Vanessa James | Morgan Cipres

[aftershocks]

I wish they might pick a tune from the Romeo Must Die soundtrack for the short, as I mentioned above in post #86.

 

[aftershocks]

New pics on Vanessa's Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTbySDKFZ5g/?taken-by=vanessa_james_sk8&hl=en
"All that muscle in one room!" I'd add: All that gorgeous in one room!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTXrlVblHCD/?taken-by=vanessa_james_sk8&hl=en
"Together, anything is possible"

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTggYJClhr6/?taken-by=vanessa_james_sk8&hl=en
"Diversity = Beauty" Great looking team! Great looking people! Kisses for Jeremy B and Lucy!
And it looks like Weaver/Poje are getting choreo from John Z's camp in Florida (John Kerr) Yum!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTo9qujFkaj/?taken-by=vanessa_james_sk8&hl=en
Awww "Goodbye old programs ... Hello Olympic programs..." Be amazing!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUk415RleTq/?taken-by=vanessa_james_sk8&hl=en
Hot! Hot! Hot!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUk9OGPl0zk/?taken-by=vanessa_james_sk8&hl=en
"That moment ... of now or never!"

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUN0TdEFKId/?taken-by=vanessa_james_sk8&hl=en
New haircut for the new season...

 

[Mad for Skating]

Ooh, she's joining the "short-haired pair girl" trend. Love it!

 

[Sylvia]

Their performance at Skate for Hope (June 17, 2017 in Wesley Chapel, Florida): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DDZdoFpOJU

ETA - local Florida news segment on them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wOhJFqCAZPM

 

[Mad for Skating]

Nice! Wish they would break the news about their programs sometime soon; I'm impatient!

 

[Mad for Skating]

Just a random thought, but don't you think Vanessa and Morgan would be great skating to "Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran? It's sexy and in the ballpark of their past two SP's. Thoughts?

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

ISU: Featured Interview: Vanessa James & Morgan Cipres (FRA)

10 Aug 2017 - Lausanne, Switzerland

http://www.isu.org/en/single-and-pa...red-interview-vanessa-james-morgan-cipres-fra

After an outstanding season which saw them on the podium at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships, Vanessa James & Morgan Cipres head into the 2017/2018 season aiming for an Olympic Medal.

LOTS OF GREAT QUESTIONS in this interview including....

Q: What can you tell us about your new programs?
V: Our new programs suit us. We didn't try to copy or keep the same style as last year, though a lot of people asked us to keep our programs. Both styles of each program are very different with more transitions than last year. We both are completely in love with the themes, songs and choreography.

Q: What are your plans after the Olympic season?
M: We won’t continue until the next Olympic Games, that’s too long for us. Maybe one year after the Games, that depends on how next year goes and if we’re still skating well and we we’re still enjoying it.

(I got the impression Morgan maybe would want to continue, but not Vanessa.)

 

[cocotaffy]

Here is their new hot hot hot SP Absolutely loved it. The starting sequence was They're clearly more confident, they have a sleek look and have really smoking transitions. Way to start their season.

 

[nimi]

^ Not only did they and their tricks look good, the actual skating looked good too! I thought the step sequence was actually one of the highlights of the program and one of the most enjoyable ones I remember seeing in pairs recently. I like that when the music starts to grow and pick up pace, they can actually keep up! A couple of years ago, I never thought I'd be looking forward to seeing a step sequence by J/C again...

 

[Kultakissu]

I know exactly what you mean, nimi!! I was so wowed by that stsq; it was so smooth and so in sync. Their programme is definitely my favourite sp this season (for now)

 

[angi]

Their SP is my favorite of the season so far! They were a bit off in some parts (and they really do need costumes lol) but the potential is huge and John Kerr's choreography is amazing and really fits them like a glove. Great job on their part (and they should have been closer to D/R imo since R double footed his jump and it went unnoticed by the judges)

 

[~tapdancer~]

Their SP is my favorite of the season so far! They were a bit off in some parts (and they really do need costumes lol) but the potential is huge and John Kerr's choreography is amazing and really fits them like a glove. Great job on their part (and they should have been closer to D/R imo since R double footed his jump and it went unnoticed by the judges)

I saw that double foot, too, and wondered why it wasn't noticed! Was pretty obvious, imo. I enjoyed J/C way more than D/R.

 

[MarieM]

Well I think I prefer last season's FP but this season's great too.
Best attempt at th4S too

When will they have their costumes?

 

[aftershocks]

Here is their new hot hot hot SP Absolutely loved it. The starting sequence was They're clearly more confident, they have a sleek look and have really smoking transitions. Way to start their season.

I think J/C are looking very comfortable and riding on their momentum from last season. Their team has come up with new programs that are just right for them. I really enjoy both programs, and I love Vanessa's new short hairstyle, as well as Morgan's cut (which Vanessa executed ) I hope these programs steadily build and that they fine-tune and get stronger and stronger.

They have great programs to build on with lots of new touches and features in both programs. I'm so glad they brought back Vanessa's head first leap into Morgan's arms in the sp, and created that unusual entry into a death spiral in the fp, and new positions and exits on lifts. I love the same dramatic ending lift in fp but with slightly different twists on entry and on the dismount -- very cool. I actually feel that both programs are 'saying something' quite emotional and meaningful about their partnership and their relationship on and off the ice. In particular, the lyrics to Say Something, seem as if Vanessa is saying a complicated 'Goodbye' in a way, if in fact she retires after this season: "Say something, I'm giving up on you. I'll be the one if you want me too... Anywhere I would have followed you... And I would swallow my pride. You're the one that I love, saying goodbye. Goodbye." I don't think they have made any decisions quite yet whether this will be it, or if they might come back together for one more season. But the lyrics do say a lot.

Boy does J/C joining up with Zimmerman show how important it is to have just the right match with a coaching team that strikes a smokin' hot fire of success. Lots of good luck to Vanessa & Morgan this season!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcjLk9Gi5Qg fp ACI 2017

 

[Mad for Skating]

Do Vanessa and Morgan ever wear anything but black? Just curious...such a pretty lady would look good in so many colors, why the neutral palette?

 

[firstflight]

From both of their Instagram stories the past few weeks, I'm convinced Morgan is allergic to shirts

 

[synian]

but in this exhibition from 2011 he has one !!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op8huOSYLHo

 

[cgirl8]

Ted Flett/Golden Skate interview following their win at ACI last week https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7Lyke6pE5Q

 

[aftershocks]

^^ Yes I was coming here to post this same wonderful interview with Vanessa & Morgan! It's so good that I will also post it in the pairs thread if it isn't there already.

My God, they are so candid and refreshing. Vanessa's discussion of training the quad and how they are approaching it, and comparing her technique to Meagan's is so enlightening. Wow, I just bow down with respect more and more to skaters whenever I learn the nitty-gritty behind-the-scenes daily grind details of what they do in order to compete, and to make the tough, next-to-impossible stuff look oh so easy on the ice!

It's also cool how they show respect to Meagan and Eric, and describe what it's been like training with them.

Vanessa & Morgan are so good that they seem to enhance the interviewer (Ted Flett) and make him look good too. Of course, Ted asks some good questions generally. But I love how articulate and engaging and honest Vanessa et Morgan are. The part where Ted asks if they are considering a quad twist, and Vanessa looks at the camera and goes NO!

Then Vanessa explains how hard it is just to do a 3-twist, and how long she and Morgan worked on improving their 3-twist. Once again, it brings home to me just how hard it is to be a pairs skater. It's tough skating as a singles skater too, but I think being a pairs skater is double the difficulty, and as a fan I will admit taking skaters, and especially pairs skaters a bit for granted. If I do, I know a lot of other people do, because my tendency is more to try and understand the difficulty of what skaters go through. But seriously, I have to take a step back and realize that I (and many of us) have a lot of high expectations of the skaters we love without realizing how hard they have to work to be good, and how extra hard they must work to attain consistency and to reach a higher competitive level. Oh my!

So Vanessa realizes that she will be two-footing until she can gradually become more comfortable to the point of landing a quad throw on one foot. Her main goal right now is to stand up on it and gradually get the feel and control to land it on one foot. And Morgan was cute in pointing out that it's a team effort. They both must be in a good mood and prepared and fit and in sync because the timing that's required is so precise. Ahhhmazing! I'm sure that's why Savchenko/Massot are finding it difficult to land the 3-axel, although it's clear S/M have improved to where Aliona is gaining a lot of distance on the throw. Now she needs greater control.

 

[Sylvia]

Re-posting from the French Nationals thread:

from FFSG : James/Ciprès have withdrawn, bad fall during practice.

:-/

Paul Peret (@paul_peret) on Twitter:
"James-Cipres out from French Nationals. A bad fall during a quad throw attempt at practice in Nantes yesterday. Her left shoulder is injured"

Hope it's not too serious and she will be OK for the upcoming big events!

This article was published on Dec. 7: http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2017/dec/07/james-and-cipres-prepare-french-nationals/

 

[millyskate]

Oh no! What horrible news.

 

[Sylvia]

Follow-up tweet: https://twitter.com/paul_peret/status/940968158659301376
"It should be ok. Just precaution. She was able to resume training today, by herself. No Pairs lifts for instance"

 

[cocotaffy]

Great, I feel better, would be so crushing if they couldn't go to the Olympics. Hope she recovers swiftly.

 

[Miloune]

I hope what they say is true and that it's only a precaution! *Prayer circle*

What is it with this year and all the injuries!?

 

[clairecloutier]

Here's an article written before James/Cipres had to withdraw from French Nationals:

http://amsterdamnews.com/news/2017/...repare-french-nationals/#.Wi2_pxLDBdR.twitter

Revealed: Vanessa frequently makes lunch and dinner for Morgan, to make sure he's eating healthy.

 

[Mad for Skating]

Well this sucks for them, but if anyone can get up and fight, it's Vanessa. I don't mean to throw hate around but Morgan should throw more carefully; he throws her like a sack of feed and such force is bound to get her hurt.

 

[barbarafan]

Well this sucks for them, but if anyone can get up and fight, it's Vanessa. I don't mean to throw hate around but Morgan should throw more carefully; he throws her like a sack of feed and such force is bound to get her hurt.

I actually had not seen that ...but I will look. I know when Peng got thrown in the quads your sentence above fit perfectly and I always remember Maxim T. saying he would stick with the quad twist and not the throw as with the twist he was right under Tatiana and she would land on him so he could protect her but when he throws her there is nothing he can do once he lets go and he was not willing to take the chance of anything happening to her...I have totally loved him ever since.

 

[Mad for Skating]

@barbarafan agree. I notice Morgan's free foot comes up quite high when he throws, he should try to keep it down so he doesn't tip over! Vanessa is not a heavy object to throw!

 

[barbarafan]

@barbarafan agree. I notice Morgan's free foot comes up quite high when he throws, he should try to keep it down so he doesn't tip over! Vanessa is not a heavy object to throw!

I guess he is trying to throw her both far and high...Another of Maxim's truisms ...In order for the girl to land safely you throw her more up than out..that way she has time to finish her rotations and check herself and line up but if she is thrown far it is too hard to land without injury. Physics is unchanging..so marks for a safe quad throw have very little diff. from a triple throw with both height and huge difference. I so wish people would hire Maxim to travel to pairs rinks and teach seminars for pairs on how to be both brilliant and safe. There are some people that are more cat than human but not so much.

 

[Mad for Skating]

@barbarafan yes, it would be great if everyone could master the Maxim Trankov technique. Vladimir Morozov seems to have it nailed. I know Morgan is trying to do a good throw but I can't help noticing his form. Hopefully they work on it.