Papadakis/Cizeron #10 - Waacking All The Way To Beijing

[bcash]

Только танец без души и чувств - это просто движения под музыку.

It's the right translation: dance without soul and feeling – it is just a movement to the music

Ah. Well I've never viewed her as a particularly artistic choreographer. Now we know why. Severe limitations in her artistic understanding.

 

[bcash]

I hope they get to rest soon and prepare for worlds.

I'm also a little worried about it. If they still truly feel like going to Worlds and not only because they feel the obligation to show up at a home Worlds, they need enough rest and training time. (I know Romain said it was one of their top goals but mentality could change for anyone after winning an Olympic gold.)

 

[synian]

I read somewhere that they are invited in artonice and guillaume was in a french plane (instagrom story) yesterday from france to switzerland I think. They will be back in montreal 2 weeks before the world shampionship in order to be ready for it

 

[cocotaffy]

Trip down memory lane, here are my favorite versions of each of their RD since their start in Senior, feel free to disagree.
2013/14: TEB
2014/15: World (Just for Gaby's back kick just before the end that was not present in the Euro version)
2015/16: World (One of my favorite SD of theirs, so much passion n'est-ce pas Miss Zueva ...)
2016/17: Bompard (My favorite midline step from them which has never been truly appreciated. Gaby is giving so much face and their upper body position are so challenging)
2017/18: GPF (The dance that would have happened at the Olympics if not for the dress, they were so ready that season it was insane. No other season have they been more ready for both program that early)
2018/19: Euros (For Gaby's gorgeous emerald dress)
2019/20: NHK
2021/2022: Olympics

Only 8 programs I want more. BTW watching those back to back, why were people ever claiming SDs were not their strong suit and that they are not versatile. Frankly not much to throw from the lot. It also looks rather versatile to me in tone and character.
Next FDs ...

 

[synian]

I don't think that this small piece has already shown here : https://twitter.com/lequipe/status/1496907782829846530

 

[Sylvia]

P/C are scheduled to perform in Art on Ice's dinner shows in Zurich, March 3-5, 2022:

Art on Ice March 3-5, 2022 Dinner Show

The Art on Ice organizers moved the tour date to 2023. In its place, they will have five dinner shows in Zurich on March 3-5, 2022. https://en.artonice.com/ https://www.artonice.com/programm-dinner-show Skaters Alexia Paganini Gabriella Papadakis & Guillaume Cizeron Vanessa James & Eric...

www.fsuniverse.net

 

[cocotaffy]

And FDs for a cozy Sunday afternoon ...

2013/14: TEB (Actually it was more polished at Worlds but this version is better filmed and there is a raw untamed energy to it)
2014/15: European (With a sentimental favorite, COC, where I discovered them for the first time. Did not choose Worlds because European was their 1st major title, they were leading yet delivered under mounting pressure plus a larger public discovered them for the 1st time)
2015/16: European (Best filming ever done of one of their competitive program added to the chock of seeing this program for the 1st time after her injury compounded by the anticipation as to how they could possibly follow up the smash hit that was Mozart, and boy did they exceed expectations !)
2016/17: Worlds (Watershed moment in their career as fierce competitors imo. They delivered a difficult program and turned the narrative against a seasoned and exceptional team. First time they beat V/M with no turning back after that, if not for that dress … beating them every single time except for the SD at Olys.
2017/18: COC (Unveiling of their Oly program at an international competition. Again the most ready they ever were that early in a season. They smashed it with my favorite performance, peaceful yet powerful and starting the beginning of a series of World breaking records)
2018/19: Worlds (But as strange as it may seems my true favorite is this fan recorded practice at Internationaux de France under the eyes of Lambiel in the far left corner. The way they make abstraction of everything and everyone around them and how they break the choreography but instantly get back into it with so much emotional intensity. I feel like a peeping Tom every time I watch this version)
2019/20: GPF (But the On ice perspective one is also mesmerizing, the simplicity of their training outfit added a element of purity, a real out of time moment )
2021/2022: Olympics no commentaries watchable with VPN set to France or CBC version with V/M commentaries VPN set to Canada (Well, nothing to add to this moment)

 

[GreenGan]

Thanks for all that @cocotaffy . I always thought that I'd wait until their retirement is official to ask people here what their favourite performance of P/C is, including the favourite moment their program was displayed on the season. But you answered a part of this question before I even thought of asking

I really like the fact that you put early competition on your comment. Does the fact that they change choreography during the season - and thus you prefer earlier version of their program - play a role in your choices ? Because it is often the case for me, with maybe the exception of their 2015-2016 SD and this year RD.

 

[cocotaffy]

For some programs yes but I am mainly sensitive to the energy and emotion emanating from the performance. There is sometimes a certain freedom and intensity when they unveil them in a major competition for the first time I really enjoy. Best example being Build a home. What are your favorites ? I'd be curious to see what others would choose.

 

[Jimena]

@cocotaffy, thanks so much for putting those lists together. I had a wonderful time going through every single link and watching every single program.

Gabby and Guillaume are magnificent. Just perfect. They are very versatile, IMO, and the people who refuse to acknowledge that are just silly. I loved their 2017 SD. So much fun. And Gabby puts so much character into it. Just fantastic.

 

[GreenGan]

My favourite program from them is definitely build a home, but I prefer the World video of it, even though when they cross at the end of their step sequence it's not rightly filmed.
My second favourite program of them would be this year's waacking, very sharp and in rythm. And their tango RD really embodies tango for me, but I prefer the worlds' dress and execution.
My second favourite FD of them is Find me, but I re-watched their Berthoven and I must say their arms are exquisite their.

Odduada is a demanding choreography and was a reaally cool idea but I think I would've preferred if it was only the crazy piano in the whole program. Maybe they could re-work on it ? I would really like to see that.

 

[nuge]

The 16/17 SD was the only one I never really liked .I loved this version as it was quirky and Gabby gave it everything. It had so much character. Then they changed it for worlds it wasn't the same. The ending was not as good IMO and I always thought there was too much blues and the second part too short.

 

[sap5]

P/C's TBAH Worlds performance is probably my most-watched ice dance program ever. I don't know what Marina is talking about re: feelings, because the way Gabriella totally embodies the feeling of the music during the straight line into rotational lift is incredible.

 

[marbri]

Isn't it possible Marina is just talking about this years FD?

 

[Peepsquick]

Isn't it possible Marina is just talking about this years FD?

I don't think so but it is true that they were more "remote" in this year's FD. It is difficult to describe it as as "remote" really as there were moments of great togetherness (@cocotaffy's avatar picture is the one striking moment of it for me) but it was a more difficult piece imo, almost hieratic in its portrayal of feelings/emotions, hence the "remoteness" compared to other FDs.

 

[bcash]

Isn't it possible Marina is just talking about this years FD?

It didn’t sound like she was commenting on a specific program.

 

[GreenGan]

Isn't it possible Marina is just talking about this years FD?

She did say "in recent years the style was set by Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron. But dance without soul and feelings is just movement to the music"

YearS and "style" to me refer as more than one program.

 

[escaflowne9282]

While I recognize that they improved immensely and grown since then, my favorite FD and program of theirs still is their Mozart. I love Prejcolaj's Le Parc and had always wanted to see it done in ice dance.
I remember I was stunned when I first saw it because my only real prior exposure to their skating was as this awkward newbie team that Scott Moir seemingly wanted to beat up at TEB the season before .
All of a sudden, it seemed as though they were transformed into this beautiful fluid team with an incredible natural dance sensibility and musicality. I realize they probably always had it in them, but Gadbois really brought it out of them.

It was also a wonderful antidote to Zueva's decade long choreographic treachery.

My favorite RD of theirs is the Tango from 2019. This year's waacking comes very close.

 

[Taso]

It was also a wonderful antidote to Zueva's decade long choreographic treachery.

Yes...it literally felt to me like there was, like, innate human goodness in the world again. Or something like that...

 

[Khaleesi]

P/C's TBAH Worlds performance is probably my most-watched ice dance program ever. I don't know what Marina is talking about re: feelings, because the way Gabriella totally embodies the feeling of the music during the straight line into rotational lift is incredible.

My favorite program/performance as well. I wish it was their Olympic FD tbh.

 

[Escarbille]

My favorite moments? Very often their first seconds, because immediately the emotion is there, I am a prisoner:

• Their smoldering looks at the start of SD Flamenco in 2014/2015,
• The initial pose and the final pose of their SD valse 2015/2016,
• The first 15 seconds of Build a home
• Oddudua's initial pose and back-to-back arm movement
• The musicality of moonlight sonata twizzles
• Their Tango Oblivion, for… the whole tango
• The “Fame!” instants of their 2019 RD (too bad we couldn't see it more, more polished)
• The waacking Intro until they head straight for the judges with that defiant look

 

[cocotaffy]

P/C's TBAH Worlds performance is probably my most-watched ice dance program ever. I don't know what Marina is talking about re: feelings, because the way Gabriella totally embodies the feeling of the music during the straight line into rotational lift is incredible.

This whole competition in Boston was great and is one of the rare one I rewatch the last two groups from time to time for both SD (or CBC) and FD CBC (or with Ben Agosto). For P/C, I remember really well how people were doubting they could come on top after their short season and having to face the extremely popular Shibs FD Fix you. Plus their SD had not been received so well at Euros but then they came out with this totally revamp Waltz at Worlds taking everyone by surprise taking the lead the SD for the first time. I remembered reading comments like: ''Well if they start to win the SD now, no one has a chance !''

 

[Bigbird]

 

[allezfred]

Isn't it possible Marina is just talking about this years FD?

Zueva doesn’t do nuance.

 

[Jimena]

After repeatedly watching their performances, I can say that TBAH will always be my favorite because it was the first time I saw them. I'm not into ice dance much, really. But that program gave me chills.

But as a performance, I say that Oddudua/Stillness at Worlds is the best for me. So raw and emotional. They were so into it. No one comes close.

I expect them to retire but I really don't want them to. They're so special.

 

[Bigbird]

After repeatedly watching their performances, I can say that TBAH will always be my favorite because it was the first time I saw them. I'm not into ice dance much, really. But that program gave me chills.

But as a performance, I say that Oddudua/Stillness at Worlds is the best for me. So raw and emotional. They were so into it. No one comes close.

I expect them to retire but I really don't want them to. They're so special.

Hmm...And I just really like their first take on the Midnight Blues, everything from 2018/9, Find Me, the Paso Doble from 2015, this years RD, I could go on and on. I could watch their tango RD on repeat. I wish they'd skated to something from Marvin Gaye though. Am I too greedy?

 

[Jimena]

Hmm...And I just really like their first take on the Midnight Blues, everything from 2018/9, Find You, the Paso Doble from 2015, this years RD, I could go on and on. I could watch their tango RD on repeat. I wish they'd skated to something from Marvin Gaye though. Am I too greedy?

Find Me is another favorite of mine.

 

[MarieM]

Isn't it possible Marina is just talking about this years FD?

No. She's not. You know she's talking about all of them.

 

[bcash]

Thanks for the compilation @cocotaffy ! I'm still waiting on Worlds to see if they could give an even greater performance of the Elegie FD. What I really like about the Olympic performance of that program is how they've managed to tighten it up musically, even from just the French Nationals, the phrasing in movement and music completely as one, while filling out nuances with some little flourishes, and deepening expression with others.

 

[bcash]

I have a question. I hadn't watched the full event of the 2015 Worlds until recently. I'd always thought that P/C skated last in that FD competition and that's why they were so thrilled seeing the score, and the commentators saying that how incredible it is that they've won gold. But I've now discovered that C/L skated after them, and scored higher than they did in the SD. Even though they just received a big score, it would still have been too early to celebrate for Gold wouldn't it? So were they at that point just thrilled for a podium placement? And why did the commentators all say that they are the new World champions?