Canadian Ice Dance 2016-17 season news & updates

[barbarafan]

Start orders are up for challenge. Piper and Paul are competing, other notable Soucisse and Firus. Mackenzie Bent and Dimitre are not on the list

you did say they had split

 

[Shamus]

Yes. Just in case people thought it was incorrect.

 

[DreamSkates]

V & M are looking mighty fine. Like they haven't missed a beat since taking time off. Amazing. Hats off to them!

 

[Dobre]

Kudos to Taillefer & Chan for winning quite the battle for second place at the Skate Canada Challenge this weekend. The distance between 2nd & 3rd was less than half a point & placements changed after the short. T&C, Stairs & Royer, and Wu & Mirzakhani upset the high scorers on the JGP: Fabbri & Pietrantonio and Whitley & Graham. Evidence, IMO, that comparing dance scores at different competitions isn't all it's cracked up to be. Good luck to all of the teams moving on to Nationals!

1. Lajoie & Lagha
2. Taillefer & Chan
3. Stairs & Royer
4. Wu & Mirzakhani
5. Fabbri & Pietrantonio
6. Whitley & Graham
7. Galiyanova & Tang
8. Gingrich & Brown
9. Han & Lochhead
(etc.)

 

[Zazy]

Lajoie and Lagha look really promising, I think they could do quite well at junior worlds this year, maybe even top 6.

And in senior, G/P were given a world record score at Challenge, surpassing what V/M put out at NHK. I know all the scores are inflated but that's some serious inflation. What kind of feedback can they get from that? Hopefully the scores are a little more reasonable at nationals or else they'll run out of room to have some separation with V/M.

 

[barbarafan]

Lajoie and Lagha look really promising, I think they could do quite well at junior worlds this year, maybe even top 6.

And in senior, G/P were given a world record score at Challenge, surpassing what V/M put out at NHK. I know all the scores are inflated but that's some serious inflation. What kind of feedback can they get from that? Hopefully the scores are a little more reasonable at nationals or else they'll run out of room to have some separation with V/M.

Canadian federation love their national politics. They choose who they want to win and go judges. They scored over 80 on the short dance..There was some funny judging at challenge.

 

[Dobre]

Lajoie and Lagha look really promising, I think they could do quite well at junior worlds this year, maybe even top 6.

I think more likely top 8 or 9. L&L have the 12th highest international SB this season on the junior circuit. They won't have to go up against the fourth, fifth, and sixth place Russian teams, but they will still face the top three Russians and Americans, plus Abachkina & Thauron.

Kuzmich & Sinicyn are in the fight as well, but that should be a closer battle. There is about an 11 point spread between the sixth place SB and L&L's at the moment, a 9 point spread between them and seventh place, and a three point spread between the Czechs and L&L. Kuzmich & Sinicyn earned that score at home.

Not 100% certain that K&S will attend Junior Worlds. I think it's the most likely scenario, but they are trying to bridge the senior gap this season, and it's plausible--though not likely--they could win at home, defeat Mansour & Ceska at Europeans, and opt to go to Senior Worlds only. I suspect K&S might go to both Junior Worlds and Senior Worlds, though, if the latter is a possibility.

In any case, L&L do look stronger than at the beginning of the season. I can see them passing the Czechs on their own power, and mistakes certainly happen. Anything above 9th will be a success, relative to the JGP. On the plus side, L&L currently have about an 8 point SB lead over the next highest junior team, Golubtsova & Belobrov from Belarus.

 

[yurokis40]

Canadian federation love their national politics. They choose who they want to win and go judges. They scored over 80 on the short dance..There was some funny judging at challenge.

Gilles and Poirier have awesome programs this year they should be at the gp final this year yes Piper had a twizzle error in the short at trophee de France but their fd was criminally underscored to make way for the third american dance team this year who have a horrible sd this year and a syrupy saccharine fd anyway i predict Piper and Paul will beat hubbel and Donahue at four continents if the event is judged fairly.

 

[barbarafan]

Gilles and Poirier have awesome programs this year they should be at the gp final this year yes Piper had a twizzle error in the short at trophee de France but their fd was criminally underscored to make way for the third american dance team this year who have a horrible sd this year and a syrupy saccharine fd anyway i predict Piper and Paul will beat hubbel and Donahue at four continents if the event is judged fairly.

What makes you think they will be going to 4 cc's

 

[Sylvia]

I'm interested to see Arnold/Williams's Downton Abbey program.

For @clairecloutier and other DA fans , (eta) here is Sarah Arnold/Thomas Williams' FD from Challenge (4th in FD & overall): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ScQocSxZ0M

More Challenge dance videos from the DM live stream - top 3 in Senior:

Gilles/Poirier FD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9n27qvR7qA

Soucisse/Firus FD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVulSJ48J9s

Sales/Wamsteeker FD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cZCfUBEwGE

Challenge Junior champs Lajoie/Lagha's programs:
SD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gvYOHtxujU
FD: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXFxGMEbZYk

 

[bwayrose7]

For @clairecloutier and other DA fans : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ScQocSxZ0M

Sigh. Matthew and Mary's theme starting halfway through. Don't mind me, just getting emotional over British costume dramas over here

Seriously, though, that was lovely, thanks for sharing!!

 

[barbarafan]

Sigh. Matthew and Mary's theme starting halfway through. Don't mind me, just getting emotional over British costume dramas over here

Seriously, though, that was lovely, thanks for sharing!!

so smooth and beautiful...lots of chemistry.

 

[patinart]

And in senior, G/P were given a world record score at Challenge, surpassing what V/M put out at NHK. I know all the scores are inflated but that's some serious inflation. What kind of feedback can they get from that? Hopefully the scores are a little more reasonable at nationals or else they'll run out of room to have some separation with V/M.

I think this is not so much about V/M as it is about W/P. This is Skate Canada setting G/P to become Canada#2 over W/P.

 

[Shamus]

 

[Shamus]

Excellent results/skates also for the new team of Soucisse/Firus!Nicely done.They have qualified for the final flight at nationals. Score in Freeskate 102

 

[Dobre]

I think this is not so much about V/M as it is about W/P. This is Skate Canada setting G/P to become Canada#2 over W/P.

Or it's just a sign that G&P are many miles ahead of the rest of the field at Skate Canada Challenge. Really, if the judges were going to hand Soucisse & Firus an FD score 22 points higher than they have earned internationally, what were they going to do with Gilles & Poirier?

 

[Shamus]

Soucisse and Firus are very new only 6 months together, so score should improve as they develop.Being a new team internationally in dance is always a challenge.

 

[Dobre]

Soucisse and Firus are very new only 6 months together, so score should improve as they develop.Being a new team internationally in dance is always a challenge.

Agreed. But again, a brand new team. There was going to have to be some serious distance between these two and G&P.

 

[juliajk]

I get that GP were country mile ahead of everyone else in this event, but such a huge score for fairly mediocre team skating wise is quite ridiculous.

 

[Shamus]

I believe the judges liked this team. To you they may be mediocre possibly the judges would disagree with you.

 

[princeton123]

It's 50/50 whether G/P beat W/P at nationals IMO.

 

[barbarafan]

I think this is not so much about V/M as it is about W/P. This is Skate Canada setting G/P to become Canada#2 over W/P.

Totally true....but originally it was to be #1, but after they proved in their first outings with their new programs that V/M are amazing and internationally accepted as same the plan modified to just decimating W/P. I did not see any support for V/M until they had proved themselves..Now as plan A has failed CBC(carol lane and PJ) think V/M are the greatest thing since sliced cheese but when they announced their comeback all they had said was how terrible it was for the other teams and how the teams must feel. Oh and then all the other teams quit..several from Carol Lanes stable. Were they told it was a waste of time to continue..I was amazed by how emptied the ranks are at Challenge..Only experienced team was Shane Firus and caroline Saucisse who just got together and are amazing and a few teams from out West who would have got tremendous support from their coaches.

 

[barbarafan]

Agreed. But again, a brand new team. There was going to have to be some serious distance between these two and G&P.

However as Piper's skating skills are not the best...even though they have improved a lot and their is zero chemistry or any other feeling between the 2 one judge gave them 9.75 all the way down in PCS..What kind of crap is there within Skate Canada and the Canadian judges.

 

[Rossig]

Now as plan A has failed CBC(carol lane and PJ) think V/M are the greatest thing since sliced cheese but when they announced their comeback all they had said was how terrible it was for the other teams and how the teams must feel.

I don't know about Carol Lane, but PJ Kwong has always loved V/M and never hesitated to talk about it, also in the podcast with Lane (October 2015). And when V/M announced come back, my impression was PJ was very happy about it.

 

[barbarafan]

I don't know about Carol Lane, but PJ Kwong has always loved V/M and never hesitated to talk about it, also in the podcast with Lane (October 2015). And when V/M announced come back, my impression was PJ was very happy about it.

PJ goes way back with Carol Lane and Paul Poirier...right now their mission is to put G/P on the world podium and every other team is collateral damage.

 

[Debrah]

barbarafan -- I seriously disagree with you regarding the supposed lack of chemistry between Piper and Paul, they have bags of chemistry together! Both are great and very versatile performer's and they are now doing a great job technically as well by achieving the highest levels possible in their programs this season all while at speed and remembering to involve the audience. They certainly DO connect with each other playfully and cheeky in the SD and in the very erotic, sensual and emotional FD, perhaps you need glasses or maybe you are too used to OTT fake drama that passes for partner chemistry these days? Really chemistry is in the eye of the beholder anyway... It's not always about a romantic connection anyway or teams like Shib sibs or Kerrs or Duchenay's would never have made it to top 10 world rankings, etc.. It's how a team works together to create an emotional reaction, to create a mood and to sell a performance and Piper and Paul do that very, very well! In ice dance its all about smoke and mirrors, how a team engages the audience based on an image they create while dancing on ice...Seriously some of the past most decorated teams hated one another, but they created an image and folks bought into it.

The top 3 Canadian teams in Dance ALL HAVE CHEMISTRY together as partners, all have great skating skills and each team brings something unique to the table, each team has its own style and strength and each has the potential and talent to wind up on the world podium this year as I think this is the very best and strongest field of dancer's Canada has ever had, each of them is pushing to bring their best selves forward by making necessary changes and re-tooling to be ready to dance for medals in Korea, sorry if that new reality of a strong deep Canadian dance field scares you. What scares me, is having to pick between the fabulous and gorgeous W&P and the truly innovative versatile and athletic G&P and the mesmerizing and masterful Olympic and world champs V&M. Very thankful I am not a judge - that has to confer rank of who is #1, 2 or 3, as really all 3 teams are very podium worthy depending on the day! Some team may have to wait their turn at bat. The sad reality is politiks and the make up of technical panels not necessarily the judges will likely play a bigger part in who gets the nod in Finland, Korea and beyond, than the actual talent and skill level of the contending dance teams - the days of a single country sweeping the podium anymore are probably over, which is why internal Federation politics is almost more important because it is difference tween being slotted to contend for world 1st or 4th or 8th, just sayin.

 

[barbarafan]

barbarafan -- I seriously disagree with you regarding the supposed lack of chemistry between Piper and Paul, they have bags of chemistry together! Both are great and very versatile performer's and they are now doing a great job technically as well by achieving the highest levels possible in their programs this season all while at speed and remembering to involve the audience. They certainly DO connect with each other playfully and cheeky in the SD and in the very erotic, sensual and emotional FD, perhaps you need glasses or maybe you are too used to OTT fake drama that passes for partner chemistry these days? Really chemistry is in the eye of the beholder anyway... It's not always about a romantic connection anyway or teams like Shib sibs or Kerrs or Duchenay's would never have made it to top 10 world rankings, etc.. It's how a team works together to create an emotional reaction, to create a mood and to sell a performance and Piper and Paul do that very, very well! In ice dance its all about smoke and mirrors, how a team engages the audience based on an image they create while dancing on ice...Seriously some of the past most decorated teams hated one another, but they created an image and folks bought into it.

The top 3 Canadian teams in Dance ALL HAVE CHEMISTRY together as partners, all have great skating skills and each team brings something unique to the table, each team has its own style and strength and each has the potential and talent to wind up on the world podium this year as I think this is the very best and strongest field of dancer's Canada has ever had, each of them is pushing to bring their best selves forward by making necessary changes and re-tooling to be ready to dance for medals in Korea, sorry if that new reality of a strong deep Canadian dance field scares you. What scares me, is having to pick between the fabulous and gorgeous W&P and the truly innovative versatile and athletic G&P and the mesmerizing and masterful Olympic and world champs V&M. Very thankful I am not a judge - that has to confer rank of who is #1, 2 or 3, as really all 3 teams are very podium worthy depending on the day! Some team may have to wait their turn at bat. The sad reality is politiks and the make up of technical panels not necessarily the judges will likely play a bigger part in who gets the nod in Finland, Korea and beyond, than the actual talent and skill level of the contending dance teams - the days of a single country sweeping the podium anymore are probably over, which is why internal Federation politics is almost more important because it is difference tween being slotted to contend for world 1st or 4th or 8th, just sayin.

Well I agree to disagree on most of what you said. None of the top 3 are couples but V/M and W/P both have a natural chemistry of caring for each other and it creates moments which draw the person in.With G/P it does not exist but they are doing tango which can be a fight between a man and a woman so all Paul does is scowl all the way through being true to the dance. Piper does a great job of emoting and acting and the routine has all kind of touching and they both follow the script but it does not ring true...Yes I do wear glasses and I was wearing them.

 

[Alilou]

Well I agree to disagree on most of what you said. None of the top 3 are couples but V/M and W/P both have a natural chemistry of caring for each other and it creates moments which draw the person in.With G/P it does not exist but they are doing tango which can be a fight between a man and a woman so all Paul does is scowl all the way through being true to the dance. Piper does a great job of emoting and acting and the routine has all kind of touching and they both follow the script but it does not ring true...Yes I do wear glasses and I was wearing them.

To be perfectly clear this is just your opinion. In my opinion Piper and Paul have bags of chemistry. I would not have thought Paul capable of smouldering, but for me he does in their tango.

 

[geoskate]

I saw the results from Challenge and rolled my eyes. To give a world record score to a team which did not even make the GPF, and which is ranked 8th in this year's Grand Prix Series, is utterly ridiculous.

The Canadian judges are truly stupid. In doing what they did, they diminished the huge achievements that Virtue/Moir have had this season, and for no good purpose as Gilles/Poirier will not be contending for the World Podium this season.

 

[geoskate]

Double post, sorry.