Paul and Islam: "No Matter What"

CassAgain said:
Igor might be a good choice for them to help improve getting the levels and with politics.
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I know it's not a popular opinion, but I think Igor would be a good idea for them, technically.

Artistically, well... could it be worse than their original FD this year?
 
Wow. That would be interesting. They could see Igor for technical, levels, and politics, but they work with someone more creative on choreography. A hybrid model. Get choreography outside, and foundations and confidence from Igor. But confidence is really not external. It comes from inside, and from solid material, solid training and great psychological/mental conditioning. They had more of that in the Olympic year. It's in them. They have to believe it themselves, now.
 
Andora said:
Artistically, well... could it be worse than their original FD this year?
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Let's not forget that Dubreuil & Lauzon were responsible for that debacle, not DSC. It was Kelly Johnson's choreography and Carmelengo/Krylova's coaching that allowed them to redeem themselves and their season with the new FD.

I think they need someone with more artistic vision than Igor when it comes to choreography. They have too much artistic range and traditional dance based skills to waste their time with empty, generic programs (Which is exactly what D/L gave them with Sinatra. They didn't hold onto that one for long now, did they.)
 
Rafter said:
Retiring?
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I really hope not. They are way too talented for retirement. I don`t know if a coaching switch would help them. This year`s FD debacle wasn`t really Krylova`s fault. I don`t understand why they didn`t keep Camerlengo as choreographer, since he worked so well for them in the past 2 years. Their SD got great scores at Worlds and their PCS were not very far behind of G/P. Their new FD was certainly better than the old one, but IMO not what they needed to make a splash at Worlds.
 
P/I seem to be stagnating again like they were a few years ago. Not only finishing 13th at Worlds with teams from Denmark and Italy beating them but H/B also beating them at 4CC a couple months ago. Sooner or later another strong team is going to rise up in Canada to challenge for that 3rd spot and they need to start improving again or get passed up.
 
I hope they're not retiring. I actually wouldn't mind Igor, that would definitely help clean up their techs. Programs might end up generic, at least he'd be able to help with politics.
 
Nothing yet :(

P/I tend to be private (kudos to them for that, since few skaters actually manage to be), and stories about them rarely move through the rumour mill, so I suspect we won't get any indication of where they've decided to go until they announce it themselves. Though I'm somewhat puzzled by their descision to leave a training center that has obviously been so good for them, they must have felt a change was necessary. Wherever they decide to go, I hope it makes them happy.
 
From Mitch's FB: "Alex and I would like to announce that we have moved to Montreal to train with Marie-France, Patrice, and Romain! Major changes are never easy, nor are the decisions that precede them, but we're confident after only a few days here that this is absolutely the right thing for us to do.

We'd like to thank our Detroit Skating Club family for an incredible 3 years, and to the coaches there who helped us realize one of our biggest dreams. DSC will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Thank you to our friends and fans for your unwavering support. We're thrilled to show you what comes of this new chapter!

The journey continues..."
 
I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of programs and styling they come up with this coming season. Paul/Islam are a couple off the ice as well, and I can remember some pretty awesome, breath-taking performances from D/L near the end of their competitive career. We could see a stronger, more mature team in P/I, exploiting the on-ice and off-ice connection. It's a full rink in Montreal, but I know they have lots of help as well. It should be interesting to see what this new team dynamic produces.
 
It would help if P/I showed some personality or fire on the ice. They still come off like V/M lite and nothing about them stands out. They are a bit like the Canadian Shibutani's nice skaters who need to show more personality.
 
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Jammers said:
It would help if P/I showed some personality or fire on the ice. They still come off like V/M lite and nothing about them stands out. They are a bit like the Canadian Shibutani's nice skaters who need to show more personality.
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Ouch. I would have agreed with you at one point, but I think they've come a long way. They were lovely in Olympic year. They pulled off an awesome houdini move changing programs mid season this year, which less skilled teams wouldn't have been able to do. Maybe D/L will help them find their groove and solidify their own style. I see them as pure dance and refinement, elegance and subtley, with a potential to do something really smoldering. I don't see them as high drama.
 
Gee, I've been lost in the house move from hell and have to catch up... I can't say I'm surprised, but I'm not cheering wildly just yet.

Last season had me going WTF? from the get go. I didn't like their original music choices to start, and though they wound up doing OK with the SD, I still feel a stronger piece of music would have served them better .. and I wish some fly on the wall could tell me whose brainchild the whole Sinatra debacle was to begin with. I don't feel terribly comfortable with the fact that D/L choreographed it. Technical differences aside, just from the perspective of effectiveness of the program, looking at the Sinatra piece and say, P/O's Un Peut Haute makes me feel they were choreographed by Jekyll and Hyde.

Of course P/I will now be their skaters. Another possible plus is that Haguenauer wasn't in Montreal yet at the time , they've worked with him successfully in the past, and I often like his choreography.

Skate Canada will be happy, what with D/L suddenly being elevated in the coaching ranks after this year .. and the ability to keep another Canadian couple in Canada ... but whether this will make a difference to P/I remains to be seen. (and go ahead, read between the lines if you like) ;)

Now we come to the tricky international part. I'm very keen on P/C, but don't really feel they deserved their placement this year. (Obviously, effective programs helped them.) I also feel that I/Z were rewarded very freely throughout the season (and to a lesser extent, the other Russian couples)... IMO, both teams were given credit for promise beyond what they actually delivered (though the promise is substantial).

I believe politics are still alive , though maybe not a healthy as they used to be, and can't help wondering how P/I (or, for that matter even W/P ) will be received next year, whatever they do..

Maybe I should be glad that it will take months to either settle into the new place, or decide to give it up and move again.. it might keep me from worrying myself sick. :D
 
^^ Do you mean politics is not the same strict, status quo, limiting influence that it used to be in ice dance? 'Healthy' doesn't seem like the right word in this context, especially in reference to politics. ;)

One of the reasons next season is unpredictable is because of the talent being so much more evenly distributed among the top teams. It will definitely be interesting to see how all the top teams fare, as well as to see what they will each be bringing to the ice next season. It should be a Battle Royale. And the politics factor, however large or small, will surely be in play. Over the next several years, I'm interested to see which team(s) if any will break out of the pack substantially.
 
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They have so much potential so hopefully this move will be all positive and help them push to another level of expression. The comparison to the Shibs puzzles me -- don't see it.
 
Jammers said:
It would help if P/I showed some personality or fire on the ice. They still come off like V/M lite and nothing about them stands out. They are a bit like the Canadian Shibutani's nice skaters who need to show more personality.
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I know I will get beaten up on this board for saying this here but I saw them at the Margaret Garrison event yesterday and it seemed that they have lost their spark.
I didn't see the pure joy in skating from them and I do hope that they regain it under Dubreil and Lauzon.
 
That wasn't quite the impression that I got. I will concede that they seemed a bit subdued, but I felt that had more to do with the piece itself being a more sombre romantic one (as opposed to their flirty EX from last season). I thought it showcased their chemistry well, though I wished the program would have had some different elements in it (I suspect the upheval of moving along with starting a new season's programs would have limited their time in terms of choreographing a new show piece). Their movements were beautiful and effortless as per usual, and they seemed to be having fun during the upbeat group number.

Hopefully they're settling into their new environment without too much trouble.
 
Nope. They'll either surprise us with a late announcement or they're following the same strategy as Hubbell/Donohue and unveiling when they actually skate.
 
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