The Shibutanis Thread 4: Ready for Paradise

[VGThuy]

He’s a very tough caller. He doesn’t hesitate to give level 2s or even level 1s. Unless the Shibs really impress him and hit their steps without any doubt, then he won’t hesitate to give them level 2s on their no touch step, partial step, etc. His level 2 call of their partial step is what gave them their fifth place showing at the 2017 Worlds SD as they would have been third otherwise and opened the door for the judging panel to lowball them in the FD because the established scores they received that season had been abandoned and it was an open game for whatever to happen. He also decided to take a more hands-off approach in the FD since the damage was already done.

In the past, he has been accused of being biased towards Igor’s teams (from the time people felt he lowballed Delobel/Schoenfelder in the early stages of IJS in favor of Belbin/Agosto). Some accused him of using his power as a tech caller to get results that he wants. As of late it seems he’s been really impressed with the Montreal teams. I do think Montreal is probably hammering home edge work and making sure they hit levels in a way not even Igor, the former master of TES, is doing. I hope Marina and Massimo have prepared the Shibs for this after Worlds last year. I suspect their total TES score may be lower than H/D’s because everything is political in ice dance and certain messages will be sent.

 

[Mrs. P]

We'll see I guess. I'm hoping for good things.

 

[VGThuy]

I’m just going to try to enjoy the Shibs performance (probably skip the PBP and gloating if Shibs score lower than H/D’s scores elsewhere since this forum is basically a P/C and H/D fan site now).

 

[MRani]

Nothing can ever be easy for Shibutanis, can it? I thought after they survived Russia it would be smooth sailing at SA and their best chance to get a PB score but apparently not.

Any chance the American ATS can mitigate some of the damage to their levels? Or does the ATS usually just go along with whatever the TS says? It’s when the TS and ATS disagree on levels that the TC comes in right?

 

[Mrs. P]

Honestly, though Dostani may have done the Shibs a favor in a weird way. I think it just fueled them to work harder and smarter leading up to the Olympic season.

I won't be surprised if they just toss it back at his face and say, "Just try to give us a level 2."

ETA: And as annoying for us fans that they seem to go excessive amounts of adversity, I think in a way it's what made the Shibs who they are. I mean just look at the FD -- even low levels there couldn't keep them from earning bronze. The tech panel was practically going to hand bronze H/D and they couldn't capitalize on it.

Again, there's a reason the Shibs have 3 World medals. Their competitive drive/consistency is a product of going through that adversity.

 

[chapis]

Dostatni is the caller for Skate America. I don’t expect level 4s for the Shibs’ step sequences there. Maybe he’ll give them a level 2 or a few because he has something to say.

Oh no . Anyway, here is their practice https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BAXjS7VR-YY

 

[MRani]

Oh no . Anyway, here is their practice https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BAXjS7VR-YY

You da real MVP chapis!
Thanks, you always find these so fast!

They look good. Hopefully they’ll skate that SD so dazzlingly that even Dostatni will have no choice but to give them their due. They should just be fearless and attack their programs without thinking about who’s on the panel. Even if they get lowballed again, they should trust in the training and hard work that’s gotten them this far and keep believing that the results will follow when it counts most. If anyone can rise to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles, it’s them.

I’ll be cheering them on whole-heartedly and can’t wait to see them skate again

 

[Spun Silver]

Oh no . Anyway, here is their practice https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BAXjS7VR-YY

Oh, I didn’t notice before they will be doing their twizzles right under the judges’ noses! Whee!

 

[LilJen]

Well, if Adam wins, there will need to be an investigation,and the vlog can show that.

Does the USADA test for tryptophan levels?

 

[chapis]

You da real MVP chapis!
Thanks, you always find these so fast!

I did not find it. I recorded, well, my mom. I told her, those guys are my favorites, I need you record them, I did not want watch them in the small screen
.

Oh, I didn’t notice before they will be doing their twizzles right under the judges’ noses! Whee!

Actually the judges are in the other side of the rink.

 

[Kultakissu]

Oh nooo they've changed my favourite part of the NTMS

 

[chapis]

Oh nooo they've changed my favourite part of the NTMS

I know

 

[Kultakissu]

I know

Are you talking about this part, too: https://youtu.be/4KpJeA-9Fi4?t=183 ?
I know it's a tiny, tiny movement but I feel like it really works and brings a lovely ballroom touch to the stsq Or did, rather

 

[kittysk8ts]

Just popped in to say Go Shibs and good luck to everyone here!

 

[VGThuy]

Another thing ruined because of level 4 requirements and ice dance restrictions. The ISU is destroying ice dance.

 

[Anyasnake]

Another thing ruined because of level 4 requirements and ice dance restrictions. The ISU is destroying ice dance.

Whatever the levels are, I'll personally watch and rewatch every single step sequences plus the pattern and give my opinion (and compare it with level at CoR too). If the pattern is done AS USUAL (like in practice or CoR) it's a clear level4.
http://www.isuresults.com/results/season1718/gpusa2017/SEG007OF.HTM
Here are the list of judges.

 

[MRani]

I did not find it. I recorded, well, my mom. I told her, those guys are my favorites, I need you record them, I did not want watch them in the small screen

Oh that’s right! I forgot you were going to be at SA. Thanks so much for taking and posting the practice video (special thanks to your mom! ).

 

[chapis]

Are you talking about this part, too: https://youtu.be/4KpJeA-9Fi4?t=183 ?
I know it's a tiny, tiny movement but I feel like it really works and brings a lovely ballroom touch to the stsq Or did, rather

Yes, that part!!. Well, they look great at practice . Fd https://youtu.be/9B7dZ97zY4c

 

[Anyasnake]

They look really good, I can't wait for tomorrow !

 

[chapis]

They practiced that lift of Fix you. That one they changed last season because they were getting L3. And it looks spectacular.

 

[VGThuy]

They re-arranged the last half a bit. Now their diagonal footwork goes in the opposite direction, they added a bit more choreography leading to and in the actual step sequence that makes it a lot better than it was in Rostelecom, and changed the position of their choreographic lift to make the position a bit better. I wonder if they changed the position of their rotational lift as chapis said they were doing that rotational lift from Fix You. I sort of wished they kept their Rostelecom position as it was a different lift and I think would have had a lot of impact if they just changed the position on the ice where they did it.

There was a sense that a lot of the choreography at Rostelecom seemed filler and may not have matched the music that well, but here it seems the moves are much more specific to the music and seems a lot less filler-ish. This version seems more like a finished product than at Rostelecom Cup

Their circular footwork has a very wide pattern as it's almost hitting all four sides of the rink, so that's impressive but I wonder if they could do more choreography if they narrowed the pattern a bit.

 

[MRani]

I love the new position in that ending choreographic lift! It fits the music much better. The new touches of choreo to the step sequences work great too. I have mixed feelings about the return of the Fix You lift. On the one hand, that lift was a showstopper and a huge program
highlight. On the other hand, I love how Maia was reaching towards the sky in the Rostelecom rotation lift. It fit the theme of “Paradise” perfectly. I’d like to see a rotational lift with the Fix You entrance (Maia leaping backwards into Alex’s arms) and the original Paradise exit (Maia reaching upwards with her arm in the final rotations as Alex is about to set her down).

 

[Mrs. P]

So is it just me (or the arena sound system) but I can hear a lot more of the song and there's a bit more complexity of it. And I swore there's a point where you can hear Chris Martin saying "Let's go! (from the live version)?"

 

[caitie]

I really just can’t get behind this FD. I’m trying, but it falls flat for me. Just something about the music and how similar it is to the last two FDs, I guess. The SD I like a lot, though. They are my favorite competing team rn so I’m just bummed I don’t love their Olympic season FD.

 

[suki]

Their circular footwork has a very wide pattern as it's almost hitting all four sides of the rink, so that's impressive but I wonder if they could do more choreography if they narrowed the pattern a bit.

Of course, then their detractors would complain about how "small" they skate. Honestly, the Shibs have both size and speed WITH beautiful posture and positions, but some people just can't accept that fact.

 

[VGThuy]

It's just odd because it's so obviously wide. It seems it's more en vogue to do like a circular pattern that isn't so obvious a circle and playing with the shape these days but the Shibs have decided to do a giant circle around the rink.

 

[Mrs. P]

So the Alex-BTS Army fan fest continues!
https://twitter.com/AlexShibutani/status/934213018258468864
https://twitter.com/AlexShibutani/status/934215968196366336

I love that Alex is making an effort to take fan suggestions and responding to their feedback.

 

[Spun Silver]

To put people in an upbeat mood going into the SD, here are little Mac n Cheese competing at Lake Placid in 2004. The Shib Family Archive comes through again.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb4nupajqCE/?taken-by=alexshibutani

 

[Dobre]

They practiced that lift of Fix you. That one they changed last season because they were getting L3. And it looks spectacular.

It is spectacular. Ooh, I hope they get the level 4 because every time I have seen them do that lift, the crowd stands up!

Sending the Shibs strength, confidence, and joy for today! Y el sentimiento latino.

 

[Firedancer]

So is it just me (or the arena sound system) but I can hear a lot more of the song and there's a bit more complexity of it. And I swore there's a point where you can hear Chris Martin saying "Let's go! (from the live version)?"

There definitely does seem to be more of the song and I heard the “lets go” too. Of course, we are all sitting right next to the sound system too. They looked great in practice yesterday. Excited to see them finally compete today.