interested, Maia and Alex will be doing a Facebook Live event on the Olympic Facebook page today at 1:30 PM EST.

 

[DreamsofBliss]

Here's the local news piece that aired yesterday. (they mentioned it on their Team USA instagram story)

 

[VGThuy]

You can find a copy of their live stream here:

https://www.facebook.com/OlympicChannel/videos/vb.1430238910623206/1736781086635652/?type=3&theater

They answered some good questions and did two demonstrations on the ice.

 

[sap5]

Is there a copy of the instagram live piece as well?

 

[VGThuy]

Is there a copy of the instagram live piece as well?

Nah, I think that's gone forever. It's like Snapchat.

 

[sap5]

You can find a copy of their live stream here:

https://www.facebook.com/OlympicChannel/

They answered some good questions and did two demonstrations on the ice.

They did an amazing job! So professional, in a difficult medium.

 

[kittyjake5]

Great job!

 

[VGThuy]

The Shibs have a few nice mentions in this Gracie Gold article:

http://web.icenetwork.com/news/2017/02/09/215585806

"I guess it's a gut feeling," Gold said. "I really feel it's the place for me. There's a good feeling there. Patrick [Chan] and the Shibutanis seem so happy. I just know it's right."
...
Sharing the ice with longtime friends Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, the two-time U.S. ice dance champions, and Canada's Chan, a three-time world champion, is a big part of Canton's appeal.

"They all have that kind of cool, calm and collected feel," Gold said. "Everyone goes into the rink to skate on their own terms, nothing extra. Training for worlds there is like training for any other competition -- it could be Champs Camp or Skate Detroit. There's no drama. Marina has created such a great environment."