JPG #1 - Riga LAT - Dance RD & FD

[skatingguy]

6th Place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBRkKJ8qPjI
Michelle Deych/Ryan Hu
Age: 17/17
Coach: Igor Shpilband, Natalia Deller
Music: Four Seasons by Vivaldi and Richter

Stationary Lift 4
One Foot Turns W:2 M:3
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4 (W:3 M:3 after review)
Serpentine Step Sequence W:2 M:3
Choreo Sliding Movement
Dance Spin 4
Choreo Character Step Sequence
Rotational Lift 4

What a wonderful recovery from the disappointment yesterday in the Rhythm Dance. Beautiful skating, and interpretation throughout the program.

85.97 = 4th Place
130.64 = 6th Place

 

[skatingguy]

5th Place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bo9m73CzefE
Anita Straub/Andreas Straub
Age: 18/21
Coach: Galina Churilova, Pavel Laurencik
Music: Amelie by Yann Tiersen

One Foot Turns W:3 M:2
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
Stationary Lift 4
Diagonal Step Sequence W:2 M:2 (W:2 M:1 after review)
Straight Line Lift 4
Choreo Sliding Movement
Dance Spin 4 (3 after review)
Choreo Character Step Sequence

A pleasant skate, and program. Maybe a bit safe, and the composition of the program not particularly original.

83.92 = 5th Place
136.11 = 5th Place

 

[skatingguy]

4th Place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo9Y96mHXgo
Lou Koch/Lucas Chataignoux
Age: 18/20
Coach: Karine Arribert, Mahil Chantelauze
Music: Ballade Four Casa Grande

Rotational Lift 4
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
Dance Spin 4
Diagonal Step Sequence W:2 M:2
One Foot Turns W:2 M:1
Curve Lift 4 (3 after review)
Choreo Character Step Sequence
Choreo Sliding Movement

I quite enjoyed their interpretation, and performance level in this program.

83.74 = 6th Place
138.22 = 4th Place

 

[skatingguy]

3rd Place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4BIM61uMhI
Jasmine Robertson/Chase Rohner
Age: 16/17
Coach: I. Shpilband, P. Camerlengo, N. Deller, A. Lenda
Music: Notre Dame de Paris

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

I liked the matching split leaps into the twizzles, and thought they maintained good speed through the changes of choreography throughout the program.

90.92 = 3rd Place
147.83 = 3rd Place

 

[skatingguy]

2nd Place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4fong67iDU
Dania Mouaden/Theo Bigot
Age:
Coach: Barbara Piton
Music: Nature Boy (Acoutic), Bad Guy (Clone Mix)

Straight Line Lift 4
One Foot Turns W:3 M:3
Circular Step Sequence W:3 M:3
Dance Spin 4 (3 after review)
Rotational Lift 4 - beautiful unique position (2 after review)
Choreo Character Step Sequence
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
Choreo Dance Lift

I'm sold - that was wonderful - very unique program, and I can't see it again.

95.78 = 2nd Place
160.13 = 2nd Place

 

[skatingguy]

1st Place - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prkpGnDkMEM
Layla Veillon/Alexander Brandys
Age: 19/20
Coach: S. Moir, C. Moir, A. Diaz, M. Hubbell
Music: Summer 2 by Max Richter

One Foot Turns W:3 M:3
Choreo Spinning Movement
Straight Line Lift 4
Dance Spin 4
Choreo Character Step Sequence
Synchronized Twizzles W:4 M:4
Diagonal Step Sequence W:2 M:3 (W:3 M:3 after review)
Stationary Lift 4

A beautiful skate, and they presented this program with a lot conviction, speed, and precision.

97.67 = 1st Place
161.83 = 1st Place

 

[kwanfan1818]

I freaking love Koch/Chataignoux's program. While I think Arribert might be the best coach around to keep a team interested and motivated if they spend a few years dominating things, I don't think Mouaden and Bigot are in Shimada territory yet. She leans forward which not only contrasts to him, but also to Veillon and the Shpilband women. I also think she looks sloppy and juniorish in that costume, and if Oona Brown wore it, which she might have, it would get mucho criticism. I'm not a fan of Veillon/Brandys, but that FD really suits them.

I do think the gap should have been bigger after the RD, though: M/B knocked it out of the park performance-wise, with the caveat I have no idea how their blades and ice coverage compare to V/B's.

I love the RD's and my heart jumps when they do their entries into the pattern. I would rather watch a RD by the Irish siblings who got to practice 10 hours/month and competed in JGP a few years ago than 95% of the FD's. And despite hating the decade as a theme for dramatic content of any kind, I am really loving the music: it's like they're all dancing to the arena music.

ETA:
, I have no idea why I can’t never remember that M/B are not an Arribert team. Are they Pitton’s first prominent team?

 

[Wyliefan]

Finally got caught up with the top two teams. They were both so good! Junior ice dance is in good hands.