Canadian Ladies 2017-18 season news & updates

[tony]

I think a lot of people are expecting a very literal translation of Swan Lake from Osmond when, as pointed out, she's using the music and concept from Black Swan. Yes, same music but the movie has a theme of the nice and dark sides of somebody rather than just being about a ballet. In that sense, I think Kaetlyn does well to show really graceful moments mixed with powerful, angsty moments. And to her credit, she's capable of both.

In any event, I noticed that the top skaters continually get scrutinized for their music choices and themes because they don't exactly match peoples' conceptions of what they should be. If everyone was literally copying every ballet, the programs would really all look the same.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

I think a lot of people are expecting a very literal translation of Swan Lake from Osmond when, as pointed out, she's using the music and concept from Black Swan. Yes, same music but the movie has a theme of the nice and dark sides of somebody rather than just being about a ballet. In that sense, I think Kaetlyn does well to show really graceful moments mixed with powerful, angsty moments. And to her credit, she's capable of both.

In any event, I noticed that the top skaters continually get scrutinized for their music choices and themes because they don't exactly match peoples' conceptions of what they should be. If everyone was literally copying every ballet, the programs would really all look the same.

Amen!

 

[coppertop1]

So Alaine's family bought tickets when the season just started? Wow. Ever heard of not counting your chickens? That's insane. I could understand of Kaetlyn or Gabby's family did that. They were a lock. What will the Chartrands do with those tickets now?

I feel for Alaine but she didn't get the job done. A definite change is needed.

 

[Tinami Amori]

I think a lot of people are expecting a very literal translation of Swan Lake from Osmond when, as pointed out, she's using the music and concept from Black Swan. Yes, same music but the movie has a theme of the nice and dark sides of somebody rather than just being about a ballet. In that sense, I think Kaetlyn does well to show really graceful moments mixed with powerful, angsty moments. And to her credit, she's capable of both.

In any event, I noticed that the top skaters continually get scrutinized for their music choices and themes because they don't exactly match peoples' conceptions of what they should be. If everyone was literally copying every ballet, the programs would really all look the same.

Well, tell that to Zagitova's haters ... (and Zagitova has more "ballet" in her programme than Osmond).

 

[Habs]

I could understand of Kaetlyn or Gabby's family did that. They were a lock.

Alaine should have been a lock, too

 

[Seerek]

I feel for Alaine but she didn't get the job done. A definite change is needed.

The change was needed back in September at Autumn Classic when 5 of the long program jumps where under-rotated or downgraded. Michelle L. probably needs to go.

 

[fan]

OMG wow. Insanity.

I heard her dad is very intense. Way too involved in her career. I wonder if this is part of the problem. Also is she not spending time anymore at the Cricket Club with Orser?

Not for about 2 Years now

 

[mag]

The change was needed back in September at Autumn Classic when 5 of the long program jumps where under-rotated or downgraded. Michelle L. probably needs to go.

A change was needed 3 years ago. The big difference, IMHO, between Chartrand and Austman is the stability and support of a club. My at Nationals told me that Austman had the good fortune to come in the fall of 2015 from her short break from skating to a club where her mom is a coach and where the club was willing to put everything they had into supporting her and making this dream come true. I am sure that both athletes work extremely hard and both have access to high quaility coaching. Chartrand, unfortunately did/does not appear to have this stable base to work from. My understanding is that parents and other skaters at the club have all worked tirelessly to support Austman. In an individual sport it is very unusual thing and it’s affect can certainly not be underestimated. I hope if Alaine is to continue, she finds a home in one training center. Maybe this disappointment will be her “Mirai” moment and we will see her re emerge with renewed focus and drive.

 

[Osmond4gold]

A change was needed 3 years ago. The big difference, IMHO, between Chartrand and Austman is the stability and support of a club. My at Nationals told me that Austman had the good fortune to come in the fall of 2015 from her short break from skating to a club where her mom is a coach and where the club was willing to put everything they had into supporting her and making this dream come true. I am sure that both athletes work extremely hard and both have access to high quaility coaching. Chartrand, unfortunately did/does not appear to have this stable base to work from. My understanding is that parents and other skaters at the club have all worked tirelessly to support Austman. In an individual sport it is very unusual thing and it’s affect can certainly not be underestimated. I hope if Alaine is to continue, she finds a home in one training center. Maybe this disappointment will be her “Mirai” moment and we will see her re emerge with renewed focus and drive.

Thanks mag, and agreed with your position re change. I have been suggesting online for over 2 years now that it is time to move away from Michelle and co. Just those reactions by her coach in the KnC were enough for me to say, "come on people, this young lady has so much potential and is in pain at the moment. Please support!"

Maybe even a location and venue might be in order. Edmonton, Montreal, Colorado, or California thinking...

 

[Rafter]

Not for about 2 Years now

Hmm I wonder if Orser didn’t like the involvement of Daddy.

 

[barbarafan]

Hmm I wonder if Orser didn’t like the involvement of Daddy.

No inside info but...it seems to me if it was Orser's idea for her to leave it would be that he told her she was not improving because she was rink/coach hopping in 3 places and whatever she was improving she lost as soon as she left Cricket so he might have advised her to pick one place and work her a**ss off there.

 

[pinky166]

So their presumption becomes her emergency .

No kidding. The poor girl. No wonder she seems so stressed all the time. Qualifying for the team is one thing but also it’s a sport and there’s the chance she could get injured. Buying tickets that far in advance just seems unwise unless the family was planning on going whether she made the team or not.

 

[WildRose]

Poor Alaine. Skating at that level is tough enough without having her whole family on her back while she was doing it. Too much pressure.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

No kidding. The poor girl. No wonder she seems so stressed all the time. Qualifying for the team is one thing but also it’s a sport and there’s the chance she could get injured. Buying tickets that far in advance just seems unwise unless the family was planning on going whether she made the team or not.

Poor Alaine.

That reminds me of the chapter on gymnast, Kristie Phillips, from Joan Ryan's book, Little Girls In Pretty Boxes.

As her health was crumbling and her chances of making the 1988 Olympic Team were getting smaller and smaller, Phillips had to listen to friends and family talk about how they had already booked their tickets to see her compete in Seoul.

 

[fan]

Hmm I wonder if Orser didn’t like the involvement of Daddy.

Daddy only coached when orser wasn’t around

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

I think a lot of people are expecting a very literal translation of Swan Lake from Osmond when, as pointed out, she's using the music and concept from Black Swan. Yes, same music but the movie has a theme of the nice and dark sides of somebody rather than just being about a ballet. In that sense, I think Kaetlyn does well to show really graceful moments mixed with powerful, angsty moments. And to her credit, she's capable of both.

In any event, I noticed that the top skaters continually get scrutinized for their music choices and themes because they don't exactly match peoples' conceptions of what they should be. If everyone was literally copying every ballet, the programs would really all look the same.

Absolutely! The snobby ballet aficionados expect ballet on ice,but this is ice skating. Osmond's Swan Lake is expertly done, and deserves Olympic gold.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum,ladies and gentlemen,I present Alena Zagitova.

-BB

 

[StasiyaGalustyanLove]

Absolutely! The snobby ballet aficionados expect ballet on ice,but this is ice skating. Osmond's Swan Lake is expertly done, and deserves Olympic gold.

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum,ladies and gentlemen,I present Alena Zagitova.

-BB

This is a wonderful point and I agree very much with it! My wife and I do not like going to the ballet and we also don't like classical movies or weird foreign movies that you have to read like a book. That is not what entertains me! I prefer figure skating, table tennis (just like Galustyan!), and shopping for pant suits with my wife.

Kaetlyn Osmond is a wonderful skater ballerina or not and I think the look of a mature lady on the ice is sensational! I worry also that if Alina wins the Olympics she may wind up with the same fate as Oksana Baiul and become a terrible criminal and a train wreck in the future! If there's one thing I don't like to see, it's a promising young person turn into a train wreck!

 

[Tinami Amori]

If there's one thing I don't like to see, it's a promising young person turn into a train wreck!

Then i hope no-one gave you a mirror for Christmas.

 

[StasiyaGalustyanLove]

Then i hope no-one gave you a mirror for Christmas.

Ouch, that's a harsh burn! But I guess I deserved it for making so many controversial posts here!

Anyway, my wife and I are going to be rooting for all the Canadian ladies at the Olympics! We have been looking up recipes for slow cooker poutine to make when NBC shows the skaters on prime time!

 

[Rock2]

This whole ballet discussion is a fair point but certainly not one I was caught up in....or saw many dwelling on.

I'm all for having your own interpretation of any music. I mean we have to, for all the godforsaken warhorses that are used time and time again.

My particular point is that KO's interpretation of Black Swan feels about 9.0 to me; the choreo is excellent but her believability relative to the character she is creating falls just a bit short as I see it. As mentioned, I hope she finds one more level in both TES and PCS (mostly PE and IN) because she'll need it if the field skates well.

 

[aftershocks]

... but her believability relative to the character she is creating falls just a bit short as I see it.

Uh, perhaps another choice of words would be best...

What will the Chartrands do with those tickets now?

Sell them to Michael Marinaro's parents when the latter's Go Fund Me campaign reaches the needed amount?

 

[honey]

This press release says Chartrand is coached by Joanne McLeod.

https://skatecanada.ca/2018/01/cana...four-continents-figure-skating-championships/

Not to sound rude, but I think she’d have been better off staying with Michelle Leigh if this was the change she was going to make...

But maybe any change would be good for Alaine at this point. I remember Annie Bellemare improving under McLeod and I was dubious of that change as well.

 

[coppertop1]

With all that

Poor Alaine.

That reminds me of the chapter on gymnast, Kristie Phillips, from Joan Ryan's book, Little Girls In Pretty Boxes.

As her health was crumbling and her chances of making the 1988 Olympic Team were getting smaller and smaller, Phillips had to listen to friends and family talk about how they had already booked their tickets to see her compete in Seoul.

With all that pressure, it's little wonder sometimes at are secretly relieved to not make the Olympic Team. As I said, ever heard of don't count your chickens.

This press release says Chartrand is coached by Joanne McLeod.

https://skatecanada.ca/2018/01/cana...four-continents-figure-skating-championships/

Not to sound rude, but I think she’d have been better off staying with Michelle Leigh if this was the change she was going to make...

But maybe any change would be good for Alaine at this point. I remember Annie Bellemare improving under McLeod and I was dubious of that change as well.

McLeod? Interesting.

 

[Erin]

Oh no...I wanted a change for Alaine but not this. McLeod is not going to help her fix underrotated jumps.

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

With all that pressure, it's little wonder sometimes at are secretly relieved to not make the Olympic Team. As I said, ever heard of don't count your chickens.

I sometimes wonder that myself.

McLeod? Interesting.

Urgh. That explains volumes.

 

[coppertop1]

Did Alaine change coaches after Canadians or before?

 

[barbarafan]

Oh no...I wanted a change for Alaine but not this. McLeod is not going to help her fix underrotated jumps.

Maybe it is a mistake. Her ISU bio still reads Kristy Krall and Michelle Leigh

 

[Sylvia]

Did Alaine change coaches after Canadians or before?

Michelle Leigh and Christy Krall were with her at Canadians. We'll know soon enough after she competes at 4CC.

ETA: I'm told that Joanne McLeod is with Chartrand in Taipei.

 

[Osmond4gold]

Michelle Leigh and Christy Krall were with her at Canadians. We'll know soon enough after she competes at 4CC.

ETA: I'm told that Joanne McLeod is with Chartrand in Taipei.

Perhaps it's just a case where Michelle was not able to make it and the Team asked Joanne as a favour, given she was there with Kevin. One can hope, right. Sylvia?

 

[fsfann]

*sigh*. Of all the places to go......