2025 Skate Canada Free Dance PBP - I Know What You Did Less One Ear

While in prior seasons the top teams were able to skip the early season events, it was a big mistake this season. They knew they were going to have to go up against FB/C who have been polishing their free a lot longer. So now they’re not being compared against other teams just starting their season, they’re being compared against much more seasoned programs than I think they expected. Also a big part of why R/A have done so well, they had an early start to the season.
 
How about we see how C/B rework their programs first before making pronouncements? :)
It's my opinion of where dance is at. Even with a total rework, C/B aren't overcoming the stuff that has hindered them year after year whether it was called or not and it should show in the GOE and PCS. That needed to be worked on an Olympic cycle ago, but they didn't have competition in the scores.

Do we even know if they are reworking it or is it just going to be another 'we changed the theme because the first one fell flat'?
 
Scoring was low here but they made sure G/P and LaLa got on the podium. I much preferred 2nd and 4th (although CarPon can certainly clean it up some). G/P are not going to come close to winning the Olympics with that. Honestly with FB/C skating like gold and F/G with their star quality, I don't think G/P or Chock/Bates will be on top. Ice Dance will be thrilling, you can be assured of that!
 
So is Skate America where G/P and LaLa meet up next? So 3rd/4th in reverse there?
 
This makes the GPF qualification interesting. Unless something surprising happens, the door has closed for Cpom. LaLa need to win silver at SkAm with a big score of 209.57 to get above RA. And that is without knowing how the Shibs look like.
 
It's my opinion of where dance is at. Even with a total rework, C/B aren't overcoming the stuff that has hindered them year after year whether it was called or not and it should show in the GOE and PCS. That needed to be worked on an Olympic cycle ago, but they didn't have competition in the scores.

Do we even know if they are reworking it or is it just going to be another 'we changed the theme because the first one fell flat'?
Well, seeing as they flew straight from China to NYC for the Team USA 100 Days media summit, I don't think there is any information out there yet about what they may or may not do with the FD. I interpreted @Debbie S' comment to pointing out that we know ChoBat are constantly refining their programs as the season progresses and it may look much improved by SkAm or the GPF.

Personally, I don't see what FBCiz can do to improve their FD - it's already fully baked because they've been working on it for a good 8-9 months now. Yes, they can improve their RD, but the same can be said for ChoBat.

Was it a mistake for teams like ChoBat, GilPoir and GuigFab to not do any pre-GP comps? Definitely. But it isn't as if many of the teams who did pre-GP comps are really hitting the GP looking great & ready save FearGib, ReedAmbru and ZingKol.
 
This makes the GPF qualification interesting. Unless something surprising happens, the door has closed for Cpom. LaLa need to win silver at SkAm with a big score of 209.57 to get above RA. And that is without knowing how the Shibs look like.
LajLag aren't beating CarPon at SkAm. And if the door is closed for CarPon then it's equally closed for ZingKol, despite what some others in this thread seem to believe. ;)
 
Well, I'm not sure what to think or feel. I loved the original Vincent and was hoping that this would bring back all those feelings but, for some reason, it didn't. And, it wasn't just the errors ... the program was just missing something. Even the lift at the end didn't touch me the way it did before. Piper seemed tight and tentative to me in both the RD and FD. Maybe they've just stayed in too long? I hate to say that but it might have something to do with the loss of the "magic" I felt before. Having said all that, it's still very early days in the season for them and things could improve. But .... I'm just not sure this is the right vehicle for them for the OG. Piper's dress was gorgeous as was Paul's shirt. I might give them "best dressed" in the event but then, I truly loved Marjorie and Zach's look as well. Overall, as in the RD, I think the FD I enjoyed watching the most was Marjorie and Zach. The Lithuanians were really good but I'm just not that much into them right now. I'm a little disappointed for Christina and Anthony ... thought they could have had a couple more points here and there.

And here we are .... half way through the GP season already!! Next week will be mostly a "watch on video" event for me as I don't pull the all-nighters for events in Asia. But I will be able to join in "live" for the final 2 events in US and Finland, so that's great.

Bye for now everyone. Have a great week. :)
 
Lim & Quan, what had potential to be a glorious and beautiful free dance is just ruined by the vocal running almost 3 full minutes of this.

A lot of the vocals have been bugging me this week for some reason. I don’t know why, they just often have seemed extraneous.

Going back to Bratti/Somerville, my issue with those who want them to split is it’s pretty clear they had the best skating skills and technical ability in that whole first group, scores aside, so why throw that aside? They’re going through a rough patch. It happens. Just look at Lauriault/LeGac—they had some really rough seasons, now they’re scoring well and favored to make the Oly team.

I keep thinking what a difference it made to Christina Carreira’s career to go to London and work with Madison Hubbell. And I wonder if something similar could happen for Emily. Among other things, they’re just having confidence issues right now, particularly on the twizzles. A fresh start might help with that. And getting better programs.

On another note, I have to eat my previous words on Reed/Ambrulevicius. I was really negative on their free dance earlier this season, the first time I saw it. But it’s improved so much, and they’re really skating great now, so good on them.

I like Piper/Paul’s Vincent redo overall, but the choreo step needs some work. Decent first outing, but I agree with others that they might’ve benefited by doing a Challenger event first.
 
C/B always rework elements in their dances, usually all the way through Nationals. But FB/C are superior on their blades and had several months head start on their programs than all these teams that went to Worlds. I think the only thing keeping me from proclaiming FB/C the dance champs is the wait for her citizenship. C/B seem likely to get another gold in the team event.
 
I believe the vocals for Lim & Quan are "Albinoni's" adagio? That is the most god awful travesty ever because if the entire program was Barber it would be fantastic.

Second time out I find that White Crow music irritating. Still waiting for Lala to have their great program.

Alison and Saulius love that program so it works. Its not like I'd want to listen to that music otherwise, but they are great!
 
I think ISU needs to impose a compulsory show at a Challenger for all the top guns in all disciplines, it is correct for the sport, fans and the skaters
They should not have to be imposed, they're all grown ups and seasoned skaters, they should know they actually need feedback earlier in the season, especially when it's Olys season. I know Olys seasons are long and stressful and as they are not getting any younger they try to protect their shape and health but still... I'm not over Guignard/Fabbri not doing Lombardia Trophy. It was next door, no overdeas travel involved.
 
They should not have to be imposed, they're all grown ups and seasoned skaters, they should know they actually need feedback earlier in the season, especially when it's Olys season. I know Olys seasons are long and stressful and as they are not getting any younger they try to protect their shape and health but still... I'm not over Guignard/Fabbri not doing Lombardia Trophy. It was next door, no overdeas travel involved.

National skating associations could make their skaters commit to their home challenger (if any) or have one per continent (Canada and USA having one) like you mention Charlene and Marco not taking part in Italy?? how? Why? and now they know the result the bad and harsh way.

The Olympic season maybe longer ok, but not that they will have more competitions, average is 2 GP, maybe GP Final, Nationals, Olympics and that will be for most of them, 5 competitions in the span of 5 months and I am talking about ice dance field
 
Look, doing Lombardia the past few seasons did GuigFab no good because they got some really home-cooked, baked scores that did not reflect how their programs were going to be received by an officiating panel not hand-selected by their home fed. But both Nebelhorn and Nepela were totally doable for them with pretty easy travel that involved no change of time zones even. The USFS and Skate Canada are doing their own teams no favors by not having an early season Challenger in North America that includes ice dance, but it isn't as if there aren't plenty of competition opportunities in early October that are pretty accessible from the main NA training bases - Trophee Metropole Nice, Mezzaluna Cup, Budapest Trophy - all of those are reasonable options that don't involve traveling to far eastern Europe or Asia.

Having said that - I do not think it is wise to suggest the ISU require skaters/teams compete in at least one Challenger per season. What if someone is injured and they're only really healed & prepared for competition by the time the GP begins?
 
Piper, who usually over performs and makes all sorts of faces, looked muted today, like someone took all her energy out of her before the programme even started. I'm not sure what was going on, but she was not there. It showed in her posture in everything.

They look undertrained, but this is not the Olympics. I still have hopes for them but I'm tired of having to watch them holding my breath because they have become so inconsistent!!!
 
LajLag aren't beating CarPon at SkAm. And if the door is closed for CarPon then it's equally closed for ZingKol, despite what some others in this thread seem to believe. ;)
Even if CPom edge out LaLa at Skate America, Z/K outscored them by 7 points just in the FD last week, with slightly higher PCS. LaLa doesn’t have to worry about their #2 status in Canada. CPom, we’ll see.

Z/K have already edged out Smart, the Finns will be first time out if they skate at all and a bronze medal is not out of reach at Finlandia.

OTOH either Davis/Smolkin or the Shibs could upset everything by coming in third in Finland. The way this season has been going, who knows.
 

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