2025 Cup of China Free Dance PBP - Grabbing The Bull By The Scores

[tony]

Wow, should've watched this prior to this competition seeing how in love I was with their 'part one'. So many great highlights, that stiffness she shows in the rotational lift and his dropping her down- wonderful. One foot steps were so close together. Choreo slide was also brilliant. The choreo dance lift slowness in getting it up also works for the music.

I will say the music having barely anything going on allows them to do very minimal stuff between the actual elements and it somewhat fits, they aren't fooling me but I still feel like they have a winner again this year. Even with the veryyyy similar cut until the end. I think the end does kinda just fizzle out, though.

 

[tony]

We like to complain what can I say.

Also I was 7 in 1994 what teams are these?

Tonya and Josee of course!

 

[skatingguy]

Olivia Smart/Tim Dieck
Rank after RD: 6
Coach: R. Haguenauer, M.F. Dubreuil, P. Lauzon
Music: Dune Part Two by Hans Zimmer

Rotational Lift 4
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
One Foot Turns W:3 M:3
Choreo Sliding Movement
Dance Spin 4
Curve Lift 4 + Curve Lift 4
Serpentine Step Sequence W:3 M:3
Choreo Dance Lift
Choreo Character Step Sequence

Often times skaters get themselves into unusual positions to start the program, and then just stand up and start skating. Not this team, and not only did they use the opening position to create the opening moves of the program but also as the entry in their rotational lift, which was just stunning. Doing a sequel to a big hit is always a risk because you have to keep the feel of the first part, but also build on it, and this program does just that.

120.14 = 1st Place
187.51 = 1st Place

 

[Bunny Hop]

Smart/Dieck - Their Dune program was so good last year, I almost don't want to watch this one in case of disappointment.

That opening move is really neat! Twizzles look good.

Did not hate the choreo slide.

Oh wow - that slow lift onto his back is awesome.

I need not have worried. Maybe not as good as Dune I but it still flew by and I thought it was fantastic. They seem to have been working on their edges as well.

 

[Braulio]

Program still works, lots of moments where you get nice pictures, GOE for the choreo elements could be higher

Incredible feature during the curve lift + curve lift

 

[Marta24]

I prefer the original to the sequel, but still a great programme for them.

 

[Belsornia]

Smart/Dieck’s choreo lift is both ugly and showed impressive core strength. They are great at building atmosphere but the skating itself felt a little sticky again today, not that you could tell from the tech score. Callers today seem more generous on twizzles than at most of the challengers.

 

[thvu]

Dune v1 > Dune v2

The curve/curve combination lift felt awkward and messy. It looks like she struggles to get into position in the 2nd curve lift.

The elements just don't have the same effect with the music, even though they seemingly try to recreate the same program beats as v1. Just doesn't land nearly as well IMO.

 

[Karen-W]

I really do think they've done so well with this Dune Part II FD - the way they've changed/extended some of the elements including that one combo lift where she was hunched over his back last season and now he's holding her upright by the boots to end it is really remarkable.

 

[Jay42]

I do think they looked better tonight than they did last night.

Also while I do think this isn't quite cooked yet, I do think the risk of sequelling themselves will pay off throughout this season. It's a solid program.

Also now I can say both their programs are the most I've ever wanted to watch either Dune movie. When they're done skating I forget about watching them again.

 

[Braulio]

120 points, SB

 

[Bunny Hop]

Also now I can say both their programs are the most I've ever wanted to watch either Dune movie. When they're done skating I forget about watching them again.

Technically I've watched both movies. The first one was fine but I wasn't gripped and the second one I don't remember anything about at all. I actually prefer the crazy 1984 version with Kyle MacLachlan.

 

[MacMadame]

I am not sure how I feel about Dune II. Except for that lift entrance! That was amazing.

 

[NinjaTurtles]

It’s a true Part II. Perhaps Part I is better, but II is enjoyable and brings some new shapes and movements.

 

[Karen-W]

The ISU bio for LimQuan can't be right - it says they're skating to Adagio for Strings but he's dressed like an extra from some war movie.

 

[Braulio]

the program is good, but of course it will always go to the comparison with Dune 1.0 that will have the WOW factor as a plus, the one who hits first will always hit twice

 

[tony]

The ISU bio for LimQuan can't be right - it says they're skating to Adagio for Strings but he's dressed like an extra from some war movie.

I mean Platoon featured it pretty famously

 

[Karen-W]

Vadym biffs his twizzles during the warm-up - let's hope that's just getting the bad juju out of his system now.

 

[Bunny Hop]

I'd seen the discussion on Chock's costume but hadn't had a chance to look at the pictures. I don't mind the skirt (although I can see it being a hazard) but that top part is just odd.

 

[Karen-W]

I mean Platoon featured it pretty famously

I can state with all honesty that I've never seen Platoon and never had much desire to do so, but that does make sense, so thank you for the explanation.

 

[tony]

Speaking of all those years together, I remember WAY back to the first Skate Canada Madison and Evan did together. Back in those days, SC was exploring live streams of practices with Debbie Wilkes and I don't remember who else. Anyways, you could text comments to them and they read most of them on the air. Debbie was going on and on about never having seen either of them before so I texted that she had won a medal in the event with her old partner the year before. She read it word for word and then was flabbergasted for a minute.

 

[skatingguy]

Chris inventing a third Korea.

 

[tony]

Ruining one of the most brilliant pieces of music with THIS.

 

[tony]

He has an Anthony Ponomarenko thing going on for me where his upper body is so rigid and she's so fluid so they never really are matching. Now that they have this terrible vocal version in the middle I have no idea what the program is trying to go for. Most of the elements don't really fit the music at all, either.

Actually the fact that more than half of the program is this shrieking is just disgusting.

 

[MacMadame]

There were some great lifts in there. The rest of the program is fine. It's fine.

 

[Karen-W]

Well, that was quite lovely from LimQuan. Not sure they'll maintain their lead over SmaDie with TES around 4 points lower & the judges will certainly do the rest to close the gap with PCS.

 

[Jay42]

This program would work better without the vocals. I'm usually a vocals defender but that was so unnecessary.

 

[skatingguy]

Hannah Lim/Ye Quan
Rank after RD: 5
Coach: B. Brisebois, M.F. Dubreuil, P. Lauzon
Music: Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber

Rotational Lift 4
One Foot Turns W:3 M:3
Curve Lift 4
Dance Spin 4
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
Diagonal Step Sequence W:3 M:2
Straight Line Lift 4
Choreo Hydroblading Movement
Choreo Character Step Sequence
Choreo Dance Lift

Pretty generic romantic program. Ye Quan is kind of boxy generally so I guess the uniform just uses his natural shape. This does not seem like the kind of program they need to break through, but that's probably a next year problem.

112.11 = 2nd Place
185.79 = 2nd Place

 

[Belsornia]

Lim/Quan - There’s more storytelling going on than when they debuted this programme, which plays to their strengths, but overall this is a rather forgettable FD. Really liked the new lift at the start, and another very well delivered skate for them.

 

[thvu]

I hated the music change, but Lim & Quan didn't start interpreting the music until the adagio wailing.

This was really ill-fitting for them, unless the goal was a "growth" program to push them out of their comfort zones. A program like this needs longing, heartbreak, that sense of feeling the world is unfair. I really got nothing emotionally from them.