Nepela Memorial - Dance RD & FD

[Karen-W]

Oh, and the Taschlers are giving us Matrix - because we didn't get that from VouBou in pairs at Nebelhorn already yesterday.

ETA - and her costume designer really hates her this season. Natalie does not have the right body shape for a peplum.

 

[TanithandBenFan]

If you're going to do a headstand you can't do it half assed

 

[HaNguyen]

Okay, so the Tashes were a bit too cringe for me and did not have as amazing lifts as Smart/Dieck.

 

[PRlady]

Some good stuff in there. Taschlers better at modern science fiction than goopy emotional ballads. But lots of little things to iron out and the lifts look rough.

 

[Karen-W]

Meh. I'm underwhelmed by that. Mostly because Natalie's costume is sooooo unflattering to the point of distraction. The sleeves that are black pleather with green detailing on the topside and nude illusion fabric on the underside, the completely open back with a couple of small black straps angling in a V from the shoulder blades to the small of her back, and the bizarre peplum around the waist. This whole thing needs to be tossed in the dustbin because it's awful.

So is the character choreo step sequence where she does a headstand on the ice, but isn't able to sustain the position as she kicks her legs up. Just a mess. They're lucky they stayed ahead of GreenP, to be honest.

 

[Spikefan]

I knew they needed to ditch the headstand when I saw it at their test skate.

 

[Wyliefan]

Wow, looks like they dropped to 5th in the free.

 

[PRlady]

I missed Lop/Bri, is it worth watching? Feel so sorry for them, a year ago they would have been expected to win this.

 

[Karen-W]

I missed Lop/Bri, is it worth watching? Feel so sorry for them, a year ago they would have been expected to win this.

I would watch it. I thought it was better than GreenP, but we know where the FFSG's was headed and today was more continuation of the path we saw things heading down in Boston.

 

[skatfan]

Do we know if Green and Parsons have missed some training? Their programs look under trained and I wonder if there’s an injury somewhere.

 

[Braulio]

I had some doubts on Dune Part 2, but wow that was a smart choice, the program feels like a sequel indeed and they had a cohesive way to connect the end of last year's program with this, the initial rotational lift is impressive and dificult position to hold, the cuve lift had almost the same path as last year but they added a feature in the end.

Wish the twizzles were different positions, but if they work like that for them and give good GOE bonus, why changing it?

118 free dance score for their season's debut is very good

The program has potential to be spectacular on it own, IMO this will be another great vehicle for them in an Olympic season with the momentum they got at Worlds

 

[Braulio]

I missed Lop/Bri, is it worth watching? Feel so sorry for them, a year ago they would have been expected to win this.

I am very sorry to see them getting maybe the Moniotte/Lavanchy treatment they had in the 98 olympic season

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I love that Michael Parsons is going the Paul Poirier route and donning an open back

 

[Private Citizen]

I am very sorry to see them getting maybe the Moniotte/Lavanchy treatment they had in the 98 olympic season

Potentially even worse. Lopareva and Brissaud are at risk of not even making the Olympics. Nobody politics like the French.

 

[Karen-W]

Potentially even worse. Lopareva and Brissaud are at risk of not even making the Olympics. Nobody politics like the French.

The way things went here at Nepela, I wonder the same. And I think it would be a pretty awful thing to happen to them since they missed out on Beijing because PapCiz skipped 2021 Worlds & LopBri were one of the 2 inexperienced teams sent instead who weren't able to hold onto 2 spots. They and DemLeM have worked hard over the last 3 years to get themselves into a spot where they can easily retain 2 spots and it makes me sick that both of them won't be able to enjoy the fruits of their labors.

 

[Spikefan]

I am so disappointed in that dire program from Green/Parsons. What was their team thinking?!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I am so disappointed in that dire program from Green/Parsons. What was their team thinking?!

Wait, I thought the free dance was amazing, finally something interesting, remember that abstract program they had years ago, that was the best ever.

Nice costumes

Although I didn’t like the voice overs, what were they saying “my lungs are tired?” “My loins are tired?” That needs to be edited out lol.

The Rhythm dance and rhythm dance costumes were not my brand of whiskey.

 

[Spikefan]

Although I didn’t like the voice overs, what were they saying “my lungs are tired?” “My loins are tired?” That needs to be edited out lol.

What I say to myself at the end of a workweek. Not a voiceover that should be in an Olympic program.

 

[Wyliefan]

I liked Green/Parsons's RD -- I even liked the Too Sexy part. Thought it was very smoothly incorporated. But I HATE Michael's shirt. Airbrushed abs with a green shirt?? It looks like he's either seasick or turning into the Incredible Hulk!

 

[peibeck]

Sorry to yet again disagree, but "Dune 2" doesn't strike the same magic. And AGAIN they are doing beginners level hand to hand and arm to shoulder holds through 85% or more of it. The lifts are, again, interesting and the slide move is stellar, but the step sequences aren't matching in innovation, and the music last season was a lot more dynamic. Meh.

Green/Parsons again chose terrible music. Sigh. Honestly I think they need to branch out because being stuck in "modern dance" mode is getting stale. They seemed a bit tentative as far as attacking the elements, but I thought their performance level was actually quite high for this early in season.

 

[skatfan]

Green/Parsons again chose terrible music. Sigh. Honestly I think they need to branch out because being stuck in "modern dance" mode is getting stale. They seemed a bit tentative as far as attacking the elements, but I thought their performance level was actually quite high for this early in season.

This program seems to be trying very hard. But while Smart and Dieck have perfected their program (I like it again) Green and Parsons have shown up undertrained - missing levels all over the place and the clunky seams in the program took me out of it.

I think they want to recover the magic of that last Olympic season program, and nothing has matched it since.

 

[Tinycities]

for both programs, I’m just confused at the green/parsons packaging. The RD doesn’t feel like them, and the FD being contemporary lyrical is starting to become increasingly stale as it’s their third FD of this flavor in 4 or 5 years.

the repeating verse of “my lungs are tired” while their skating looks labored due to it being early season is doing them no favors.

It’s just a bummer to see, loved their FD last year even though that too was fairly monotonous. I honestly thought they’d run away with the third spot but I’m not too sure now.

 

[Karen-W]

for both programs, I’m just confused at the green/parsons packaging. The RD doesn’t feel like them, and the FD being contemporary lyrical is starting to become increasingly stale as it’s their third FD of this flavor in 4 or 5 years.

the repeating verse of “my lungs are tired” while their skating looks labored due to it being early season is doing them no favors.

It’s just a bummer to see, loved their FD last year even though that too was fairly monotonous. I honestly thought they’d run away with the third spot but I’m not too sure now.

I really like Caroline's RD dress - the color palette is spot-on for the '90s. Michael's RD shirt, on the other hand, needs to be replaced. I've seen some comments elsewhere comparing it to an Incredible Hulk shirt and that was a thought that ran through my head during the warm-up. I didn't voice it at the time because I do like how it matches the colors in Caroline's dress, but there are other ways of doing so without looking like you're imitating the Hulk who has vomited all over himself, lol.

I really thought GreenP would run away with the third spot too and this program just isn't cutting it for me at all. I need to re-watch ZingKol's FD from Kinoshita Group Cup, but even just my lingering impression from a few weeks ago is that it's a much better fit for them - and, with most of the RDs being trash thanks to the terrible '90s theme, it's all going to come down to who has the better FD. Right now, I feel like ZingKol are in the lead.

 

[Tinycities]

I really like Caroline's RD dress - the color palette is spot-on for the '90s. Michael's RD shirt, on the other hand, needs to be replaced. I've seen some comments elsewhere comparing it to an Incredible Hulk shirt and that was a thought that ran through my head during the warm-up. I didn't voice it at the time because I do like how it matches the colors in Caroline's dress, but there are other ways of doing so without looking like you're imitating the Hulk who has vomited all over himself, lol.

I really thought GreenP would run away with the third spot too and this program just isn't cutting it for me at all. I need to re-watch ZingKol's FD from Kinoshita Group Cup, but even just my lingering impression from a few weeks ago is that it's a much better fit for them - and, with most of the RDs being trash thanks to the terrible '90s theme, it's all going to come down to who has the better FD. Right now, I feel like ZingKol are in the lead.

You inspired me and I actually went back and watched both. I do like Green/Parsons more than I did at first on second viewing. They have a lot of very cool elements such as that first spin position. I think my issue with this outing is that this type of movement just requires perfect extension and sharpness, and I find them a little sloppy here. If they’re able to fix that up, it’ll be quite impressive movement wise even though I don’t think it connects much to the music. Also, Caroline’s core strength is ridiculous.

Zingas/Kolesniks was still fairly interesting on second viewing. It’s very comfortable for them and they sell it. It also is a bit sloppy and could use some more of the unique Benoit elements in the first half. I give a bit of a lead to Z/k here as It seems like they connect to the music a bit better. The music being less monotonous helps a lot as well. But yes, that third spot will be something to watch. The next time both teams perform will also be against each other.

 

[Dobre]

Thoughts:

The blue ponytail beats the blond material-girl extensions in the ponytail wars.

Today I liked Demougeot & Le Mercier's FD and performance the best. There were a lot of teams trying to be "different," and they were the team that pulled it off for me today. Also not one ugly position in those lifts. That's how it's done.

----

In the celebration department, among the top 7 teams, not one soft & flowy I-am-so-in-love-with-you-I-will-fall-into-your-eyes program. Cheers!

In the practical department, lots of early season-debut-esque bumps & bruises & unfinished concepts & thinking through the choreography.

----

On Green & Parsons specifically and also Lopareva & Brissaud, please take a hard look at the program construction of the last minute of your FDs and consider what it takes to sell a program at a hard-fought Nationals with everything on the line. It takes build. You can't wander around the ice doing choreo elements hemmed in along the horizontal axis (or spinning) without serious ice coverage for the final minute of your program. Not if you want an audience or judging panel to send you over the moon.

(Choreo footwork works great for dances that really can't be done only via stroking on skates--things like A Chorus Line, a flamenco or tap sequence, a flirtatious interplay from La La Land, disco poses, that kind of thing. It almost never adds much to music that is so big & sweeping that it feels hemmed in when the athletes are trapped within an axis and doing more arm-waving than skating).

 

[Aussie Willy]

I am not following everything this season (just too much on and I cannot keep up) but if it comes up love having a look. However I have just come on here to say I watch Smart/Dieck's FD last night and am blown away.

When I saw the outfits I thought they were just doing Dune again. But no we got a sequel that if this was the second part of the movie series absolutely did not disappoint and in fact totally surpassed expectations. That they continued the story felt so right because last year left you wanting more it was so good and I couldn't be happier to see it.

There were so many amazing elements. The opening rotational lift was exceptional. The choreo slide stunning. And again they picked up every nuance of that music and then some. Choice of music for the Choreo Sequence was perfect. As I say choreography is creating pictures of the music and this is a perfect example of it.

Even now I am hoping this lands them on the podium at the Olympics. This would make up for last season them missing out at Worlds.

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

I don’t know where to put this will just put this here. It looks like all of Ulrichs salchow Den videos from this past weekend from both of events are all gone.